Bill Northey

DES MOINES – 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 agreeable weather last week allowed many farmers to make good harvest progress, but with 36 percent of corn and 81 percent of soybeans harvested we remain behind the five-year average,” Northey said. “Wet fields and rain showers continue to slow progress in some areas and hopefully warm, dry weather will allow harvest to progress in a timely manner.”

CROP REPORT

Above average temperatures and mostly dry weather allowed harvest to progress at a normal pace during the 5.1 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending October 26, 2014, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. A few low-lying fields remain too muddy to harvest. Activities for the week included fall tillage, manure and fertilizer application, corn stalk baling, and hauling grain.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 4 percent short, 80 percent adequate, and 16 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 1 percent very short, 5 percent short, 81 percent adequate, and 13 percent surplus. Southwest and south central Iowa were the wettest with over one-third of their topsoil and subsoil in surplus condition.

With almost all of Iowa’s corn acreage mature, harvest was 36 percent complete, 6 days behind 2013 and 16 days behind the five-year average. Moisture content of corn at harvest was estimated at 19 percent, encouraging some farmers to harvest, but still limiting others who are waiting for corn to dry down in the field. Seventy-seven percent of the corn crop was reported in good to excellent condition. Soybean harvest reached 81 percent complete, 2 days behind last year and 4 days behind normal. Many farmers across the State were waiting for their replanted soybeans to mature.

Grain movement from farm to elevator was rated 58 percent moderate to heavy, increasing 3 percentage points from the previous week. Off-farm grain storage availability was 90 percent adequate to surplus. On-farm grain storage availability was 86 percent adequate to surplus.

Pasture condition rated 65 percent good to excellent, while hay and roughage supplies were estimated at 97 percent adequate to surplus. Livestock conditions were excellent, and a few cattle were turned out on corn stalk fields.