Iowa drought growing worse, cutting into the state's projected soybean harvest, new report shows
The drought in Iowa is deepening and expanding, potentially cutting into Iowa's soybean harvest this fall, a report released Friday shows.
Iowa's soybean harvest is forecast to fall 4.7% this year over 2021, a U.S. Department of Agriculture crop report shows. Average soybean yields are forecast to drop to 58 bushels per acre this year from 62 in 2021, the report shows.
Moderate to extreme drought grew this week in Iowa, covering nearly 40% of the state, up from 31% the week before, the U.S. Drought Monitor report on Thursday showed.
The drought worsened from moderate to severe in much of southern Iowa and part of the Des Moines metro, and expanded in northwest and north-central Iowa, the weekly report showed.
Thunderstorms last weekend brought needed rain to many parts of western and north-central Iowa. But they provided little relief the areas that need the rain most, said Iowa State University Extension agronomists.
The USDA report Friday also showed that Iowa's corn harvest is forecast to decline — down 1.6% or 41 million bushels this year over 2021 — but farmers have planted 200,000 fewer acres to the crop this year.
Corn yields this year are expect to average 205 bushels per acre, matching a record set last year, the report showed. Iowa corn farmers are expected to continue leading the nation in production, harvesting 2.51 billion bushels this fall.
Iowa is forecast to remain the nation's second-largest soybean producer, harvesting nearly 592.8 million bushels this fall, which is 29.1 million fewer bushels than 2021, the report shows.
Iowa soybean producers trail Illinois, which is forecast to grow 732.6 million bushels this year.
More: With little prospect of relief, Iowa drought spreads at critical time for corn, soybeans
Chuck White, who farms near Spencer, said the weekend storms were a “godsend,” helping corn fill out kernels and enabling soybeans to add blossoms that set pods. But White said he and other farmers will need more rain to get good yields.
“This bought us some time,” he said.
More: Weekend rain did little to help relieve growing Iowa drought, meteorologists say
Iowa’s soybeans considered in good to excellent condition fell two percentage points 71% and corn fell three percentage points to 73%, a USDA crop progress report Monday showed.
Half the state’s topsoil was considered short to very short of moisture, the report showed.
Donnelle Eller covers agriculture, the environment and energy for the Register. Reach her at deller@registermedia.com or 515-284-8457.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: U.S. Drought Monitor shows Iowa drought growing in south, northwest
