A month away from harvest, crops are looking good

August 22, 2024 | Jeff Hutton

As Scot Bailey drives past row after row of soybeans and corn fields outside of Anita, he can see evidence of change.

“I’m starting to see some of my beans turn color and some of my corn husks are starting to brown up,” he says. “We’re getting close.”

And those changes, says Bailey, an Iowa Soybean Association District 7 Board member, means harvest is drawing near.

According to the latest crop report from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), things are looking good in Iowa’s farm fields.

The report noted 96% of soybeans were blooming with 83% setting pods, about a week behind compared to 2023. Beans have begun turning color and those pods were listed at 77% good to excellent.

“I’m seeing some remarkable pod counts,” Bailey says. “I’m really excited about what the yields are going to be.”

He says he anticipates harvesting efforts could begin in 3-4 weeks.

“I think at the end of September, we’ll be able to get started on some beans,” Bailey says, noting he’s already prepped with maintenance on his combine and his bins cleaned out and ready to take on soybeans and corn.

“We’re going to have a really good crop coming out of this year,” he says. “There’s some darn good stuff going on.”

According to the NASS, corn also looks good in Iowa.

The crop is in the dough stage or beyond reached 82% with 28% of the corn crop reaching dent stage. The overall corn condition in Iowa was rated at 77% good to excellent.

ISA District 2 Director Sam Showalter says like Bailey, he’s looking at harvesting in about a month.

Yields, however, may not be as strong in north central Iowa where he farms compared to other parts of the state.

“Things are looking OK, but we were really affected by too much rainfall early in the season,” Showalter says.

And while it may have been too much rain early on, he says now would be a good time for some moisture.

“With our soybeans and our corn, we could probably use another shot of rain,” Showalter says.

That said, the Hampton farmer remains cautiously optimistic he will have a solid crop come harvest.

“You know, every year is different; each crop handles the weather different,” he says. “I thought we might see more disease pressure, but we really haven’t. Every year is different.”

Showalter says while the past two years are stronger in terms of crop numbers compared to what the outcome for 2024 might be, he’s pleased with what he is seeing.

And according to NASS, Iowa farmers should be happy with current field conditions as harvest gets under way in a few weeks.

Iowa’s topsoil moisture condition is rated at 2% very short, 17% short, 77% adequate and 4% surplus. Subsoil moisture condition was rated at 3% very short, 16% short, 77% adequate and 4% surplus.

Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig says things are looking good across the Hawkeye State.

 “That widespread rain last week, coupled with the warmer temperatures forecasted through the end of August, should give crops a good boost heading into September,” he says.

And according to the last U.S. Drought Monitor report, Iowa remains drought free, with only small pockets of west central Iowa along the Missouri River and areas of of southwest Iowa listed as abnormally dry.

The National Weather Service notes that the mild weather will continue, except for a brief heat surge this weekend. Rainfall chances are slim with only a rain shower or two sometime mid-week.

ISA District 7 Director Lee Brooke, who is vacationing at Niagara Falls before the fall harvest, says the past five weeks of mild weather has been a boon to his crop and he’s gearing up for a strong finish in 2024.

“I think it’s going to be a good year,” he says.

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