Despite heavy rainfall in some parts of the state, Iowa farmers made significant progress in getting the 2018 corn crop in the ground last week. Planting was 40% complete statewide as of May 6, according to USDA’s weekly survey.

“Farmers continued to make planting progress between the storms this past week, and now 40% of our corn acres and 11% of the soybean acres are planted. This puts corn planting just three days behind normal and soybeans on pace with the five-year average,” says Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. “Unfortunately, north-central Iowa remains well behind average, with just 9% of corn and no soybeans planted yet due to the wet conditions in that region.”

Soybean planting hits 11%
Iowa soybean planting rose to 11% planted last week, compared to just 2% complete the week before. USDA reports the nation’s soybean crop is 15% planted as of May 6. Nationwide, 39% of the corn crop has now been planted, compared to 44% for the five-year average.

In Sioux County in northwest Iowa, farmers are making progress with planting after the cold, wet start to spring, thanks to good weather this past week and large planting equipment that can cover a lot of ground, says farmer Steve Rehder. With technologically advanced GPS and autosteering, more farmers are now planting all day and all night.

The complete weekly Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report is available on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship website or on USDA’s site. The report summary follows here:

Crop report
Widespread storms delivering heavy rainfall interrupted planting activities and held Iowa farmers to 2.9 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending May 6, according to USDA’s National Ag Statistics Service.

Topsoil moisture rated 3% very short, 7% short, 71% adequate and 19% surplus as a statewide average. Subsoil moisture rated 5% very short, 11% short, 70% adequate and 14% surplus. Saturated soil conditions this spring have caused delays in fieldwork and planting activities in the northern two-thirds of the state, while recent rains have failed to eliminate dry soil conditions in the southern one-third of the state.

Soybeans slightly ahead of 2017
Iowa growers have planted 40% of the expected corn crop, three days behind the five-year average. Two percent of the crop has emerged, five days behind both last year and the average. Soybean growers have 11% of the expected crop in the ground, two days ahead of last year but equal to the average. The survey shows 77% of the expected oat crop has been planted, nine days behind last year and one week behind average. It shows 32% of the Iowa oat crop has emerged, 11 days behind last year.

Recent rain and warmer temperatures have revitalized pasture conditions statewide. Pasture condition rated 40% good to excellent, an increase of 12 percentage points from the previous week. Cattle have been turned out for grazing in many areas.

Weather summary
According to Michael Timlin, regional climatologist at the Midwestern Regional Climate Center, it was a warm and wet week across Iowa. All but the southeast corner of the state had above-normal rainfall, more than half the state had more than twice the normal amount, and parts of northeast Iowa had more than four times normal totals. The statewide rainfall total of 1.85 inches was more than 200% of normal.

Much of the rain fell from May 1 to May 3, when thunderstorms were abundant. Severe weather reports on those three days included a handful of high wind reports each day; a dozen or so large hail (1 to 1.75 inches in diameter) reports were received on May 1 and May 2. Five tornadoes were reported in Iowa on May 3. The highest rainfall totals for the state were 6.46 inches for the week and a daily total of 4.42 inches reported on the morning of May 4 — both at Waukon. Across the state, measurable rainfall during the week was reported on two days in the southeast and five days in the west.

Temperature, rainfall both above normal
Temperatures averaged 5 to 10 degrees above normal, a welcome change on the heels of the coldest April on record. Freezing temperatures were reported April 30 but then remained above 40 degrees F for the rest of the week. The coldest temperature of the week was 25 degrees, reported at Elkader on April 30, and the warmest was 87 degrees at Little Sioux on the afternoon of April 30.

Most weather reporting stations across the state reached the 80-degree range both early in the week (April 30) and again late in the week (May 5). The warmth during the week allowed soil temperatures to climb to the upper 50s to mid-60s by May 6.