Farmers catch up on bean planting

planting
Ninety percent of Illinois’ soybean crop has been planted. (Photo by Carrie Muehling/WJBC)

By RFD Radio/WFMB

SPRINGFIELD – Farmers in Illinois made up for any lost time with planting last week and continued with other work in the field under warm and dry conditions.

USDA crop statistician Mark Schleusener said farmers found temperatures around the state above normal, those warm temps dried fields and allowed for the final stretch of soybean planting to occur.

“Soybean planting reached 90 percent complete, 78 percent of the crop has emerged which is 1 point behind normal,” Schleusener said. “The soybean crop’s condition is now rated 4 percent poor to very poor, 21 fair and 75 percent good to excellent.”

Farmers were also busy with in season fertilizer treatments and cutting hay and alfalfa for animal feed.

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