Wheat Harvest Begins in Southern Illinois

Illinois wheat growers will find out in the days and weeks ahead if this year’s crop indeed breaks the state yield record.

Harvest activity began earlier this month in southern Illinois. Farmers cut 1 percent of the wheat crop as of the first of last week, the National Agricultural Statistics Service Illinois field office reported.

“Wheat is looking good in the area and is close to mature,” said Ken Taake, a FarmWeek CropWatcher from Pulaski County, who reported wheat harvest started last week in his area.

USDA this month left its wheat yield forecast in Illinois unchanged at an average of 68 bushels per acre statewide. If realized, this year’s wheat yield would surpass the state record of 67 bushels (set in 2006, 2013 and 2014) and 2015’s yield by 3 bushels. USDA pegs total wheat production in the state at 35.36 million bushels, up from 33.8 million bushels compared to 2015.

“I think we’ll see farmers open (wheat) fields up (last) week,” said Dave Devore, grain merchandiser at Siemer Milling in Teutopolis. “It’s matured rather rapidly the last two weeks.

“If the weather holds up, by the end of (this) week harvest will be in full swing in southern Illinois,” he noted.

The condition of the crop statewide last week was rated 58 percent good to excellent, 31 percent fair and 11 percent poor to very poor. Major outbreaks of stripe rust and other diseases, including head scab, at some locations remain the top concern among farmers and millers.