A warm, mostly dry week gave farmers several days of good conditions to continue with the 2015 harvest. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 30% of the Illinois corn crop is now harvested, a large jump from just 13% the week before, and just behind the 5-year average of 34%. Progress continues to vary by region, with the Southwestern area leading the state at 55% harvested, while Northeastern Illinois corn remains just 6% harvested.
Farmers are also making progress cutting soybeans, with 24% of Illinois acres now harvested, up from just 3% the previous week, and well ahead of the 5-year average of only 12%. Many farmers who had already begun harvesting corn, switched to beans in recent days. While both crops are drying in the fields, farmers have a narrower window to safely and easily harvest soybeans, because beans that are too dry may be lost before entering the combine.