Corn planting in Iowa is getting close to being done.  The latest U-S-D-A report shows 96 percent of the corn crop has been planted — which is two days ahead of last year and six days ahead of the five-year average.  Seventy-five percent of the corn has emerged from the ground — which is four days ahead of normal. The first corn condition rating of the season showed 73 percent was in good to excellent conditions.

Soybean planting is now reported to be 74 percent complete, almost one week ahead of last year. Twenty-one percent of the soybeans have emerged — which is two days behind last year — but equal to the five-year average.  Iowa State University extension agronomist Joel DeJong says farmers in northwest Iowa are contending with too much rain.

He says about 10 days ago they had some very heavy rains, including four to six inches in one area that pounded the ground and caused some emergence problems. He says field flooding was an issue too. DeJong says some of the early corn got drowned out and farmers are looking at replanting. He says there are some acres on the Missouri River bottom south of Sioux City where it’s going to be tough to get the water off of it. De Jong says in some areas of  O’Brien, Cherokee and maybe in Osceola County, it will be hard to find a window to replant.

(Radio Iowa)