Illinois continues to top the annual crop production report estimate for soybean production, according to 2019 Department of Agriculture estimates.
Despite a tough growing season for most of the Midwest, Illinois farmers consistently produced strong soybean yields.
Illinois soybean farmers raised 532.4 million bushels of soybeans in 2019 on 9.86 million harvested acres with an average yield of 54 bushels per acre.
Illinois Soybean Association chairman Doug Schroeder says 2019 will be remembered as the most challenging growing season on record, but adds “I think this report reflects the Illinois soybean industry’s resiliency and ability to produce a consistent, high quality product year after year.”
Iowa ranked second in production with 501.6 million bushels raised on 9.12 million acres.
Nationwide, soybean production in 2019 totaled 3.56 billion bushels, down 20 percent from 2018.
The average yield per acre was estimated at 47.4 bushels, down 3.2 bushels from 2018. Harvested area was down 14 percent from 2018 to 75.0 million acres.
