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Illinois Soybean celebrates milestones

One-hundred years of growing soybeans in Illinois and 50 years since the start of the Illinois Soybean Association are both being celebrated.

Dan Guinnip — a soybean and grain farmer near Marshall, Illinois and an ISA district board member for East-Southeastern Illinois — says Illinois now tops all states for soybean production…

“In 1914, there were less than 2,000 acres of soybeans being produced and, of course, this past year there were 9-point-3 Million acres and we became – Illinois – became the #1 soybean producing state in the nation, surpassing Iowa.”

Guinnip says the state’s proximity to the Mississippi River system for exports and its well established soybean processing industry that began in the 1920s have contributed to soybean farmers’ success in Illinois.

“Decatur, Illinois kind of worked its way to the soybean capital of the world. We just had tremendous processing abilities there and soils and the climate for Illinois were right and farmers were looking for this other crop to put in their rotations.”

Guinnip tells Brownfield the soybean industry has created numerous jobs and contributed greatly to the state’s economy. More than half of Illinois soybeans, meal and oil are exported with China being the state’s biggest customer.

AUDIO: Tom Steever interviews Don Guinnip (12:00 mp3)