Soil moisture keeps dropping amid heat wave, drought

DES MOINES — A dry and hot week allowed Iowa farmers 6.2 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending July 30, 2023, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field activities included cutting hay and harvesting oats. More reports were received of farmers applying fungicides. The continued dry conditions made crop stress more widespread.

“A large-scale ridge that brought oppressive heat across the south over the last weeks lifted into the Midwest early in the reporting period,” State Climatologist Justin Glisan said in the weekly Crop Progress & Condition Report covering July 24 through 30. “Iowans experienced several days of unseasonably hot temperatures and a stifling triple-digit heat index.”

Topsoil moisture condition rated 19 percent very short, 42 percent short, 38 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 20 percent very short, 47 percent short, 32 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus.

Corn silking hit 92 percent this week, one week ahead of last year and five days ahead of normal. Thirty-seven percent of the corn crop has reached the dough stage or beyond, three days ahead of both last year and the 5-year average. Five percent of the corn crop has reached the dent stage, eight days ahead of last year and six days ahead of normal. Corn condition dropped to 59 percent good to excellent.

Ninety-three percent of soybeans were blooming, nearly two weeks ahead of last year and 11 days ahead of the average. Soybeans setting pods reached 57 percent, three days ahead of last year and two days ahead of the 5-year average. Soybean condition fell to 55 percent good to excellent.

Ninety-eight percent of oats were turning color with 55 percent harvested for grain, a day behind both last year and the five-year average. Oat condition rated 55 percent good to excellent.

The State’s second cutting of alfalfa hay reached 93 percent complete, six days ahead of both last year and the average. The State’s third cutting of alfalfa hay reached 33 percent complete, 11 days ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of the 5-year average. Hay condition rated 36 percent good to excellent.

Pasture condition rated 23 percent good to excellent. Some livestock producers have been hauling water and feeding hay to their cattle in the continued dry conditions. Intense heat this week brought a lot of stress to livestock with some feedlots experiencing death loss.