Illinois’ warmer-than-usual spring has put both the corn and soybean crops ahead of schedule.
The Bloomington Pantagraph reports that 80 percent of corn and 30 percent of soybeans have already been planted.
Illinois Soybean Association board member Rob Shaffer says by contrast only 53 percent of corn nationwide has been planted. Shaffer is a corn and soybean farmer from El Paso.
Rodney Weinzierl of the Illinois Corn Growers Association says more farmers will get out in their fields if Illinois gets another week of warm weather.
Dennis Wentworth is a corn and soybean farmer in Downs, and he says he’s finished his planting. Wentworth says he’s now spending time checking his plants for damage and trying to determine if the crops are healthy.
-Associated Press
