Illinois farmers looking to find out more about what the current drought situation means for them can now check out the University of Illinois Drought Resources website.  The new site provides resources for crop farmers, livestock farmers, and even gardeners with tips about what the drought might mean in terms of grain pricing, livestock feed, yields, and more.

Good to excellent rated corn and soybeans make up only about 11 percent of the Illinois corn crop according to a report issued late last week.  98 percent of the soils are rated as short or very short on moisture.  Rains at this date could make a difference for the soybean crop, but would have little to no effect on the corn crop.

Around the state, you might see corn decline in color from green to yellow to “bleached” white.  Additionally, a failure to pollinate is a good indicator of the severity of the drought.

As the growing season continues, find all the information you need at the Drought Resources page in an organized fashion, including but not limited to:

• Drought-monitoring sites for the Midwest, Central Illinois, and the United States,
• The Illinois State Water Survey,
• The USDA’s Disaster Assistance Program,
• The Orr Agricultural Research and Demonstration Center,
• The American Society of Agronomy’s Managing through the Drought Resources web page, which has links to information that has been posted at other Land Grant universities.