Warm and dry conditions across Iowa last week pushed corn and soybeans closer to full-on harvest season while giving farmers ample time for fieldwork, according to the latest Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report. For the week ending Sept. 14, farmers had 6.5 days suitable for fieldwork, which focused on cutting hay, harvesting corn silage, and prepping equipment to bring in row crops. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig says, “The warm and dry weather is helping to push Iowa’s corn and soybean crop toward maturity as harvest gets underway across the state. These conditions have also been helpful to farmers who are chopping silage, baling hay, seeding cover crops, and getting equipment and bins ready. Looking ahead, forecasts indicate that the warm temperatures will continue this week with rain chances trending back into the picture.” Corn progress advanced, with 90 percent of the crop dented or beyond and 48 percent mature, four days ahead of last year and three days ahead of average. Corn conditions rated 79 percent good to excellent. Soybeans reached 73 percent coloring, with 35 percent dropping leaves, or about a day ahead of average. Soybean conditions rated 75 percent good to excellent. Moisture conditions showed topsoil was 26 percent short to very short, 65 percent adequate, and nine percent surplus, while subsoil was 20 percent short to very short, 71 percent adequate, and nine percent surplus. The complete Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report for the week ending Sept. 14 can be found online at www.nass.usda.gov and below.
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USDA – National Agricultural Statistics Service – Iowa – Crop Progress and Condition
