Harvest was mostly complete with 5.6 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending Sunday, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Fieldwork included wrapping up fall tillage, applying fertilizer, baling stalks, and hauling and spreading manure. Topsoil moisture condition rated 18 percent very short, 35 percent short, 45 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 25 percent very short, 38 percent short, 36 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus.
Harvest of the corn for grain crop reached 95 percent complete, eight days ahead of last year and 12 days ahead of the average. Moisture content of field corn being harvested for grain was 16 percent. Farmers in Northeast and South Central Iowa still have over 10 percent of their corn for grain crop remaining to be harvested. Livestock were mostly doing well, although the abrupt change to colder temperatures caused some stress.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said, "A blast of cold air late last week dropped temperatures well below normal as the first flurries of the season flew over nearly fully harvested corn and soybean fields. Farmers are focused on finishing up fall field work before frost settles in as forecasts show colder conditions hanging around through the end of November."
Categories: Iowa, Crops, Corn