Despite the rain showers that rolled across the state last week, farmers in Iowa were able to make some harvest progress, combining 9% of the state’s corn crop and 22% of the bean crop. As of October 9, the latest USDA statewide survey shows 19% of Iowa corn and 43% of the beans were harvested. That’s behind the five-year average of 32% for corn and 54% for beans which are typically harvested by this point.

“Hopefully we can get a run of dry weather that will let farmers get in the field and get the rest of the 2016 crop out in a timely manner,” says Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey.

HARVEST CONTINUES: Although hampered by soft and muddy fields, farmers across Iowa were able to harvest another 9% of the state’s 2016 corn crop last week. Statewide rainfall averaged 1.03 inches for the week ending Oct. 9, which was above normal.

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

CROP REPORT: Rainfall events throughout last week slowed down the harvest. It allowed Iowa farmers just 4.5 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending October 9, 2016, according USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Although hampered by soft and muddy fields, activities for the week included soybean and corn for grain harvest and hauling manure.

As of October 9, topsoil moisture levels rated 1% very short, 3% short, 80% adequate and 16% surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 1% very short, 3% short, 78% adequate and 18% surplus.

Moisture content of corn being harvested is averaging 20%

his latest weekly statewide survey showed 94% of Iowa’s corn crop was mature or beyond, equal to last year’s pace, but three days ahead of the five-year average. Also, it showed 19% of the corn crop for grain has been harvested, three days behind last year and one week behind average. Moisture content of field corn being harvested was at 20%. Corn condition rated 81% good to excellent.

For soybeans, 92% of Iowa soybeans were dropping leaves or beyond, two days ahead of average. Despite scattered showers last week, over one-fifth of the state’s soybean crop was harvested during the week, reaching 43% of the 2016 crop now harvested, three days behind last year’s pace. Soybean condition rated 81% good to excellent.

Pasture condition was rated 62% good to excellent. Livestock conditions were described as good despite some flooded low-lying pastures and muddy feedlots.

IOWA PRELIMINARY WEATHER SUMMARY—for week ending October 9, 2016
By Harry Hillaker, State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship

Unseasonably warm weather prevailed through Thursday (Oct. 6) when a strong cold front passed through the state resulting in slightly cooler-than-normal weather for Friday (Oct. 7) and the weekend. Showers and thunderstorms were widespread over the western two-thirds of Iowa on Tuesday (Oct. 4) with a few localized rain amounts in excess of 2 inches over the west one-quarter of the state. Light rain fell over eastern Iowa on Wednesday (Oct. 5) morning with additional rain over the southeast one-third of the state on Wednesday night into Thursday (Oct. 6) morning when a very localized downpour of 4.98 inches of rain fell in Keokuk.

Statewide rainfall averaged 1.03 inches, which was above normal
Rain fell nearly statewide between Thursday afternoon and Friday morning with a few rain totals over an inch across east-central and southeast Iowa. Severe winds also struck parts of Muscatine and Scott counties on Thursday night. Rain totals for the week varied from only a trace at Manchester to 5.66 inches at Keokuk. The statewide average precipitation was 1.03 inches while normal for the week is 0.66 inches.

Temperatures averaged from 1 to 2 degrees above normal over northwest Iowa to 4 to 6 degrees above normal over the southeast with a statewide average of 3.6 degrees above normal. The season’s first freeze was recorded at Little Sioux on Friday (Oct. 7) morning with a 32 degree reading. Freezes were recorded across scattered parts of the north one-third of Iowa on both Saturday (Oct. 8) and Sunday (Oct. 9) mornings with the lowest temperatures of 30 degrees at Cresco and Estherville on Sunday. On the other extreme 82 degree highs were recorded at Donnellson and Centerville on Tuesday (Oct. 4) and Donnellson and Burlington on Wednesday (Oct. 5).