Iowa farmers welcomed drier conditions, which allowed them to get back in the fields during the week ending July 13, according to the July 14 Iowa Crop & Weather report.

"The drier weather last week was very welcomed as it allowed farmers to start getting back in the fields to get needed work done," said Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey. "Much of the crop remains in good to excellent condition, even as some of the damage from the extremely wet weather and strong storms earlier in the growing season was becoming even more apparent."

State Meteorologist Harry Hillaker said temperatures reached as high as 96 degrees in Sidney on July 6, with the lowest temperature recorded in Spencer July 2, at 50 degrees.

The report said 26 percent of corn was silking; 45 percent of soybeans were blooming and 6 percent, setting pods. The report also said 97 percent of oats were headed, with 60 percent turning color and 8 percent of the oat harvest complete.

The report added the first cutting of alfalfa hay was 97 percent complete and the second cutting was 27 percent complete.

Clarke McGrath, Iowa State University extension field agronomist, said he’s currently working in plots where some Palmer amaranth weed had escaped eradication and set seed last year – although it’s minimal.

"This year, we have a mess on our hands," he said. "Palmer is something we want to do anything within reason to eradicate when we find it, rather than try to contend with it long-term in our corn and soybean fields." He advised farmers to keep scouting for Palmer to keep it under control.