The condition of Iowa corn and soybeans improved slightly in this week’s crop progress report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Corn rated good-to-excellent increased by two-percent to 48-percent. Corn harvested for grain reached five-percent statewide, which is about one week ahead of both last year and the five-year average.
Soybeans rated good-to-excellent is now at 47-percent, a one-percent increase from last week. Three-percent of the soybean crop has been harvested.
Along with corn and soybean harvesting last week, some farmers were also working on their 4th cutting of alfalfa hay.
There were slightly over six days suitable for fieldwork statewide last week. The southern tier of Iowa received above-average rainfall. 5.7 days were suitable for fieldwork in northwest Iowa.
69-percent of topsoil in northwest Iowa is either short or very short of moisture, three-percent more than last week. 70-percent of subsoil in northwest Iowa is either short or very short of moisture, a four-percent jump from last week.
