Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented today 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.

“Although areas of Iowa received some rain over the weekend, persistent dryness and expanding drought continue to dominate,” said Secretary Naig. “Hot temperatures and a lack of rain have produced varying crop conditions, which may lead some farmers in pockets of the state to start harvesting earlier than usual.”

The weekly report is also available on the USDA’s website at nass.usda.gov.

Crop Report
Another week of above average temperatures and below average precipitation resulted in 6.5 days suitable for fieldwork for Iowa farmers during the week ending September 10, 2023, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field activities included chopping corn silage as well as cutting and baling hay. A few reports of corn and soybean harvest were received.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 37 percent very short, 42 percent short, 21 percent adequate and 0 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 35 percent very short, 43 percent short, 21 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus.

Corn in the dent stage or beyond was 90 percent this week, 6 days ahead of last year and 8 days ahead of the 5-year average. Thirty-eight percent of the State’s corn crop has reached maturity, 1 week ahead of last year and 6 days ahead of normal. Corn condition declined 3 percentage points to 46 percent good to excellent. Soybeans coloring or beyond reached 67 percent, 6 days ahead of last year and 5 days ahead of the average. Soybeans dropping leaves was 25 percent this week, 1 week ahead of last year and 3 days ahead of normal. Soybean condition fell 5 percentage points to 44 percent good to excellent.

The State’s third cutting of alfalfa hay reached 98 percent complete, 15 days ahead of last year and roughly 3 weeks ahead of the average. Pasture condition rated just 15 percent good to excellent. Getting water to livestock was a challenge for producers this week, with reports of some producers selling livestock due to lack of water and having to feed hay.

Weather Summary
Provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

Unseasonable warmth early in the reporting period gave way to more seasonal temperatures through the end of the week, along with some chilly overnight lows; the statewide average temperature was 69.3 degrees, 1.5 degrees above normal. Rainfall was again sparse with widespread deficits of over 0.50 inch across much of Iowa, though the northeast registered near-normal totals.

Hot and dry conditions greeted Iowans on Sunday (3rd) afternoon with clear skies and temperatures in the mid to upper 90s at many stations; the statewide average high was 95 degrees, 15 degrees above normal. Southerly winds into Monday (4th) held morning lows in the mid to upper 60s with several low 70-degree readings southeast. Isolated clouds moved through eastern Iowa as afternoon highs lingered in the low to mid 90s. A weak cold front brought scattered light showers to far southwestern Iowa overnight into Tuesday (5th), though totals varied from a trace at a handful of stations to 0.08 inch at Logan (Harrison County). A stronger complex of thundershowers formed in southeastern Iowa through the late morning hours before dissipating around noon. Rainfall totals ranged from 0.12 inch at Salem (Henry County) to 0.43 inch in Burlington (Des Moines County). Additional thunderstorms formed in northeastern Iowa just before midnight and into the early morning hours on Wednesday (6th), producing a county-wide swath of 0.25- to 0.75-inch totals from Black Hawk to Dubuque County; Stanley (Buchanan County) measured 0.26 inch while Manchester (Delaware County) collected 0.74 inch. Winds shifted to the northwest as morning lows bottomed out in the low to mid 60s under overcast skies. Clouds cleared west to east into the afternoon hours as wildfire smoke filtered in behind the system. Daytime highs were comfortable, sitting in the upper 60s and low 70s along with gusty northwesterly winds.

Generally calm winds and clear skies led to colder overnight conditions as well as fog in western Iowa where temperatures fell into the low to mid 40s on Thursday (7th) morning. Temperatures rose into the low to mid 70s into the afternoon hours as cloud cover persisted in eastern Iowa. Daytime conditions were similar on Friday (8th) with near-seasonal temperatures in the upper 70s and low 80s under sunshine. Showers pushed across Iowa’s southwest corner just after midnight on Saturday (9th) with general totals under 0.10 inch with Sidney (Fremont County) collecting 0.13 inch. Scattered showers pushed across northern Iowa through the day, dissipating into the evening hours as temperatures warmed into the upper 70s with variable winds. A more concentrated area of showers and a few thunderstorms crossed into northwestern Iowa early Sunday (10th) morning ahead of a larger-scale weather disturbance. Measurable totals were observed at several stations with Mapleton (Monona County) hitting 0.23 inch while 0.32 inch was reported at Remsen (Plymouth County).

