Last year, Illinois farmers raised almost 649 million bushels of soybeans, a slight decrease from the previous year, making Illinois the top soybean-producing state. However, the state fell to second in corn production last year, losing to the nearby state of Iowa.

The 43,000 soybean farmers in the state averaged 63 bushels per acre. These Illinoisans persevered through extremes like dry spells, and heavy rains to maintain the soybean production crown.