Why the farm bill matters in Illinois
Why the farm bill matters in Illinois:
Illinois has:
- Over 27 million acres of land
- Over 24 million acres of cropland
- More than 70,000 farms
Illinois is the:
- #1 producer of soybeans
- #2 producer of corn
- #4 producer of pork
Illinois farmers:
- Insure over 19 million cropland acres
- Enroll 10.5 million acres through agricultural risk coverage (ARC)
- Enroll 9.8 million acres through price loss coverage (PLC)
Illinois conservation efforts include:
- Over 800,000 conservation reserve program (CRP) acres
- Over 180,000 conservation stewardship program (CSP) acres
- Over 40,000 environmental quality incentives program (EQUIP) acres
Illinois trade efforts:
- Reached $11.2 billion in agricultural exports abroad
- Make Illinois the 3rd largest agricultural exporting state overall
- Make Illinois the 2nd leading exporter of soybeans, feed grains, and related products
Illinois residents rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP) to:
- Feed 1.9 million low-income individuals
- Provide meals for 1.1 million low-income families, including:
- 1.1 million breakfasts daily
- 1.7 million lunches daily
- Click here to read what SNAP benefits can and cannot purchase.
To qualify for SNAP benefits in Illinois:
- A family of four must have an annual household income before taxes no greater than $36,075
- A family of six can qualify with an income of no more than $48,347
- Single adults can qualify with an income of no more than $17,667
Roughly eight cents of every $1 spent on food purchases (including SNAP purchases) return to the farmgate.