Iowa Crop Progress Report
DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report is released weekly from April through November.
“The holiday weekend brought warmer weather and some sun, which helped advance crop development,” said Secretary Naig. “Showers and thunderstorms are forecast for the next few days but I expect farmers will be able to resume fieldwork later this week when more dry weather is expected.”
Crop Progress
Rain throughout the week resulted in 2.5 days suitable for field work during the week ending May 24, 2020, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Below normal temperatures have slowed crop growth.
Topsoil moisture levels rated 0% very short, 2% short, 76% adequate and 22% surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 1% very short, 3% short, 79% adequate and 17% surplus.
Iowa farmers have planted 97% of the expected corn crop, 3 weeks ahead of last year and almost 2 weeks ahead of the 5-year average.
Corn emergence was at 82%, an improvement of 20 percentage points from the previous week. The first corn condition rating of the season was 0% very poor, 2% poor, 17% fair, 67% good and 14% excellent. T
he soybean crop moved to 92% planted, nearly a month ahead of last year and over 2 weeks ahead of average. Farmers in Southwest Iowa have over 25% of their soybeans left to plant. Fifty-two percent of the soybean crop has emerged, doubling the amount of soybeans emerged from the previous week. Ninety-five percent of the oat crop has emerged. Oat condition rated 81% good to excellent.
Hay condition rated 73% good to excellent. Pasture condition improved to 66% good to excellent. There was little stress on livestock although feedlots remain mudd