Above Average Rainfall and Cool Temps Slow Planting

•April 27, 2016•

By Tyler Harvey
Douglas-Moultrie Farm Bureau Manager

It is amazing how the weather changes in our state of Illinois. During my last article, I really thought that planting season would be going by now, but Mother Nature has made above average rainfall and below average temperatures stick around for the time being.

Look at the fields as you drive by. They look dry but would be what many would consider “flash dried”. This is what happens when we get a good rain and then a sunny and windy day right after. The top of the field can be dried out very quickly while underneath, the soil is still very sticky and cold. The USDA came out with their annual crop report the week of March 28, and to the surprise of many, pegged the U.S. corn plantings at 93.6 million acres for the year. This impacted the corn markets immediately, making the price of corn plunge. The USDA numbers for soybeans came in at 82.2 million acres for the year just slightly below what many thought it would be. With the cold and rainy conditions we are having around the state, time will tell if the corn acreage holds or if farmers may switch which will change the corn acreage numbers for the year and also the price of the commodity.      Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.