The USDA says corn and soybean production was up in Illinois last year, while winter wheat harvest was down.
The USDA reports corn production in Illinois is up two percent from last year to 2.31 billion bushels. The average yield is estimated at 217 bushels per acre, up 11 bushels from 2023. The increased yield comes even with a four percent decline in acres planted to 10.8-million acres.
Soybean yield was up six percent over the prior year with estimated production of 688 million bushels. Estimated yield was 64 bushels per acre, up one bushel from 2023. 10.8-million acres were planted, up four percent.
Winter wheat harvest was down 11 percent over the previous year to 60.2 million bushels. Yield was 86 bushels per acre, down one percent. The harvested area is estimated at 700,000 acres, down ten percent from the prior year.
Hay production was up 26 percent to 1.48 million tons. The estimated yield was 3.31 tons per acre, up 0.46 tons from the previous year. A total of 445,000 acres were harvested, up nine percent from 2023.
