Warm weather allowed many Iowa farmers to finish planting their soybean acres last week. The state’s 2017 soybean crop was 91% planted as of June 4, according to the latest weekly USDA survey. “It was another warm, dry day yesterday [June 5], and we were able to get done with soybeans,” says Roger Nowatsky, who farms in Linn County in eastern Iowa. “We had to make a decision about whether or not to replant a poor stand of about 20 acres of earlier-planted beans, and we went ahead and replanted.”

The weekly statewide survey by USDA’s National Ag Statistics Service showed 90% of the state’s corn crop had emerged as of June 4, about six days behind last year. Corn condition improved and is now rated 77% good to excellent. Iowa’s soybean crop is rated 73% good to excellent, based on this year’s first assessment.

Good week to finish planting, make hay and spray
“It was a very good week of weather for farmers to finish planting, make hay and do needed spraying. The warm sunny weather was also very good for crop conditions with 77% of corn and 73% of beans rated good or excellent,” noted Iowa Ag Secretary Bill Northey. Farmers had six suitable days for fieldwork last week, the most Iowa has had all spring. One-third of the first cutting of alfalfa hay was harvested last week. Hay conditions improved to 85% good to excellent.

The complete weekly and weather report is available at the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship or at USDA. The report summary follows here:

Summary of weekly Iowa crop report
Dry weather conditions allowed farmers to make good progress on spring planting during the week ending June 4, according to NASS. Statewide there were six days suitable for fieldwork, which were the most Iowa has had all season. Field activities for the week included planting and replanting, applying herbicides and harvesting the first crop of alfalfa hay.

Topsoil moisture levels rated zero percent very short, 9%, 85% adequate and 6% surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated zero percent very short, 3% short, 87% adequate and 10% surplus.

Iowa corn condition is 77% good to excellent
As of June 4 statewide, 90% of Iowa’s corn crop was emerged, six days behind last year and one day behind the five-year average. Corn condition improved and rated 77% good to excellent. Soybean planting reached 91% complete, two days behind last year, but over a week ahead of average. Soybean emergence reached 62%, one day behind average. The first soybean condition rating of the season came in at 1% very poor, 3% poor, 23% fair, 62% good and 11% excellent. Oats headed reached 26%, five days behind last year and one day behind average. Oats condition improved to 78% good to excellent.

Dry weather allowed one-third of the first cutting of alfalfa hay to be harvested during the week ending June 4. Hay conditions improved to 85% good to excellent. Livestock conditions were reported as good with very little stress.

Weather summary for Iowa
The past week, which ended June 4, was very dry across Iowa, with only occasional isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms, reports Harry Hillaker, state climatologist for IDALS.

The week began with seasonal temperatures on Sunday, May 28, with daytime high temperatures mostly in the 70s, with a few isolated thunderstorms over the northwest on Sunday night. From May 29 through June 1, weather was unseasonably cool with overnight low temperatures mostly in the 40s, with daytime highs mostly in the 70s.

There were a few isolated showers over the extreme north the evening of May 29, with dry weather statewide on May 30-31 and June 1. Much warmer air began to move into the state June 1 with highs in the 80s statewide. June 2 brought high temperatures into the 90s over the northwest and warmer still on June 3, with highs in the 90s across most of the state.

This was Iowa’s driest week in 16 weeks
The most widespread rain of the week came June 2 when scattered thunderstorms brought rain to parts of southwest and south-central Iowa. A few isolated thunderstorms developed over the northwest one-third of the state on the afternoon and evening of June 3. Finally a few light showers dampened some isolated areas of east-central and southeast Iowa on the morning of June 4 to end the week.

Temperature extremes for the week varied from May 31 morning lows of 39 degrees at Chariton and Grinnell to a June 2 afternoon high of 95 degrees at Sioux City, only two degrees shy of the record high for the date at that location. Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged 0.9 degree above normal. Creston reported the most rain for the week with 1.28 inches, while over one-half of the state recorded no rain at all. The statewide average rainfall was 0.05 inch, while normal for the week is 1.10 inches. This was the driest week in 16 weeks (since mid-February).