Iowa farmers continued to deal with challenging field conditions as the first accumulating snowfall of the year fell across parts of the State during the week ending November 3, 2019, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were 4.4 days suitable for fieldwork. Fieldwork activities included harvesting soybeans and corn for grain, spreading manure, applying anhydrous, baling corn stalks, and fall tillage.
Topsoil moisture condition was rated 0% very short, 1% short, 81% adequate and 18% surplus. Subsoil moisture condition was rated 0% very short, 2% short, 81% adequate and 17% surplus.
Forty-three percent of the corn crop has been harvested for grain, eight days behind last year and 11 days behind the 5-year average. Producers in the north central district were able to harvest over one- quarter of their expected crop this past week. Moisture content of field corn being harvested for grain was at 21%. Corn condition rated 67% good to excellent. Eighty percent of the soybean crop has been harvested, three days behind last year and one week behind average.