Many Iowa farmers have already wrapped up the 2020 planting season. USDA’s crop progress report indicated 96% of the corn and 86% of the soybeans were planted in the state by May 17 compared to the five-year averages of 82% on corn and 45% on soybeans. Minden, Iowa farmer Kevin Ross says farmers have been planting the crop in record fashion. He finished his last field of soybeans on May 11 and wasn’t alone.
John Tairks farms ground in several spots in western Iowa and his seed dealership in Underwood covers about 60,000 acres. He says last year was one of the slowest planting seasons in the state and this year it was one of the fastest.
Mother Nature was more cooperative this spring and Iowa farmers pushed hard with the challenges of 2019 still fresh in their minds. Last year at this time many were barely turning a wheel due to record rainfall and flooding. Ross says they’ve dried out and even prevented plant acres are getting seeded.
Crop emergence fell behind with the cold weather, but its starting to pick back up with 62% of the corn and 25% of the beans in Iowa emerged on May 17. Ironically, another weather concern that’s starting to get attention in western Iowa is the dryness with the area at D0 or abnormally dry on the May 14 Drought Monitor.
