USDA: dry conditions persist as harvest moves along

Row crop harvest remained ahead of average as Iowa’s farmers had 6.8 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending Oct. 20, 2024, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field activities included harvesting corn and soybeans, fall tillage, and applying manure and fertilizer. Dry conditions resulted in field and equipment fires being reported during harvest.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 41% very short, 40% short, 19% adequate and 0% surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 31% very short, 46% short, 23% adequate and 0% surplus. For the second straight week, most of the State received no measurable precipitation.

“The second driest October in 152 years of records continued as only a handful of Iowa stations reported meager rainfall totals,” said State Climatologist Justin Glisan in a press release. “Much of the state also experienced the first widespread freeze early in the reporting period.”

Nearly all of Iowa’s corn crop has reached the mature stage or beyond. Harvest of the corn for grain crop reached 68% complete, 5 days ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of the five-year average. Farmers in south central Iowa remained behind farmers in the rest of the State with just 50% of their crop harvested. Moisture content of field corn being harvested was 15 percent.

Soybeans harvested reached 91%, 1 week ahead of last year and almost 2 weeks ahead of the average. Farmers in northern Iowa, as well as west central and east central, have already harvested 94% or more of their soybeans.

In Southeast Iowa specifically, the corn harvest was 66% complete, while the region’s soybean harvest was 88% finished.

Statewide pasture condition fell another 8 percentage points to 22% good to excellent this week. Ponds and creeks in pastures are drying up as pastures go dormant due to the dry conditions. Some cattle are being turned onto cornstalk fields.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com