Wet conditions continued, delaying planting and allowing only 2.8 days suitable for fieldwork statewide during the week ending May 24, according to the May 28 Iowa Crop & Weather report, with farmers evaluating the need to replant corn in low-lying areas.

"Planting progress continues, but the wet weather has slowed it considerably from the record pace at the start of the season," said Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey. "Much of the state remains at or ahead of the five-year average, but the southwest part of the state has been challenged by wet conditions and as a result, planting has lagged behind.

"Farmers across the state are anxious to finish planting and move on to spraying and other fieldwork."

State Meteorologist Harry Hillaker said the past reporting week began with unseasonably cool weather prevailing from May 18-22, with daytime high temperatures only in the mid-40s over parts of northern Iowa early in the week.

The report said 96 percent of corn has been planted, with southwestern Iowa remaining well behind the other districts with just 81 percent planted, while northwest, north-central and central Iowa were virtually completed. Corn emerged reached 81 percent, six days ahead of last year and four days ahead of normal.

The report stated soybean planting reached 70 percent complete, with 32 percent emerging. With emergence nearly complete, oat conditions improved slightly with 82 percent good to excellent, and the first cutting of alfalfa hay advanced to 11 percent completed.

Mark Grundmeier, Latham Hi-Tech Seeds, Inc. product manager, said to minimize the risk of uneven stands from soil conditions, farmers need to carefully monitor each field. "Check the moisture at different levels," he said. "I like to see corn planted at 2 inches deep when conditions are optimal, but I have seen corn planted as deep as 3 inches without very many emergence problems."