Illinois Wheat Association

Illinois Wheat Association

Illinois Wheat Yield Contest is still open and seeking applications. First prize awards up to $500.  Please click on “Events” tab for more information at the hyperlink: “Wheat Yield Contest Guidelines 2021”.

The Illinois Wheat Tour was held on May 25 across southern Illinois and culminated in a tour of the SIU Belleville Research Center wheat plots.  Please see “Events” for details.

SAVE THE DATE:  IWA Summer Wheat Forum will be held at Okawville Community Center on Wednesday August 25. Watch for details!

IWA Annual Meeting was held Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 7:00 a.m., via Zoom.   Download 2021 Annual Meeting Notice     Download 2021 IWA Annual Meeting Agenda

Click on the Events tab for more information regarding upcoming activities.

The Illinois Wheat Association (IWA) is a member organization serving all aspects of the Illinois wheat industry from producer to processor. Illinois Wheat Association provides educational opportunities, encourages research relating to wheat and wheat products, promotes marketing alternatives, and represents its members in state and federal legislative activities relating to the needs of the Illinois wheat industry.

Financing comes from voluntary membership dues and donations.  Click on the Join Us tab for more information regarding membership and FMC promotion.

For additional information about the Illinois Wheat Association, please contact Mike Doherty, Executive Director, (309) 557-3619 or MDoherty@ilfb.org.

IWA Newsletter:  IWA publishes a quarterly newsletter for members.  As of summer of 2015, IWA will accept paid advertising for any businesses who wish to place an ad in the newsletter.  Contact the Mike Doherty for advertising guidelines.      

Wheat Yield Contest:  The IWA has hosted the 5^th Annual Winter Wheat Yield Contest.  Click here for the 2020 Wheat Yield Contest Guidelines.  

Chick here for the 2020 Winners 

Click here for the  2019 Winners

Click here for the  2018 Winners.

Click here for the  2017 Winners.

Click here for the  2016 Winners.

Click here for the 2015 Winners. 

Click here for the 2014 Winners.   

Plot Tours, Wheat Forum, and Conferences – Please see Events page for information.    

2021 Wheat Yield Estimate

Thank you to all who participated in the Illinois Wheat Association annual Southern IL Wheat Plot Tour on Tuesday May 25. 

The estimated average Illinois wheat yield for 2021 is 70.13 bushels per acre.  Click here for breakdown of tiller count per county

Illinois Wheat Crop: Small But Good

Early reports following the Illinois wheat harvest hint at a good but smallish crop. With virtually all the wheat out of the ground, many producers reported good yields and few problems with quality. "It’s better than I expected," said Greg Bigham, who farms near Vergennes in Jackson County.  Click here to continue reading.

Year 2020 Illinois Winter Wheat Crop Update, as of July 10

Harvested area in 2020 is forecast at 500,000 acres, down 50,000 acres from the previous year.  The winter wheat yield is forecast at 68 bushels per acre, up 1 bushel from 2019.  Production is forecast at 34.0 million bushels, down 8 percent from last year.   Click here for more information

View From the Cab

Rain slowed wheat harvest at a number of locations around the state earlier this week following a recent surge of fieldwork activity. But most farmers, including Leon McClerren of Thompsonville, didn’t seem to mind. “In southern Illinois, it’s always a good thing to get rain in June, so it was really welcome,” McClerren said after his farm received about an inch of precipitation June 22-23. “I don’t think it was enough to hurt the test weight on wheat.” Chick to read more of the article

Free Summer Webinars on Agribusiness Management

Sign up for Free Summer Webinars on Agribusiness Management

A free webinar series this summer promises go-to advice on a variety of agribusiness management topics. Sponsored by the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) checkoff program as part of its new Agribusiness Management Program (AMP) that is a partnership with Illinois Farm Business Farm Management (FBFM) and the University of Illinois Farmdoc team, the series of eight webinars runs from July 8 through August 5. Presentations will cover succession planning, crop outlook, marketing strategies, land leasing and more. Expert speakers include lawyers, financial consultants, university specialists, tax accountants and others with solid expertise in agribusiness management. Learn more about the free AMP Summer Webinar Series and register online at www.ilsoyadvisor.com

Will My Wheat and Soybean Crop Freeze and Fall?

Weather forecasts have farmers “sweating” the upcoming cold weather. Here are a few thoughts and resources based on the forecast temperatures my weather app is suggesting for WI farmers as of Tuesday May 5th at 5 am.   Click here to read more

Low Corn/Soybean Prices Urge Farmer to Diversify With Wheat and Cover Crops

Sixth generation corn and soybean farmer Nancy Brannaman tells Brownfield she is working to diversify their farm in Grand Ridge, Illinois near Iowa because she is concerned about the United States’ position in the world export market.   Click here to read the full article.

Growers Get Results From Wheat Management

Winter wheat conditions vary around the state, but growers at the Double Crop Farmer’s Forum in Mount Vernon say the crop looks better than expected so far, given the challenging planting season.   Nearly half the crop (47%) was rated good to excellent as of Jan. 26 along with 41% fair and 12% poor to very poor, the National Agricultural Statistics Service Illinois field office reported. Poor to very poor rankings totaled 16% as of Jan. 2.   Click here to continue reading.

Wheat Doubles as Effective Weed Suppressant

Farmers struggling with herbicide-resistant weeds in soybeans, such as waterhemp or Palmer amaranth, should consider a timeless control that also yields well. Winter wheat effectively suppresses weed populations and provides good additional income, particularly in the southern portion of the state, according to Ron Krausz, retired head of Southern Illinois University’s Belleville Research Station.  That’s a key option as farmers look for other weed control solutions besides using the same herbicides year after year.   Click here to continue reading.

Illinois Winter Wheat Seedings

The winter wheat seeded area for harvest in Illinois in 2020 is estimated at 490,000 acres, down 25 percent from 2019.  This was reported in the “Illinois Winter Wheat Seedings” report released on January 10, 2020.   Click  here to see the 2020-IL-Wheat-Seedings Report