Statewide Iowa — While nearly all the crop is in the bin, some farmers are still finishing manure application and seasonal maintenance. Only a few combines are still running, most of them in the southern part of the state.
Last week’s report showed twelve percent of the corn in south-central Iowa remained to be harvested, while all the other districts had less than four percent remaining. The statewide corn harvest ends up nine days ahead of the five-year average. Farmers will be hoping for more moisture from now until spring, as the crop report shows only 33 percent of the state with topsoil moisture that’s adequate and only 26 percent of the subsoil moisture condition is rated adequate.
Here in northwest Iowa, topsoil is rated an even 50 percent short or very short, and the other 50 percent adequate, with zero percent surplus. However, more of our subsoil moisture is in the short or very short categories, at 60 percent, with only 40 percent adequate on the subsoil moisture side. According to the US Drought Monitor, most of our area ends the season in their abnormally dry category, with a part of the area in what they call moderate drought.
The USDA says this is the final crop report of the 2023 growing season. The next report will be issued April 1st, in the spring of 2024.
