Iowa’s corn, soybean crops looking good

Iowa's corn and soybean crops continue to be reported in good to excellent condition, but soil moisture levels declined in the most recent week because of a lack of rainfall across most of the state.

Topsoil moisture levels were rated 7 percent short, 82 percent adequate and 11 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels were rated 1 percent very short, 7 percent short, 82 percent adequate and 10 percent surplus.

Statewide, 6.3 days were suitable for fieldwork, surpassing the previous season high of 5.3 days suitable near the end of May. Farmers were cutting hay and applying fungicide and herbicide.

Seventy-seven percent of the corn crop was reported in good to excellent condition. Fifty-nine percent of the corn acreage was silking, 11 days ahead of last year and two days ahead of the five-year average.

Seventy-four percent of the soybean crop was rated in good to excellent condition, virtually unchanged from the previous week. Blooming was evident in 67 percent of the soybean acreage, more than double the percent last year.

Nineteen percent of the soybean crop was setting pods, well ahead of last year's 2 percent.

With the first cutting of alfalfa hay nearly complete, the second cutting of alfalfa was 54 percent complete, two days ahead of last year but six days behind normal. Sixty-eight percent of all hay was rated in good to excellent condition.

At the Dyersville Sales auction last Wednesday, the top price on large square bales was $170 per ton, while the top price on round bales was $130 per ton.

A load of first cutting square bales at the Fort Atkinson Hay Auction brought a top price of $200 per ton.