Across Illinois, most farmers have now completed their 2015
harvest and are now performing tillage operations and preparing their fields
for next year.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 85
percent of all corn acres have now been harvested, compared to a five-year
average of 68 percent. Both current progress and the average are equal to corn,
at 85 percent and 68 percent respectively.
Winter wheat planting, which often takes place after soybeans have
been harvested, is now 63 percent complete, with 33 percent of the plants
having emerged from the soil.
Many farmers are beginning to become more concerned with how dry
the weather and soil have been: 53 percent of topsoil moisture is now rated as
short or very short, with 41 percent of subsoil rated similarly.