Iowa farmers ramp up harvest

Good weather allowed Iowa farmers to harvest 25 percent of the state's corn crop in the week that ended Sunday.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service reported 61 percent of Iowa's corn acreage has been harvested, four days behind 2013 and 10 days behind the five-year average.

Moisture content of corn at harvest was estimated at 18 percent. Seventy-six percent of the corn crop was reported in good to excellent condition.

Iowa's soybean harvest reached 91 percent complete, three days behind last year but a day ahead of normal. It was the first time this season that the soybean harvest was ahead of average.

Topsoil moisture levels were rated 4 percent short, 84 percent adequate and 12 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels were rated 1 percent very short, 5 percent short, 83 percent adequate and 11 percent surplus.

Southwest Iowa was the wettest, with almost one-third of its topsoil and subsoil in surplus condition.

There were 6.4 days suitable for fieldwork, the second-most days suitable statewide this crop season. Other activities for the week included fall tillage, manure and fertilizer application, cornstalk baling and hauling grain.

Grain movement from farm to elevator was rated 60 percent moderate to heavy, increasing 2 percentage points from the previous week.

While off-farm grain storage capacity was rated 89 percent adequate to surplus, a few elevators were running short on storage space or limiting incoming grain. On-farm grain storage availability was 83 percent adequate to surplus.

Hay and roughage supplies were estimated at 97 percent adequate to surplus. Livestock conditions were normal, with more cattle turned out on cornstalk fields.