Heavy Rains Leave Central Illinois Farmers in a Holding Pattern

The rain in recent days has kept many farmers in Central Illinois from wrapping up their planting.

Illinois Farm Bureau spokesman John Hawkins says spring temperatures allowed farmers to get all their corn and some soybeans in, but have been on hold for several days since. And he says much of the corn crop near creeks or in low-lying areas essentially drowned from all the rainfall, and can't be re-planted at this point. Hawkins says Interstates 74 and 72 corridor saw the heaviest rainfall, particularly west of Springfield and Peoria, where it was 4 times above normal.

But he says a dry spell wouldn't be the best solution either. "Should the rains immediately stop, and we go to drier weather, a lot of these crops are going to be impacted by the heat and humidity because the root systems are so shallow," said Hawkins. "So if the ground dries out too quickly, we may have just as many problems as if the rains continue." Hawkins also says the term 'green snap' is a common problem in places that don't see heavy rains, but have wind speeds strong enough to basically break a quick-growing corn stalk right above the ground. "It's where the plant grows so fast, that when a strong wind hits it, it just snaps it off right above the ground." said Hawkins. "That's a total loss for the farmer."

Dick Miller, a farmer in in the Champaign County community of Philo, says his biggest concern is crop disease, since the rain has kept him from spraying his more than 300 acres of soybeans. University of Illinois researchers indicate the number of planting days for the region the past three years has been well below normal.