Contact: Dustin Vande Hoef
515/281-3375 or 515/326-1616 (cell)
DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today 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 last week allowed fields to dry out and farmers took advantage. Many have now completed corn planting and are moving on to soybeans,” Northey said. “The weather looks agreeable again this week and I would expect many to finish planting in the next week to ten days.”
The weekly report is also available on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s website at www.IowaAgriculture.gov or on USDA’s site at www.nass.usda.gov/ia. The report follows here:
CROP REPORT
With dry and warmer weather farmers worked at a rapid pace and Iowa saw widespread planting of both corn and soybeans. Corn planting advanced 26 percentage points statewide with each district of the state increasing at least 19 percentage points. Farmers statewide planted nearly one-third of the expected soybean crop during the week ending May 13th. Northwest Iowa had the largest increase with 39 percentage points.
There were 5.1 days suitable for fieldwork during the week, compared with just 1.5 days the previous week. Topsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 9 percent short, 83 percent adequate, and 8 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture rated 4 percent very short, 16 percent short, 71 percent adequate, and 9 percent surplus.
Corn planting now stands at 90 percent complete, ahead of last year’s 85 percent and the five-year average of 79 percent. West Central Iowa producers lead the way for corn planting with 96 percent complete. Fifty-five percent of the corn crop has emerged, 6 days ahead of normal. Soybean planting was 39 percent complete, just ahead of last year’s 36 percent and the five-year average of 30 percent. Soybeans have emerged in each district of the state. Ninety-five percent of the oat acreage has emerged, ahead of last year’s 86 percent and the five-year average of 76 percent. Seven percent of the oat crop has headed, 19 days ahead of normal. Oat condition improved to 0 percent very poor, 2 percent poor, 18 percent fair, 64 percent good, and 16 percent excellent.
Seventy-three percent of Iowa’s pasture and range land is rated good to excellent, equal to the previous week. Pasture and range condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 22 percent fair, 48 percent good, and 25 percent excellent.
IOWA PRELIMINARY WEATHER SUMMARY
By Harry Hillaker, State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship
Iowa recorded a much drier week with near seasonal temperatures and no severe storms. The bulk of the reporting week’s precipitation came on Sunday (6th) evening and night with greatest amounts coming across the southeast. Otherwise, there were scattered light showers across the northern one-third of the state on Tuesday (8th) and isolated showers and thunderstorms over the southeast one-third of Iowa late Friday (11th) and on Saturday (12th). Rain totals for the week varied from none at Toledo, Clutier and Belle Plaine to 2.67 inches near Montrose in Lee County. The statewide average precipitation was 0.43 inches while normal for the week is 1.01 inches. Dry air and mostly clear skies allowed wide swings in temperature with morning lows down to 34 degrees at Elkader on Thursday morning and 35 degrees at Cresco on Sunday morning to a Thursday afternoon high of 87 degrees at Sioux City. Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged 1.3 degrees above normal. Soil temperatures were averaging in the 60’s statewide as of Sunday (13th).
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