If you enjoy carving pumpkins for Halloween or baking a pumpkin pie for your Thanksgiving table, you can thank an Illinois farmer as the state continues to lead the nation in pumpkin production.
From festive front porches to grocery store shelves, pumpkins are big business for Illinois farmers. The state is home to around 650 pumpkin farms, with the top 10 pumpkin-producing counties including Tazewell, Kankakee, Mason, Logan, Will, Marshall, Kane, Pike, Carroll, and Woodford.
According to the USDA, in 2022 Illinois farmers harvested 17,600 acres of pumpkins—more than twice the acreage of any other top pumpkin-producing state. The most recent data showed Illinois producing over 634 million pounds of pumpkins annually, more than all the other leading states combined. On average, Illinois grows about 37,500 pounds of pumpkins per acre, with 80 percent of the harvest processed into pumpkin puree.
Whether you’re carving a jack-o’-lantern or baking a pie, chances are those pumpkins got their start right here in the Land of Lincoln.
***Courtesy of Senator Jil Tracy***
