News

Harvest picking up across Illinois

The USDA says harvest is progressing in Illinois.

Montgomery County farmer Mark Schweizer says he’ll start harvest this week.

“Got a few neighbors that have, and it’s been really good, so I’m yeah, I’m anxious to get out there,” he says.

The latest weekly crop progress and condition report shows 7% of the corn crop and 6% of the soybean crop have been harvested as of Sunday.  Schweizer tells Brownfield…

“We’ve really had timely rains.”  He says, “We’ve had maybe one or two rains that come really fast, but our rains have been really good, and it just turned out pretty good this fall. I think we’re gonna have really good crops.”

The corn crop is rated 77% ​percent good to excellent with 93 percent dented, and 63 percent mature, which is 23 percent ahead of average.  Soybeans are rated 72 percent good to excellent, with 62 percent dropping leaves, 31 percent ahead of normal.

Pasture conditions are 26% good to excellent with 11% rated poor, and the third cutting of alfalfa is 94% complete.

Fifty eight percent of Illinois topsoil moistures are rated short or very short.