Planting Updates from Iowa Corn Leaders - Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Some farmers are planting and some are waiting to plant in northwest Iowa, according to Bruce Rohwer, a farmer from Paullina and president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association. It’s been warm and dry for a few days allowing soil temperatures to increase allowing some farmers to move ahead with fieldwork.

“However, we have a forecast for the next few days of 80 percent precipitation and low temperatures,” he says. “It will be a cold rain or even snow and that is a concern to farmers in the area.”

Last week they received snow that equaled about two-tenths of moisture.

“The moisture is still very much needed but we’re also anxious to get soil temperatures warm enough that we can get planting done,” he adds.

In Warren County, south of Des Moines, Don Hunerdosse of Milo says farmers in his area were in the fields as of late last week and some began planting over the weekend.  He started planting on Monday.

“We’re not done with much but we’ve started. It’s pretty dry in our area. There are some wet spots but it’s dry and warm overall. It was 72 degrees early this morning. Later this week it will be much cooler,” he notes.

Many area farmers have been doing tillage work, applying anhydrous or fertilizer, seeding oats and planting corn.

“The soils are in good condition,” he adds.