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Iowa crops endure hottest week of the year but on track

Ag/Outdoor, News

September 8th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s corn and soybean crops endured the hottest week of the year so far last week but largely remain in good shape. The U.S. Department of Agriculture in its weekly crop report released Tuesday says 10 percent of Iowa’s corn crop is mature. That’s three days ahead of last year but nine days behind the five-year average. Seventy-nine percent of the crop is in good to excellent condition.

Farmers report some fields are showing signs of disease stress. Soybean development is three days ahead of last year but a day behind average with 76 percent of the crop in good to excellent condition. State Climatologist Harry Hillaker says the first week of September was the hottest week of the year. Temperatures as a whole averaged 10 degrees above normal.