Illinois ramped up wheat, oat production in 2023

WASHINGTON — Winter wheat and oat production increased year over year with several counties surpassing triple-digit average yields.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently released its winter wheat and oats annual production summary of Illinois counties for 2023.

Winter Wheat

Overall, the Prairie State averaged a record 87 bushels per acre on 780,000 harvested acres out of the 840,000 planted acres.

Total winter wheat production in 2023 hit 67.86 million bushels. Illinois’ previous record high of 79 bushels was achieved in 2022 and 2021.

Tazewell County had the top average yield at 108.5 bushels per acre on 4,960 harvested acres (5,300 planted acres), producing 538,000 bushels.

Stephenson County averaged 104.4 bushels per acre with 3,620 harvested acres (4,000 planted) for total production of 378,000 bushels.

Counties rounding out the 1,000-bushel club were Knox, 102.9 bushels per acre across 1,020 acres; Jo Daviess, 101.2 bushels per acre on 1,670 acres; and Gallatin, 100.5 bushels per acre across 7,230 acres.

Washington is Illinois’ top winter wheat-producing county, averaging 93.5 bushels per acre across 68,500 harvested acres (73,200 planted), producing 6.406 million bushels.

Randolph County was second in total winter wheat production, harvesting 3.384 million bushels from 38,500 acres (41,300 planted) with an average of 87.9 bushels per acre.

In 2022, Illinois winter wheat averaged 79 bushels per acre across 560,000 harvested acres for total production of 44.24 million bushels.

Only Logan County surpassed the 100-bushel per acre mark in 2022 at 102.5. Ogle and Gallatin counties neared triple figures last year. Ogle averaged 97.7 bushels per acre on 3,950 harvested acres, and Gallatin hit 97.4 on 5,760 harvested acres.

Washington County produced 4.593 million bushels in 2022, averaging 84.7 bushels per acre across 54,200 harvested acres (62,700 planted).

Randolph County delivered 2.566 million bushels to the bins last year, averaging 79.2 bushels per acre from 32,400 harvested acres (37,600 planted).

Oats

The 2023 Illinois oat yield averaged 90 bushels per acre from 17,000 harvested acres (55,000 planted) for a total production of 1.53 million bushels.

DeKalb County averaged 108.6 bushels per acre across 5,100 harvested acres (11,100 planted) and total production of 554,000 bushels this year.

Will County produced 42,000 bushels, averaging 93.3 bushels per acre with 450 harvested acres (1,000 planted).

There were 10,000 acres of oats harvested in Illinois last year, averaging 71.1 bushels per acre, resulting in total production of 830,000 bushels.

Logan County’s oats averaged 114.3 bushels per acre on 230 acres (1,100 planted) in 2022 and total production of 26,300 bushels.

DeKalb County hit 104.8 bushels per acre with 2,500 harvested acres (9,100 planted) resulting in 262,000 bushels, and Ogle County averaged 104.2 across 360 acres (2,000 planted) for a total of 37,500 bushels a year ago.