CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Harvest season is underway in east-central Illinois, but unusually dry conditions have hit crop yields hard.
Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford said rainfall has been far below average over the past few months. While July provided adequate rain for corn, soybeans—relying on August rainfall—suffered during a very dry month. “We’ve had about one or two measurable rainfall events since mid-August,” Ford said. “It’s been extremely dry the last 30 days, putting us in severe drought conditions.”
Champaign County experienced the 12th driest year on record, with total rainfall about 12 inches below normal.
Kyle Duitsman, who operates a combine and assists farmers across central Illinois, said soybean yields are down 10–15 bushels per acre from last year, with some farms averaging 70–80 bushels per acre. “People who got rain fared better, but most area farmers have suffered losses,” he noted.
Crop prices have remained low due to supply and demand, while tariffs have pushed fertilizer costs near record highs. Duitsman added that crop insurance should help offset some revenue losses. “We either need prices going up, costs going down, or both,” he said.
The drought also raises the risk of field fires, as dry crops can ignite from hot farm equipment. Duitsman said farmers take precautions such as driving more slowly and cleaning machinery regularly to reduce fire risk. Additional fire protection strategies are detailed in the Farm Fire Prevention Guide from Iowa’s Center for Agricultural Safety and Health.
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