Progress Iowa’s corn crop equals the 5-year average for early June and the soybean crop is ahead of average according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service.
“Farmers continued to make good progress between the scattered rain showers and thunderstorms. Planting is nearly complete and farmers are spraying for weeds and side dressing nitrogen fertilizer,” Iowa secretary of agriculture Bill Northey said Monday. “Overall this has been a pretty good spring as farmers have gotten crops in the ground in a timely manner and periodic rainfall has helped replenish some needed soil moisture.”
Soil moisture levels improved during the week that ended June 1. Topsoil moisture levels statewide were rates as 2 percent very short, 14 percent short, 77 percent adequate and 7 percent surplus. In west central Iowa, topsoil moisture levels were rated as 2 percent very short, 12 percent short, 76 percent adequate and 10 percent surplus. Last week’s rating was 20 percent either short or very short.
Subsoil moisture levels statewide were rated as 6 percent very short, 25 percent short, 64 percent adequate and 5 percent surplus. Those ratings in west central Iowa were 5 percent very short, 32 percent short, 52 percent adequate and 11 percent surplus. Last week’s rating was 42 percent either short or very short.
With almost all of Iowa’s corn acreage planted, 89 percent of the crop has emerged, 19 percentage points ahead of last year but equal to the five year average. In west central Iowa, 98 percent of the corn crop has emerged. The first crop condition rating of the season shows 1 percent of the crop poor, 17 percent fair, 65 percent good and 17 percent excellent.
Soybean planting progress reached 94 percent complete (98 percent in west central Iowa), almost three weeks ahead of last year and more than two weeks ahead of normal. Sixty-three percent of the soybean crop has emerged, 42 points above last year and 4 points above average.
Preliminary weather summary provided by IDALS state climatologist Harry Hillaker: The week that ended June 1 was warm and humid with scattered thunderstorms nearly every day. Temperatures were above normal throughout the week with high temperatures May 30 of 90 degrees in Sibley and Hawarden and on Saturday in Davenport, Lowden and Sioux Center. Low temperature for the week in Iowa was a Thursday morning low of 49 degrees at Cresco. According to volunteer weather observer John Beltz, high temperature in Jefferson for the week that Friday at 6 am was 84 degrees that day. Low temperature was 51 degrees on May 24.
Rain totals for the week varied from only a trace at Keosauqua to 5 inches near Castana in Monona County. The statewide average precipitation was .66 inches, not quite two-thirds of the weekly normal of 1.07 inches.
Beltz reported .18 inches of rain May 26 and .53 inches on May 27, for a total rainfall in Jefferson of .71 inches.
