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Late summer drought impacting southern Illinois yields

A southern Illinois farmer says the months-long drought is impacting crop yields.

“I don’t know that we’ve had any rain since July 4th, other than one, one-inch rain.”

Granvil Travis, who raises corn, soybeans, and cattle in Massac County, tells Brownfield, “For our non-irrigated early beans, we’re off about 10 to 15 bushels.”  He says, “Our earliest corn is still in the low to mid-20s. We like it to be about 18 to 19% before we really start shelling corn, but it’s drying down awfully quick.”

He says he plans to pick up harvest pace next week, and notes that he’s hearing decent reports on early-planted crops, but much of the region struggled with spring floods that delayed planting.

“Just from neighbors and other farmers in our area, it’s running pretty close to average.”  He says, “If you got it planted in April, but the later corn, it’s gonna take a hit. It’s gonna be depending on where you got the spotty rains at.”

Travis says his irrigated crops look good, so he’s optimistic they can help overcome any production shortfall caused by the late summer drought.

AUDIO: Granvil Travis – Illinois farmer