Northwest Iowa — The final crop report of the 2017 harvest season has been issued by the United States Department of Agriculture National Agriculture Statistics Service, and it says most farmers in the state were able to wrap up their fall fieldwork last week, with 6.6 days suitable for fieldwork, including harvesting, baling corn stalks, tiling, terracing, hauling and spreading manure, and applying fertilizers.
The report says corn for grain harvested was nearly 96-percent complete statewide, 8-days behind the 5-year average. Here in northwest Iowa, the report finds the corn harvest 99-percent complete. The report indicates moisture content of corn being harvested for grain averaged 17-percent.
The final report for the season finds livestock conditions to be good, with little stress. Cattle continued to graze in harvested corn and soybean fields with some hay starting to be fed.
The report lists topsoil moisture levels as rated 4-percent very short, 14-percent short, 80-percent adequate and 2-percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 7-percent very short, 19-percent short, 72-percent adequate and 2-percent surplus.
