(SPRINGFIELD) In this week’s USDA Illinois Crop Progress and Condition Report, it continues to be a tale of two seasons for many farmers around the state when it comes to fieldwork progress, all depending on the weather pattern. Downstate producers have been very busy up until yesterday, while their counterparts further north have experienced hit-and-miss planting opportunities. As of Sunday, the statewide planting numbers show an average of 29% for corn and 36% for soybeans now in the ground, both ahead of the five-year average pace of 19% and 18%, respectively. Meanwhile, the winter wheat crop is still growing well, on average. The USDA reports 36% of the statewide crop was headed as of this past Sunday, compared to 14% a year ago and 13% on average. The condition report shows 67% of the statewide wheat in good to excellent shape, 25% fair, and 8% poor to very poor. The wheat crop is not doing as well in some other states as the poor to very poor rating exceeds 40% in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma with an alarming 55% poor to very poor rating for the winter wheat crop in Texas.
