It is an unusually dry harvest season and with the combines racing to get the soybeans out of the field before they get too dry, a central Illinois ag leader is hoping farmers will still take care of their equipment to avoid combine fires.

Doug Gucker is an agronomist at the University of Illinois Extension in DeWitt, Macon, and Piatt Counties. He encourages farmers to not forget to clean off those combines after those long days in the fields.

Additionally, field fires remain a possibility as well. Gucker says with little to no rain in the forecast for the next seven to ten days, things will remain dry. He encourages everyone to refrain from unnecessary fires.

As producers race to get those soybeans out before they get too dry, Gucker encourages farmers to not cut corners and make sure their equipment is cleaned off as they head out to the field each day.

He also encourages getting their necessary rest. We'll have more with Gucker next week on Regional Radio.