Bill Northey Iowa Secretary of Agriculture

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey 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 October.

“The wet weather has resulted in a very slow start to the harvest. Farmers have only been able to harvest 5 percent of corn and 9 percent of soybeans, compared with the five-year average of 26 percent of corn and 42 percent of soybeans harvested,” Northey said. “Hopefully dry weather and warmer temperatures will allow fields to dry so farmers can get in the fields soon.”

CROP REPORT

Wet conditions have delayed widespread harvest across Iowa during the week ending October 5, 2014, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. There were 3.3 days suitable for fieldwork. Activities for the week included harvesting hay and the start of fall tillage. Farmers were hoping for drier field and crop conditions to enable substantial harvest to begin.

Topsoil moisture rated 0 percent very short, 4 percent short, 80 percent adequate, and 16 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 1 percent very short, 7 percent short, 80 percent adequate, and 12 percent surplus. Southwest Iowa was the wettest with almost half of its topsoil in surplus condition.

With almost all of Iowa’s corn acreage in or beyond the dent stage, corn mature reached 79 percent, 6 days behind the five-year average. Moisture content of all corn in the field, at 27 percent, continued to delay harvest. Only 5 percent of corn has been harvested so far, 3 weeks behind the normal pace. Seventy-six percent of the corn crop was reported in good to excellent condition. With almost all of the soybean acreage turning color, 85 percent of the crop was dropping leaves or beyond, just behind average. Soybean harvest was 9 percent complete, the lowest percentage harvested by this date in over 30 years. Seventy-four percent of the soybean crop was in good to excellent condition.The third cutting of alfalfa hay was 95 percent complete, almost 2 weeks behind the five-year average. Pasture condition rated 67 percent good to excellent. Livestock conditions have been normal. There were some reports of weaned calves being moved off pastures.