Soybeans emerging well, field conditions across Illinois worsened slightly for 24th week of the year

By Benjamin Cox on June 19, 2018 at 2:32pm

Last week was a bit hard on producers, as field conditions worsened slightly almost across the board, and only about 65% of the working week was deemed suitable for fieldwork, at 4.5 days. The state’s average temperature was 76.6 degrees, four and-a-half degrees above normal. Rain totals across the state averaged 1.4 inches, though the typical average is only once inch in the 24th week of the year.

State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener offers some numbers for corn and soybeans

“93 percent of soybean acres have emerged, compared to 90 percent last year and 84 percent normally. Three percent of soybean acres are now blooming, and soybean field conditions were rated 4 percent very poor to poor, 19 fair, and 77 percent good to excellent, down a little from last week. The condition of the corn crop is also down slightly from one week ago, rated at 4 percent very poor to poor, 15 fair, and 81 percent good to excellent.”

All corn has been planted and has emerged. Schleusener gives a detailed look at the status of the wheat harvest, as well as hay cuttings, sorghum acres, and pasture conditions.

“Wheat harvest jumped forward to 30 percent complete, compared to 59 percent one year ago and 19 percent for the five year average. The conditions of wheat fields were rated 13 percent very poor to poor, 29 percent fair, and 58 percent good to excellent, a little worse than one week ago. The second cutting of alfalfa hay is now 9 percent complete, other hay harvest is now 90 percent finished, and sorghum acres are now 90 percent planted. Pasture conditions were rated 11 very poor to poor, 25 percent fair, and 64 percent good to excellent, down from one week ago.”

Last week in the local West Southwest District, the hot weather showed no signs of letting up. While we typically see an average temperature of 73 degrees, the local median temperature was measured at almost 79 degrees, nearly a six degree uptick. Local rain stats were up also, measured at around 1.2 inches, almost four-tenths of an inch above average.

Schleusener offers a look at Illinois’s topsoil moisture supply ratings for the week.

“Topsoil moisture levels were rated 4 percent very short, 16 percent short, 68 adequate, and 12 percent surplus, a little drier than one week ago.”

Subsoil moisture supply was rated as 4 percent very short, 19 percent short, 65 percent adequate, and 12 percent surplus, slightly worse than one week ago.