Rain pushes back planting in state

By ANDREW POTTER, TIMES-REPUBLICAN
With heavy rains and cool temperatures abundant this spring, it appears most grain producers in the area will not get a headstart on the planting season.

Fields with water still in them, and with more storms expected in the next few days, are keeping prospects of farmers getting into those fields in the near future slim to none.

“It’s getting late,” said Lee Searle, who farms southeast of Marshalltown. “It might be the wettest (spring) in my memory.”

This week’s crop report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service noted 3 percent of the corn crop had been planted by April 26 in Iowa. The 5-year average of corn planted at the same time is 33 percent with 12 percent planted at this point last year.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey expressed concern about the wet fields after the release of the report.

“Wet conditions across the state are starting to be of concern as farmers are anxious to get into the field,” Northey said in a news release. “The delays experienced to this point are not yet damaging crop yields, but warmer, dryer weather would be very welcome.”

Jason Paper, agronomy department manager with Mid-Iowa Cooperative of Beaman, said if the rain continues in the next few days it will be nearing one of the latest planting times he can remember.

“We’ve had later springs than this but it is getting close,” Paper said. “We need a week to 10 days of sun and warm weather.”

Searle pointed out the ideal day to get everything planted without losing bushels on the yield would be by May 10. He hopes to be planting later this week but did acknowledge the concern coming from area producers.

“I think people are concerned but they understand they can’t do anything about it,” he said.

Soybeans are at 0 percent planted in Iowa with a 5-year average at this time of 2 percent.

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Contact Andrew Potter at 641-753-6611 or apotter@timesrepublican.com