The U-S-D-A’s first crop update for the 2015 growing season says nearly 75-percent of Iowa’s cropland has adequate-to-surplus soil moisture. It also finds almost one-third of the state’s fields are short-to-very short of moisture for the upcoming growing season. Iowa State University agronomist Aaron Saeugling, who covers 14 southwest Iowa counties, says many Iowa farmers are starting their field work in preparation for planting.

“We’ve been busy applying fertilizer this spring,” Saeugling says. “A little bit of tillage, very little seeding has occurred at this point in the growing season. As moisture goes, I would say this is one of the drier springs that we have experienced here as of late, although the forecast is for precipitation all week, so hopefully we can get some measureable precipitation out of that.”

Joel DeJong, a field agronomist with the Iowa State University Extension based in Le Mars in northwest Iowa, says the dry conditions during March helped many growers to check off their pre-planting chores. DeJong says a little rain could help, but soil conditions are okay. He says he’s optimistic about the chances of growers getting the needed moisture to recharge the soil once they begin seeding.

Right after planting, he says farmers will need water to re-wet that top surface so the seeds will get started and get those root systems growing down to where that water is stored.

(Radio Iowa)