Iowa Crop and Weather Report Released For The Week of August 13th

Date posted - August 13, 2012

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey commented today on the Iowa Crops and Weather report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service.  The report is released weekly from April through October.

“Iowa has seen some welcome relief with cooler weather and light precipitation for much of the state.  Soybean condition improved for the first time in nearly two months,” Northey said.  “But, more moisture is needed as crops remain stressed.”

The weekly report is also available on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s website atwww.IowaAgriculture.gov or on USDA’s site at www.nass.usda.gov/ia.  The report follows here:

CROP REPORT

Iowa saw a mix of cooler temperatures and widespread rainfall during the week. Rainfall amounts varied widely with the heaviest precipitation in North East and Southwest Iowa. The week’s activities included spraying crops, harvesting oats, cutting hay, and chopping corn.

There were 6.1 days suitable for fieldwork statewide during the past week. Topsoil moisture levels improved to 60 percent very short, 31 percent short, 9 percent adequate, and 0 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture is rated at 70 percent very short, 26 percent short, 4 percent adequate, and 0 percent surplus.

Ninety-four percent of the corn crop has reached the milk stage, ahead of last year’s 81 percent and the five year average of 73 percent. Eighty percent of the corn crop has reached dough stage, well ahead of last year’s 43 percent and the five year average of 37 percent. Forty-five percent of the corn crop has reached the dent stage, almost two weeks ahead of normal. Seven percent of the corn crop is now mature, almost three weeks ahead of normal. Corn condition declined slightly and now is reported at 22 percent very poor, 29 percent poor, 33 percent fair, 15 percent good, and 1 percent excellent. Pods are being set on 88 percent of the soybean crop. Soybean condition improved for the first time in seven weeks and now is rated 14 percent very poor, 23 percent poor, 38 percent fair, 24 percent good, and 1 percent excellent. Harvest of third cutting of alfalfa hay, at 88 percent complete, is a month ahead of normal.

Only fourteen percent of Iowa’s pasture and range land is rated in fair or better condition. Pasture and range condition rated 59 percent very poor, 27 percent poor, 11 percent fair, 3 percent good, and 0 percent excellent. Livestock experienced little to no stress due to seasonable weather during the week.

IOWA PRELIMINARY WEATHER SUMMARY

By Harry Hillaker, State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship

The past reporting week began with unseasonably cool weather on Monday (6th) morning when daily record lows were set at a few northeastern Iowa locations. Belle Plaine reported the lowest temperature with a 43 degree minimum. However, excessive heat made a very quick, but relatively brief, return. Highs climbed into the mid 90s over the far west by Monday afternoon with low 100s recorded over the extreme south on Tuesday. Keosauqua was the hot spot with a 103 degree maximum. Much cooler air spread across the state on Wednesday but not before highs reached into the low to mid 90s over the south. This time the cool weather was to last with below normal temperatures prevailing from Wednesday night through the weekend. Daily record low temperatures were set at a few locations on Saturday (11th) morning with Northwood and Mason City reporting lows of 42 degrees while daytime highs managed to climb only into the mid 60s over northern Iowa on Sunday. Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged from one degree above normal over the far southwest to four degrees below normal over the east. Statewide temperatures averaged 2.5 degrees below normal, ending a streak of nine consecutive hotter than normal weeks. Light rain was widespread between Tuesday (7th) evening and Thursday (9th) morning and again from Saturday (11th) night into Sunday (12th). However, rain amounts in excess of one inch were limited to very small parts of southwest Iowa on Wednesday morning and over the northeast on Wednesday night. Rain totals for the week varied from just a trace at Le Mars to 2.49 inches at Ionia in Chickasaw County. The statewide average precipitation was 0.44 inches or a little less than one-half of the weekly normal of 0.96 inches. This was the eighth consecutive drier than normal week for Iowa. An additional statewide average of 0.28 inches of rain fell after the completion of the crop survey on Sunday and will be included in next week’s report, with a few southeast Iowa locations receiving more than an inch late Sunday.