Extreme drought conditions continue to take a toll on crops in west-central Iowa.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Field Ergonomist Meaghan Anderson says the recent heat combined with below-normal precipitation this summer is causing corn and soybeans to mature rapidly. Anderson adds this can be harmful in the development process, “Basically any time the crop is flowering, or trying to produce grain, if we can draw that out longer by having normal or average temperatures, that gives that crop more time to fill grain. When you speed things up in reproductive development, we are hastening through the reproductive stages, which means the crop is trying to fill grain, and it’s doing it on a shorter timeline.”

Anderson wants to remind farmers that there are many resources through ISU Extension and Outreach to help during this uniquely challenging summer. According to the latest Crop Progress and Condition report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, farmers had 6.7 days of suitable working days last week. Corn condition was rated 45% good to excellent, dropping five percentage points from last week and the lowest level since the week ending October 20th, 2013. Soybean condition decreased once again, falling to 50% good to excellent, the lowest rating of the season.