Illinois was the #1 soybean producer in the U.S. in 2025. That’s amid soaring input costs and despite historic drought conditions in the state.
Soybean producers grew 638 million bushels of soybeans last year. A bushel weighs 60 pounds.
Production has steadily grown over the past 10 years. District 1 Director of the Illinois Soybean Association Ryan Frieders said Midwest farmers are blessed with productive soils and pretty good weather overall.
“Farmers have a sense of pride in the things that they grow,” he said. “When they put in a lot of work and sweat and tears and then have a good product in the end, it's something to be proud of.”
Frieder is also a soybean farmer himself.
Trade relations with other countries were tense last year, but Frieder is hopeful the U.S. will continue to negotiate new trade agreements.
He said that with input costs rising, it’s more important than ever for farmers to be mindful of how they’re using resources without compromising yields.
“Soybeans in general are very important, not just to Illinois, but also to the US economy,” he said. “Soybeans are the largest agricultural export in the nation.”
Illinois broke records in 2024 when it produced 688 million bushels of soybeans.
