January has been cooler and drier than normal for much of Illinois.

The USDA says that has reduced the amount of surplus soil moisture for much of the state, but has driven down wheat condition ratings, with cold temperatures having some impact in areas without adequate snow cover.

42% of the Illinois winter wheat crop is rated good to excellent, a drop of 33% from the end of November, with most of that moving into the fair category, now representing 43% of the crop.

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