Agriculture is an important part of Illinois covering about 75% of the total land. They are the leading producer of soybeans, corn, and swine. The state also leads the nation in food manufacturing, with $180 billion in processed food sales. Check out more Illinois Agriculture facts.
- There are about 72,200 farms in the state, averaging 358 acres each.
- Farmland cover 27 million acres, which is about 75% of the total land in Illinois.
- There are about 1,500 different types of soil found in the state.
- 90% of field crops are corn, soybeans, and wheat.
- Because of the fertile soil, farmers can grow a variety of crops, including oats, sorghum, fruits and vegetables, and specialty crops like buckwheat, ginseng, popcorn, and mushrooms.
- Corn, soybeans, pork, wheat, and cattle are some of the top agricultural products in the state.
- Beef cows are found on about 22% of farms, while about 3% of farms have pigs and about 1% of farms in the state have dairy cows.
- About 90% of Illinois' agricultural land can be used to raise crops.
- The state is the 2nd leading exporter of soybeans and feed grains. About 44% of the grain produced is used for export.
- Nearly 1 million people are employed in the food and fiber industry in the state, with about 75,000 being farm operators.
- Over 90% of the farms in Illinois are still family farms.
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Sources:
Farm Flavor
Illinois Farm Bureau
Illinois Department of Agriculture