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Crop conditions continue to deteriorate in drought

Ag/Outdoor, News

September 12th, 2023 by Jim Field

The heat and drought have continued to cause Iowa crops to deteriorate. The U-S-D-A crop report out Monday shows the corn condition declined by three percentage points in the last week where 46 percent is rated in good to excellent condition. Soybeans took a bigger hit, dropping five percentage points to average 44 percent in good to excellent condition. Dolph Ivener found issues in his cornfield in western Iowa that started with brown leaves.

Ivener estimates big swings in yields from 200 bushels per acre on his farms with heavier rainfall to around 40 in spots stifled by a third year of drought.

The crop report shows that 38 percent of the corn crop has reached maturity, which is one week ahead of last year and six days ahead of normal.