Lack of precipitation and high heat are leading to crop stress across Iowa, according to the latest Crop Progress and Condition report from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Iowa farmers had 6.6 suitable days for fieldwork last week, which included planting, spraying post emergence herbicides, side dressing nitrogen, and harvesting hay. Corn emergence is nearly complete except for some replanted fields. Iowa’s corn condition is rated 63% good to excellent, 14 percentage points below the previous week. Statewide soybean emergence reached 93%, nine days ahead of the five-year average. Soybean condition rated 61% good to excellent, 12 percentage points worse than last week. Scattered reports of soybeans blooming were noted. Oats headed reached 56%, three days ahead of normal. Across the state oats are starting to turn color, and condition is rated 57% good to excellent.