Iowa, besieged by hot, dry, windy weather, is fast losing its luster as the U.S. corn belt's garden spot. With forecasts for more punishing weather in the next 10 days, agronomists are seeing signs of distress in Iowa fields - hard-baked, cracking soil and curling corn leaves. "We need some good rains here, in pretty short order," said Rich Hanson, agronomist with West Bend Elevator Co. in Algona. Conditions aren't critical yet, he said, but will be if there is no reprieve this week. Such worries are widespread, said Mike Owen, an agronomist with Iowa State University Extension in Ames. "Across the state, we are concerned about this," he said. On Monday, the U.S. Weather Service predicted abnormally high temperatures throughout the Midwest and below normal precipitation in the west of the region. The western two-thirds of Iowa has been drier than normal; southwest and south-central Iowa are driest. Northwest, north-central and southwest Iowa are suffering a moderate drought, said Harry Hillaker, the state climatologist in Des Moines. Another week of dryness could push southwest Iowa into severe drought, he said. The state was about an inch short of its normal 4.5 inches of precipitation in June, the driest in a decade. Statewide temperatures were 2.6 degrees warmer than normal for the month, the warmest since 1991. Agronomists and other crop specialists said it was too soon to tell how yields have been affected, but they point to heat possibly stressing corn pollination - a crucial stage in development that's about to begin - and worry that this year's expected bountiful crop could become a bust. Already, crop conditions are deteriorating. On Monday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported good-to-excellent ratings of 58 percent for U.S. corn, down 4 percent from a week ago, and 56 percent for U.S. soybeans, down 6 percent. Iowa reported 66 percent of its corn with a good-to-excellent rating, down 13 percent for the week, and 64 percent of its soybeans, down 11 percent. With world grain stocks tight and global demand high, weather is driving prices higher. "It has the attention of the trade right now. There's no doubt about it," said Don Roose, president of U.S. Commodities Inc. in West Des Moines. On Monday, December corn futures prices surged 7.75 cents, closing at $2.5125 per bushel on the Chicago Board of Trade, the highest close in four years. November soybean futures closed at $5.1875, up 12 cents. Besides weather, factors influencing prices include: * A weakening U.S. dollar, which encourages increased imports of U.S. commodities by foreign markets such as Europe or Japan. Typically, Japan buys about one-third of all U.S. corn exports. * Expectations of acreage reductions in both corn and soybeans between now and harvest. * Economic and political instability in Argentina and neighboring Brazil, major U.S. competitors in both corn and soybeans. "We're getting a press from both supply and demand - demand picking up and supply contracting," Roose said. For now, eyes are on the weather, particularly the heat. "It's a potential crop-threatening situation," Roose said.:
