Planters are rolling across the state as producers try to take advantage of windows to get their 2026 crop in the ground.

As of last week, the USDA reported 29% of corn and 36% of soybeans had been planted across Illinois, far outpacing the five-year averages of 19% and 18%. Reagan Tibbs, a commercial agriculture educator at the University of Illinois Extension, says the warm temperatures and beneficial rains throughout April have not only accelerated planting but have also led to early emergence.

The early start was particularly notable for soybean producers, with some reporting completed planting as early as mid-April. Tibbs notes that while the early start is beneficial, some producers may be facing replanting decisions in areas where heavy saturation has impacted the newly emerged crops.

Central Illinois saw an average of seven inches of rain in April, significantly higher than the normal average of four inches. Beyond the weather, economic factors like rising fuel prices have also influenced planting strategies this year. Tibbs points out that some farmers are opting for fewer tillage passes to manage operational costs.

Tibbs anticipates the data from the USDA going forward - particularly as it relates to soybeans - to start to show planting progress being further along around this time of the season, as producers have opted to plant soybeans much earlier than even ten years ago.