Farm Briefs
County crop survey will be held Aug. 31
Fayette County Farm Bureau will host its annual crop survey on Tuesday, Aug. 31.
On that day, teams composed of farmers, bankers, agribusiness workers and the media will be dispatched throughout the county to check on the progress of area corn and soybean crops.
This year, the survey will begin with a breakfast at the Vandalia Country Club at 8:30 a.m. The survey itself will last two to three hours.
The day's events will conclude with a 6:30 p.m. steak cookout at the Fayette County Farm Bureau building at 1125 N. Sunset Drive in Vandalia. Tickets for the cookout are $5 each, and are available at the Farm Bureau office.
For more information, call the Farm Bureau office at 283-3276.
Payne member of Angus Association
Colton Payne of Brownstown is a new junior member of the American Angus Association.
Junior members of the association are eligible to register cattle in the American Angus Association, participate in programs conducted by the National Junior Angus Association and take part in association-sponsored shows and other events.
The American Angus Association is the largest beef registry association in the world, with more than 31,000 active adult and junior members. The association is headquartered in St. Joseph, Mo.
High temps lead to early corn maturity
Temperatures continued the summer-long pattern of above-normal heat last week, pushing the corn crop maturity rapidly ahead. Reports were received of producers preparing for an early corn harvest after a week of triple-digit heat indexes and high nighttime temperatures.
There were 5.5 days suitable for fieldwork last week.
The corn crop has advanced to 51 percent dented, compared to the average of 29 percent.
Beneficial rains fell sporadically across the state. Rains are needed in many areas to help soybeans fill pods.
Topsoil moisture was rated at 8 percent very short, 20 percent short, 62 percent adequate and 10 percent surplus.
Soybean diseases are starting to show up, with the primary concern coming from sudden-death syndrome.
Farmers were busy last week mowing waterways, baling hay, spraying fungicides and insecticides, and chopping silage.
Growmark to hold meeting in Chicago
More than 1,000 Growmark employees, member cooperative directors and staff will gather next week for the organization's annual meeting, Aug. 26-27 in Chicago.
The theme for this year's meeting is "We Are."
At the annual meeting, leaders of the cooperative will share information with participants, directors will be elected and several awards will be handed out.
Growmark is a regional cooperative providing agricultural products and services in 21 states and Ontario, Canada. The cooperative owns the FS trademark, which is used by affiliated member cooperatives.
ATVs now OK'd on roads–for farm use
Farmers can now legally ride all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and utility-terrain vehicles (UTVs) on county and township roads for farming purposes.
A bill changing the laws regarding those vehicles was signed last week by Gov. Pat Quinn and went into effect immediately.
Under the new law, the operator must have a valid driver's license in order to drive the vehicles on public roads. Also, the vehicles must be insured.
"This legislation restores the ability farmers had to ride ATVs on roads legally in time for harvest," said Kevin Semlow, Illinois Farm Bureau director of state legislation. The bill had been a legislative priority for the Farm Bureau this year.
Farmers are urged to contact their insurance agent to ensure that their coverage includes on-road driving.
