Northwest Iowa Crop Conditions

So far July has been cooler than normal and drier than June. High temperatures in the 70′s and low 80′s has been very comfortable for us and not stressful for crops. Temperatures are forecast to heat up to the 90′s this week.

Corn is in the middle of pollinating which will determine the number of kernels set. This important stage only lasts about 5 days for a specific plant. We expect to have very good pollination success this year because of favorable weather and plenty of soil moisture. We are finding some common rust and northern corn leaf blight. Some fields will be sprayed with a fungicide over the next 2 weeks.

Soybeans are just starting to set pods. Most are smaller than we would like to see for this time of year. Areas with poor drainage still have poor looking soybeans. Soybean aphis, bacterial blight, and brown spot are some of the big issues to watch for. Many soybean fields will likely be treated with fungicide and insecticide over the next 3 weeks or so.

The grain markets have been falling ever since the June 30 USDA Stocks and Acreage report. Continued favorable weather has also put pressure on the market.