Illinois may see an early harvest this year as crops are maturing ahead of schedule. According to the latest report from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 24% of the corn crop is now mature, significantly higher than the five-year average of 11% for this time of year. The condition of the corn is rated as 3% very poor, 5% poor, 21% fair, 54% good, and 17% excellent.
USDA statistician Mark Schleusener noted that soybeans are also progressing early, with 14% of acres dropping leaves compared to the usual 3%. Reports of soybean harvesting have already begun. Soybean conditions are rated at 3% very poor, 7% poor, 22% fair, 56% good, and 12% excellent. This season, Illinois farmers planted nearly 11 million acres of corn and 10.7 million acres of soybeans.
As harvest season approaches, Mark Baker from Stateline Farm Rescue advises Illinois motorists to be patient with farm machinery on the roads. Transportation incidents, including tractor overturns, are the leading cause of fatalities among farmworkers. Between 1999 and 2019, Illinois recorded 82 roadway-related deaths involving agricultural equipment, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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