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Corn Farmers Not Quite Caught Up with Planting
(IRN)-Corn farmers across much of the state made headway last week, but they still have a long way to go to catch up to last year's progress.

USDA crop statistician Brad Schwab says drier conditions and brisk winds dried out much of the soil in northern Illinois. The state's corn is now 34 percent planted, compared with 10 percent one week prior, and 93 percent at this time last year. Schwab says farmers shouldn't panic just yet.

"As long as the corn gets in the ground before May 15, farmers shouldn't expect any substantial yield loss," he says. "But, of course, that also depends on Mother Nature cooperating and providing adequate moisture throughout the growing season."

Much of the southeastern Illinois crop reporting district is underwater due to major flooding, which means farmers there have made virtually no progress this season. But Schwab says it's too early for those farmers to claim defeat.

"What a lot of farmers will do if they can't get the corn planted by mid June, they'll plant soybeans and salvage the soybean crop out of the ground."

Schwab says soybeans require a shorter growing season.

The soybean crop is also, however, off to a slow start. Just two percent of the crop statewide has been planted, compared with 30 percent at this time last year.

(Source: Illinois Radio Network)
05 10 11 by Newsroom
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