Wet weather continues to present challenges for Iowa farmers who are trying to wrap up their 2016 planting and conduct other fieldwork. Fortunately, corn planting is nearly complete in the state, but replanting is ongoing and 12% of the state’s soybean crop still needs to be planted. That’s according to USDA’s latest weekly statewide survey, based on data gathered for the week ending May 29.

“As we enter June farmers will be very anxious to finish any remaining planting as soon as possible,” notes Greg Thessen, director of the Iowa office of USDA’s National Ag Statistics Service, which compiles and releases the weekly Iowa Crop Progress & Condition Report.

SOYBEAN PROGRESS: Soybean planting reached 88% complete as of May 29 in Iowa, 9 days ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of normal. Soybean emergence reached 55%, 3 days ahead of both last year and normal. The remaining 12% of Iowa’s soybean crop will be planted as soon as it quits raining and fields dry.

Iowa corn crop is rated 77% in good-to-excellent condition

The survey for the week ended May 29 shows just about all of the state’s 2016 corn acreage has now been planted. Corn emergence has reached 90%, 2 days ahead of last year and 5 days ahead of normal. Seventy-seven percent of the corn crop is rated in good-to-excellent condition. Soybean planting has reached 88% complete in Iowa, 9 days ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of normal.

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

CROP REPORT: Rain showers hindered fieldwork in Iowa during the week ending May 29, 2016, according to the weekly survey by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide in Iowa there were 3.0 days suitable for fieldwork. Standing water was reported in some fields. Field activities included planting and replanting.

Topsoil moisture levels rated zero percent very short, 3% short, 82% adequate and 15% surplus for the state as a whole. Subsoil moisture levels rated zero percent very short, 3% short, 81% adequate and 16% surplus. The western third of Iowa continues to be quite wet and has the highest percentage of surplus subsoil moisture.

Pretty much all of Iowa’s 2016 corn crop is in the ground

Virtually all of Iowa’s corn crop has been planted, according to the survey. Corn acreage emerged reached 90%, 2 days ahead of last year and 5 days ahead of normal. Seventy-seven percent of the corn crop is rated in good to excellent condition. Soybean planting reached 88% complete, 9 days ahead of last year, and 10 days ahead of normal. Soybean emergence reached 55%, 3 days ahead of both last year and normal. Oats headed reached 24% as of May 29, which is 9 days ahead of last year and one week ahead of the 5-year average. Oat condition is rated 82% good to excellent.

Although frequent rains have slowed progress, the first cutting of alfalfa hay was 35% complete statewide, as of May 29. That’s 6 days ahead of last year and 5 days ahead of the 5-year average. Both hay and pasture conditions are rated 78% good to excellent. Livestock conditions are described as good with very little stress.

IOWA PRELIMINARY WEATHER SUMMARY—for week ending May 29, 2016

By Harry Hillaker, State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship

It was a warm and wet week across Iowa—the week ending May 29. Showers and thunderstorms were a daily occurrence across the state with the most widespread rain falling on Wednesday and Friday nights. Rain totals were highly variable but once again were generally greatest in western portions of the state with weekly amounts ranging from 0.40 inches at Maquoketa to 6.06 inches at Atlantic. The statewide average precipitation was 1.78 inches while normal for the week is 1.05 inches.

Thunderstorms hit somewhere in Iowa each day except Friday

Severe thunderstorms occurred somewhere in Iowa on each day of the reporting week last week, except Friday. The most widespread severe weather, mostly coming as high winds, occurred late Wednesday into Thursday morning with reports received from 19 counties over central and northern Iowa.

Temperatures were well above seasonal normals every day of the week with daytime highs mostly in the eighties. Temperature extremes for the week varied from a Tuesday (May 24) afternoon high of 88 degrees at Davenport to a Sunday (May 29) morning low of 50 degrees at Mount Ayr. Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged 6.5 degrees above normal, with eastern Iowa generally a little warmer than the west. Soil temperatures climbed substantially in response to the persistent warm weather and were mostly averaging in the upper sixties over the north and lower seventies across the south.