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The expanding drought and crop condition ratings continue to trend in opposite directions as many farmers nervously await what should be the pivotal corn pollination period.
All 102 counties in Illinois now are engulfed in drought and abnormally dry conditions, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor released Thursday.
Nearly one-third of the state is in severe drought, mostly from the Interstate 72 corridor to just north of Interstate 74 and along the eastern border of the state from northern Edgar to Lake County. And more than half the state (51%) is in moderate drought.
“The one thing that’s been a saving grace is we had moisture in the ground before this drought started. It’s been the one thing keeping things alive. The crops are just kind of hanging on in some places.”
— Trent Ford, state climatologist with the Illinois State Water Survey
“This is something we haven’t seen in a long time – really intense dryness,” Trent Ford, state climatologist with the Illinois State Water Survey, told FarmWeek. “We’re about 8 to 10 inches below normal [precipitation] in some parts of Illinois. We’re flirting with 1988 as far as precipitation totals.”
In fact, average precipitation for the entire state from April 1 to June 10 was the second lowest on record dating back to 1951, according to the state climatologist. The only year it was drier in the past 72 years was 1988.
“The one thing that’s been a saving grace is we had moisture in the ground before this drought started,” Ford said. “It’s been the one thing keeping things alive. The crops are just kind of hanging on in some places.”
But many farmers wonder just how much longer crops can hang on with no considerable moisture. The portion of crops rated good to excellent in Illinois as of June 20 plummeted to just 36% for corn (down 12 points from the previous week) and 33% for soybeans (down 14 points), the National Agricultural Statistics Service Illinois field office reported.
Nationwide, just 55% of corn was rated good to excellent as of June 20, which is the lowest rating for the week since 1992.
“We’re heading to a catastrophe if it doesn’t rain soon,” said Gary Steward, FarmWeek CropWatcher from Stark County. “I’m more worried about corn than beans, because August rain may make a few beans.”
Early-planted corn that was able to tap into some of the soil moisture generally looks better than later-planted corn in many areas. But growth of all crops has slowed in recent weeks, regardless of planting date, said Gabe Glotzbach, crop specialist with Heritage FS in Iroquois County.
This story was distributed through a cooperative project between Illinois Farm Bureau and the Illinois Press Association. For more food and farming news, visit FarmWeekNow.com.