Illinois Dept. of Ag. Director: ‘we need heat’ to help mature crops

Posted on September 23, 2019
Sullivan said as far as crop insurance goes, preventive planting acres nationwide doubled over any other year. (Photo courtesy: File/WJBC)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – It might as well be midsummer, and the director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture says that’s a good thing.

John Sullivan’s concerned about the late start to the planting season and what that will mean toward the end.

“We need heat. We need sunshine,” said Sullivan. “This crop, especially that late-planted crop, has a lot of maturing to do, and if we can keep this weather, that crop is going to do well. But our biggest fear is an early frost. If we get an early frost, it’s going to absolutely be terribly hard on that late-planted crop. I talked to a gentleman the other day who said – I think it was in 1970, ‘71, ‘72 – we had an early frost, I think the 19th of September.”

Sullivan said as far as crop insurance goes, preventive planting acres nationwide doubled over any other year.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected].

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