Farm workers in Peoria County take a break during soybean harvesting on October 5. The soybean harvest in Illinois was 16 percent completed at the beginning of the week, according to USDA. (Photo by Tim Alexander)

With the 2016 corn harvest approaching the midway point, we’ll take a look at crop and weather conditions across Illinois. Also this week, we examine the outlook for pork and celebrate October Pork Month. In addition, President Obama saluted the resilience of rural communities last week, and we will take a look at some of his remarks. For those and other news items for Illinois farmers and rural dwellers, please read on …

Corn harvest approaches midway

SPRINGFIELD — The 2016 Illinois corn and soybean harvest is making rapid progress, with some growers finished and moving on to fall field chores, reported USDA-NASS in its latest “Illinois Crop Progress and Condition” report. With slightly less-than-average precipitation, there were 5.2 days suitable for field work during the week ending Oct. 2, according to the report.

The corn harvest was estimated at 43 percent complete, compared to 44 last year. Corn condition was pegged at 1 percent very poor, 14 percent fair, 56 percent good and 26 percent excellent. Soybean condition was rated 56 percent good and 26 percent excellent, while the harvest was 16 percent complete, compared to 42 percent last year.

Winter wheat planted was at 6 percent compared to 12 percent for the five-year average. Pasture and range condition was placed at 20 percent fair, 58 percent good and 19 percent excellent, the report stated.

Precipitation ‘light’ in Illinois for October

URBANA — Precipitation averaged just 0.63 inches across Illinois during the week ending Oct. 2, which was 0.02 inches below normal. Statewide, the average temperature was 61.5 degrees, 0.4 degrees below normal. Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel agreed in his Oct. 7 weather blog that so far, October has been just what the proverbial doctor ordered for farmers to complete harvest duties.

“So far, October precipitation has been light across the southern half of Illinois and for much of the southern Corn Belt. “Illinois and the Midwest are off to a warm start in October, Angel said. “Temperatures across southern Illinois, as well as southern and western portions of the Midwest are running 4-6 degrees above normal. Meanwhile, central and northern Illinois, as well as the rest of the Midwest, are running 6-10 degrees above normal.”

Angel is employed by the Illinois State Water Survey, located at the Prairie Research Institute on the campus of the University of Illinois (U of I) at Urbana.

Illinois Farm Fact:

Check out N-WATCH and N-Rate Trial results at www.ifca.com (click on ‘Keep it 4R Crop Tools).

Hurt: Pork outlook turning ‘sour’

URBANA — An article posted Oct. 3 on the U of I farmdocDAILY website laments the current state of the U.S. pork market. Agricultural economist Chris Hurt of Purdue University, an extension partner of the U of I, said hog prices “have collapsed to levels far below breakeven.” Hurt said there is worry that there are too many hogs heading to market this fall than packers can handle, and the latest USDA hog and pig inventory shows more hogs than anticipated.

“These factors are providing a sour taste for the industry’s financial outlook through 2017,” Hurt opined, citing the USDA report that showed the number of market hogs had risen by 3 percent, with numbers in the heaviest weight categories up 4 percent. Slaughter numbers also rose by 5 percent. “However, the greatest concern was in the last half of September when the packer head counts were up almost eight percent,” he added.

Hurt included the caveat that slaughter numbers should ease a bit through the remainder of 2016. “The USDA report suggests the numbers will be up 4 percent in October, but drop to 3 percent higher in November and then 2 percent higher in December. If these projections are correct, packer capacity will be sufficient,” Hurt said.

Increases in the supply of competitive meats have also occurred, putting additional downward pressure on on liveweight prices and prices paid by consumers at supermarkets for pork. While lower corn and soybean meal prices are helping pork producers, “with hog prices in the higher $30s this fall and winter, estimated losses will be $25 to $30 per head,” according to Hurt’s projections. Losses are expected to moderate next spring and summer before intensify once more in the fall of 2017.

“Losses are expected to be … at levels not seen since late 2012. Expected losses in 2017 should begin to move the industry toward thoughts of reducing the breeding herd,” Hurt concluded.

IPPA announced ‘pork month’ promotions

SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA) is offering special promotions to consumers during October Pork Month, including a mobile scratch-to-win trivia game that rewards winners with free pork products at participating Illinois County Market stores. “By texting the word PORK to 43817 on your mobile device, the game starts,” said Erin Cleary, IPPA director of marketing, in a news release. “Then, fun trivia questions about the pork industry will be asked and if the player answers correctly, they can win free bacon, free pork loins and an amazing FREE PORK tailgating package worth $30!”

To find out more information about the “Pork-apalooza” scratch-to-win mobile contest and a survey a list of participating County Market stores, visit www.ilpork.com.

Obama salutes strength of rural America

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Barack Obama issued an op-ed piece to media outlets last week touting the work his administration has done over the past eight years on behalf of rural America, crediting the progress to “the strength and resilience of the people in our rural communities.” Obama touted the administration’s work with rural communities in building more opportunity, including investments in rural schools such as laptops for students, advances in high-speed connectivity, and support of small business owners.

“Today, rural unemployment has dropped from a high of about 10 percent during the Great Recession to 6 percent. The rural child poverty rate is dropping, and rural median household incomes are rising again,” the President noted. “We certainly have more work to do, but we’re moving in the right direction.”

–R.F.D. NEWS & VIEWS–