DES MOINES — Iowa farmers made substantial progress in their fields during a hot and unusually dry week, but agriculture officials say many areas could use rain as corn and soybeans move through critical stages of development.
Iowa averaged 6.7 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending Sunday, July 19, 2026, according to the latest Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report. That was 2.4 days more than the same period last year.
“Rainfall was sparse last week, and temperatures were 5-10 degrees above average across the state, with the warmest conditions in eastern Iowa,” Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said.
Naig said the sunny weather helped farmers make progress baling hay and completing other fieldwork. Corn continued tasseling, while soybeans were blooming and setting pods.
“Many areas of the state would benefit from rainfall as crops continue through critical stages of development,” Naig said.
Corn development remained well ahead of last year in some categories. Corn silking reached 72 percent statewide, 14 percentage points ahead of last year. Eight percent of the crop reached the dough stage, however, which was eight percentage points behind last year.
Iowa’s corn crop was rated 80 percent good to excellent.
Soybeans blooming reached 70 percent, three percentage points ahead of last year. Soybeans setting pods reached 34 percent, also three percentage points ahead of last year. The soybean crop was rated 79 percent good to excellent.
Oats headed reached 99 percent, unchanged from last year. Thirty-nine percent of the oat crop had been harvested, six percentage points ahead of last year. Oat conditions were rated 83 percent good to excellent.
Pasture conditions were rated 67 percent good to excellent.
Moisture levels continued to decline amid the warm and mostly rain-free conditions. Topsoil moisture was rated 7 percent very short, 26 percent short, 63 percent adequate and 4 percent surplus.
Subsoil moisture was rated 5 percent very short, 27 percent short, 65 percent adequate and 3 percent surplus.
Unseasonably warm and dry conditions persisted across Iowa during the reporting period, while moderate drought expanded in western portions of the state, according to State Climatologist Justin Glisan.
Rainfall deficits generally ranged from one-half inch to one inch below normal. Iowa’s average temperature for the week was 78.7 degrees, which was 5.1 degrees above normal.
Scattered storms produced localized rainfall in portions of eastern and northeast Iowa, but much of the state received little or no measurable precipitation. Fayette received 0.40 inch after an isolated line of storms developed over northeast Iowa early Saturday.
Northern Iowa experienced more seasonal temperatures by Sunday morning, with readings falling into the low 60s. Spencer Municipal Airport recorded one of the state’s lowest temperatures of the week at 55 degrees on July 19.
Statewide precipitation averaged just 0.06 inch for the week, compared with the normal weekly amount of 0.93 inch. Many reporting stations received no measurable rainfall.
The week’s highest reported temperature was 96 degrees at Dubuque on July 18. The lowest was 55 degrees at Little Sioux and Spencer on July 19.
Naig said Iowa had several chances for thunderstorms early in the following week, followed by a return to more seasonal temperatures. Longer-range outlooks indicated that warmer conditions could persist through the end of July, accompanied by additional opportunities for rain.
The weekly crop report is released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service from April through November. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship provides an accompanying weather summary.