Iowa’s corn and soybean crops continue to decline during another week of hot, dry weather.
          With deteriorating crop conditions there have been reports of some farmers starting to chop corn. Applying fungicide was the week’s most common field activity. The National Agricultural Statistics Service Iowa Field Office reports topsoil moisture levels have declined in northwest Iowa to 68-percent very short… 27-percent short… and only five-percent adequate. Subsoil moisture has now dropped to 60-percent very short.
          The corn crop continues to show progress ahead of normal with 97-percent at or beyond the tasseling stage. The condition of the crop is reported to be 40-percent very poor to poor, 58-percent fair to good and only two-percent excellent.
          92-percent of the soybean crop is at or beyond blooming stage in northwest Iowa… with pods are being set on 36-percent of the crop well ahead of average for this time of year. The condition of the crop is 30-percent very poor to poor, 77-percent fair to good, and only three-percent excellent.
          Over three-quarters of Iowa’s pasture and range land is rated in poor to very poor condition. Pasture and range conditions are rated 46-percent very poor, 33-percent poor, 17-percent fair and four-percent good. Excessive heat continues to cause livestock losses in the state.