TAMA NEWS-HERALD – DES MOINES – (SPECIAL)

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey commented on the Iowa Crops and Weather report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service. The report is released weekly from April through October.

“The weather last week again allowed farmers to be in the field and as a result significant progress on harvest for both corn and beans was made,” Northey said. “The longer crops remain in the field the more their condition deteriorates, so hopefully it will remain dry. Even with agreeable weather it looks like many farmers will be in fields through Thanksgiving.”

FARMERS TRYING TO CATCH UP – Iowa received another full week of dry weather giving farmers a chance to make good progress on the harvest season. With soybean harvest nearly complete, producers could finally shift resources to corn harvest and fall fertilizer application. Space in grain driers continues to be the limiting factor to the corn harvest pace. Reporters also indicated some elevators were not accepting wet corn if their driers were full or if they had run out of natural gas.

There were 6.6 days suitable for fieldwork during the week, compared to the five-year average of 5.1 days. Topsoil moisture rated 0 percent very short, 2 percent short, 83 percent adequate, and 15 percent surplus across the state. Subsoil moisture rated 0 percent very short, 3 percent short, 76 percent adequate, and 21 percent surplus.

Grain movement was reported at 22 percent none, 28 percent light, 33 percent moderate, and 17 percent heavy. On-farm storage availability rated 23 percent short, 74 percent adequate, and 3 percent surplus, while off-farm storage availability rated 14 percent short, 82 percent adequate, and 4 percent surplus. Reporters estimated 24 percent of cropland had fall applications of fertilizer complete, 4 percentage points ahead of last year but 15 percentage points behind the five-year average.

Field Crops Report: Corn harvested for grain reached 59 percent, 10 percentage points behind last year and 17 days behind the five-year average. Moisture content of all corn in the field is estimated at 23 percent while moisture of corn being harvested is estimated at 20 percent. Corn lodging is rated 63 percent none, 27 percent light, 8 percent moderate, and 2 percent heavy. Ear droppage is rated 74 percent none, 21 percent light, 4 percent moderate, and 1 percent heavy. Corn condition was rated 2 percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 18 percent fair, 53 percent good, and 22 percent excellent.

Soybeans harvested reached 96 percent, 2 percentage points behind last year and 12 days behind the five-year average.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: With harvest lagging behind normal, use of stubble fields was reported 52 percent none, 32 percent light, 14 percent moderate, and 2 percent heavy. Hay and roughage availability is currently rated 7 percent short, 84 percent adequate, and 9 percent surplus. The quality of hay and roughage is currently rated 7 percent poor, 51 percent fair, and 42 percent good.