CROP PROSPECTS: FARMERS EXPECT GOOD YEAR

Something new is growing in Southern Illinois this year -- rice.

"We have a lot of water over here," said Blake Gerard, who farms more than 1,300 acres in an area between Cape Girardeau and McClure. "I decided to take advantage of it."

Gerard's 40-acre field of rice is alongside Highway 3, just north of the Highway 146 intersection.

"It's kind of a test," said Gerard, "Rice hasn't been grown in Illinois for hundreds of years."

Gerard, who also raises soybeans and corn, has established an irrigation system for the field, and the rice crop looks good. The rice field is the farthest north of any rice crop in the United States.

Meanwhile, all of the corn has been planted in Southern Illinois and Missouri and is growing well, say Agricultural Statistics Services in Illinois and Missouri.

The corn is looking pretty good, said Terry Birk of the local Missouri office. The bulk of the soybean crop has been planted in Cape Girardeau County, said Birk.

"All of the single-crop beans -- about 35,000 acres -- have been planted," said Birk. Another 10,000 acres of double-crop beans will be planted when wheat harvesting ends.

"Some wheat has been harvested, and farmers are ready to harvest the rest as soon as they can get in the fields," said Birk. Harvesting was under way throughout the area Thursday and Friday.

Farmers still have some time for their double-crop beans, which can be planted through July 4. In low ground, farmers will plant no-till soybeans through mid July.

Soybeans are a major crop in Southeast Missouri. The top four soybean-producing counties are in Southeast Missouri. Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot and Stoddard counties account for almost 700,000 acres of soybeans each year, producing more than 19 million bushels of beans.

Four Southeast Missouri counties -- Stoddard, Mississippi Scott and New Madrid -- are among the top counties in the state for corn production, with a combined total of more than 40 million bushels a year.

All of the state's cotton is in six Southeast Missouri counties, headed by Butler and Stoddard counties. And five of the area's counties -- Stoddard, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Mississippi and Scott -- rank in the top-six wheat-producing areas.

"At this point we don't have a read on wheat production in Cape Girardeau County," said Birk. But in some counties south of here, where harvesting has been under way longer, some good yields are being reported, ranging from 40 to 60 bushels an acre.

Positive yields and good grain have been reported from New Madrid and Scott counties.

A year ago, following March freezes that damaged the winter wheat, yields were down, and the grain had disease problems.

Extension agents from the two counties say the 1999 wheat crop to date has been relatively disease free and in good condition.

Winter wheat production is expected to be down about 19 percent this year due to fewer acreage. A year ago Missouri farmers planted more than 1.3 million acres; this year they plant just over 1 million acres.

This year's yield is expected to average about 50 bushels an acre, according to the Missouri Agriculture Statistics Service.

Above-average temperatures and below-average rains in the area have been supportive to farmers this year.

Recent reports from the Missouri and Illinois agriculture departments say the bulk of the soybean crop is rated good to excellent.

"Crops in general look good in Cape Girardeau County," said Birk. "But the prices of grain are down."

Wheat futures were depressed by an improvement in winter crop conditions. Wheat for July delivery was $2.60 a bushel, down 2 cents; July corn was down 3 cents to $2.15 a bushel; July oats fell 2 cents to $1.20 a bushel; and July soybeans were 3 cents lower to $4.68 a bushel.

"Times remain tough in American agriculture," Dan Glickman, secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said recently in Kansas City. "Commodity prices remain stubbornly low, global agricultural production is high, and export demand stays weak," he said.

Glickman said the USDA was working to help farmers cope, including the early release of $2 billion in disaster payments earlier this month to help farmers who have experienced crop losses.

The $2 billion to 266,000 farmers was the latest installment in the $5.9 billion emergency bill President Clinton signed last fall.

In Cape Girardeau County, more than $200,000 was received by 47 recipients.

Charles Kruse, president of the Missouri Farm Bureau, agrees that farmers are experiencing hard times with the low commodity prices.

"A lot of Missouri farmers have left the farms during the past five years," said Kruse. "Farm Bureau wants to offer opportunities for farmers to discuss the survival of the family farm."

Meetings have been established throughout the state for regional sessions. The local meeting will be held at the Dexter Eagles Lodge Sunday at 6:30 p.m.

FARM CROPS AND LIVESTOCK

Cape Girardeau County

Soybeans, 45,000 acres

Hay, 40,000 acres

Corn, 35,000 acres

Wheat, 15,000 acres

Sorghum, 7,000 acres

Beef cattle, 20,000 head

Hogs, 20,000 head

Dairy cattle, 3,000 head