The lingering drought continues to cause challenges for some Midwestern farmers.
“Most years well have some springs running or tile outlets where we can get water in winter, but this year we’ve been hauling water for the last three of four months.”
David Wessel raises cattle and row crops in Cass County, Illinois.
“We’re gonna need some timely rains to get that groundwater recharged, but for the crops moving in, I’m not a concerned level yet because last year we had a little drier year and still had a good crop,” he says.
Matt Reardon, senior atmospheric scientist with Nutrien Ag Solutions, tells Brownfield that outlooks aren’t promising in the near term.
“Just based on years that look like 2026, both in terms of sea surface temperatures and soil moisture, tell us that it might be a little cooler and drier this year.” He says, “The good news is those same years ended up being wet in the heart of summer.”
Reardon says below normal temperatures are expected to continue through mid-February, so any precipitation in the foreseeable future isn’t likely to do much to replenish soil moisture levels.
Brownfield spoke with both at the 2026 Illinois Soybean Summit in Champaign.
