debugging field crop production

Russ Higgins – Commercial Agriculture Educator Grundy County Soil Conditions: Near Normal Entering September an intense shift in weather as a “heat dome” became established in Northeast Illinois. While fields near the Wisconsin state line received precipitation, most areas did not. The ninety degrees plus days provided ample Growing Degree Days (GDDs) for crops finishing grain fill. On lighter soils the temperatures are causing a water deficit reflected by the wilting/yellowing plants.…

The following is a summary of the WILLAg.org content from the work week ending August 28, 2026. WILLAg.org is a partnership of Illinois Public Media and University of Illinois Extension. Its mission is to distribute regionally, nationally, and internationally information and analysis of commodity markets and agricultural weather. Agricultural Markets Synthesis Agricultural markets experienced a significant late-summer rally driven by supply-side reductions, escalating geopolitical tensions, and robust global demand. Wheat led the broader grain complex higher—surging as much as 45 cents in a limit move—due to intensifying military conflicts and export infrastructure disruptions in the Russia-Ukraine Black Sea corridor.…

Steve Brand – Commercial Agriculture Specialist DeKalb County Soil Conditions: Mildly Dry (soil is drier than normal, plant growth may have slowed) We have caught a very nice break from severe weather and storms, with some pleasant temperatures to boot, as we begin to enter the home stretch of the growing season. Corn fields across northern Illinois are starting to fire, while soybean fields continue to stay green and produce large pods and seeds.…

by Trent Ford, State Climatologist ISWS PRI University of Illinois We had a lovely weather week, seemingly rare for this year. Average temperatures this week ranged from the mid-60s in northern Illinois to high 70s in southern Illinois, between 1 and 4 degrees below average. Lower humidity allowed for some very comfortable overnight temperatures, and even a few – dare I say – nippy early mornings. Some of the more impressive nighttime low temperatures this week included 49 in Elgin and 51 in Danville.…