Washington County top wheat producer

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Washington and Randolph counties continued to lead Illinois in wheat production in 2022.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently released its winter wheat county estimates and Washington County produced 4.593 million bushels of winter wheat with an average of 84.7 bushels per acre on 54,200 harvested acres, down from 57,200 acres in 2021.

Randolph County winter wheat producers harvested 2.566 million bushels from 32,400 acres, averaging 79.2 bushels per acre.

Perry County produced 2.282 million bushels, averaging 75.8 bushels per acre on 30,100 acres.

Rounding out the 2-million-bushel club was Clinton County at 2.227 million with an average of 80.7 bushels per acre across 27,600 harvested acres.

Monroe County farmers harvested 1.701 million bushels of winter wheat in 2022 for fifth on the list. The county had 24,200 harvested acres, averaging 70.3 bushels per acre.

Highest Averages

Logan County winter wheat averaged 102.5 bushels per acres on 1,210 acres, followed by Ogle County’s 97.7 bushels per acres across 3,950 harvested acres.

Rounding out the top five county yield averages were Gallatin, 97.4 (5,760 harvested acres); Bureau, 96.8 (1,550 acres); and Clark, 93 (3,280 acres).

Tied Record

USDA’s small grain summary estimated Illinois’ winter wheat averaged matched the 79 bushels per acres record set in 2021, 11 bushels above 2020 and 3 above the previous record set in 2017.

The Prairie State had 650,000 planted acres, 560,000 harvested acres and produced 44.24 million bushels. In 2021, Illinois had 670,000 planted acres, 610,000 harvested acres with production of 48.19 million bushels.