Rainfall stressing Iowa corn, soybeans

Above-average rainfall is stressing Iowa's corn and soybean crops and making it hard for farmers to get their first cutting of alfalfa hay baled.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service said there were just 2.6 days suitable for fieldwork in the week that ended Sunday, the third week in a row with fewer than three days suitable for fieldwork.

'Strong storms and wet fields continue to stress some crops and create challenges for farmers needing to spray weeds or side-dress fertilizer,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey. 'Fortunately, much of the crop remains in pretty good condition, but needs some warm and dry weather to help dry fields.”

Many farmers reported yellowing corn and stress on soybeans because of the excessive moisture. Corn was blown over by straight line winds that raced across central and Eastern Iowa, but some acres appear to have rebounded.

Seventy-six percent of the corn crop was reported in good to excellent condition, a decline of 3 percentage points from the previous week. Twenty-one percent of the soybean acreage was blooming, 11 days ahead of the previous year but two days behind normal.

A few producers reported soybeans setting pods. Seventy-three percent of the soybean crop was rated in good to excellent condition, down 2 percentage points from the previous week.

Topsoil moisture levels were rated zero percent very short, 2 percent short, 61 percent adequate and 37 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels were rated 1 percent very short, 7 percent short, 67 percent adequate and 25 percent surplus.

The first cutting of alfalfa hay was 95 percent complete, falling slightly behind last year and the five-year average. The second cutting of alfalfa was 12 percent complete, two days ahead of last year but almost two weeks behind normal.

Sixty-seven percent of all hay was rated in good to excellent condition.