Agricultural News
Late Planting in Cornbelt Could Have Ripple Effect Into Next Year, Illinois Farmer Says
Thu, 16 May 2013 18:25:18 CDT
Continued cold and wet weather conditions across parts of the cornbelt are having a negative impact on farmers like Roger Ward from Jacksonville, Illinois. Jacksonville is about in the central part of the state between Springfield and the Mississippi River.
Ward says farmers in his area are still having trouble getting their corn planted. He said they are normally finished planting by this time each year, but other than planting a test patch in a very dry area to verify his planter was working properly, conditions are still too wet to get into the fields.
"Last year at this time we were done with both corn and soybeans, so, yeah, we're running quite a bit behind."
He said weather forecasts in his area predict continued wet conditions.
"When you look at rainfall events in the next 15 to 20 days, you only get two or three dry days at a time."
Ward said the extremely late planting season is already causing farmers concerns over what comes down the road.
"And it's not just concern for this year's crop. We don't know what the rest of the weather's going to be the rest of the season. It could be the ideal time to plant here the first of June, but we know that harvest will be late. That could delay fall tillage work, fall fertilizer application. We're going to compact the ground. That sets up an interesting scenario for the beginning of next year."
He said farmers that would like to change seed varieties to adjust for the changing weather conditions are finding it impossible to do.
"We have to remember last year's short corn crop because of weather also affected the seed crop. There's just not the seed out there to choose."
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