Bradley Zwilling - Based on Illinois FBFM records, average farm operator returns for labor and management on 2,009 Illinois farms were lower for all geographic areas in the state in 2024 compared to 2023 and below the average for the last five years. Even with higher yields and lower costs, lower grain prices were the main reasons for the lower incomes. Livestock farmers experienced higher returns due to lower feed prices and higher prices for livestock and livestock products.| farmdoc daily
Nick Paulson, Gary Schnitkey, Brad Zwilling, and Carl Zulauf - Today’s farmdoc daily article highlights our first release of 2026 crop budgets for Illinois. Despite significant increases in expected Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) payments due to passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), negative average returns are expected to continue for the fourth straight crop year for producers using corn and soybean rotations on cash rented farmland across all ...| farmdoc daily