(USDA) Fieldwork activities were limited as rain across the State held Iowa farmers to just 1.4 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending May 5, 2024, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Rains the past two weeks have resulted in reports of some counties moving out of the extreme to severe drought stages. Topsoil moisture condition rated 4 percent very short, 12 percent short, 65 percent adequate, and 19 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition is rated 7 percent very short, 20 percent short, 64 percent adequate, and 9 percent surplus.
Just 8 percent of Iowa’s expected corn crop was planted during the week ending May 5, 2024, for a total of 47 percent planted. This meant progress went from ahead of average to lagging two days behind both last year and the 5-year average. Seven percent of the corn crop has emerged, three days ahead of last year and one day ahead of the average.
Soybean planting progress fell behind the previous year, with 5 percent of Iowa’s expected soybean crop planted during the week ending May 5, 2024, for 30 percent of the expected soybean crop planted, two days behind last year. Four percent of the soybean crop has emerged.
Ninety-six percent of the expected oat crop has been planted, two days ahead of last year and ten days ahead of normal. Oat emergence reached 68 percent, five days ahead of last year and one week ahead of the 5-year average. The first oat condition rating of the season was 1 percent very poor, 2 percent poor, 29 percent fair, 59 percent good, and 9 percent excellent.
The first hay condition rating of the season was 1 percent very poor, 3 percent poor, 21 percent fair, 64 percent good, and 11 percent excellent. Pasture condition rated 57 percent good to excellent. There were many reports of cattle being turned out to pasture.