Crop report: Rain limits field time

DES MOINES — Spotty precipitation, heavy in some areas, limited Iowa farmers to 4.3 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending June 22, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field work included cutting hay and spraying. Above average temperatures spurred crop growth.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 3% very short, 16% short, 73% adequate and 8% surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 6% very short, 21% short, 65% adequate and 8 percent surplus.

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Virtually all of Iowa’s corn crop has emerged, and there were scattered reports of corn silking. Corn condition rated 1% very poor, 2% poor, 14% fair, 62% good and 21% excellent.

Nearly all of the soybean crop has emerged. Soybeans blooming reached 13%, five days ahead of both last year and the five-year average. Soybean condition rated 1% very poor, 3% poor, 19% fair, 61% good and 16% excellent.

Iowa’s oat crop reached 81% headed with 27% turning color. Oat condition rated 0% very poor, 2% poor, 13% fair, 67% good and 18% excellent.

At 94%, the first cutting of alfalfa hay was nearly complete. The second cutting reached 24% complete. Hay condition rated 80% good to excellent. Pasture condition rated 72% good to excellent. Some heat stress was reported in livestock.

Weather summary provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

An active storm track over the Upper Midwest allowed for several days of thunderstorms across Iowa. Northern and Eastern Iowa reported above-normal rainfall, particularly north-central stations.

Temperatures also ramped up through the end of the reporting period with positive departures across the state; the statewide average temperature was 75.9 degrees, 4.8 degrees above normal.

Weekly rainfall ranged from 0.06 inch at Logan (Harrison County) to 4.41 inches at a Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow (CoCoRaHS) network gauge in Mason City.

The statewide weekly average precipitation was 1.82 inches; the normal is 1.19 inches.

Little Sioux (Harrison County) reported the week’s high temperature of 101 degrees June 20, 17 degrees above normal. Oelwein (Fayette County) reported the week’s low temperature of 50 degrees June 18, 11 degrees below normal.