Wet conditions kept farmers in Iowa from finishing up planting during the week ending May 28. The statewide survey by USDA shows there were only 2.7 days suitable for fieldwork. There were scattered reports of corn turning yellow, and replanting of some crops in areas with standing water in fields.

Farmers in Iowa have 97% of the state’s 2017 corn crop planted as of May 28, while 82% is already emerged. The latest weekly crop progress report rates 73% of Iowa corn as good-to-excellent, 24% as fair, and 3% as poor-to-very poor.

“Farmers continue to make planting progress as conditions allow. Corn planting in Iowa has now reached 97% complete, and soybeans are 77% planted. South-central Iowa has been the most impacted by wet weather, and as a result, this area of the state only has 86% of its corn and 57% of its beans planted as of May 28. Hopefully, the nicer weather we’ve had during the last few days holds on for the rest of this week, and farmers are able to finish planting, spray for weeds and get other needed work done,” says Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey.

Some problems with crop emergence
“We are having some problems with emergence of corn and soybeans this year,” says Art Frasher, who farms in Decatur County in southern Iowa. “All the rain we’ve had has crusted the top layer of soil, and we are having to rotary-hoe our corn to help the plants bust through the crust.”

Some farmers where recent rains have hit hard in northeast Iowa are replanting soybeans, says Terry Basol, Iowa State University Extension agronomist at Nashua.

The complete weekly crop and weather report can be found at the websites of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship or USDA. The report summary follows.

Summary of weekly crop report
Wet conditions kept farmers from finishing up planting during the week ending May 28, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were only 2.7 days suitable for fieldwork. There were scattered reports of corn turning yellow, and replanting of crops in areas with standing water.

Topsoil moisture levels rated zero percent very short, zero percent short, 77% adequate and 23% surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated zero percent very short, zero percent short, 78% adequate and 22% surplus.

Corn emergence reaches 82%, soybeans 39%
Nearly all of Iowa’s 2017 corn crop has now been planted, with only south-central Iowa having over 10% of the crop remaining to be planted. Corn emergence for the state as of May 28 reached 82% — three days behind last year, but one day ahead of the five-year average. And 73% of the corn crop is rated in good to excellent condition.

Soybean planting reached 77% complete as of May 28, which is five days behind last year. South-central Iowa lags behind with 43% of its bean crop yet to be planted. Soybean emergence statewide reached 39%, three days behind last year and one day behind average. Oats headed reached 10%, one week behind last year and three days behind average. Oat condition decreased to 74% good-to-excellent.

The first cutting of alfalfa hay was 21% complete, five days behind last year and four days behind average. Hay condition rated 81% good to excellent. Pasture condition remained at 82% good to excellent. Although livestock conditions were reported as normal with little stress, many feedlots were muddy most of the week.

Weather summary for Iowa
“For the seven-day period ending May 28, Iowa recorded its driest week in 11 weeks, while temperatures were unseasonably cool,” says Harry Hillaker, state climatologist for IDALS. “Temperatures were well below normal through Thursday, May 25, before climbing to seasonally normal levels over the weekend.”

Temperature extremes varied from morning lows of 37 degrees F on May 25 at Grinnell and Chariton to afternoon highs of 84 degrees at Atlantic and Red Oak on May 26. Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged 5.4 degrees below normal.

Cooler and drier than normal last week
There were no widespread heavy rains this past reporting week, with only a relatively few locations picking up more than an inch of rain, notes Hillaker. Light rains were scattered over much of the state on May 22-23, while locally heavier rains fell on May 26-27 centered over parts of southwest, central and east-central Iowa. Weekly rain totals varied from only a trace at Pocahontas to 1.65 inches at Audubon. For the week ending May 28, the statewide average precipitation was 0.50 inch or slightly less than one-half of the weekly normal of 1.05 inches.