By Jim Anderson/Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois farmers are almost finished planting corn.
Corn is 94 percent planted, according to the weekly USDA crop progress report – up from 88 percent a week ago. Crop statistician Mark Schleusener says with the exception of some rainy days, farmers went from zero to 94 percent in a hurry.
“Because of things like bigger equipment and such like that, farmers can plant a lot of ground faster than they used to, so there were several open times when producers went go, go, go and got a lot of crop in the ground, and then they had to stop for rain, and that happened two or three times,” he said.
The corn is now 75 percent emerged, up from 42 percent last week. The average for this time of year is 53 percent. Soybeans are now 47 percent planted, and we’re seeing the first emergence of the season at 14 percent. The historical averages are 36 and 11 percent, respectively.
Corn condition is rated 82 percent good or excellent.
Topsoil moisture across the state is 75 percent adequate and 22 percent surplus, with more surplus moisture in Southern Illinois than anywhere else.
