Harvest will begin in earnest

47 percent of corn and 44 percent of soybeans are in good to excellent condition(Photo Flickr/United Soybean Board)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – A warm, wet week finished off September for Illinois farmers. The statewide average temperature was 68 degrees, seven above normal. Average precipitation was 2.23 inches, almost an inch and a half more than normal.

Corn: 85 percent in the dent stage, 40 percent in the mature stage, four percent harvested.

Soybeans: 77 percent turning color, 41 percent dropping leaves, one percent harvested.

About 20 percent of each crop is in poor-to-very-poor condition. 47 percent of corn and 44 percent of soybeans are in good-to-excellent condition.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]

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