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Favorable Iowa weather increases crop maturity

Crops in Iowa recorded steady increases in maturity as temperatures were average with little rainfall last week. Soybean fields are turning color seemingly overnight. Low humidity and sun filled days allowed many areas of the state to narrow the gap on the five-year maturity stages. Corn and soybeans are still rated in mostly good to excellent condition.

Corn reported mature or safe from frost reached eight percentage points, two percent behind last year, and thirteen days behind normal.

Soybean leaves turning color reached sixty-four-percent, ten percent ahead of last year, but ten percent behind the average.

The mild weather has allowed the third cutting of alfalfa to be nearly completed. Fifty-seven-percent of the hay crop is rated good to excellent.

The stress levels for cattle on feed continue to be relatively low due to the average temperature and humidity.