Illinois Counties Eligible for Federal Insurance on Double-Cropped Soybeans

All 102 Illinois counties will be eligible for federal insurance on double-cropped soybeans, USDA announced, setting the stage for what could be an explosive 2023 growing season.

Another 42 Illinois counties, mostly in the state’s southern half, also are eligible for insurance on double-cropped sorghum.

The enhanced crop insurance benefits dovetail with a May announcement from President Joe Biden and USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack at a farm in Kankakee, where officials said the shift would increase production to combat food shortages caused by supply chain issues and the war in Ukraine.

In a statement, Vilsack said the department is “making good” on the initial commitment made at the farm event.

“We live in a challenging time, but I put my trust in the American farmer and U.S. agriculture to help keep the food we need affordable and available,” Vilsack said.

The announcement came after USDA projected Illinois plantings at 11.2 million acres of soybeans, an increase of 600,000 from last year when Illinois farmers produced 672.6 million bushels – the most of any state in the nation.

Enhanced protection on double-crop beans paired with increased commodity prices and policy changes intended to boost production of biofuels could create the perfect recipe for even more soybean plantings in 2023.