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State’s hottest week further diminishes crops

Ag/Outdoor

September 3rd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s corn crop has continued to decline as Iowa experienced the hottest week of the year last week. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s weekly crop condition update released Tuesday says 25 percent of the state’s corn is poor or very poor. That’s up from 21 percent the week before. Just 39 percent is good or excellent down from 44 percent the week before and 48 percent two weeks ago.

Iowa’s soybeans are now 24 percent poor or very poor, up from 20 percent a week ago and 39 percent is good or excellent, down from 45 percent. The conditions generally reflect the national trends. Iowa temperatures averaged nearly 12 degrees above normal and average rainfall was about a third of an inch. Normal for the week is about an inch.