How Much Corn Does Illinois Produce Each Year?

When it comes to corn production, Illinois continues to be one of the nation's agricultural powerhouses, and the numbers don't lie!

Every year during fall, farmers are hard at work growing and producing tons of corn for state fairs, pumpkin patches, apple orchards, and grocery stores.  This year, they're not playing around.

MORE: 5 Great Ways to Hijack Feel-Good Fall Hormones in Illinois

In 2023, Illinois farmers planted a total of 11.20 million acres of corn, which marks a 4% increase from the year prior.  That's a huge jump!  Especially considering the various challenges farmers face, from unpredictable weather to rising input costs.  Then, 2024 had 10.65 million acres, too.

How Much Corn Does Illinois Produce Each Year?

Fast forward to 2025, and over 2.4 billion bushels of corn have already been harvested.  That's an incredible bump from years prior.  Corn production is a major driving force of the U.S. agricultural economy.

We consistently rank second in the nation, behind Iowa, for corn production.  We even made the top 10 list of most corn-producing states!

• Nebraska
• Minnesota
• Indiana
• Kansas
• South Dakota
• Ohio
• Missouri
• Wisconsin
• Illinois
• Iowa

So while corn might seem like a simple crop, it's anything but that in the Midwest.  For Illinois, it's a billion-bushel industry that supports farmers, fuels economies, and keeps us fed in the fall!!

Read More: Experience The 'Back To The Future' Corn Maze In Illinois 

Illinois will obviously continue to be a leader in the U.S. corn production.  Despite year-to-year changes due to weather or market conditions, the state will only keep investing in farming technology, soil health, and sustainable practices to boost efficiency for farmers to keep up with the demand.

Now, what's your favorite way to eat corn?  Butter?  No butter? Loaded with seasoning?  Grilled? Baked?  I need to know.