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.

“We are now 49 percent of corn and 71 percent of beans harvested, which puts corn 3 days behind and soybeans 7 days behind the five-year average. The good weather allowed 20 percent of corn and 34 percent of soybeans to be harvested last week,” Naig said. “We need another couple good weeks to allow farmers to continue to try and catch up after a very challenging start to harvest.”

CROP REPORT

Iowa farmers had a good week for harvesting with 5.8 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending October 28, 2018, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Taking advantage of the dry conditions, activities for the week included harvesting corn and soybeans, baling stalks, anhydrous and manure application, fall tillage, and planting cover crops.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 0 percent short, 79 percent adequate and 21 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 1 percent short, 73 percent adequate and 26 percent surplus.

Forty-nine percent of the State’s corn for grain crop has been harvested, 3 days ahead of last year but 3 days behind the five-year average. Farmers in southeast Iowa have harvested 65 percent of their corn for grain while farmers in the northeast and southwest are yet to cross the 40 percent mark on their corn for grain harvest.

Moisture content of field corn being harvested averaged 18 percent. Corn condition rated 69 percent good to excellent. Soybean harvest was 71 percent complete, a week behind the average. This is the smallest percentage of the soybean crop harvested by October 28 since 2009.

Pasture conditions rated 52 percent good to excellent. Feedlots are drying to more favorable condition.