Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Bill Northey, commented on the most recent Iowa Crops and Weather Report, released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service earlier this week. He noted that crop progress across the state is good and remains ahead of the five-year average and that storms that hit late last week and early this week have brought some needed moisture. However, some of those he added, also brought strong winds and isolated crop damage. According to the report for the week ending July 10, 29 percent of the corn crop has reached the silking stage and is rated 79 percent good to excellent. Soybeans blooming hit 40 percent two days ahead of last year and the five-year average and six percent of soybeans were setting pods four days ahead of normal. The soybean crops across the state have been rated at 77 percent good to excellent.
