Better or Worse? How Iowa’s Crops Compare to U.S. Averages

As July marches on, Iowa’s crops are developing quickly. Here’s a quick look at the condition of the state’s corn, soybeans, and other crops compared to national averages, based on the latest USDA Crop Progress report.

Corn

Iowa’s corn was rated some of the best in the country by USDA, so it’s no surprise that its crop is in better shape than the national average.

As of July 13, Iowa’s corn was rated 85% good/excellent, 12% fair, and just 3% poor/very poor. The U.S. rating — representing the average of the top 18 corn-growing states — was 74% good/excellent, 21% fair, and 5% poor/very poor.

Ratings are mostly aligned between Iowa and nationwide in the good, poor, and very poor categories. But Iowa’s 27% excellent corn overshadows the 17% national average, and less of Iowa’s crop was rated fair — 12% compared to the U.S. 21%.

Soybeans

Iowa’s soybeans were rated 79% good/excellent, 18% fair, and 3% poor/very poor by USDA for the week that ended July 13. Comparatively, U.S. soybeans were rated 70% good/excellent, 25% fair, and 5% poor/very poor.

Like corn, the excellent and fair categories showed the biggest differences between the state and country levels. One-fifth of Iowa’s soybeans were in excellent condition, compared to the U.S. average, 12%. Less of Iowa’s crop was rated fair — 18% compared to the 25% nationwide average. 

Oats

The difference between the condition of Iowa’s oat crop and the U.S. average is even more striking.

As of July 13, 86% of Iowa’s oats were rated good/excellent, compared to 59% for the average of the top nine oat-growing states. What’s more, 13% of Iowa’s crop was rated fair, while a quarter of the average crop fell into that category. 

Just 1% of Iowa’s oat crop was rated poor, and none rated very poor. Conversely, 16% of the average crop was rated poor/very poor.

Pasture and Range

Iowa’s pasture and range conditions were also much better than the national average.

USDA rated 75% of Iowa’s pasture and range good/excellent, 21% fair, and just 4% poor/very poor. The average condition of the crop across the 48 contiguous states was 46% good/excellent, 26% fair, and 28% poor/very poor.