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USDA: Illinois farmers plant more soybeans, less corn

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois farmers have planted more soybeans and less corn this year, though the state's wettest June on record may impact how much they actually wind up harvesting.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture report shows 10.1 million acres of soybeans are in Illinois ground. That's up from 9.8 million last year.

Illinois' corn acreage is 11.8 million, down from 11.9 million.

Nationwide, a record 85.1 million acres of soybeans have been planted, up 2 percent from last year. Planted corn acres are the lowest since 2010 at 88.9 million acres

Near southwestern Illinois' Chester, 62-year-old Steve Stallman says nagging rainfall has made this the most-challenging spring he's had farming. The wetness has kept him from planting about 10 percent of his corn acreage and two-thirds of his 600 soybean acres.

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