With below average temperatures and little to no rain across much of the state, Iowa farmers had 5.9 days of suitable field work last week according to the latest Crop Progress and Conditions Report.

The report shows last week’s fieldwork included scouting, spraying fungicides and insecticides, and harvesting hay and oats. Sixty-nine percent of the corn crop has begun to silk, 13 days behind last year and 8 days behind the five-year average. Sixty-five percent of the soybean crop has begun to bloom, 13 days behind last year and 10 days behind the average.

ISU Extension and Outreach Field Agronomist Mike Witt comments on this year’s progress, “Well, in comparison to last year we are behind as far as growth rate and timing of these plants that’s not an unexpected thing with as late as we got it planted in there. Overall I think we should end up being okay as long as we can make sure we have a good fall and the thing that a lot of people now are watching is the frost date.”

Witt says farmers would like the frost date to be pushed back as late as possible to give the crops time to mature. Corn condition is rated 65% and soybeans are 62% good to excellent. To hear more from Witt on crop progress listen to today’s Let’s Talk Guthrie County program on air and at raccoonvalleyradio.com.