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| Warm, Rainy Weather Helps Illinois Crops |
Crop development in Illinois continues to trail recent history, but a state agriculture official isn't panicking.
The USDA's latest weekly crop progress report says warm temperatures and sunshine early last week allowed producers to get in a lot of fieldwork before the rain arrived. The precipitation total averaged nearly two inches in western Illinois---more than an inch above the norm. Average rainfall was nearly three-quarters of an inch above normal statewide, allowing for nearly 5 days suitable for fieldwork.
The average temperature last week in the state was 76 degrees, and the crop report says the conditions were favorable for crop progress. USDA Crop Statistician Brad Schwab says the slower pace of this year's crop progress is not critical yet.
"I think continued rainfall that we're getting and abundant topsoil moisture we're seeing is going to really help the crops catch up and get things back on track. There's obviously going to be those areas that were flooded or that had some planting issues that may not yield as well as they did last year."
Ninety-two percent of the state's corn is in the silked stage, a gain of 13 percent in a week's time. Corn was fully silked a year ago. Twenty-seven percent is in the dough stage versus 66 percent last year at this time.
Nearly three-quarters of the soybeans are blooming and 31 percent are setting pods. Both numbers trail the averages from last year and five years ago.
Topsoil moisture content in Illinois is rated 90 percent adequate or surplus. It's 99 percent in western Illinois.
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| 08 07 08 by Newsroom |
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