West-Central/ Central Illinois Report 5/15/25

The week in Central/ West Central Illinois again acted as a snapshot for the diverse story in Illinois as a whole.

Northern and eastern portions started the week off “nearly complete.” In some cases corn and beans in the Carthage, Quincy, Pittsfield, and Jacksonville area stood at nearly 90% planted.

East of Springfield, moving toward Decatur and Taylorville, corn began the week at better than 80% planted with beans anywhere from 60-75% planted.

The creep toward Route 16 saw a dramatically different story with a line from Shelbyville running up to Carlinville struggling to best 25% planted.

Spotty showers caused occasional delays but most of the area saw weather suited to make planting progress if soil conditions allowed.

Major points of concern for the week circled around crusted soils that cut into final stands and weed pressure breaking through pre-emerge chemistry.

The wheat crop began to head out in the area. The earliest beans passed second trifoliate, and some early corn fields began to near V5.