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Rain slows harvest paceIowa Rain muddied fields across most of the state during the week ending Oct. 19, limiting corn and soybean harvest progress, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Iowa Field Office, Oct. 20. Despite the delays, the soybean harvest neared completion across the northern and west-central districts, where about 90 percent of the crop is out of the fields. Soybean harvest is only one-third complete in the south-central district and one-half of the acreage is harvested in the southeast. The wet weather also hindered corn harvest, though not quite as much as soybeans. At least part of the corn harvest delays were due to excessive grain moisture levels. Harvest is between 10 and 20 percent complete in all districts except the south-central, where just 7 percent of the crop is out of the fields. There were 3.8 days suitable for fieldwork, compared to 2.0 days last year at this time. Topsoil moisture is rated 1 percent very short, 11 percent short, 78 percent adequate, and 10 percent surplus across the state. Subsoil moisture is rated 2 percent very short, 15 percent short, 76 percent adequate, and 7 percent surplus. Ninety-two percent of the corn is mature, compared with 100 percent last year. Normally 100 percent is mature by this date. Harvest advanced to 13 percent complete, nearly three weeks later than last year's pace and more than two weeks behind the five-year average. Moisture content of corn in the field is estimated at 25 percent, 6 percentage points higher than the five-year average. Harvested corn is averaging 21 percent moisture, compared with the five-year average of 17 percent. Corn lodging is rated at 74 percent none, 21 percent light, 4 percent moderate, and 1 percent heavy. Overall, the corn crop is rated 2 percent very poor, 9 percent poor, 27 percent fair, 47 percent good, and 15 percent excellent. Ninety-seven percent of the soybeans are dropping leaves, compared with last year's 100 percent. Normally, all of the soybeans would be shedding leaves by this date. Soybean harvest progressed to 80 percent complete, 5 percentage points ahead of last year, but six days behind the five-year average of 89 percent. Soybean lodging is reported at 78 percent none, 17 percent light, 4 percent moderate, and 1 percent heavy. Soybeans shattering is rated 77 percent none, 18 percent light, 4 percent moderate, and 1 percent heavy. Overall, the soybean crop is rated at 3 percent very poor, 9 percent poor, 27 percent fair, 47 percent good, and 14 percent excellent. Pasture and range condition is rated 3 percent very poor, 13 percent poor, 34 percent fair, 41 percent good, and 9 percent excellent. 10/27/08 Date: 10/22/08 Advertisement
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