A mix of winter and spring weather continued to limit Iowa farmers’ fieldwork last week, according to the latest Crop Progress and Conditions Report from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Snow, high winds, and continued cold gave producers only 2.8 suitable days for fieldwork, which included applying anhydrous and fertilizer, spreading manure, tilling fields, and planting oats where possible while preparing to plant row crops. Twenty-nine percent of the expected oat crop has been planted, eight days behind last year and three days behind the five-year average. Oats are beginning to emerge across the state. Pastures were still mostly dormant though there were reports of some starting to turn green. Livestock conditions were generally good, with many new calves arriving.