WATERLOO - Farmers received an unwanted vacation last week thanks to several inches of rain.

Idle equipment as prime planting time ticks away isn't the only thing farmers have to worry about, crop experts say. Overly saturated soils can lead to corn seed survival issues.

Monday's U.S. Department of Agriculture Crops and Weather Report said corn planting is 60 percent complete statewide, 11 days ahead of last year's pace and two days ahead of the five-year average. In Northeast Iowa, 52 percent of the corn is in the ground.

Pioneer Hi-Bred International, based in Des Moines, said growers in the Midwest have concerns that some of the wettest areas may not drain in time for corn seedlings to survive. Pioneer agronomist Bill Long, based in Cedar Falls, doesn't think farmers in Northeast Iowa should be too concerned.

"All in all, the ground wasn't as wet to begin with and the sun came out this weekend. The topsoil is in pretty good shape," Long said. "There's nothing I've seen to alarm us yet."

If corn doesn't germinate within 24 days of planting, then it's time to worry, he said.

Only 2 percent of the corn crop is emerged statewide compared to 7 percent normally at this time, the report said. Reporters blamed cool soil temperatures. On average, topsoil is in the low 50s, Iowa State University Extension reports.

Six percent of the state's soybeans are planted, according to the report. It's slightly ahead of last year's pace, but 2 points behind the five-year average.

The report said pastures have greened up and are growing. However, crop experts say farmers need to monitor hay fields closely.

Now is the perfect time to use the "stem count" method to evaluate alfalfa stands, according to Brian Lang, ISU Extension crop specialist based in Decorah. He said January was a rough month for hay, with 12 of 31 days below zero and five days hitting minus 10 degrees or colder.

Lang said a roadside view can be very misleading because dandelions and winter annuals also have greened up quite nicely. He suggests farmers walk fields. Ideal stands have 55 or more stems per square foot. The 35 to 40 stems per square foot range are marginal stands. Less than that are not keepers unless there is also a good stand of forage grass in the field.

"Roughly 15 percent of the alfalfa stands across Northeast Iowa have sufficient winter injury such that they are not worth keeping," Lang said in a statement. "The injury is a mix of ice sheet/smothering in some low spots and injury from cold temperature exposure on ridge tops and some side slopes (often north slopes)."