CENTRAL Ill. (WMBD) -- Harvest season is officially underway in Central Illinois.

Combines are just starting to move into the fields, but both weather and grain prices are shaping the outlook for farmers this year.

Peoria County Farm Bureau Manager Charlie Hensley said harvest progress has been slow but steady.

“Right now, it's pretty sporadic. You’d probably see a field here or there, where a farmer’s gotten into it. But overall, most farmers are just getting started,” Hensley said.

Corn yields across Illinois are projected to average more than 200 bushels per acre, while soybeans may reach around 80 bushels per acre. Still, September’s hot and dry weather is creating challenges.

“This year it’s drying down so fast, it’s going to make harvest difficult,” Hensley explained, noting tha

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