Cool temperatures and rain slowed field work on Iowa farms this past week. The weekly report from the State Agriculture Department also says the rain and cool temperatures hindered the growth of the crops that are up. The report says nearly two-and-a-half inches of rain soaked the fields. Soybean planting suffered the most, with 45 percent complete, well behind the 72 percent that were already in the ground by this time. But, soybean planting is near the five-year average of 47 percent. Four percent of the beans have emerged, compared to one percent the week before. As for the state’s other major crop — 96-percent of the corn crop is planted — one percent behind what was planted last year at this time. But, that’s still ahead of the five year average of 86-percent. Forty-one percent of the planted corn has emerged from the ground, up 14 percent from last week. Reports say thus far most of the corn will survive the wet conditions and won’t have to be replanted.
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