Illinois
Soybeans: Grown, but rarely eaten, in Illinois – Evanston Now
Quick summary
- Illinois grows more soybeans than any other state, but almost none end up as food on Illinois plates.
- With a trade war freezing exports to China — one of the biggest buyers of Illinois soybeans — the state faces an agricultural crisis, and pressure is growing on farmers to bring more soybeans to market as food instead of commodity products.
- For Illinois farmers, the math is tough: Food-grade soybeans require older genetics that yield 10-15 fewer bushels per acre, and commodity soybeans are more lucrative.
- Still, some entrepreneurial companies are working to market soy products ranging from soy milk to tofu and more.
CHICAGO — Inside a factory on Chicago’s North Side, the smell of simmering soybeans drifts through the air. On a typical day, “I use about 4,000 pounds of dry beans,” Jenny Yang said.
She and her team grind, cook and press thousands of pounds of soybeans into silky tofu and rich soy milk — the taste of home for Yang and for many who grew up with tofu on the table.
“She still makes it the same way — no preservatives, made mostly by hand,” said Bob Lum, a longtime friend of Yang who helps with the business. Her company, Phoenix Bean, has been making tofu and soy milk this way since she bought it in 2006. It is one of the few businesses in the state that uses Illinois food-grade, non-GMO, or non-genetically modified organism, soybeans, sourced directly from local farms like Janie’s Mill in Ashkum.
“I know them since back in the day, like at least 10, 15 years,” Yang said. “This is a good, very good partnership.”
Illinois grows more soybeans than any other state, harvesting more than 639 million bushels in 2025, well ahead of Iowa’s 595 million bushels and Minnesota’s 371 million bushels. Lawmakers designated the soybean as the official State Bean in 2025, effective Jan. 1, 2026, with Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield, who chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee, calling Decatur the “soybean capital of the world.”
But almost none of those millions of bushels end up as food on Illinois plates. According to the Illinois Soybean Association, 60% of soybeans grown in the state are exported; most of the remaining 40% are processed as animal feed, leaving the state reliant on imports for its soy food.
“Ninety-five percent of food consumed in the state of Illinois is imported,” said Rep. Sonya Harper, D-Chicago, chair of the House Agriculture and Conservation Committee, speaking of Illinois food crops. “If there were any type of natural disaster, Illinois only has enough food that will last us for three days.”
In 2025, with a trade war freezing exports to China — one of the biggest buyers of Illinois soybeans — Gov. JB Pritzker declared an “Agricultural Export Crisis” on Oct. 29 and directed state agencies to enhance domestic markets. For farmers and food producers, the pressure has made the need for local infrastructure more urgent than ever, raising the question of whether more of Illinois’ own crops, especially soybeans, can finally start feeding more Illinoisans.
Harper said more effort and massive investment are needed. She sponsored the Local Food Infrastructure Grant program, which provides local farmers with small grants for processing, storage and distribution. She worked closely with the Illinois Stewardship Alliance, a policy advocate for local food and farm communities, to build legislative momentum.
“We have some of the best soil, the best farmland,” Harper said. “No matter where you are, urban, suburban and rural — we need to be producing more food in the state.”
She described local food production as a win-win that will help create jobs and generate revenue.
Her downstate colleague, Rep. Charlie Meier, R-Okawville, a farmer himself who raises about 1,000 acres of soybeans every year, noted that farmers follow price signals.
“We are very conservative, and we do everything the same,” Meier said. “But at the same time, we must be able to change everything in a drop of a second, and we will go wherever the markets are.”
For Illinois farmers, the math is brutal. Food-grade soybeans require older genetics that yield 10 to 15 fewer bushels per acre. Jeff O’Connor, a northern Illinois farmer who has grown food-grade soybeans, said his commodity soybeans averaged in the low 70s bushels per acre last year. His food-grade soybeans, which use varieties more than a decade old, yielded in the low 60s.
Weed control is another issue. Unlike commodity soy, which allows for certain herbicides, food-grade soybeans are non-GMOs, so farmers can’t use any of those chemicals. Furthermore, fields often look unkept.
“You can’t do that again,” one landowner told O’Connor after a season of raising food-grade soybeans. “I don’t care if we made a little more money. They looked terrible.”
O’Connor, who has grown food-grade beans for large buyers like Danone, is planting none this year. In 2025, the premium for non-GMO, food-grade soybeans averaged $2.53 per bushel on top of the $10.50 commodity soybeans price, bringing the total to approximately $13.03 per bushel.
But that extra money, he said, no longer offsets the lower yield, the extra labor, the equipment cleaning, storage segregation and the weed pressure. For many Illinois farmers, switching from commodity soybeans to food-grade soybeans remains a hard sell.
