DES MOINES — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report is released weekly April through November. Additionally, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship provides a weather summary each week during this time.
“Although the first half of July was cooler and wetter than average, Iowa’s tasseling corn encountered some summer heat and humidity this past weekend,” said Secretary Naig. “Monday’s thunderstorms will give way to more seasonal conditions and cooler temperatures. This will be welcome news for our state’s livestock as well as those participating in county fairs around the state.”
The weekly report is also available on the USDA’s website at nass.usda.gov.
Crop Report
Most of the State received below normal rainfall and experienced mild temperatures. These conditions allowed Iowa farmers 5.1 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending July 14, 2024, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field activities included harvesting oats for grain, cutting and baling hay, and applying fungicides.
Topsoil moisture condition rated 0 percent very short, 6 percent short, 84 percent adequate and 10 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 1 percent very short, 8 percent short, 82 percent adequate and 9 percent surplus. Corn silking or beyond reached 44 percent, 1 day ahead of last year and 3 days ahead of the five-year average. Corn crop in the dough stage reached 6 percent, 5 days ahead of the average.
Corn condition rated 74 percent good to excellent. Soybean crop blooming reached 50 percent, 3 days behind last year. Soybeans setting pods reached 12 percent, 1 day behind last year but equal to the five-year average. Soybean condition rated 72 percent good to excellent. Oats turning color reached 82 percent, 5 days ahead of the average. Oat harvest for grain jumped to 26 percent complete, 1 week ahead of the average. Oat condition was 77 percent good to excellent.
The State’s second cutting of alfalfa hay reached 57 percent complete, 5 days behind last year but 2 days ahead of the average. Hay condition rated 78 percent good to excellent. Pasture condition rated 71 percent good to excellent. Some pastures remain flooded and where floodwaters have receded some pastures are covered in silt.
