Rains help some crops; harm others

    REGIONAL -- Crops in Iowa have grown significantly over the last two weeks due to much needed rainfall, but this rainfall also caused some crops harm particularly on Thurs., June 28 when hail and reports of wind flattened crops surfaced.
    “Iowa experienced a pronounced pattern shift from previous weeks that brought measurable precipitation to the state. This active pattern produced both flash and short-term flooding across northwestern and western Iowa,” Justin Glisan, Iowa State Climatologist, said.
    Despite the flooding, crops in Iowa have rapidly grown because of the intermittent rains.
    During the week ending June 24, farmers only had 2.1 days suitable for field work. Activities farmers were able to complete included checking rain gauges, assessing flood damage, harvesting hay, and applying post-emergent herbicides when possible.
    The United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service reported that as of June 24, 81 percent of corn was rated in good to excellent condition and 79 percent of soybean crop was in good to excellent condition. This is a slight drop from the week before when 84 percent of corn was rating in good to excellent condition and 80 percent of soybean was in good to excellent condition.
    Towns in northern and northwest Iowa had rapid flash flooding that caused cities such as Rock Valley to order travel bans and mandatory evacuations.
    “The storms that have rolled across the state over the past couple of weeks have brought needed moisture to some areas, but unfortunately we have also seen significant flooding in other parts of the state,” Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said.
 

 
 

 

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