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Winter wheat moving north in Illinois

As weather and management practices have changed over the years, it appears farmers further north are trying their hand at growing winter wheat.  

Dave Devore, a grain buyer for Siemer Milling in Effingham County Illinois says their area used to be about the furthest north winter wheat was grown in the state. But now it is more common in central Illinois and even further north.

“Typically, if you get very far north of Interstate 70 it gets pretty scarce on wheat acreage, but the last couple of years we have seen wheat acreage expand to some northern counties.”

He tells Brownfield there a likely a couple of reasons for this.

“University research has shown that wheat in rotation is very beneficial for both corn and beans, and as far as the markets go a wheat double crop is certainly a very viable and economical option for farmers to use and I think some farmers in the northern counties from here are seeing that. “

Brownfield interviewed Devore during the Illinois Wheat Association’s Southern Illinois Wheat Tour Tuesday.