Persistent rainfall limited Iowa farmers to just over one day of fieldwork during the week ending September 27th, leaving corn and soybean harvest progress behind last year.
The latest USDA Crop Progress and Condition Report shows only 1.1 days were suitable for fieldwork, compared with 6.2 days during the same week last year.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said the wet conditions have farmers waiting for an opportunity to return to their fields.
“Wet conditions persisted last week, with much of the state receiving above-average rainfall. This month is on track to go down as one of the warmest and wettest Septembers on record for the state of Iowa,” Naig said.
Corn and Soybean Harvests Trail Last Year
Five percent of Iowa’s corn had been harvested as of September 27th, nine percentage points behind last year. Soybean harvest stood at three percent, trailing last year by 12 percentage points.
Corn maturity reached 72 percent, six percentage points behind last year, while 97 percent of the crop had reached the dent stage, matching last year’s progress.
Sixty-two percent of soybeans were dropping leaves, 18 percentage points behind last year.
Despite the limited fieldwork opportunities, 75 percent of Iowa’s corn and 74 percent of soybeans were rated good to excellent. Pasture condition was rated 70 percent good to excellent.
Topsoil moisture was rated 59 percent adequate and 39 percent surplus, with two percent short. Subsoil moisture was rated 64 percent adequate, 27 percent surplus, eight percent short, and one percent very short.
Northwest Iowa Rain Adds to Wet Conditions
The state’s weekly weather summary, provided by State Climatologist Justin Glisan, showed above-normal rainfall across Iowa, although conditions were less unusually wet than during the previous two weeks.
Showers developed over northwest Iowa overnight into September 21st before expanding across north-central and eastern Iowa. Sibley recorded 1.47 inches during that round of rainfall.
Additional rounds of rain crossed the state later in the week. Weekly precipitation ranged from 0.19 inch at Dubuque Regional Airport to 3.61 inches at Eagle Grove. Iowa’s statewide average was 1.26 inches, compared with the normal 0.80 inch.
While Naig described September overall as tracking toward unusually warm conditions, the reporting week was slightly cooler than normal. Iowa’s average temperature was 59.8 degrees, about nine-tenths of a degree below normal.
Naig said the start of October could offer improved conditions for harvest.
“As we move into October, warm weather is expected to continue, and we may finally get a break from the rain. Farmers are eager to harvest their crops and will be ready to get combines rolling as soon as the fields dry out.”
