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Iowa’s crop ratings show some slippage this week

Iowa’s crop ratings are showing some slippage this week, with damaging winds and heavy precipitation taking their toll on the crops.

Corn is rated 78 percent good to excellent, with soybeans at 76 percent, both numbers down three points from last week. Seven percent of the corn crop has silked and 21 percent of the soybean crop has bloomed, both running about week ahead of average.

The second cutting of alfalfa hay reached 24 percent complete, but frequent storms continued to make putting up hay a challenge last week. Hay condition rated 74 percent good to excellent, with pasture conditions rated 66 percent.