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Despite Rain, IL Crops Doing Well
Corn likes hot, humid weather. But soybeans would rather have drier conditions.

The latest USDA weekly crop progress report says rainy wet conditions have put soybean farmers in the western portion of the state behind compared to the rest of Illinois.

The report says just 75 percent of soybeans are planted in this area while 90 percent or more are planted statewide.

Corn height averages 28 inches compared to 10 inches last year and 19 for the five-year average.

USDA crop statistician Brad Schwab says soybeans are 81 emerged, which is ahead of the 76 percent recent average, and the weather is the key.

"It's helping the corn grow -- the hot, humid days that we're seeing are certainly beneficial for the corn crop," Schwab said. "The wheat farmers, they're not particularly happy with the heavy rains and winds that come at the time when their wheat is about ready to be harvested. So, they're a little bit concerned about that. The soybeans, they don't like having wet feet. We don't like to have too much rain to where it causes ponding out in the soybean fields."

The report notes the wheat crop is in good condition. Schwab says with 10 percent of it already harvested, it's ahead of the five-year average of six percent.

Western Illinois had the least amount of suitable days for fieldwork and the most rainfall, with an average of 2.2 inches last week.
06 17 10 by Newsroom
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