Iowa crops holding up in heat

The condition of Iowa crops hasn't deteriorated much in the recent heat wave, according to the USDA's weekly crop report.

July 2011 was Iowa's warmest month since August 1983 and the warmest July since 1955. Temperatures as a whole averaged 5.4 degrees above normal in the week ending Sunday, July 31, according to the crop report.

The condition of the corn crop declined only slightly from the previous week, the USDA reported. The corn crop was rated 2 percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 18 percent fair, 50 percent good and 25 percent excellent.

Ninety percent of the corn crop was silking, ahead of the five-year average of 83 percent at this date. The report said 35 percent of the crop had advanced further to the milk stage, just behind the normal 36 percent, and 4 percent had reached the dough stage.

One reason the crops have stood up so well is the recent rainfalls. Topsoil moisture levels are 5 percent surprlus, 65 percent adequate, 23 percent short and 7 percent very short across the state. Subsoil moisture levels are even better.

The condition of the soybean crop was rated 2 percent very poor, 3 percent poor, 19 percent fair, 52 percent good and 24 percent excellent.

Three-fourths of the state's oat crop had been harvested, slightly better than the five-year average of 65 percent.

The season's second cutting of alfalfa was 86 percent complete across the state, and the third cutting was 8 percent complete.

Precipitation was below normal across the state for the week, at .58 inches. The highest rainfall total was 10.75 inches at the Dubuque Regional Airport.

Farmers had 5.8 days suitable for field work on average across Iowa, focusing on applying fungicide to corn and pesticide to soybeans.