By Cole Lauterbach/Illinois Radio Network

SPRINGFIELD – While government agencies are still showing Illinois’ corn crop to be on track for a solid year, they and others say the odd weather has given it a beating.

The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service is still showing more than half of the state’s corn crop in good or excellent condition as of Monday. But reports coming from other counties throughout the state say that their corn has been struggling with a recent lack of rain, leading to pollination issues.

“The corn is just not out there in a lot of areas if compared to last year’s yields,” the report noted.

Brad Summa, regional director of NASS’ Heartland regional office in St. Louis, said that they still expect a strong showing this fall but acknowledged that the weather may have taken a toll.

“It seems like the crop is decent,” he said. “There seem to be pockets where it’s been damaged and battered and the yields are going to be down because of that.”

Summa added that early rains forced many to replant at least once.

Monday’s NASS crop condition report showed 54 percent of corn statewide in excellent or good condition and 42 percent in fair or poor condition. That’s slightly better than last week’s report.

The next NASS Crop Production Report comes out Sept. 12.