Producers made good use of the five days suitable for fieldwork last week pushing ahead with oat and hay harvests and keeping a close eye on crop health. The week started with hot, humid weather but closed with much cooler weekend weather. Reports noted increasing levels of disease in field crops.
Corn is maturing well, with 92% in the dough stage and 57% dented—both ahead of the state average. Condition ratings remain solid, with 84% of corn rated good to excellent, pointing to promising yields.
Soybeans are also progressing, with 96% setting pods and 9% showing color. While condition dipped slightly, 79% are still rated good to excellent, keeping optimism high as harvest nears.
Soil moisture is in great shape. Topsoil is 70% adequate and 29% surplus, while subsoil sits at 75% adequate and 24% surplus. No areas are reporting short or very short moisture levels.
Cooler weekend temps helped ease stress on crops and livestock, while clear skies supported strong progress. The statewide weekly average precipitation was 0.87 inch, compared with a normal of 0.93 inch. Ames reported the week’s highest temperature of 97 degrees on the 17th, 16 degrees above normal. Spencer Municipal Airport recorded the week’s lowest temperature of 45 degrees on the 24th, 13 degrees below normal.
The full report is available at the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service website.
