The latest weekly Crops & Weather report from USDA shows Iowa's cornfields have been hit hard by the wet spring and delayed planting. As of June 16, the statewide survey shows 12% of Iowa's corn crop is now rated in poor condition, worst among the 18 leading corn growing states.

GIVING UP ON CORN: With wet weather continuing to keep a number of farmers out of the field for most of this past week, the latest USDA weekly survey shows Iowa still has 6% of its intended 2013 corn acres unplanted. Also, as of June 16, 23% of the state's soybean acres remain to be planted. Farmers with corn yet to plant are giving up on that crop, and are either taking the "prevented planted" option offered by crop insurance or are switching to soybeans if they can.

The report, compiled as of June 16 and released June 17, says 4% of Iowa's corn is very poor while 34% is fair and 50% is rated good or excellent. Eleven percent of corn plants haven't emerged from the ground yet and 6% of the crop hasn't been planted. Normally, the crop is all in by now and 99% emerged. USDA already projects the average yield of corn expected to be harvested per acre in the U.S. will be reduced to 156.5 bushels per acre this year, down from 158 bushels estimated a month ago.

Storms continued throughout the Corn Belt this past week, notes Greg Thessen, director of the Iowa office of USDA/NASS in Des Moines. For most people it's water that is causing problems right now--water ponding in fields, flooding out corn and beans in some places, causing many farmers to have to replant some areas. "One year ago it was the lack of rain that was the problem. What a difference a year makes," he adds.

With only 94% of the corn planted, Iowa has about 880,000 acres still not in the ground

"With only 94% of the corn planted, Iowa has approximately 800,000 acres that farmers had intended to plant to corn in 2013 that is still not in the ground.  At this late date it is likely that some of that 6% will not be planted, and that which is planted will see lower yields," says Bill Northey, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture. "It's good to see an improvement in soybean planting progress compared to a week ago, increasing by 17% to where it is now 77% planted in Iowa. Hopefully a significant portion of the beans yet to be planted will get in the ground this week as it is getting late in the season to plant soybeans."~~~PAGE_BREAK_HERE~~~

The complete weekly report is available on the Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship's website or on USDA's site. The report summary follows here:

Iowa has 94% of its 2013 corn crop planted as of June 16, soybean planting is only 77% complete

CROP REPORT: Iowa farmers struggled to get the remaining cropland planted during the week ending June 16, 2013, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Intermittent rainfall throughout the week didn't permit enough drying, and some farmers resorted to planting in less than ideal soil conditions. Statewide there was an average of only 2.8 days suitable for fieldwork. East Central and Southeast Iowa had the most days suitable for fieldwork, while Northwest and North Central Iowa had the least amount of days suitable.

The surplus rating of soil moisture levels dropped this past week, but moisture levels remained mostly in the adequate and surplus categories. Topsoil moisture levels rated zero percent very short, zero percent short, 54% adequate and 46% surplus as of June 16. Subsoil moisture levels rate zero percent very short, 2% short, 64% adequate and 34% surplus.

Corn condition is rated 42% good and 8% excellent statewide as of June 16

As of June 16, the survey shows 94% of Iowa's corn crop was in the ground, 2 percentage points higher than last week but normally all corn is planted by this time. The shows 89% of the corn crop has emerged, 10 percentage points below the 5-year average. Corn condition statewide is reported at 4% very poor, 12% poor, 34% fair, 42% good and 8% excellent.

Farmers have planted 77% of the soybean crop, an advancement of 17 percentage points from last week, but planting is still lower than the normal 96% completed by this time. Soybean emergence is 56% complete; well behind both last year's 98%, and the 5-year average of 91%. The first soybean condition rating of the year reflects 4% very poor, 10% poor, 36% fair, 42% good and 8% excellent. Thirty-six percent of the oat crop was headed as of June 16, and the crop condition rates 1% very poor, 5% poor, 26% fair, 57% good and 11% excellent. It was reported high winds in some areas caused lodging in oats.~~~PAGE_BREAK_HERE~~~

First cutting alfalfa hay is 31% complete, compared to a year ago when it was already finished

The first cutting of alfalfa hay is 31% complete as of June 16. That compares to last year when the first cutting was finished, and the second cutting was 27% complete at this time. Farmers this past week waiting for drier conditions to cut hay. Hay condition is rated at 1% very poor, 3% poor, 29% fair, 52% good and 15% excellent. Pasture and range conditions rate 1% very poor, 5% poor, 24% fair, 48% good and 22% excellent.

IOWA PRELIMINARY WEATHER SUMMARY—for week ended June 16, 2013

By Harry Hillaker, State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship

Slightly warmer weather prevailed over the past reporting week in Iowa, the week ending June 16. The period began with temperatures slightly below normal on Sunday (June 9) and Monday (June 10) with daytime highs mostly in the 70's. However, above normal temperatures prevailed for the remainder of the week except on Friday (June 14) when widespread cloudiness reduced daytime readings. Temperature extremes for the week ranged from a high of 93 degrees at Keokuk on Wednesday afternoon to morning lows of 52 degrees at Sibley on Thursday and Elkader on Friday. Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged 1.7 degrees above normal.

Light rain fell over most of Iowa on Sunday (June 9) with dry weather statewide on Monday and Tuesday. Thunderstorms brought rain to about the northern two-thirds of the state on Wednesday with locally heavy rain and severe weather over north central and northeast Iowa. Thursday was mostly dry with scattered light showers over western Iowa. Rain fell nearly statewide on Friday and Saturday with the heaviest rains falling over west central Iowa on Friday evening. There were a numerous reports of high winds and hail over western Iowa Friday night and a few over the southeast corner of the state on Saturday night. Weekly rain totals varied from just 0.08 inches at Lowden in Cedar County to 6.00 inches at Coon Rapids in Carroll County. The statewide average precipitation was 1.38 inches while normal for the week is 1.19 inches.