Robinson Daily News

State planting season off to slow start



Planting season is officially underway in Illinois at last.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, corn planting in the state was 2 percent completed by Monday.
This compared to the five-year average of 21 percent, leading some experts to express concerns that delays in planting could reduce yields.
“While this is only slightly less than the five-year average for this week, the concern is that cold and wet conditions in much of the U.S. Corn Belt will cause planting progress to fall behind the normal pace and this will in turn reduce yield potential,” wrote Scott Irwin of the University of Illinois’ Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics.
Soybeans planted reached 1 percent, compared to the average of 8 percent.
Winter wheat headed was 5 percent, compared to the average of 12 percent. Condition of the crop was rated 1 percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 54 percent fair, 33 percent good and 7 percent excellent.
Statewide, the average temperature last week was 55 degrees, .4 degrees below normal. In Crawford County, the average temperature was almost 59.8 degrees.
Precipitation averaged .97 inch, .02 inch above normal. Locally, .85 inch of rain was reported during the week.
Topsoil moisture supply was rated 2 percent short, 49 percent adequate and 49 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supply was rated 1 percent very short, 4 percent short, 55 percent adequate and 40 percent surplus.
There were 1.5 days suitable for field work last week.

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