Illinois Weather and crops

The Illinois Department of Agriculture released its Illinois Weather and Crops report May 23.

Agricultural Summary

Temperatures and rainfall were both below normal last week. The average statewide temperature of 60.6 degrees was 4.5 degrees below the average.

Precipitation amounted to 0.28 inches, 0.61 below average. With the lull in the rainfall, many producers were able to make significant progress planting both corn and soybeans. Many locations also reported that corn planting is nearly complete. Other areas are still planting around wet patches in the field or replanting acres that had been previously flooded. The number of ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE days suitable for fieldwork averaged 5 dahyttsp://wswtwa.ntases.wusidad.geo.v/il

Topsoil moisture

continued to decrease and was assessed at 29 percent surplus, 69 percent adequate and two percent short. Corn progressed rapidly to 90 percent planted and 56 percent emerged, up from the previous week of 69 percent and 24 percent, respectively. The five-year average for this time period is 85 percent planted and 66 percent emerged. Soybeans came in at 47 percent planted with emergence at 12 percent. The five-year averages are 43 percent and 17 percent, respectively. Winter wheat progress is very similar to last year with 78 percent of the crop headed and 26 percent filled. Winter wheat conditions stood at three percent very poor, 11 percent poor, 33 percent fair, 45 percent good and eight percent excellent.

Mercer County

In the Northwest District, where Mercer County is, there were 5.5 days suitable for fieldwork from May 16-22. The topsoil moisture was listed as 74 percent adequate, 22 percent surplus and four percent short in the Northwest District.

In the Northwest district, as of May 22, 96 percent of the corn crop was planted and 66 percent was emerged. As for the district's soybeans, 76 percent were planted and 21 percent had emerged.

The average temperature in the district was 59.5 from May 16-22.