Corn and soybean conditions in Illinois are lagging behind the quality of last year’s crop and other recent years, according to NASS reports. With dough-stage corn at 84 percent statewide, Illinois’ crop was rated 5 percent very poor, 10 percent poor, 29 percent fair, 44 percent good and 12 percent excellent in the Aug. 17 Illinois Crop Progress and Condition report.

Soybean condition was rated at 6 percent very poor, 13 percent poor, 31 percent fair, 40 percent good and 10 percent excellent. Soybeans setting pods was estimated at 81 percent.

By comparing corn crop conditions with those of recent years via the NASS website’s graphical form, Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel noted this season’s crop conditions are among the worst in recent years. “The percent in good to excellent (corn) for 2015 is less than 2013 and 2014. It is a little better than 2011, which was hot and dry in places. It was better than 2012 when we had the full-blown drought,” Angel wrote in his Aug. 19 climate blog at https://climateillinois.wordpress.com

“(It) is the same thing for soybeans. The percent in good to excellent this year is down compared to the last three years. Like corn, last year probably wins the award for the most consistent soybean conditions throughout the growing season. On the other hand, notice how dismal conditions rebounded a little in August and September of 2012 as the rains finally returned to Illinois that year,” said Angel.

Corn producers across the state are concerned poor kernel counts may rob them of attaining USDA’s projected national corn yield average of 168.8 bushels an acre. Count Stu Durst of Lacon in central Illinois as one of those concerned.

“The kernel fill is not there. They’re not real deep and they have tipback quite a bit,” said the Marshall County farmer. “It is so variable out there. You can go from corn in wet spots that’s going to be 70 to 100 bushels, to corn that will yield 200 to 220. I would be thrilled to get 168.8 bushels per acre, and am hoping for 155 to 160. I’d still be happy.”

Durst said during a Friday phone call his soybeans are doing surprisingly well, and have been largely disease- and pest-free. He considers the USDA projected national average for soybeans of 46.9 bushels attainable for his fields.

Soil moisture levels are fluctuating across the state, according to the latest NASS report. While overall topsoil moisture levels were rated 71 percent adequate and 9 percent surplus, areas such as southwestern (24 percent) and southeastern Illinois (17 percent) had much higher surplus subsoil moisture levels than did western Illinois (none) or central or northeastern Illinois (3 percent).

Similarly, subsoil moisture averaged 76 percent adequate and 11 percent surplus statewide. However, southwestern Illinois had a 23 percent surplus while southeast reported a 20 percent surplus, compared with central (5 percent surplus) and eastern (6 percent surplus) Illinois.

Baling hay was the primary activity of most Illinois farmers seeking to take advantage of warm and largely dry weather during the week ending Aug. 16. Statewide precipitation averaged 0.52 inch, or 0.4 inch below normal, during the week.