Southwest Iowa Crop Conditions

Corn spraying is underway. After standing still for the last 2-3 weeks of May due to cool,cloudy, damp conditions, this week brings the sun and heat with chances of rain. Ideal for early June crop growth. The old target of knee-high by the 4th of July was updated many years ago to 4th of June. It’s rare to achieve that and a few fields might this year,but it shouldn’t be too many days later that most achieve that height in our southwest region. Most bean fields are well-emerged and past the trifoliate state. No-till planting was done on many more acres this year. Great early soil conditions no doubt contributed to that.

Corn prices are buoyed somewhat by improving ethanol grind. Ethanol is not quite profitable but they can cover most costs now so operations have ramped back up along with gasoline consumption. Livestock feed consumption is a hard one to gauge right now with some slaughter facilities still not at full speed, which creates a backup of animals which continue to consume feed. On the other hand, hogs and pigs are euthanized for lack of room, while cattle remain on pasture or in background facilities instead of moving into feedlots.

The weekly US Drought Monitor shows no drought in any of the major Corn Belt areas.Only a small percentage is rated as Abnormally Dry, the nearest being in parts of Harrison and Crawford Counties. The Palmer Index shows our southwestern region as being 2″ +- of normal soil moisture.