Monthly crop report issued

For the month of February, topsoil moisture was rated at 4 percent short, 59 percent adequate, and 37 percent surplus in the monthly crop reported issued by USDA-NASS.

Subsoil moisture 2 percent very short, 20 percent short, 69 percent adequate, and 9 percent surplus. Winter wheat condition 8 percent very poor, 8 percent poor, 39 percent fair, 40 percent good, and 5 percent excellent.

Statewide, temperatures for the month of February averaged 29.4 degrees, 0.2 degrees below normal. Precipitation averaged 4.90 inches, 3.20 inches above normal.

Info released on Illinois agricultural prices:

The January Prices Received Index (Agricultural Production), at 85.9, decreased 6.2 percent from December 2017. At 78.2, the Crop Production Index decreased 6.5 percent.

The Livestock Production Index, at 94.5, decreased 5.1 percent. Producers received lower prices for market eggs, milk, tomatoes, and lettuce but higher prices for broilers, oranges, hogs, and cattle. Compared with a year earlier, the Prices Received Index is up 0.2 percent.

The Crop Production Index increased 1.7 percent but the Livestock Production Index decreased 2.0 percent. In addition to prices, the indexes are influenced by the volume change of commodities producers market. Increased monthly movement of milk, soybeans, and corn offset the decreased marketing of cattle, market eggs, broilers, and hogs.

The Food Commodities Index, at 92.5, decreased 6.4 percent from the previous month and 0.4 percent from January 2017.