Row crop harvest has begun across Iowa as farmers had 6.1 days suitable for fieldwork last week, according to the latest Crop Progress and Condition report from the USDA Agricultural Statistics Service.

Field activities also included harvesting hay and spraying for army worms in forages. Corn and soybean conditions increased slightly in the last week, with corn and soybeans up one percentage point to 59% and 62% good to excellent, respectively. Corn development and harvest for grain are all four days ahead of normal. Corn in or beyond the dent stage reached 97%, almost three-quarters of the corn crop has reached maturity, and nine percent has been harvested statewide. Soybeans coloring or beyond reached 95%, five days ahead of average; soybeans dropping leaves reached 77%, four days ahead of normal; and soybeans harvested reached 18%, also four days ahead. Pasture conditions rated 30% good to excellent, and low water levels in some creeks and ponds have been an issue for livestock on pasture.