The math is reflected across Illinois. Todd Main, the director of market development for the Illinois Soybean Association, confirmed this tension. While food-grade soybeans are a fast-growing sector, “it’s a relatively small portion of the overall market. Is it fast-growing? Yes,” he said. “But in volume, not so much.”
Main pointed to longer-term shifts in global demand. Despite the ongoing crisis with China’s market shrinking, he noted that the association has been exploring new markets in Africa, Southeast Asia and India for soybean exports. But those new trade relationships can take years to build. Under the trade truce announced at the Busan Summit in late 2025, China pledged to purchase 12 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans by year’s-end, with annual targets of 25 million metric tons through 2028.
Now, with the truce remaining in effect, no formal long-term purchase agreement has been signed. Returning from a summit to Beijing earlier this month, President Donald Trump said, “The farmers are going to be very happy. They’re (China) going to be buying billions of dollars of soybeans.”
The White House said China had agreed to buy at least $17 billion of U.S. agricultural products annually through 2028, on top of those soybean commitments. Beijing has not publicly confirmed the figure.
The lack of a stable export outlook has highlighted the need for better local infrastructure. Main pointed to a specific priority: bridges. An efficient network of roads, rails and waterways has long been the competitive advantage for U.S. soy in global markets. About 30% of county bridges in Illinois are load-restricted or in poor condition, Main said. “Every dollar we invest in those bridges, we get more than almost $5 back.”
That economic return comes from shorter travel times, less wear on vehicles and lower fuel costs. Gov. JB Pritzker announced a $50.6 billion, six-year infrastructure plan on Oct. 1, 2025 — the largest in state history — which includes $32.5 billion for state roads and bridges. Without those repairs, farmers face significant drawbacks in getting their beans to market.
The gap in Illinois is widening. Demand for soy milk and tofu is growing: Phoenix Bean is currently expanding its USDA-certified organic soybean products from Whole Foods shelves in the Midwest and Northeast to Sprouts shelves in California, distributing nationwide.
“It’s very difficult to find an organic farmer,” Yang said.
Yet O’Connor and other Illinois farmers are turning away from growing food-grade soybeans.
“When we’re planting a crop here, we’re trying to decide which crop we’re going to lose the least money on,” said Meier.
For him, farming is more than a business. “The farm is a member of the family. It’s been here for generations.”
He emphasized that farming practices have improved dramatically, but the economic pressure remains. Until food-grade prices rise significantly, most farmers will stick with commodity soybeans.
For Harper, the Local Food Infrastructure Grant is a long-term investment, not a quick fix. The program’s $3.6 million is a fraction of what is needed.
“Food prices are rising across Illinois and investing in local food infrastructure is essential,” she said. “But we are still far away from actual investment and implementation.”
Temporary relief for Illinois soybean farmers is scarce. The gap between what Illinois grows and what Illinois eats remains wide. Shifting Illinois soybean production toward the domestic food market seems difficult in the short term.
The question lingers: Can Illinois feed itself its own soybeans?
“You have to start somewhere,” Harper said.
Related
The Illinois Polymer Maker Lab, Beckman’s newest core facility, will open soon in the institute’s basement. The lab will be the first-of-its-kind facility for the automated formulation and testing of polymer-based materials and will soon be open to researchers across campus and across the nation.
The lab will help researchers accelerate the development of materials and products related to paints and coatings, adhesives, personal care items, composites, and materials for 3D printing. It could also help researchers design resins for energy-efficient manufacturing and products in the food science industry. It’s funded by a Major Research Instrumentation grant from the National Science Foundation.
“The core capabilities will be pretty unique,” said Dan Krogstad, the lab’s manager and a research professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. “The IPML facility at Beckman provides researchers with an incredible opportunity to accelerate the development of polymer-based formulations through the creation of rich, digital datasets using automated equipment and workflows.”
The lab joins four other Beckman core research facilities: the Biomedical Imaging Center, Microscopy Suite, Molecular Imaging Lab and Visualization Lab.
“The Illinois Polymer Maker Lab is another example of how Beckman provides cutting-edge facilities that you can’t find anywhere else,” said Beckman Director Steve Maren. “This facility will fuel materials discovery for our researchers and especially allow them to push the boundaries of knowledge through AI.”
The Anton Paar high-throughput rheometer, an HTR 7000, was the first instrument to be installed in IPML earlier this spring. It’s a robotic instrument capable of dispensing polymers and measuring their flow behavior automatically.
For example, the rheological properties tell us whether a paint will drip after being applied to a surface, how easy it is to squeeze toothpaste out of a tube or how well the materials will flow through pipes in a factory.
However, while the rheological properties are important in the development of new materials, collecting related data can require a lot of time. High-throughput systems, like IMPL’s Anton Paar HTR 7000, help overcome this limitation.
