The state’s weekly crop progress and condition report shows planting is slightly ahead of last year’s rates. Last week, there were 6.1 days suitable for fieldwork for farmers.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, corn planting reached 88 percent complete, which is one percentage point behind last year and six percentage points ahead of the five-year average. Forty-six percent of corn has emerged, which is eight percentage points behind last year’s pace and three percentage points ahead of the five-year average. 

Eighty percent of the expected soybeans have been planted, which is one percentage point behind last year and 12 percentage points ahead of the five-year average. Soybean emergence reached 28 percent, which is 10 percentage points behind last year and three percentage points ahead of the five-year average. 

Oats planting in Iowa reached 97 percent complete and 87 percent of oats have emerged. Pasture conditions were rated 73 percent good to excellent.

State Climatologist Justin Glisan explains that unseasonably warm temperatures continued statewide last week with the highest departures approaching five degrees; the statewide average temperature was 63.8 degrees, 4.6 degrees above normal.