Much needed precipitation limited Iowa farmers to 3.9 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending June 27, 2021 according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field activities included spraying post emergence herbicides and harvesting hay.
Topsoil moisture levels rated 12% very short, 30% short, 52% adequate and 6% surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 18% very short, 42% short, 37% adequate and 3% surplus. While precipitation fell across the State during the week, amounts received varied widely with northwest Iowa still reporting over two-thirds of topsoil moisture short to very short. In contrast, districts in the southern one-third of Iowa rated 60% or more of subsoil moisture adequate to surplus. Farmers reported crops benefitted from the rain but more moisture is needed, especially in the northern two-thirds of the State. There were scattered reports of damaging hail and high winds throughout Iowa.
Iowa’s corn condition rated 60% good to excellent. Soybean emergence was virtually complete. Across the State, 19% of soybeans were blooming, 6 days ahead of the five-year average. There were scattered reports of soybeans setting pods. Soybean condition was rated 58% good to excellent. Oats headed or beyond reached 84% with 23% turning color, 4 days ahead of normal. Iowa’s oat condition rated 57% good to excellent.
The second cutting of alfalfa hay reached 7% complete, 4 days behind the 5-year average. Wet conditions slowed progress in some areas. Hay condition improved to 55% good to excellent, 6 percentage points above last week. Pasture condition also improved slightly to 40% good to excellent. Some feedlots were muddy after recent rainfalls