Crop report: Dry weather increases fire risk

Iowa experienced another week of dry and windy conditions which allowed farmers 6.7 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending October 6.

Corn and soybean harvest continued to be the primary field activities for the week, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Combine and other equipment fires were reported as weather conditions increased the risk of such fires.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 22% very short, 42% short, 36% adequate and 0% surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 16% very short, 44% short, 39% adequate and 1% surplus.

Corn mature reached 90%, six days behind last year but five days ahead of the five-year average. Corn harvested for grain reached 22%, two days behind last year but one day ahead of normal.

Moisture content of field corn being harvested for grain was 18%. Corn condition rated 77% good to excellent. Soybeans dropping leaves reached 93%, one day ahead of last year and five days ahead of the five-year average.

Soybeans harvested reached 58% this week, four days ahead of last year and one week ahead of the average.

Iowa farmers were able to harvest 31% of the State’s soybean crop during the week ending Oct. 6. Soybean condition rated 76% good to excellent.

Pasture condition continued to fall and rated just 38% good to excellent this week, a decrease of 6%. Livestock water resources continue to be a concern.

Weather Summary provided by Justin Glisan, State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

The first week of October experienced continued unseasonably warm conditions as a stable weather pattern dominated the region; the statewide average temperature was 62.9 degrees, 6.5 degrees above normal. T

his was also the fifth consecutive reporting period of below average rainfall with much of northern and Western Iowa in moisture deficits as drought expands.

Weekly rain totals ranged from no accumulation across much of Iowa to 1.20 inches in Columbus Junction.

The statewide weekly average rainfall was 0.10 inch while the normal is 0.74 inch. Atlantic reported the week’s high temperature of 96 degrees Oct. 5, 26 degrees above normal.

Elkader (Clayton County) and Spencer Municipal Airport (Clay County) reported the week’s low temperature of 34 degrees Oct. 3 and 6 respectively, eight degrees below normal