DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Another week of higher than normal temperatures and the driest week since mid-January combined to further damage corn and soybean crops in Iowa. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says just 35 percent of corn and 33 percent of soybeans are now in good or excellent condition both down from more than half rated in those categories just a month ago.
A higher percentage of both crops moved into the poor or very poor category with 28 percent of corn in the worst shape up three percentage points in a week and 30 percent of soybeans a six percentage point increase. Statewide average precipitation for the past week was only four-hundredths of an inch. Normal is seven-eighths of an inch.
Temperatures for the week averaged 4.3 degrees above normal.