USDA: Moisture For January Adequate

Des Moines, Iowa — The moisture profile may have changed a little with all the snow this past week, but Iowa experienced close to normal precipitation totals and temperatures for the month of January.
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The latest report is out from the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Average snow depth for January was 3 inches.

As January came to a close, topsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 0 percent short, 74 percent adequate, and 26 percent surplus. The south central portion of Iowa reported the highest moisture level with 45 percent rated surplus.

Grain movement rated 34 percent none, 45 percent light, 18 percent moderate, and 3 percent heavy. Over three-quarters of grain movement for the month of January was rated light to none. Grain movement was generally prompted by a need for grain by end users or a need to generate cash flow by operators. Central Iowa recorded the most grain movement rated moderate to heavy for the month of January at 34 percent, while south east Iowa had the second most rated moderate to heavy at 30 percent.

Availability of hay and roughage supplies was 0 percent very short, 7 percent short, 84 percent adequate, and 9 percent surplus. Cattle conditions and performance deteriorated when temperatures were above freezing as cattle producers dealt with muddy pastures and feedlots. However, livestock conditions returned to normal whenever the ground was able to freeze.

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