DES MOINES, Iowa—Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report is released weekly April through November. Additionally, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship provides a weather summary each week during this time.
“May 2024 will go into the history books as one of the top 10 wettest Mays on record, which helped to break our long-running drought. Unfortunately, it will also be remembered for producing destructive severe weather and frustrating planting delays,” said Secretary Naig. “As we head into the three warmest months of the year and the heart of the growing season, some farmers are still finishing up planting within parts of the state. Farmers are also turning cattle out to pasture and working to complete other field work, including baling hay and applying crop protection products.”
The weekly report is also available on the USDA’s website at nass.usda.gov.
Crop Report
Scattered showers throughout the State allowed Iowa farmers 3.8 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending June 2, 2024, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Reports of standing water in fields were received from throughout the State. Planting and replanting of corn and soybeans were reported.
Topsoil moisture condition rated 0 percent very short, 3 percent short, 75 percent adequate and 22 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 1 percent very short, 7 percent short, 77 percent adequate and 15 percent surplus.
Ninety-three percent of the expected corn crop has been planted, almost 2 weeks behind last year and 5 days behind the 5-year average. Corn emerged reached 81 percent, 6 days behind last year. Corn condition rated 73 percent good to excellent. Eighty-four percent of the expected soybean crop has been planted, 12 days behind last year but equal to the average. Sixty percent of the soybean crop has emerged, 1 week behind last year and 2 days behind the 5-year average. The first soybean condition rating of the season was 1 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 22 percent fair, 59 percent good, and 14 percent excellent. Ninety-seven percent of the oat crop has emerged with 40 percent headed, 6 days ahead of last year and almost 2 weeks ahead of the average. Oat condition rated 82 percent good to excellent.
Forty percent of the State’s first cutting of alfalfa hay has been completed, 6 days behind last year. Hay condition rated 79 percent good to excellent. Pasture condition improved to 75 percent good to excellent. Wet conditions affecting livestock are now a concern.
Weather Summary
Provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
For the first time in several weeks, the final reporting period of May had below average rainfall across much of Iowa; only pockets of northwest and eastern Iowa observed unseasonably wet conditions. Temperatures varied from cooler than average east to near-normal across the state’s western half; the statewide average temperature was 64.4 degrees, 0.6 degree below normal.
A low pressure disturbance spun showers across northeastern Iowa on Sunday (26th) afternoon with additional isolated thunderstorms popping up in the southwest into the evening. Daytime temperatures varied from the mid 50s at some northeast stations to upper 70s southwest. Winds shifted northerly as the system pushed east with general rain totals in the 0.25- to 0.75-inch range across Iowa’s northeast quadrant; higher, but more localized amounts varied from 1.02 inches in McGregor (Clayton County) to 1.42 inches in Lansing (Allamakee County). Memorial Day (27th) started with mostly clear skies and temperatures in the low to mid 50s. Additional scattered thunderstorms fired with the heat of the day and propagated southeast through the evening hours. Rain totals were generally under 0.20 inch where it fell with pockets of heavier totals in eastern Iowa; Monticello (Jones County) collected 1.32 inches with 1.44 inches in Bedford (Taylor County). A weak cold front dropped south across Iowa into Tuesday (28th) leading to showers and light accumulations over several daytime hours. Conditions were pleasant with a northerly wind and temperatures in the mid 60s north to upper 70s southwest. Starry skies greeted the overnight hours into Wednesday (29th) with variable winds and widespread morning lows in the upper 40s and low 50s. With high pressure dominating the Upper Midwest, mostly sunny conditions persisted as daytime temperatures held in the low to mid 70s.
Thursday (30th) started unseasonably warm with lows in the mid to upper 60s. Clouds increased in western Iowa as a line of showers pushed over the Nebraska border. Showers lingered in southwestern Iowa before consolidating with another thin line into the afternoon hours. Many stations in the western quarter of Iowa collected at least 0.25 inch with stations near College Springs (Page County) and Lake Park (Dickinson) observing 1.06 to 1.51 inches, respectively. A secondary disturbance brought light rain to eastern Iowa overnight into Friday (31st) as a low pressure system approached the state from the west. Highs pushed into the low 80s in eastern Iowa with cooler temperatures west where showers and thunderstorms developed and then covered much of western Iowa through the remainder of the day. Stronger thunderstorms dropped heavier rain across northwest counties with Ringsted (Emmett County) hitting 1.00 inch and Orange City (Sioux County) observing 4.12 inches; widespread totals of 0.30 to 0.50 inch were found farther south and east. Light showers continued in eastern Iowa through Saturday (1st) morning with clouds clearing east to west into the afternoon. Highs were seasonal over much of the state, though low 60s were found in eastern Iowa. Foggy conditions developed at many eastern stations towards daybreak with morning lows in the mid 50 to low 60s.
Weekly precipitation totals ranged from 0.03 inch in Pella (Marion County) to 4.35 inches in Orange City. The statewide weekly average precipitation was 0.74 inch while the normal is 1.08 inches. Des Moines International Airport (Polk County) reported the week’s high temperature of 83 degrees on the 2nd, five degrees above average. Multiple stations reported the week’s low temperature of 42 degrees on the 29th, on average ten degrees below normal.
(contributed press release, IDALS)
