A tractor during corn harvest in a field alongside east-bound Interstate 80. (Cami Koons / Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Iowa corn and soybean harvest is expected to wrap up in the next couple of weeks. The dry conditions from mid-August through October have meant no days off and an expedited harvest for most farmers.
The crop progress and condition report for Oct. 7 through Oct. 13 showed that 81% of soybeans and 45% of corn harvested for grain have been harvested in the state.
Stu Swanson, president of Iowa Corn Growers Association and a farmer in Wright County, said on Monday, he had about 100 acres of corn left to harvest. He finished his soybeans more than a week ago.
“We’ve never been done this fast before,” Swanson said.
Swanson said he and his team started harvesting Sept. 22 ,and without any rain, “haven’t had a day off since.”
He said yields are about the same as last year. What he lost at the beginning of the season due to a wet spring, balanced out with what he lost last season due to summer drought.
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The state climatologist report said this reporting period was the driest of the year, at nearly 10% of normal precipitation levels. This is following weeks of record dry and warm reports for the state.
The conditions have made for a speedy harvest and better quality of grain, according to Swanson, but now he’s looking at the soil and starting to worry.
“We’re back to being concerned about how dry and hard (the soil) is and lots of fire concern,” Swanson said.
Top and subsoil moisture conditions continued to slip in this reporting period from the week prior. Topsoil fell from 36% adequate to 24% and subsoil from 34% to 28% at adequate moisture conditions.
Fifty-eight Iowa counties, up from 46 counties last week, have burn bans in place as of Tuesday, according to the State Fire Marshal.
The lack of rain has also affected pasture conditions, which only 30% rated good or excellent.
Cody Griffin, a producer in Chickasaw County, said he has been fortunate so far and just started to put some of his cattle on hay. Other ranchers he knows had to dip into their hay stores as early as August because of the dry pastures.
“Most people have a pretty secure source of water,” Griffin said when asked about hauling water to cattle. “But we could sure use a drink.”
Griffin, who is also on the board of directors for the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, said with the quick harvest at least he and other producers can take their cattle over to graze the cut corn soon.
“The good thing is corn is coming out at a quick pace,” Griffin said. “By Halloween, the farmers can go trick or treating.”
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