Despite an inch or so of rain last week, Illinois crops could do with more moisture. Brad Schwab, chief crop statistician in Illinois for the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, says the dry conditions are holding down quality. About half the corn and soybean crop is now rated fair, poor, or very poor.
“Looking at the topsoil moisture and the subsoil moisture supplies, we’re still well below adequate for most of the (state), and there wasn’t enough rain to replenish that profile,” says Schwab.
The corn is up to 42 inches on average, 13 more than a week before. Soybeans are starting to bloom.
