DES MOINES — Iowa farmers had fewer than two days suitable for fieldwork last week as soaking rains slowed harvest, left more than a quarter of the state’s topsoil with surplus moisture and dumped nearly six inches on Fayette during one extended storm system.
Just 4 percent of Iowa corn and 2 percent of soybeans had been harvested through September 20, according to the USDA’s weekly Crop Progress and Condition Report released September 21. Both crops trailed last year’s harvest pace.
Farmers had only 1.7 days suitable for fieldwork during September 14–20, compared with 4.9 days during the same week last year.
The slowdown follows another soggy start to harvest that had already kept Iowa combines moving slowly.
“An extremely soggy week across much of Iowa made it difficult for farmers to get much fieldwork done, with heavy rainfall leading to flooding in some areas,” Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said.
Fayette drenched as statewide rainfall tops four times normal
Iowa averaged 3.57 inches of rain during the reporting week, more than four times the normal 0.83 inch. State Climatologist Justin Glisan said the preliminary weekly average exceeded the normal rainfall for the entire month of September.
Northern Iowa’s Fayette recorded 5.88 inches during the late-week storm system that stretched from September 18 into September 20. North Liberty received 6.75 inches during that event, while nearly 60 stations reported at least four inches.
Across the full week, totals ranged from just 0.05 inch at Milford in northwestern Iowa to 10.63 inches at Ainsworth in southeastern Iowa.
Rain fell somewhere in Iowa every day of the reporting period. Repeated storms brought flash-flood warnings, with the heaviest weekly rainfall concentrated across a broad stretch from southwestern into eastern Iowa.
Crops remain strong, but development trails last year
Despite the difficult field conditions, Iowa’s corn and soybeans retained strong ratings.
Corn was rated 76 percent good to excellent, unchanged from the previous week. Soybeans were rated 75 percent good to excellent, up one percentage point.
Ninety-five percent of corn had reached the dent stage, one percentage point ahead of last year. However, just 56 percent had reached maturity, seven points behind last year. Corn harvest was three points behind last year’s pace.
Forty-six percent of soybeans were dropping leaves, 12 percentage points behind last year. Soybean harvest trailed by two points.
Pastures benefited from the moisture, reaching 70 percent good to excellent.
Surplus moisture builds as farmers await a dry window
Topsoil moisture was rated 28 percent surplus, up sharply from 7 percent the previous week. Another 68 percent was adequate and 4 percent short.
Subsoil moisture was rated 18 percent surplus, 69 percent adequate, 11 percent short and 2 percent very short.
Naig said the moisture offers an opportunity for cover crops, even as farmers wait for fields to support harvest equipment.
“We’re hopeful for a few dry days ahead, but more rain is in the forecast. Conditions are good for flying on cover crops, and the moisture can help get them germinated and growing,” he said. “When fields finally firm up, Iowa farmers will get combines rolling and harvest will be fully underway.”