Drought in the Plains is having an impact on winter wheat in Kansas. The USDA says 33% of the crop is in good to excellent shape, a drop of 18% from the last report in mid-December, with 25% rated poor to very poor, a jump of 11%. Those drier than normal conditions have also lowered soil moisture levels. The USDA’s next state update is out later this month. ...
December was warm and slightly wetter than normal for much of Illinois. The USDA says the average statewide temperature was nearly 10 degrees above normal, with fractionally more rainfall than the usual year. That has helped soil moisture levels improve, but parts of the state are reporting a surplus, especially southeastern portions of Illinois. 75% of winter wheat is in good to excellent shape, down 4% from the previous report, […]
