TAMA NEWS-HERALD – DES MOINES – 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 warm, dry weather enjoyed across much of the state last week allowed farmers to stay busy in the fields and make significant progress on corn planting,” Northey said. “Livestock farmers have also benefited from the nearly ideal weather as many pasture and hay fields are in very good shape and livestock stress has been limited.”

Farmers Take advantage Of Ideal Conditions

Agricultural Summary: Warm, breezy conditions in central and southern Iowa dried and firmed up fields after a few rain showers early in the week. However, large rainfall amounts and hail in northern Iowa limited field work in that area the past week. Improving conditions in most areas allowed farmers to apply fertilizer and nitrogen along with preparing fields for planting corn and soybeans. With soil temperatures rising into the fifties, oat planting continued, corn planting progressed rapidly, and several areas started planting soybeans. Due to drier conditions this week, some areas could actually use rain to help the newly planted crops emerge. Hay fields look good and pasture conditions continue to improve as they green up.

There were 5.3 days suitable for fieldwork during the week, compared with 3.6 days last week. Topsoil moisture rated 1 percent very short, 6 percent short, 84 percent adequate, and 9 percent surplus across the state. Subsoil moisture rated 0 percent very short, 3 percent short, 82 percent adequate, and 15 percent surplus.

Field Crops Report: Corn acreage planted was 19 percent complete, 14 percentage points ahead of both last year and the five-year average, and the fastest pace since 2004. Central Iowa leads the state with 31 percent of the corn crop in the ground, followed closely by Southeast Iowa at 30 percent. Oat acreage planted was 82 percent complete, well ahead of last year’s 65 percent and the five-year average of 52 percent. Oat acreage emerged was 29 percent, ahead of last year’s 3 percent and the five-year average of 11 percent.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range condition rated 0 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 30 percent fair, 56 percent good, and 10 percent excellent. The improving pasture conditions are giving farmers an opportunity to transfer livestock from dry lots into permanent pasture ground. The excellent weather has been good for livestock and limited their stress. Newborn calves have also benefited from the summer-like spring weather.