Northeast Iowa Crop Conditions

We continue to have very pleasant weather, but not ideal for maturing crops that had a late start.August temperatures were about 4 degrees below normal, a trend that looks to continue for the next week. Rainfall for the month was generally below average over most of the area, except for the northern and eastern edges. There is some evidence of moisture stress on the lighter soils, although the moderate temperatures have kept the effects of dry conditions from being worse.

Corn is in the ear fill stage. The earliest planted is about 3 weeks from maturity, while the latest planted will need into October to mature. Soybeans are in the pod filling stage, and also will need most of the month to reach maturity. Soybeans like wet conditions in August, so we have some concerns on how this crop will finish out.

The grain markets continue to be steady to lower. Private yield estimates, including the Pro Farmer crop tour, place yield estimates below the latest USDA figures at 169 bu/acre and 48 bu/acre for corn and beans respectively, but not enough lower to excite the markets. With no frost threat imminent for the next 10 days, there is very little supply news to trade on at this time. Demand news continues to be a negative. There is no progress on trade talks with China to help out soybeans, and very poor margins for the ethanol industry is slowing corn usage from their end.