Above average temperatures and scattered showers continued throughout the state of Illinois last week, offering approximately 60 percent of the week as suitable for fieldwork. The state of Illinois’s climate averages for last week totaled 77 and a half degrees, which is a little over 3 degrees above normal, and 1 and a quarter inches of rain, 0.37 inches above average.
Mark Schleusener, with the Illinois office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, provides this update for Illinois corn and soybeans as we enter the second half of the year.
“Corn is now silking on 40 percent of acres in Illinois, up from 2 percent last week and well above the five year average of 11 percent. The condition of the corn crop was rated 4 percent very poor to poor, 12 fair, and 84 percent good to excellent, slightly better than one week ago.
“44 percent of soybean acres are now blooming, compared to 14 percent one year ago and 11 percent normally. The condition of the soybean crop was rated 5 percent very poor to poor, 17 percent fair, and 78 percent good to excellent, nearly unchanged from last week.”
Schleusener also gives updates for wheat harvest, alfalfa hay, and pasture conditions.
“Wheat harvest in Illinois is now 83 percent complete. That compares to 88 percent one year ago and 67 percent normally. The second cutting of alfalfa hay is now 44 percent complete. That compares to 52 percent both for one year ago and for the five-year average. Pasture conditions were rated 8 percent very poor to poor, 23 percent fair, and 69 percent good to excellent, nearly unchanged from last week.”
In the local West Southwest District last week, the average temperature was a little over 78 degrees, which is just less than three degrees above par. Also, the district received 1.35 inches of rain last week, two-thirds of an inch above normal for the 26th week of the year.
Topsoil moisture supply was rated at 1 percent very short, 6 percent short, 75 percent adequate, and 18 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supply was rated at 2 percent very short, 11 percent short, 75 percent adequate, and 12 percent surplus.
As a final note from the National Department of Agriculture:
There’s still time to fill out and return your 2017 Census of Agriculture! If you produce or grow any agricultural products, including field crops, fruits, vegetables, floriculture, and livestock, regardless of the size of your operation, return your 2017 Census of Agriculture as soon as possible.
To stay on track for data release in February 2019, farmers and ranchers have until the end of July to complete the Census online through the secure website found on the cover of their Census form. Phone follow-up and personal interviews will also continue through July.