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Southwest Iowa planting pace has been rapid

A southwest Iowa farmer says some growers have already finished planting in his area.

Ray Gaesser raises corn and soybeans in Adams County and says, “Some folks around here are completely done with corn and beans. They started two weeks ago, probably near the first of April, and there was nice weather and they just kept on planting. Good or bad, who knows? Last year it was a good thing when they planted early.”

But he tells Brownfield about 10% of his corn and soybean crops have been planted. “Ours are all seed production and if we have a replant spot we can’t just go in and plant something in because we have certain varieties that have to be there and they have to be variety specific.”

Gaesser says subsoil moisture levels are at near-normal levels following some beneficial rains last fall.

AUDIO: Iowa farmer Ray Gaesser