Iowa Ag Connection - Iowa Hits Best Soybean Harvest Pace Since 2012

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Iowa Hits Best Soybean Harvest Pace Since 2012
Iowa Ag Connection - 09/29/2020

Harvest showed rapid progress as Iowa farmers made the most of 6.4 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending Sunday, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field activities also included drilling cover crops, applying fertilizer and manure, and fall tillage.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 15% very short, 31% short, 53% adequate and 1% surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 21% very short, 34% short, 44% adequate and 1% surplus.

Corn was 97% in or beyond dent stage, over 2 weeks ahead of the previous year and 3 days ahead of the 5-year average. Only 18% of the crop has yet to reach maturity, 3 weeks ahead of last year and 9 days ahead of average. Corn harvest for grain reached 12% statewide, almost 3 weeks ahead of last year and 9 days ahead of average. This is the highest percent of corn harvested for grain completed by September 27 since 2012 when 48% of the crop had been harvested. Corn condition rated 42% good to excellent.

Soybeans coloring or beyond advanced to 96%, which is 2 weeks ahead of last year and 1 week ahead of average. Eighty-four percent of the soybean crop was dropping leaves or beyond, 16 days ahead of last year and 8 days ahead of average. Soybean harvest was 30% complete, 19 days ahead of last year and 12 days ahead of average. This was the largest proportion of soybeans harvested by Sept. 27 since 2012 when 41% had been harvested. Farmers in northwest and west central Iowa continue to lead the way with almost half of their soybean acreage harvested. Soybean condition rated 47% good to excellent.

Pasture condition rated 20% good to excellent, an increase of 3 percentage points from the previous week. Livestock felt the effect of changing temperatures. Low levels of water in ponds and creeks have made providing water for cows on pasture a challenge for some producers.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.

"Over the past week, Iowa saw mostly warmer and drier conditions, allowing harvest to continue across the state," said Naig. "A shift in the weather pattern has brought cooler temperatures with forecasts indicating the possibility of the season's first frost later this week."

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