712 Digital Group - top

Iowa farmers bit behind on soybean, corn harvests

Ag/Outdoor

October 21st, 2013 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey says 70 percent of soybeans and 35 percent of corn has been harvested in the state as favorable weather allowed farmers to getting into their fields. The state Agriculture Department says the corn harvest was 15 percentage points behind normal and the soybean harvest was 11 percentage points behind normal.

Pasture conditions also have improved, with 52 percent rated as fair, good or excellent. Statewide, the weather allowed fieldwork on 5.4 days last week. The state based its estimates off statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.