News

IL crops weathering tough start

Sixty five percent of the Illinois corn crop is rated in good to excellent condition.

Beck’s agronomist Chad Kalaher says that’s despite a tough spring.

“Crop establishment in 2024 has been a big challenge.”  He says, “Most of that challenge goes back to the frequency of rainfall events and just a limited or narrow windows of available field work.”

The USDA’s latest weekly crop progress and condition report shows 64% of soybeans are in good to excellent condition.  Even so, Kalaher tells Brownfield many farmers have needed to replant.

“There has been a decent amount of replant scenarios or thickening stands of spotty soybeans.”  He says, “We did see a big difference in fields that had proper drainage this year.”

Corn silking reached 17%, ahead of the five-year average of 3%, and soybean blooming reached 25% compared to the average of 10%. 

Winter wheat harvest is 89% complete, ahead of the five-year average of 68%. 

Pasture and range conditions are 48% good to excellent, and the second cutting of alfalfa hay is 35% complete. 

Forty one percent of the state’s topsoil moisture was rated very short to short.