Farmers in areas of Iowa hit hardest by dry weather this summer began harvesting corn and soybeans last week. Many were pleasantly surprised with the yield. Hot, dry weather during the 2017 growing season pushed crops to maturity. About 30% of this year’s Iowa corn crop has now reached maturity, according to USDA’s weekly statewide survey, as of Sept. 17.

“This corn is yielding surprisingly better than I expected, considering this is one of the driest areas of Iowa this year,” said farmer Jason Rogers, as he opened a cornfield with his combine north of Ottumwa one week ago. He attributes the better-than-anticipated yield to new corn hybrids, and maintaining good soil health and fertility.

Yielding better than anticipated in dry areas
The combine monitor was registering 150 bushels per acre, as the corn Rogers was harvesting was on the end rows around the field. Out in the middle of the field, the corn yield proved to be even better. However, “this 150-bushel yield is still 80 bushels per acre less than the typical 220 to 230 bushels per acre this farm has been yielding in recent years,” Jason says.

While this year’s corn and soybean yield is quite a bit less than last year, it’s still good. David, Jason’s dad, says Jason finished harvesting that cornfield on Sept. 14. It averaged 190 bushels per acre for the 85-acre field this year. “With only a minimal amount of rain since Memorial Day, and the heat we’ve had this summer, it’s unbelievable to get a 190-bushel-per-acre field-wide average in a year like this,” notes David. This field has soil fertility maps built up, adds Jason.

A few fields across Iowa harvested
“There are a handful of fields across the state that have been combined, and we are likely a week or two away from widespread harvest. We are seeing some corn being chopped for silage and seed corn harvest is taking place across the state,” says Iowa Secretary of Ag Bill Northey.

The complete weekly crop and weather report is available on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship website IowaAgriculture.gov or on USDA’s site nass.usda.gov/ia. The report summary follows.

Summary of Iowa crop conditions
It was mostly dry in Iowa with above normal temperatures for the week ending Sept. 17, according to USDA’s National Ag Statistics Service. Statewide there were 6.2 days suitable for fieldwork. With increased heat and little moisture, crops matured rapidly in the past week. Activities for the week included seeding cover crops, spreading manure, harvesting seed corn, chopping corn silage and hauling grain.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 21% very short, 30% short, 49% adequate and zero percent surplus. According to the Sept. 12 U.S. Drought Monitor, parts of south central and southeast Iowa remain in extreme drought status. Subsoil moisture levels rated 20% very short, 34% short, 46% adequate and zero percent surplus.

About 30% of Iowa corn at maturity
Statewide 86% of the corn crop has reached dent stage or beyond, eight days behind last year and three days behind the five-year average. Also as of Sept. 17, the survey shows that 30% of the corn has reached maturity, six days behind last year and average. Reports were received from throughout the state that corn harvest for grain has begun. Corn condition declined slightly to 59% good to excellent.

Across Iowa, 74% of the soybeans were turning color or beyond, two days behind last year but one day ahead of average. Thirty-one percent of soybeans were dropping leaves, one day behind average. Scattered soybean fields across most of the state have been harvested. Soybean condition dropped to 58% good-to-excellent.

The third cutting of alfalfa hay is nearly complete at 96%. Pasture conditions worsened over the past week with 47% poor to very poor. Livestock conditions remain good, although there were scattered reports of flies and pink eye being an issue.

Weather summary for Iowa
By Harry Hillaker, state climatologist with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, provides the following summary for the week ended Sept. 17.

It was a warm week across Iowa with temperatures averaging from 1 degree above normal southeast to 6 to 8 degrees above normal over the north and west. It was very dry through the workweek with widespread rain finally arriving over the weekend. Nearly all of the week’s rain fell between the morning of Sept. 15 and the morning of Sept. 17. Rain totals varied from none over most of Scott and Clinton counties to 3.97 inches at Manning in Carroll County.

Areas needing rain finally got it
The statewide average precipitation amount was 0.68 inch, while normal for the week is 0.79 inch. Rains of a half inch or better were widespread over most of the west two-thirds of Iowa last week. Temperature extremes varied from a 39-degree low at Lowden in Cedar County on the morning of Sept. 11 to highs of 94 degrees at Des Moines and Perry on Sept. 15.