Corn in McLean County near Carlock is still partially green. Seven percent of the Illinois corn crop and 6 percent of the soybean crop had been harvested by Sept. 15, according to USDA-NASS. (Photo by Tim Alexander) 

With harvest well underway across most of Illinois, farmers are concerned about abnormally dry and warm September conditions. To learn more about this and other news for Illinois farmers and rural dwellers, please read on … 

Conditions ‘severely dry’ across parts of Illinois 

URBANA — Conditions through the first three weeks of September remained very dry across much of Illinois, with Peoria County recording less than a half-inch of precipitation for the month as of Sept. 21.

In Grundy County, University of Illinois Extension field crop educator Russ Higgins said, soil conditions and crops were “severely” dry, with water bodies very low and vegetation stressed.    

“The growing season and grain fill is all but over for most and has ended on a dry note. All fields I have visited have been tinder dry. As harvest gets underway, a reminder to check fire extinguishers, and, if available, have a tractor hooked to a tillage implement ready to go to help contain a field fire. Checking combines for residue buildup throughout the day and having the local fire department phone number readily available is also recommended,” Higgins said. 

Mildly dry conditions were reported by Extension crop watchers in Champaign and Logan counties. In southern Illinois, however, Extension commercial agricultural specialist Dane Hunter of Clinton County reported soil conditions at near normal.  

“The tropical storm blessed most of southern Illinois with somewhere between a quarter or even over an inch of rain, which is especially helpful to the double crop beans still filling their top pods,” Hunter said.  (“Illinois Crop Update – September 20, 2024.” Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois)  

Ag Census web data available to all 

SPRINGFIELD — Information contained in the 2022 U.S. Census of Agriculture is now available to everyone via a new collection of interactive maps that allow data users to access key census information. The newly redesigned Ag Census Web Maps application offers the public access to maps and accompanying data to help visualize, download and analyze census data down to the county level. The application assembles maps and statistics from the census in five broad categories — crops and plants, economics, farms, livestock and animals, and producers — as well as associated subcategories.  

“The maps available through this application show the size, scope, and complexity of farming and ranching across the country. Regional trends and differences are easy to see with the variety of data items that can be mapped,” said Illinois State Statistician Mark Schleusener. 

Spanning more than 6 million data points about America’s farms and ranches and the people who operate them, the full ag census report can be accessed at nass.usda.gov/AgCensus. (USDA-NASS news release) 

Farm labor data to be collected 

SPRINGFIELD — Farm labor and its role in immigration reform is a hot topic in the 2024 elections. Over the next few weeks, the United States Dept. of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will be reaching out to farm operators in Illinois and across the nation for data related to the farm labor they contract out. NASS technicians will specifically seek information on the total number of hired farm workers, total hours worked, and total wages paid for the weeks of July 7-13 and Oct. 6-12, 2024.  

“When hiring workers and estimating expenses, timely and accurate agricultural labor data are vital,” said Mark Schleusener, Illinois State Statistician for USDA-NASS. “By participating in NASS’s Agricultural Labor Survey, farmers and ranchers help ensure accurate information for farm programs.”    

More than 500 Illinois farmers and ranchers will be asked to participate in the survey online at agcounts.usda.gov or by mail, according to a USDA-NASS news release.  

Emergency training offered for swine transporters, EMTs 

SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Pork Producers Association will sponsor training for producers, livestock haulers and EMS personnel in how to respond to livestock trailer rollover accidents. Included will be tutelage on animal handling, scene management and animal extrication along with trailer familiarization. The training is open to producers, livestock haulers, law enforcement, fire, EMS, dispatch and EMA. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required. Registrations are limited to two to three participants per agency or farm. The registration deadline for the Saturday, Oct. 5 event is Sept. 30.   

Time: 9 a.m.-noon; Training Location: Spoon River College, 2500 E. Jackson St. Macomb. For more information contact Mike Borgic with IPPA at mike@ilpork.com. (IPPA news) 

Peoria County welcomes new farm bureau manager 

PEORIA — When longtime Peoria County Farm Bureau Manager Patrick Kirchhofer retired earlier this year, he left big shoes to fill. Fortunately, Charlie Hensley, who grew up in the nearby town of Bushnell, has plenty of time and energy to make the attempt.  

“I want to start off by saying it’s good to be in Peoria County,” Hensley said in a recent letter of introduction to the community. “I got all settled in and started my new role as manager on July 8. The first several days I focused on meeting members and traveling to different areas of the county. I was astounded by the amount of fruit that we distributed on July 10. We had great volunteer help, and I was able to meet several members.  

“To give some background on where I come from. I am originally from Bushnell, Illinois. Bushnell is about one hour west of Peoria and is a small community with strong agricultural and industrial roots. I grew up on a farm there and attended the University of Illinois after high school. For the last several months I have been in Washington and Perry County as their Farm Bureau manager.  

“It has been rewarding to meet so many new Farm Bureau members and attend all the programs that take place here in Peoria County. Between the fruit programs and the committee meetings there has been a lot happening. I want to thank all the members that have volunteered their time to help at an event. The Peoria County Farm Bureau team is strong!”  

Illinois Farm Fact: 

Average hourly rates for four classes of farm workers (general, animal, crop and animal, and crop) in 2022 ranged from $16.11 to $17.67 in Illinois. In 2023, the average wage ranged from $16.79 to $18.91. (USDA-NASS)