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83% of corn, 59% of soybeans planted in Illinois

Illinois farmers reached the ¾ mark on corn planting and the halfway mark on soybean planting last week.

The USDA reports as of Sunday corn planting reached 89%, up from 68% the week before and ahead of the five-year average of 75%. Forty-three percent of the crop has emerged, 13 percentage points behind average partially due to the weekly statewide temperature averaging 10 degrees below normal.

Soybean planting reached 59%, up from 43% the week before and ahead of the 40% average. Twenty-one percent of the crop has emerged which is also ahead of average.

Sixty-seven percent of the state’s winter wheat crop has headed, five percentage points behind average with the crop rated 63% good to excellent.

Some farmers were also able to get in their first cutting of alfalfa hay last week.