DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture says most of northwest Iowa is still short of soil moisture. Recent rain and snow have brought some moisture to the state, but the USDA said Monday that 86 percent of northwest Iowa remains short or extremely short of the moisture desired by farmers for their crops. According to The Des Moines Register, experts say soil moisture is adequate in most of the eastern half of Iowa. And statewide, topsoil moisture levels were rated as being 19 percent very short, 34 percent short, 46 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus. A year ago, 99 percent of Iowa reported adequate or surplus moisture after three years of above-average rain and snow.