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Corn and Soybean Harvest Moving Slowly
The recent mild temperatures and dry conditions allowed farmers to make up some ground on the already tardy harvest season.

Seasonal temperatures and precipitation allowed producers to continue working through this year's harvest. The average temperature in Western Illinois, according to the latest USDA Crop Progress Report, was 53.9 degrees, almost 2 degrees above normal. Nearly an inch of rain fell in the region, about a quarter-inch below the norm.

USDA crop statistician Mark Schleusener says much of the corn has too high of a moisture content to harvest.

"We haven't had the good dry down weather. They (producers) can dry it (corn) themselves if they have dryers, but then they're paying for propane cost and that's expensive too. So, waiting is economically sound right now."

The crop report indicates the corn harvested in Illinois over the past week increased from 20 to 32 percent, well behind the 89 percent harvested at this time last year. The soybean harvest is ahead of corn with 63 percent harvested, up from 45 percent in a week's time. Last year, 91 percent of the soybeans had been harvested at this time.

The USDA also says 85 percent of the region's topsoil moisture content is still rated adequate or surplus.

10 26 08 by Newsroom
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