OTTUMWA —
Last week's rains were, at best, a mixed blessing for Iowa farmers.
The weekly Iowa crops and weather report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture recognized that much of the state received rain for the first time in weeks. But the crop conditions didn't improve. The rain came too late for Iowa's corn and wind, "flattened the weakened crop in some areas."
Almost half (46 percent) percent of corn statewide rated as poor or very poor.
The assessment offered a bleak, one-sentence summary of conditions: "Farmers continue to chop corn."
Soybeans are in better shape. Forty-one percent rate as fair and 24 percent are good, according to the report. But less than 20 percent of the state's pastures are fair or better.
Southeast Iowa received about four-fifths of an inch of rain during the week, which may have come soon enough to help the soybean fields in the area. It was the wettest week Iowa has seen in five weeks, but was still the 11th in 12 weeks with below-average rainfall.
Overall, the Ottumwa area remains nearly four inches below normal rainfall levels.
State Climatologist Harry Hillaker said in the report that the high temperature of 107 in Fairfield last Monday was the highest official reading in the state since 1999. Fairfield was one of three cities to hit 107 last week.
Hillaker said preliminary data suggests this will go down as the third hottest July on record and the fifth driest. Records go back 140 years.
CNHI/Southeast Iowa
Report says rains too late for corn
- CNHI/Southeast Iowa
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