Iowa Secretary of Agriculture says pleasant weather helped farmers
By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com
Farmers in Iowa have planted 85 percent of their intended corn crop, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service’s (NASS) May 15 Crop Progress & Condition report.
The number is slightly below last year’s figures of 87 percent but still above the five-year average of 75 percent.
Growers in the Central and North Central Districts have over 90 percent of their corn planted, according to the report.
With regard to emergence, 28 percent of the crop has emerged, the report says. This figure is down from the five-year average of 35 percent.
Producers have also planted 40 percent of the state’s soybean crop as of May 15, up from the five-year recorded average of 32 percent.
Oat crops also appear to be progressing well: 99 per cent of the crop is planted and 85 percent has emerged.
Overall, there were 4.5 suitable fieldwork days for the week ending May 14, the report says. Farmers in the Northwest District had six days suitable for fieldwork.
“Iowa farmers took advantage of agreeable weather and made significant progress this past week and now 85 percent of corn and 40 percent of soybeans are planted. That nearly 1/3 of the 23 million acres of corn and soybeans can be planted in one week is a true testament to the hard work, skill and efficiency of our state’s farmers,” Bill Northey, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, said in a May 15 statement.
Stay tuned for Farms.com’s analysis of the national Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin.