Farmers may need crop loss payments

CEDAR RAPIDS - Severe weather conditions in the week that ended Sunday sharply reduced the number of days Iowa farmers had for planting their remaining corn and soybean acres and other field activities.

The statewide average precipitation was 2.13 inches, nearly double the weekly normal of 1.17 inches, according to State Climatologist Harry Hillaker.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service said the excessive moisture is stressing some crops, causing small drowned-out areas, and preventing farmers from controlling weeds.

'Some farmers in southwest and south central Iowa may be forced to take prevented-planting (crop insurance) coverage on some fields they were not be able to plant before July 1,” Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey said in a news release.

'The strong storms and heavy rains that rolled through Iowa last week have flooded some fields and limited farmers' ability to get needed work done. Spraying weeds, side-dressing fertilizer, making hay and other activities were all slowed by the wet weather.”

Topsoil moisture levels were rated to 1 percent short, 68 percent adequate and 31 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels were rated 2 percent short, 72 percent adequate and 26 percent surplus.

Eighty-three percent of the Iowa corn crop was rated good to excellent.

Soybean emergence reached 96 percent, 11 days behind 2014. Soybean condition was rated 78 percent good to excellent.

With 90 percent of the oat crop headed or beyond, conditions declined slightly to 81 percent good to excellent.

Hay condition fell to 70 percent good to excellent due to wet conditions. The first cutting of alfalfa hay reached 83 percent complete and the second cutting reached 9 percent, a week behind the five-year average.