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Farm

  • Big year ahead for soybeans

    Producers surveyed across the United States intend to plant an estimated 81.5 million acres of soybeans in 2014, up 6 percent from last year and an all-time record high, according to the Prospective Plantings report released this week by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

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  • Hitting the Fields – and the Roads

    With the arrival of warmer and dryer weather, farmers have been in the fields this past week doing tillage work and applying anhydrous ammonia.

    The beginning of fieldwork means that motorists will be more likely to encounter tractors as they move to the fields. Use caution, and give them plenty of room.

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  • Cool spring temperatures continuing

    Early spring temperatures were cool throughout the state for the month of March.
    Many farmers were moving machinery out of storage and getting it ready for the season.
    Temperatures averaged 33.3 degrees, which is 7.6 degrees below normal.
    Statewide precipitation averaged 1.49 inches, 1.61 inches below normal. Topsoil moisture was rated at 2 percent very short, 15 percent short, 78 percent adequate and 5 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 7 percent very short, 29 percent short, 62 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus.

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  • Farm Briefs

    Illinois to receive specialty crop grants

      The Illinois Department of Agriculture is now accepting proposals for federal specialty crop grants.
    The agency has been notified that Illinois will receive a share of the funds and will be instructed to begin the proposal selection process. The exact amount of the award has not been determined.

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  • 2013 Illinois corn, beans yields
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  • Preliminary ag census is released by NASS

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently released the preliminary 2012 Census of Agriculture results.
    Key findings include an increase in the value of agricultural products sold in the United States, totaling $394.6 billion in 2012, which was up 33 percent ($97.4 billion) from 2007. The number of farms and land in farms were down slightly, but held steady. Additionally, agriculture is becoming more diverse.
    The 2012 census reported several historic changes in value of sales for agriculture producers in the United States:

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  • Farm Briefs

    Cold conditions continue in state
    Cold winter conditions continued throughout the state during the month of February.
    Temperatures averaged 18.8 degrees, which was 11.4 degrees below normal.
    Precipitation was slightly below normal in the Southwest and Southeast districts, but slightly above normal in the rest of the state. Statewide precipitation averaged 2.28 inches, which was 0.35 inches above normal.

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  • FFA Week at VCHS
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  • Farm Briefs

    January precip, temps below norm

    Much of the state was hit with snow and ice during the month of January.
    Temperatures averaged 18.5 degrees, which was 6.2 degrees below normal.
    Precipitation was slightly above normal in the northeast, east and central districts, but below normal in the southern and eastern districts.
    Statewide, precipitation averaged 1.78 inches, which was 0.15 inches below normal.
    Topsoil moisture was rated at 4 percent very short, 20 percent short, 69 percent adequate and 7 percent surplus.

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  • County farmer wins $2,500 for Farina FPD

    Mike Williams of Fayette County has been selected as a winner in America’s Farmers Grow Communities, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund.
    Williams selected Farina Fire Protection District to receive the $2,500 donation in Fayette County. That check was presented to the district on Jan. 20.

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