Author: Yorke Prough

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report is released weekly April through November. Additionally, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship provides a weather summary each week during this time.

“Warm and dry conditions continued across much of the state last week, providing a window for significant harvest progress. Despite cooler temperatures, mostly dry conditions are expected to persist in the week ahead, allowing harvest activity to steadily roll on. However, outlooks into the second half of October show rainfall potential,” said Secretary Naig. “As harvest continues, I encourage drivers to be on the lookout for farm machinery on the roads at all hours of the day and night. Please slow down and share the road to keep drivers and farmers safe this fall.”

Continued dry weather and above normal temperatures allowed Iowa farmers 6.8 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending October 13, 2024, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field activities included harvesting corn and soybeans, baling corn stalks, applying manure and fertilizers, and fall tillage. Fire danger in fields remains a threat.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 35 percent very short, 41 percent short, 24 percent adequate and 0 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 27 percent very short, 45 percent short, 28 percent adequate and 0 percent surplus.

Corn reached 97 percent mature or beyond. Corn harvested for grain reached 45 percent, 3 days ahead of last year and 6 days ahead of the five-year average. Corn moisture content fell 2 percentage points to 16 percent. Corn condition rated 76 percent good to excellent. Soybeans dropping leaves or beyond reached 98 percent. Nearly one-quarter of the soybean crop was harvested during the week ending October 13 reaching 81 percent complete, 6 days ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of the average. Farmers in south central Iowa remain considerably behind farmers in the rest of the State with just 54 percent of their soybean crop harvested.

Pasture condition fell 8 percentage points to just 30 percent good to excellent this week. Livestock water resources continue to recede.

There was a large corn field fire on Tuesday afternoon which saw multiple agencies respond.

According to the dispatch logs, just before 4:00pm, Henry County first responders were alerted to the 2100 block of Highway 34 for a fire. The Henry County Sheriff’s Office and a very large number of Mt. Pleasant Fire Department firefighters responded to the scene. Around 15 minutes later, the New London Fire Department was paged for mutual aid to mile marker 239 just south of highway 34. Henry County Emergency Management was also on scene and may have deployed a drone to assist. Jason Denning also assisted with a tractor and a ripper.

It was determined that the corn field had already been picked and the farmer was mowing the stalks, when something on the mower caught fire to the stalks. This caused 20 plus acres of field that burned.

In all, 3 brush trucks, 2 tankers, and 1 utility vehicle were utilized by the two fire departments.

The Keokuk Police Department conducted a traffic stop on October 14^th which saw one man arrested.

Dylan James Clark, 24 of Keokuk, was pulled over in the 600 block of Main Street, and charged with Eluding – 2nd or Subsequent Offense, Possession of Marijuana 2nd Offense and Driving while License Suspended.

Clark was also arrested on a warrant for Willful Injury. The warrant stems from an assault on 9/9/24 in the 10 block of N 12th Street in which a hammer was allegedly thrown at another individual, striking them in the head. Clark is now being held in jail.

We are now less than three short weeks away from the general election, set for Tuesday, November 5^th.

No matter what candidates you support, voting is important, and there are multiple ways to make sure your vote is counted. The polls will be open on election day from 7:00am-8:00pm. There is a list of polling places on KILJ for those in Henry County.

Absentee ballots will be sent out TODAY, so if you have requested one, you can expect to find one in your mailbox shortly.

This is also the same day that early voting will begin at the Henry County Courthouse on the second floor in the conference room.  Please bring your ID with you. Early voting is open Monday through Friday 8am – 4:30 pm and also on Saturday, November 2nd the Courthouse will be open from 9 am to 5 pm. If anyone has any questions, please call the Henry County Auditor’s Office at (319) 385-0756