Statewide Iowa — Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig is predicting Iowa will retain its spot as the number one corn producing state, despite challenging weather conditions in some areas.
The USDA’s latest crop and weather report shows some corn fields in northwest and west central Iowa were damaged by heavy rain, hail and strong winds in the past week, but 60 percent of Iowa’s corn crop is still rated in good or excellent condition. Naig says the number of acres planted with corn this year will be the deciding factor in keeping Iowa at the forefront in corn production.
Sixty-one percent of Iowa SOYBEANS are in that good or excellent category.
The fall harvest of corn and soybeans hasn’t started, but record heat has advanced development of Iowa’s two main cash crops. Corn development statewide is about five days ahead of average, while soybean development is about two days ahead of normal.
