Illinois wheat harvest looks good despite storms

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Most Illinois wheat escaped damage from severe storms across the state, but recent rainfall could affect crops not already harvested.

Tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, wind, hail and flooding all impacted many parts of Illinois in recent weeks.

Illinois Wheat Association President Tracy Heuerman said the wheat harvest is about done in the southern third of the state, but it is just getting started farther north.

“I haven’t seen a lot of wheat that has gone down personally, so that’s very positive. Once it goes down, it’s really difficult to harvest,” Heuerman told The Center Square.

Heuerman said wind was not a huge factor outside of areas hit by tornadoes, but rain could delay the harvest in central Illinois.

“Not getting that wheat harvested timely can affect the quality of it, the test weight of it. It can lead to sprouting in the head and really just poor wheat overall,” Heuerman said.

According to the IWA, more than 80% of the state’s wheat production comes from the southern half of Illinois.

“Yields were good, test weights, quality, everything was really phenomenal in the southern, I’m going to say, like a third of the state,” Heuerman said.

The IWA president said the recent storms should not have much of an impact on wheat from areas south of around Route 50.

“They’ve pretty well finished up, and they’ve been able to get all of their double-crop soybeans in the ground for the most part. They’re in a great spot down there,” Heuerman said.

Illinois is the top soybean producing state in the country, according to the Illinois Farm Bureau. Wheat is the state’s third-leading crop after soybeans and corn.

According to the Illinois Department of Agriculture, marketing of the state’s agricultural products generate more than $51.1 billion annually, with crops accounting for 40% of that total.

The Farm Bureau says crop land makes up 76% of Illinois.