Iowa farmers wrapped up August with mostly dry and cool weather, giving them plenty of time for fieldwork, according to the latest Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report from the USDA. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig says farmers are busy cutting and baling hay, preparing for harvest, and planning cover crops and other conservation practices.
The report shows Iowa had an average of 6.3 days suitable for fieldwork last week. Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels were mostly adequate, with only small areas considered short. Corn development is progressing, with 92 percent in the dough stage and 63 percent dented. Soybeans are setting pods, with 95 percent reaching that stage, and the third cutting of alfalfa hay is 87 percent complete. Pastures remain in good to excellent condition.
Weather across Iowa was cooler and drier than normal, with statewide temperatures averaging 65 degrees – more than six degrees below normal. Rainfall was light and scattered, ranging from zero in some areas to just over four inches in other areas.
For the full report, visit the USDA’s website at nass.usda.gov.
