Harvest getting a big boost from dry breezy weather

Iowa farmers have had the driest weather during the week ending Oct. 3 since late February, allowing them to move fast on a harvest that's already one week ahead of average.

The USDA's weekly crop report said that 19 percent of the corn crop and 38 percent of the soybean crop had been harvested as of Oct. 3. The harvest is running four weeks ahead of last year's delayed harvest.

Farmers had an average of 6.3 days suitable for fieldwork, as the average statewide preciptiation was only 0.01 inches.

The average moisture content of corn in the field is estimated at 21 percent, while the moisture of corn harvested was estimated at 18 percent.

Farmers found more lodging of corn and soybean plants in fields due to high winds and rain the previous week. Corn lodging was heavy in 1 percent of the cropland, moderate in 4 percent, light in 19 percent, and none in 76 percent.

Statewide, 97 percent of the corn was considered mature and safe from frost.

Soybean lodging was moderate in four percent of cropland, light in 16 percent of cropland, and none in 80 percent of the cropland.

The condition of crops changed little from recent weeks.

Temperatures for the week averaged 1.2 degrees cooler than normal, and soil temperatures averaged in the mid-fifties over much of the state.