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Southern Rust Confirmed Near Illinois: What You Need to Know

  • July 15, 2025
  • Todd Gleason, Boris X. Camiletti

Southern rust of corn, caused by the fungus Puccinia polysora, has recently been confirmed in counties of Indiana and Kentucky bordering southern Illinois. While not yet confirmed in Illinois this season, its proximity makes it important to stay alert, scout actively, and be prepared to manage the disease if it arrives.
Recognizing Southern Rust
Southern rust produces small, orange to light-brown pustules typically found on the upper surface of corn leaves, often concentrated in the upper canopy.…

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Agronomy Day Events – July

  • July 7, 2025
  • Todd Gleason

July 16 – Orr Agricultural Research and Demonstration Center Field Day
July 23 – Monmouth Field Day
July 24 – Ewing Demonstration Center Field Day
July 25 – Hemp Research Open House

Orr Agricultural Research and Demonstration Center Field Day
Event Date: Wednesday, July 16, All Day
Location: 37804 State Highway 104, Baylis, IL 62314
Sponsor: Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois
Contact Name: Luke Merritt
Contact E-Mail: lukem@illinois.edu
EVENT DETAILS:
To be guaranteed a meal,…

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An Illinois Crop Progress Conversation

  • July 5, 2025
  • Todd Gleason

* Tools to Manage Tar Spot
* Illinois Soft Red Winter Wheat Harvest & Quality
* Corn and Soybean Update
* WILLAg Closing Market Report and Commodity Week

The Closing Market Report podcast player should open to the spot where the Illinois Field Crops discussion begins, or about six minutes into the program.
Tools to Manage Tar Spot
There is a new online tool farmers and retailers may use to help track,…

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Jun 27 | WILLAg Markets and Weather

  • June 27, 2025
  • Todd Gleason


WILLAg.org radio programming for the work week ending June 27, 2025
Commodity Week can be heard in the 2 o’clock hour central time on WILL AM580 or you may subscribe to it using the links in the player below. This week the panelists include Naomi Blohm from TotalFarmMarketing.com and Jim McCormick of AgMarket.net.

The Closing Market Report airs at 2:06 p.m. central daily on WILL AM580. It, too, is a podcast. Subscribe using the link in the player.…

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Jun 20 | Market Review and Weather Update

  • June 20, 2025
  • Todd Gleason

by Trent Ford, State Climatologist
Illinois State Water Survey | Prairie Research Institute
University of Illinois
Happy summer solstice – it’s all downhill from here! Every day from now until late December gets a bit shorter. But, we still have most of summer to enjoy, and this week’s temperatures were enjoyable. Average temps this week ranged from the high 60s in northern Illinois to the high 70s in southern Illinois, near to 1-2 degrees warmer than normal.…

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Jun 13 | Market Review and Weather Update

  • June 13, 2025
  • Todd Gleason

by Trent Ford, State Climatologist
Illinois State Water Survey | Prairie Research Institute
University of Illinois
The second week of June and climatological summer was very much early summer-like. Average temperatures this week ranged from the mid-60s in northern Illinois to the low 70s in southern Illinois, near to slightly cooler than normal. June to date has also been right around 1 degree cooler than normal, easing us into the hottest season. Growing degree days are still running behind normal because of the unusually cool end to May.…

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May 23 | Markets and Weather Update

  • May 23, 2025
  • Todd Gleason

by Trent Ford, State Climatologist
ISWS, PRI, University of Illinois
We had quite a busy weather week. Average temperatures range from the low 50s in northern Illinois to the mid-70s in southern Illinois, between 1 and 4 degrees above normal. Nighttime low temperatures regularly dipped into the 40s statewide and even got down to the high 30s in places like Waukegan and McHenry. May average temperatures to date have been within 1 degree of normal statewide.…

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Small Grains Field Fest Friday @ Riggs Beer

  • May 20, 2025
  • Todd Gleason

Small grains field fest invite on blue background with orange and white accents.Event Date: May 23, 2025
Event Time:  3:00 – 6:00 PM
Location: Riggs Beer Company
1901 South High Cross Rd. Urbana, IL
Join us for a mix of learning and happy hour at Riggs Beer Company located at 1901 South High Cross Rd. Urbana, IL. This event is for anyone curious about small grains, including wheat, barley, rye, triticale, oats, and kernza. Demonstration plots are located on-site next to the brewery. The small grains breeder from Virginia will be joining us as a special guest to talk about barley varieties adapted to Illinois.…

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May 16 | Weekly Markets and Climate Review

  • May 16, 2025
  • Todd Gleason

The second full week in May brought summer heat to the Midwest. Average temperatures this week ranged from the high 50s in northern Illinois to the low 70s in southern Illinois, between 2 and 8 degrees above normal. Significant early season heat late in the week was noteworthy, as temperatures reached into the low to mid 90s statewide. Combined with high humidity, heat index values approached the triple digits. Thursday’s high of 93 degrees broke the previous May 15th record at O’Hare Airport,…

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May 02 | Climate Review and Weather Forecast

  • May 2, 2025
  • Todd Gleason

The final week of April acted much like the rest of the month, with warm and wet weather pretty much statewide. Average temperatures this week ranged from the low 50s in northern Illinois to the mid-60s in southern Illinois, between 3 and 6 degrees above normal. The entire month of April ended around 0.5 degree warmer than normal statewide.

A continued active storm track brought multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms this week. 7-day totals ranged from around a half inch in parts of western Illinois to over 4 inches near the Metro East area.…

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