The Corn Belt Ports regions on the Upper Mississippi and Illinois rivers were recognized among the nation’s fastest-growing inland ports, with the Mid-America Port Commission posting the highest freight tonnage growth rate (15.2%) among the top 50 U.S. inland ports and the Illinois Waterway Ports Commission leading all port statistical areas with a 5.9% increase, highlighting the importance of waterway infrastructure investments for Illinois agriculture and exports.

The Illinois Soybean Association announced five winners of its 2026 SpringBoard Challenge, recognizing innovative soy-based research projects aimed at expanding sustainable, non-food uses for soybeans and creating new market opportunities for Illinois soybean farmers.

The Illinois Soybean Association applauded the EPA’s proposal to fully restore renewable fuel volumes lost through 2025 refinery exemptions, saying the move supports soybean farmers, strengthens biofuel demand, and reinforces investments like Incobrasa’s recent biodiesel and soybean processing expansion in Gilman.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker took action to ease diesel fuel costs and shortages by allowing on-road use of dyed diesel for agricultural purposes through the end of 2026 while state and federal officials work toward longer-term solutions.

President Donald Trump’s new Executive Order temporarily allows farmers and trucking operators to use lower-cost dyed diesel on highways and defer related federal fuel taxes through the end of the year, providing short-term harvest season relief amid high fuel and input costs.

I would like everyone reading to believe that I waited right up to my writing deadline because I wanted to provide the most accurate pre-harvest