March 28, 2024

Northey comments on Iowa Crops and Weather report

DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey recently commented on the Iowa Crops and Weather report released by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistical Service. The report is released weekly from April through October.

“Crops generally remain in good condition statewide with 83 percent of corn and soybeans rated as good or excellent. The recent storms caused some isolated damage but also brought some needed moisture during this critical time of the growing season for soybeans,” Northey said.

The weekly report is also available on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship's website at www.IowaAgriculture.gov or on USDA's site at www.nass.usda.gov/ia. The report summary follows here:

Crop report

Above normal precipitation across much of Iowa limited fieldwork to 4.3 days suitable for the week ending Aug. 14, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. Activities for the week included cutting hay and fungicide and insecticide applications. Spraying activities were wrapping up in some areas.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 1 percent very short, 7 percent short, 83 percent adequate and 9 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 2 percent very short, 9 percent short, 83 percent adequate and 6 percent surplus.

Eighty percent of the corn crop was in or beyond the dough stage, five days ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of the five-year average. Twenty-three percent of Iowa’s corn crop reached the dent stage, three days ahead of normal. Corn condition rated 83 percent good to excellent. Soybeans blooming reached 97 percent, eight days ahead of the previous year. Eighty-seven percent of soybeans were setting pods, with a few scattered reports of soybeans starting to turn color. Soybean condition rated 83 percent good to excellent, although there were scattered reports of Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) across the State. Ninety-five percent of the oat crop for grain or seed has been harvested, equal to last year’s pace.

The third cutting of alfalfa hay is 52 percent complete, four days ahead of average. Hay condition rated 73 percent good to excellent, while pasture condition rated 62 percent good to excellent. Livestock conditions were reported as normal.

Iowa preliminary weather summary

By Harry Hillaker, State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship

Dry weather prevailed across the state through the morning of Wednesday, Aug. 10. Thunderstorms began developing Wednesday afternoon and continued increasing in coverage Wednesday night into Thursday.

The heaviest rains came Thursday night into Friday morning when rain totals of three to five inches were common over large areas of central and east central Iowa, as well as over the far southwest corner of the state. Most of the weekend was dry excepting some isolated showers and thunderstorms in central Iowa the night of Saturday, Aug. 13.

Weekly rain totals varied from 0.62 inches at Dorchester in far northeast Iowa to 7.14 inches at Swisher in Johnson County. There was a statewide average of 2.20 inches of rain, or more than double the normal for the week of 0.98 inches.

The past reporting week began mild with daytime highs mostly near 80 degrees on Monday, Aug. 8, while Estherville reported the lowest temperature of the week with a Monday morning minimum of 52 degrees. However, heat and humidity quickly returned on Tuesday with the hottest weather prevailing on Wednesday, Aug. 10, and Thursday, Aug. 11.

Heat indices peaked at 110 degrees at Shenandoah on Wednesday and 113 at Mount Pleasant on Thursday. Actual air temperatures maxed out at 96 degrees at Sioux City on Wednesday and 97 at Lamoni on Thursday.

Seasonal temperatures and humidity returned for the weekend. Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged 2.5 degrees above normal.