Weekly Crop Report, Oct 21, 2018

Sunshine and a break from substantial precipitation got Iowa farmers back in the fields with 4.4 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending October 21, 2018, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Activities for the week included harvesting corn and soybeans, baling stalks and planting cover crops.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 0 percent short, 65 percent adequate and 35 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 2 percent short, 61 percent adequate and 37 percent surplus.

Twenty-nine percent of the State’s corn for grain crop has been harvested, 3 days ahead of last year but 4 days behind the five-year average. Farmers in southeast Iowa have neared the halfway point of corn for grain harvest while farmers in the northeast have not yet harvested one-fifth of their corn for grain. Moisture content of field corn being harvested was at 19 percent. Corn condition rated 68 percent good to excellent. Soybean harvest was 37 percent complete, 12 days behind the average. This is the smallest percentage of the soybean crop harvested by October 21 since 1985. Soybean condition rated 65 percent good to excellent.

Pasture conditions rated 55 percent good to excellent. Pastures have responded well to recent precipitation and cool temperatures. Cattle lots are still muddy but improving.

Source;  Iowa Dept of Ag