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Illinois Crop Update – September 26, 2025

  • September 26, 2025
  • Illinois Extension

Reagen Tibbs– Commercial Agriculture Educator
Logan County
Soil Condition: Moderately Dry (soil is dry, plants may be browning or stressed, water bodies are low)
Rains over the last week have been welcome but have not provided the much-needed relief from drought conditions. If anything, the rain has slowed the harvest progress for many across Logan County. While on the outside rows, some fields appear ready to harvest, there are still many green plants deep inside the fields.…

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Illinois Crop Update – September 19, 2025

  • September 19, 2025
  • Illinois Extension

Steve Brand– Commercial Agriculture Specialist
DeKalb County
Soil Condition: Near Normal
We have had a bit of a mini heat wave here in the middle of September as temperatures returned to near normal compared to the previous two weeks of cooler weather. The warmer temperatures are helping the corn and soybeans progress along through maturity as we are a bit behind the rest of the state harvest and maturity-wise. As the rest of the state is entering into some more substantial droughts,…

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Illinois Crop Update – September 5, 2025

  • September 5, 2025
  • Illinois Extension

Steve Brand– Commercial Agriculture Specialist
DeKalb County
Soil Condition: Near Normal
Cooler temperatures have arrived this fall (late summer really) as we move through the waiting period of the growing season for corn and soybeans. Temperature averages in the 70s and low 80s have brought much relief after a very hot stretch across Northern IL. Nearly every corner of Illinois north of I-80 is at normal rain and water levels as down state begins to enter into a slight drought,…

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Illinois Crop Update – August 22, 2025

  • August 22, 2025
  • Illinois Extension

Steve Brand– Commercial Agriculture Specialist
DeKalb County
Soil Condition: Near Normal
After a wet couple of weeks up north we are all but back to normal precipitation levels for the season. Most areas across northern IL saw anywhere from 1-4 inches of rain depending on how many storms hit over the past weekend and have primed plants to finish strong through ear and pod fill. Disease has become much more prevalent as the rain has opened up and temperatures have dropped from the 90s.…

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Illinois Crop Update – August 15, 2025

  • August 15, 2025
  • Illinois Extension

Russ Higgins – Commercial Agriculture Educator
Grundy County
Soil Conditions: Mildly Dry (soil is drier than normal, plant growth may have slowed)
This week Dr. Giovani Preza Fontes, assistant professor and Agronomy Extension Specialist from the University of Illinois visited the Grundy-Kendall County area and met with area producers where he shared expectations of both state and local yields. Farmers were provided with recent weather data and were encouraged to take kernel and population counts to determine yield estimates in their own fields.…

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Illinois Crop Update – August 8, 2025

  • August 8, 2025
  • Illinois Extension

Steve Brand – Commercial Agriculture Specialist
DeKalb County
Soil Conditions: Near Normal
Conditions over the past 2 weeks have reverted back to being dry with temperatures in the upper 80’s to low 90’s. The corn and soybeans have been progressing very quickly with the increased Growth Degree Units and just enough moisture. As we look at the drought map most of Northern IL remains in the D0 drought with a small area south of Chicago in a D1.…

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Illinois Crop Update – August 1, 2025

  • August 1, 2025
  • Illinois Extension

Emily Hansen – Commercial Agriculture Educator
LaSalle County
Soil Conditions: Mildly Wet (soil is wetter than normal, local vegetation is healthy)
The heat and humidity has finally broken today after what feels like a very miserable few weeks. Over the past week rainfall in LaSalle, Bureau, Marshall, and Putnam counties has been sporadic, with some areas seeing nearly 6 inches and others seeing less than an inch. Crops in areas that received less rainfall are still looking a little heat stressed.…

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Illinois Crop Update – July 25, 2025

  • July 25, 2025
  • Illinois Extension

Steve Brand– Commercial Agriculture Specialist
DeKalb County
Soil Conditions: Near Normal
Its another hot week upon as a heat dome settles down on the Midwest as a whole. July so far has brought 3.5 – 5 inches of rain depending on the area you are in, excluding Will county which is still in a somewhat severe drought. Northwest Illinois is on pace for historical averages and enjoying a great growing season. South of Chicago and some of the suburban counties are drier than normal and continue to be in either a D1 or D2 drought.…

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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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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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