A generally dry week for the state of Illinois kept producers busy last week, with over 70 percent of the week deemed suitable for fieldwork, at 5 full days. Only one of the USDA Ag Statistics regions had a regional precipitation average above one inch of rain.
The average temperature in the state of Illinois was slightly above par, at 76.7 degrees when typically measured around 75-and-a-half degrees. Also, the precipitation average was totaled at only 7-tenths of an inch of rain, lower than the usual 85-one-hundredths of an inch. According to state crop statistician Mark Schleusener, wheat harvest is almost done.
“Wheat harvest is nearly finished at 92 percent complete, compared to 94 percent one year ago and 84 percent for the 5-year average. In other crops, the second cutting of alfalfa hay is now 63 percent finished, compared to 49 percent for the five-year average, and 4 percent of sorghum acres have headed, compared to 6 percent normally. Pasture conditions were rated 12 percent very poor to poor, 28 percent fair, and 60 percent good to excellent.”
Schleusener also says that Illinois corn and soybeans are ahead of schedule.
“Corn is now silking on 76 percent of acres in Illinois, up 36 points from one week ago and well ahead of the five-year average of 32 percent. The condition of the Illinois corn crop was rated 5 percent very poor to poor, 14 percent fair, and 81 percent good to excellent.
“64 percent of soybean acres are now blooming, compared to 29 percent one year ago and 26 percent normally. 21 percent of soybean acres are now setting pods, compared to 3 percent normally at this time. The condition of the soybean crop was rated as 8 percent very poor to poor, 20 percent fair, and 72 percent good to excellent. Both corn and soybean field ratings are a little worse than last week.”
In the local West Southwest District, the average temperature was about 78 degrees, a degree and a third above normal for the 27th week of the year. The local district also got 0.72 inches of precipitation on average, one-twentieth of an inch below normal.
Topsoil moisture supply was rated 1 percent very short, 11 percent short, 80 percent adequate, and 8 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supply was rated at 2 percent very short, 14 percent short, 79 percent adequate, and 5 percent surplus.