DES MOINES, Iowa – 76 percent of Iowa’s corn crop and 73 percent of Iowa’s soybean crop is in the good-to-excellent category, according to the weekly crop progress report from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
72 percent of the corn crop is now denting, though that’s five percentage points below the five-year average. In addition, only 6 percent of Iowa corn is at maturity, as compared to the five-year average of 27% for this time. NASS says that means corn maturity is 2 weeks later than normal.
Soybeans in Iowa are also lagging behind; 26% of soybean leaves turned color last week, which is 4 days behind the five-year average of 39 percent.
Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey noted that conservation work was listed among the field activities for the nearly four days of fieldwork farmers put in last week.
?Crops continue to mature as we move towards harvest,” said Northey, “with a few farmers starting to chop silage when the weather allows. Aerial seeding of cover crops is also taking place as an increasing number of farmers are starting to use cover crops.?
