Illinois state Rep. Paul Jacobs (R-Pomona) | reppauljacobs.com
Illinois state Rep. Paul Jacobs (R-Pomona) | reppauljacobs.com
In a recent Facebook post, Illinois state Rep. Paul Jacobs (R-Pomona) applauded his state's farmers for supporting Illinois' economy.
"$1 out of every $10 generated in Illinois originates from agriculture, impacting every person throughout the state," he said in the post. "Thank you to our farmers for powering Illinois' economy while feeding and fueling the world!"
Jacobs’ post included a link to an AgriNews report. The report stated that in 2021, 1.3% of Illinois' population worked directly on a farm in some capacity.
"The state’s economic value begins in corn and soybean fields, but reaches far beyond rural communities — $1 out of every $10 generated in Illinois originates from agriculture, impacting every person throughout the state," the report said.
AgriNews also reported that more than $137 billion in Illinois' economic activity is generated from industries related to agriculture production. In addition, Illinois food and agricultural businesses account for more than $356 billion of the state's economic output.
"Cook County alone derives $17.8 million in economic activity from agriculture and connected industries," the report said.
Illinois was the top state in the U.S. for both corn and soybean production in 2022, a Brownfield Ag News report said. Regarding corn, McClean County produced approximately 71 million bushels. Iroquois, Livingston, LaSalle and Champaign counties ranked second through fifth. Stark County produced the highest average yield in the state with 240.6 bushels per acre, followed by Woodford County in second place and Ogle County in third.
For soybeans, McClean County was again tops, producing approximately 21.2 million bushels. Iroquois, Champaign, Livingston and LaSalle counties were top-ten soybean producers as well. Additionally, the top 11 counties for average soybean yield were all in Illinois.
Jacobs was first elected in 2020 to represent Illinois' 118th District in the state House of Representatives, the General Assembly website said. During his legislative experience, he has served on the Health Care Licenses and Higher Education committees. He resides in Pomona.
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