Planting and growing season reaching the end

Posted on October 22, 2019
USDA’s Mark Schleusener says weather has been almost ideal for farming in the last week(Photo courtesy: WJBC /File)

 

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – After a late, wet start, the Illinois crop numbers are catching up with the calendar.

Mark Schleusener, state statistician for the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, says corn harvest advanced to 36 percent and soybeans to 52 percent.

“Last week was the best week farmers have had in a long time,” said Schleusener. “Another good week like that will narrow the gap between normal progress and this year, which has been late from the beginning.”

Eighteen percent of soybeans are reported poor-to-very poor, and 44 percent are reported good-to-excellent. Corn was 19 percent poor-to-very poor and 46 percent good-to-excellent.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]

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