We?re about to turn the page on February, which means planting season is right around the corner.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig tells IARN affiliate KMA that spring planting season is an exciting time of the year. Weather is always a pivotal factor in determining when farmers can bring out their planters, but Naig says he?s keeping a close eye on soil conditions as it relates to drought.
?Compared to last year, we are significantly better than we were in terms of soil moisture in the profiles. That?s good news, but I am concerned that there are still pockets that have significant precipitation deficits. Really we?re talking parts of western Iowa when we are saying that. Having said that, we had a great Fall from the standpoint of we didn?t freeze up early, we were able to get some rain late in the Fall and that did soak in. Again, we are significantly better than where we were last year, but as is the case every year, we?re going to need Mother Nature to cooperate with us if we are going to see production at the level we want to see this year.?
Iowa farmers dealt with drought conditions throughout the entire growing season last year, but Naig says the crops were able to hold up surprisingly well.
?When you look across the state, and I know there were pockets where folks felt they got exactly what they wanted, but when you look at the conditions especially the widespread drought that we saw across the state, I think the folks were pleasantly surprised with the yields we saw. In fact, we set records in terms of our corn and soybean average yields last year, even in the face of those challenging weather conditions. It certainly is a testament to the resiliency of Iowa?s agriculture and all of the investments made in innovation to try to make sure we can grow a good crop even in some challenging times.?
Naig?s office helps connect Iowa farmers with programs and information about crops. Visit iowaagriculture.gov to learn more.
