DES MOINES — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service. The report is released weekly from April through November.
“For the most part the crop is in the ground and in good condition, with 81 percent of corn and 78 percent of soybeans rated good to excellent. However, it is important to recognize that some farmers have faced significant weather challenges as well, with dry conditions a concern in southern Iowa and severe flooding in northern Iowa,” Naig said.
The weekly report is also available on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s website at www.IowaAgriculture.gov or on USDA’s site at www.nass.usda.gov/ia. The report summary follows here:
CROP REPORT
While hot and dry conditions allowed many farmers to get caught up on fieldwork, others could do nothing but watch it rain during the week ending June 10, 2018, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were 5.1 days suitable for fieldwork. Activities for the week included hay harvest, wrapping up planting for the year and post-emergent weed and fertilizer applications.
Topsoil moisture levels rated 4 percent very short, 15 percent short, 71 percent adequate and 10 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 5 percent very short, 17 percent short, 69 percent adequate and 9 percent surplus. Drought concerns continue in south central and southeast Iowa as subsoil moisture ratings of very short to short reached 70 percent or more.
Ninety-seven percent of the corn crop has emerged with 81 percent rated in good to excellent condition. Soybean growers have 98 percent of the expected crop planted, 2 weeks ahead of the 5-year average. Eighty-nine percent of soybeans have emerged, 5 days ahead of last year. Seventy-eight percent of the soybean crop was rated in good to excellent condition. Nearly all of the oat crop has emerged, with 38 percent headed. Eighty-one percent of the oat crop was rated in good to excellent condition.
Hay condition was rated 69 percent good to excellent. Pasture conditions rated 60 percent good to excellent. High temperatures have strained pastures in areas lacking rainfall. Cattle continued to experience heat stress.
IOWA PRELIMINARY WEATHER SUMMARY
By Dr. Justin Glisan, State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
The week began with warmer temperatures across northern Iowa, ranging from 2-7 degrees above normal. With the exception of the southwest corner, where average temperatures were 2-3 degrees cooler than expected, the rest of Iowa had near normal values in the upper 70s. On the 4th, Swea City (Kossuth County) reported a high of 91 degrees. Sioux City observed a high of 94 degrees, 15 degrees above average on the 5th. Mid-week through the weekend saw above average temperatures across most of Iowa; 95 degrees was observed in Rock Rapids (6th) and Little Sioux (7th). Lamoni ended the week with a high of 93 degrees. Between the 4th and the 5th, the state was dry, with only a few reports of measurable precipitation from pop-up thunderstorms. Guttenberg recorded 0.2 inches on the 4th; Dubuque observed 0.05 inches (5th). An organized line of storms moved between Mason City and Des Moines on the morning of the 6th. Quarter size hail was reported in Buchanan County. Widespread convective activity in the afternoon and evening brought heavy rain, hail and straight-line winds to east central Iowa. Ames received 1.41 inches of rain along with dime to quarter size hail; Stanhope reported golf ball size hail. Overall, there were more than 50 reports of severe hail and high winds. Thunderstorms brought above normal amounts of rain, around 0.2 – 0.4 inches, to central Iowa mid-week. From the 7th to the 10th, flooding occurred in northeastern Iowa, including Mitchell and Floyd Counties, as slow moving thunderstorms produced multiple inches of rain. Iowa’s southern third reported measurable rainfall on Sunday, as a line of thunderstorms slowly progressed across the region. Forest City reported a brief touch down of a rope tornado on the 9th. Slow moving storms in northeastern Iowa also produced flash flooding in multiple locations on the 10th.
— Iowa Department of Agriculture
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