BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) commends the United States Department of Agriculture for their support expanding double crop soybean production in Illinois.
Following a May visit from President Biden to the farm of Jeff and Gina O’Connor in Kankakee, Ill., the USDA has been working to develop policy that helps Illinois farmers expand their crop rotation options and expanding the practice of double cropping soybeans following winter wheat. This process gives farmers the unique opportunity to have two crops in a growing season. While double crop production is commonplace in southern Illinois, there is interest from many farmers in other parts of the state to add double cropping to their existing crop rotations.
Today, USDA announced added flexibility for producers in accessing crop protection tools that encourage the expansion of the double cropping practice in Illinois. USDA is expanding counties that have double crop coverage as well as instituting a blanket written agreement process for farms in counties with double crop history to have increased access to crop insurance options.
ISA Chairman Steve Pitstick thanks USDA RMA staff for their strong support. “As a farmer I am always looking for opportunities to add more tools. Gaining increased support for double cropping wheat followed by soybeans gives farmers another option to manage soil health and the profitability of their operations.”
Continues Pitstick, “I want to commend USDA and especially USDA RMA regional staff for their dedication to this issue and working to add tools for Illinois farmers.”
The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) checkoff and membership programs represent more than 43,000 soybean farmers in Illinois. The checkoff funds market development and utilization efforts while the membership program supports the government relations interests of Illinois soybean farmers at the local, state, and national level, through the Illinois Soybean Growers (ISG). ISA upholds the interests of Illinois soybean producers through promotion, advocacy, and education with the vision of becoming a market leader in sustainable soybean production and profitability. For more information, visit the websites www.ilsoy.org and www.ilsoygrowers.com.
— Illinois Soybean Association
