Young corn growing outside of Ankeny on June 7, 2025. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Damaging storms, one of which reached derecho status, spread across Iowa over the past week, but the state’s crop conditions remain stable, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said in a news release Monday that severe storms damaged crops and homes in eastern and southern Iowa during the June 8 through June 14 reporting period. Above-average rainfall for the second week in a row also caused flooding in some fields and “created challenging conditions for farmers” according to Naig.
“Our thoughts are with those affected as recovery efforts continue,” Naig said in a news release.
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State Climatologist Justin Glisan reported the average precipitation across the state was 2.37 inches for the week, which was more than an inch above the climatological normal. A weather station in Russell reported a weekly total of 7.44 inches – the most precipitation recorded in the state during the reporting period.
Heavy rain meant soggier soils. USDA rated 19% of topsoil as having surplus moisture and 13% of subsoil as surplus moisture condition for the week. This is an increase from the week prior, when 9% of topsoil and 7% of subsoil had a surplus moisture condition rating.
The weather left farmers with 3.6 days suitable for fieldwork during the reporting period. Glisan also reported the week was unseasonably warm, with a statewide average temperature of 73.2 degrees Fahrenheit, more than 4 degrees warmer than the normal.
Average temperatures across the state have been elevated for several weeks, with temperatures more than 8 degrees warmer than the normal during the May 25 through May 31 reporting period, according to Glisan’s reports.
Iowa’s main crops continue to progress at or ahead of last year’s schedule.
Corn and soybean emergence, at 97% and 95% respectively, are ahead of 2025 crop report figures and planting is mostly finished for both crops.
Seventy-nine percent of corn crops in the state rated good to excellent condition for the reporting period. Iowa pasture and soybean were both rated 77% good to excellent condition.
Oat conditions were 83% good to excellent and the crop, with 78% emergence, is 11 percentage points ahead of last year’s crop.
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Courtesy of Iowa Capital Dispatch
