©2011 Galesburg Broadcasting Co.
| Illinois Crops: Still Playing Catch-Up |
Several days of rain and below average temperatures last week slowed the crop maturity rate in western Illinois.
The USDA's weekly crop progress report says the region received 3.87 inches of rain, the most in the state and more than three inches above normal. The average temperature in the west crop reporting district was just 69.3 degrees, or about five degrees cooler than usual for this time of year. Farmers in western Illinois had only 1.4 days that were deemed suitable for fieldwork.
USDA crop statistician Brad Schwab says the trend of crops playing catch-up to last year continues.
"The corn crop finished (last) week at 64 percent in the dough stage compared to 80 percent last year and 91 percent for the five-year average. Twelve percent of the state's corn fields were reported in the dent stage, and this compares to 27 percent one year ago and 58 percent for the five-year average."
Western Illinois' corn is 63 percent in the dough stage and 9 percent dented.
Schwab says one region in particular has seen corn development take off.
"Leading the state in corn dent category was the southeast crop reporting district at 39 percent."
The state's soybean crop is 94 percent blooming and 72 percent setting pods. Both numbers are behind last year's totals and the five-year averages. Beans in the western reporting district are 97 percent blooming and 69 percent setting pods.
The USDA says the corn crop is rated 61 percent good or excellent. The rating for soybeans is 60 percent.
Topsoil moisture in the western region is fully replenished, now rated at 100 percent adequate or surplus. |
|
| 08 29 09 by Newsroom |
Click here for the WGIL News Archive
Click here for national news
The following provision applies to all visitors (which shall include persons and representatives of legal entities, whether such representatives are persons or digital engines of a kind that crawls, indexes, scrapes, copies, stores or transmits digital content). By accessing this Web site or digital service, you specifically acknowledge and agree that: (i) Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium; (ii) No Associated Press materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use; (iii) The Associated Press will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing; (iv) The Associated Press is an intended third party beneficiary of these terms and conditions and it may exercise all rights and remedies available to it; and (v) The Associated Press reserves the right to audit possible unauthorized commercial use of AP materials or any portion thereof at any time.
