By Dave Dahl/Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – A warm and dry week helped the state’s farmers.
“That good weather was used to advance corn harvest by 17 points to now 30 percent complete. That compares to 13 percent one year ago and 34 percent for the five-year average,” said Mark Schleusener, the USDA’s state statistician for Illinois. “Soybean harvest advanced even more. Soybean harvest moved to 21 points and is now 24 percent complete. That compares to six percent one year ago.”
The busy time, said Schleusener, is coming.
“For the next four to six weeks, the focus of most Illinois producers will be getting the crops out of the ground. Soybeans tend to take first priority now because they are a little more fragile in the field.”
