Northeast Iowa Crop Conditions

To say that this spring’s planting season has been a challenge is an understatement. Since the first of April, our area has had one of it’s top 5 wettest stretches for this period going back over 120 years. We went into this spring with room in the subsoil for moisture recharge, and rain in early April soaked in quickly. We had a window of about a week in mid-April where good soil conditions and warm temperatures allowed for corn planting, and a good share of the planting was done over this period, I would estimate 50-60%. Starting on April 24th the rain started coming, and field work was shut down for nearly a month, until a short break last weekend allowed about 3 days of work before the rains resumed. Over the last month most of the area has 7-9 inches of rain, with significant areas well over 10 inches. Needless to say, not ideal for getting a crop planted and started growing. Most of the corn planted in mid-April is emerging and 2-3 inches tall. Emergence and crop size is highly variable however, depending on soil types and drainage. It is typical to have a field with an excellent stand on the well drained portions, plants just emerging on wet sidehills where the soil stays cooler, and drowned out areas in depressional spots where water pools. The last week’s rain falling on saturated soils has left a lot of standing water in the areas that received the heaviest amounts. The crop in these spots will drown out, and depending on the weather going forward may be able to be replanted later.

Overall, I estimate 85% of the corn in the area is planted, and about 50% of the soybeans. With likely at least another week before field work can resume, we are looking at reduced yield potential on the remaining corn to be planted the first time, and of course on anything that will need to be replanted. Soybeans are more forgiving on planting date, but June planting has not been historically good for final yields on this crop either.  The good news is that our 4 year drought is over. Now we would just appreciate a let up in rain to get our planting finished.

The grain markets have moved a little higher recently, but this is no full fledged planting rally. Iowa is the epicenter of the wet weather this spring, and nationwide planting progress of both corn and soybeans was near normal as of last Monday. We will likely fall a little behind by next week, and possibly begin to lose some acres to the crop insurance prevent plant option, but at this point a significant market moving production shortfall is not anticipated.