Drought continues to be a problem for Southwest Iowa

Southwestern Iowa’s still feeling the influence of the drought that gripped the region for the last couple growing seasons. Certified Crop Advisor Cody Shay of Creston says the cool temperatures this week are helping the corn crop. Lack of moisture the last 30 days is hurting, but there are good stands of corn and the crop’s still there. Mid-80s is ideal to raise a corn crop, and he says the fact that we haven’t gotten into the 90s or hot dry winds has helped it survive. Shay, a graduate of Iowa State University, owns “Advanced Ag” in Creston and sells farmers chemicals and feed as well as offering consulting. He says the soybeans are resilient enough to deal better with the recent weather. Beans are more tolerant of dry weather, and he says August “is bean month” though some rain would help fill out pods and finish the crop, with harvest 30 to 40 days away for the earlier varieties. Shay says the harvest will be nothing near last year’s but he expects they’ll still find it good. He says today’s hybrids are much more tolerant than plants available 20 years ago, and with no scorching heat and perhaps some rain, the crop should still be in pretty good shape. Shay says there are some soybean aphids in Union County, but many farmers are also considering spraying for grasshoppers.