Weekly precipitation totals ranged from no accumulation at many Iowa stations to 1.10 inches at Dubuque Lock and Dam (Dubuque County). The statewide weekly average precipitation was 0.07 inch while the normal is 0.84 inch. Waterloo Municipal Airport (Black Hawk County) reported the week’s high temperature of 100 degrees on the 3rd and 4th, with Algona (Kossuth County) joining on the 3rd. This reading was on average 20 degrees above normal. Fayette (Fayette County) reported the week’s low temperature of 35 degrees on the 8th, 16 degrees below normal.

William Thomas Slack, convicted of Sexual Abuse 3rd Degree in Van Buren County, failed to report back to the Burlington Residential Correctional Facility as required Saturday evening.

Slack is a 29-year-old white male, height 5’11”, and weighs 179 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on August 1, 2023.

Persons with information on Slack’s whereabouts should contact local police.

For more information on the state’s work release program, please see Iowa Code 904.901-904.910

The Mt. Pleasant School Board Special Election will be held on Tuesday, September 12^th. For those who have not filled out an absentee ballot, voting will be in person.

All those who live in the Mt. Pleasant precinct will vote at the Veterans Hall located at 300 W Monroe St, Mt Pleasant. Meanwhile, those who live outside of this will vote at Emergency Management at 900 West Washington Street Mt. Pleasant.

The voting window is open from 7:00am until 8:00pm.

On Monday, September 11^th, Governor Kim Reynolds signed a proclamation relating to the weight limits and transportation of grain, fertilizer, and manure.

This proclamation allows vehicles to be overweight (not exceeding 90,000lbs gross weight) without a permit if they are transporting corn, soybeans, straw, silage, soybeans, stover, fertilizer (dry, liquid, and gas) and manure (dry and liquid. This proclamation is effective immediately and continues through October 11^th, 2023.

This proclamation applies to loads transported on all highways within Iowa (excluding the interstate system) and those which do not exceed a maximum of 90,000 pounds gross weight, do not exceed the maximum axle weight limit determined under the non-primary highway maximum gross weight table in Iowa Code § 321.463 (6) (a) and (b), by more than 12.5 percent, do not exceed the legal maximum axle weight limit of 20,000 pounds, and comply with posted limits on roads and bridges.

See the proclamation here.

The Mount Pleasant Police Department is now looking for a new Police Officer. Applicants must be a US Citizen, possess a valid Iowa driver’s license upon hiring, and be at least 21 years old.

Applicants are required to pass physical, written, and psychological tests. If interested in applying, pickup a physical application at the Mt. Pleasant Police Department at 204 E Washington St. Or you can call the department at 319 385 1450 between 8am-4pm Monday through Friday. Applications can also be emailed.

They are also accepting lateral transfers as well. Officers that go this route can lateral up to seven years paid experience. For more information, contact the Chief of Police.

The deadline to apply will be Sunday, October 15^th, 2023. Testing will be on Saturday, October 21^st, at 9:00am.

There was excitement in the air in Mt. Pleasant last week, specifically at the former Iowa Wesleyan Campus as members of the community were allowed to take home whatever they could carry, for free, for two days. We were told that if that went well, there was the possibility of opening some other buildings in the future. KILJ now has information regarding the next “Community Day.”

On Wednesday, September 20^th, the Science Building and Old Gym will both be open to the public. The time has changed as well since some members of the community requested it be later due to their work schedules. From 1:00-7:00pm, citizens can enter these buildings by signing a liability form, just like in the past.

I spoke with Doug Moore, who has been at the forefront of this process, and he mentioned how last week’s community days were a resounding success. He said that there weren’t any big mishaps, and he was thankful that residents were able to take home free items that they might need.

As of right now, just the Science Building and Old Gym are scheduled, but depending on the success of this upcoming community day, there will most likely be others. KILJ will continue to report on the happenings at the former university campus.