May 27, 2015

By Tyler Harvey
Mo-Do Farm Bureau Manager

It is that time again for the planters to be rolling and the crops to be emerging. We have been very fortunate in the last few weeks to have optimal planting weather. As of Sunday, May 24, the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) had Illinois at 97 percent corn planted compared to a five year average of 93 percent planted by this date. Soybeans, meanwhile, came in at 69 percent planted compared to the five year average of 57 planted by this date. Corn and soybeans are also above the five year average for emergence with corn at 87 percent and soybeans at 38.
With the lack of rain and the cooler temperatures lately, the percentages will not move up as fast as most would like. However, overall this year is on track with the crop season last year. Driving between Tuscola and Sullivan and looking at various crops, this crop year is off to a great start. NASS has an updated crop report come out every Monday afternoon at 3 p.m. I expect the numbers in Illinois for corn emerging, soybeans planted, and soybeans emerging to change a good amount in the following days especially if we can get a nice steady rain over the crops. Illinois is still ahead of our neighbors to the east, Indiana, in planting both corn and soybeans, and Illinois is ahead of Iowa in corn planting and right behind with soybean planting.
In other news, this last week has been very busy on a legislative front.     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.