Sam Tawfick, a co-leader of the Autonomous Materials Systems group, said his Beckman research colleagues are researching how to better manufacture advanced materials through 3D printing or resins for polymers reinforced with carbon fibers
“The flow behavior of polymers is critical to assess their manufacturability,” said Tawfick, the Anderson Family Scholar and professor of mechanical science and engineering, adding that the IPML rheometer’s usefulness is in how it dispenses polymers and automatically measures their flow.
“This changes the students’ workflow in the lab by minimizing sample preparation steps and enabling the equipment to run and take measurements 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For the students, this means higher productivity and the ability to focus on interpretation of the results.”
Beyond reducing the time required, automating rheological measurements promotes machine learning by making procedures more uniform, creating organized digital datasets and increasing the amount of data that can be collected.
Tawfick believes access to the lab will have incredible implications for both expanding knowledge and offering new materials to the public.
“I personally think students will achieve more during the same timeline of a Ph.D. or postdoctoral training, connecting more dots around their discovery and tightening both the scientific understanding and the reliability of their discoveries,” he said.
In the past, it’s taken up to 20 years for a new polymer, like a high temperature resistant silicone or high strength composite, to be ready for commercial use. Material readiness is ranked on a scale (called the Technology Readiness Level, or TRL) between 0 and 9, the latter which describes a material that’s commercially established.
“It takes about 10 years to move the concept of a material from TRL 0 to TRL 3 in a lab,” Tawfick said. “IPML is targeting this stage, with the aim of shortening it from a decade to potentially weeks.”
And because the lab will be a Beckman core facility, knowledge can transfer among users thanks to the help of expert staff members and the creation of institutional knowledge, Tawfick said.
“Groups from campus and external users from the private sector will benefit from and contribute to this institutional knowledge,” he said. “This will be accomplished by gradually optimizing the workflows and the AI models used in the facility.”
The LA Clippers selected Illinois guard Keaton Wagler with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft on Tuesday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Wagler became the first Illini freshman to be named a consensus All-American after averaging 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists while shooting 39.7% from 3-point range. He set numerous freshman program records, including points (663), field goals (202) and 3s (87).
The 6-foot-6 Wagler is the first player in franchise history to be taken with the fifth pick and the highest player drafted since Blake Griffin went No. 1 in 2009. He is Illinois’ third top-10 pick in the draft era (1966), joining Kendall Gill (1990, No. 5) and Deron Williams (2005, No. 3).
Wagler is highly touted because of his shooting, feel and ability to convert difficult finishes at the rim. He had a monumental rise up draft boards throughout the year after leading Illinois to its first Final Four appearance since 2005.
The 19-year-old was heavily linked to the Clippers throughout the predraft process after visiting only with them and the Chicago Bulls (No. 4). He eventually canceled his remaining workouts after those meetings, an indication that he felt he wouldn’t fall below the Clippers.
Wagler was the fifth straight freshman to hear his name called on Tuesday, following AJ Dybantsa (Washington), Darryn Peterson (Utah), Cameron Boozer (Memphis) and Caleb Wilson (Chicago).
Illinois
Ex-Illinois teacher awaiting deportation linked to Tren de Aragua mass shooting in Chicago: DHS
CHICAGO – A former Illinois teacher living in the United States illegally, who was allegedly involved in a 2024 Tren de Aragua mass shooting that killed three people at a Chicago house party, was arrested by federal authorities, officials said Monday.
Giovanna Mercedes Moreno Occhipinti, 32, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela with dual citizenship in Italy, was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on May 13, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said.
Occhipinti entered the U.S. in October 2021 under the Visa Waiver Program and was supposed to leave by Jan. 2, 2022. She overstayed her visa, DHS said.
On the night of the Dec. 2, 2024, shooting, she allegedly drove the two gunmen—Ricardo Granadillo Padilla and Edward Martinez Cermeno—to the scene of the crime, where five people were injured in addition to the three fatalities, authorities said.
“Although Chicago police arrested this illegal alien shortly after the shooting, sanctuary politicians released her from jail without notifying ICE,” DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement. “Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, DHS is doing the job that sanctuary politicians in Illinois refuse to do: putting the American people first and removing these dangerous criminals from our communities.”
Martinez Cermeno was released from ICE custody in January 2025 after a federal judge determined that federal prosecutors failed to meet their burden of proof to keep him incarcerated while awaiting trial.
Immediately after the shooting, authorities found multiple weapons in Occhipinti’s vehicle, DHS said. Authorities believe she helped Granadillo Padilla and Martinez Cermeno evade law enforcement after the attack.
The Chicago Police Department arrested Occhipinti on Dec. 5, 2024, on charges of unlawful use of weapons and other weapons offenses. However, she was released without ICE ever being notified under Chicago’s sanctuary policies, which protect illegal immigrants from federal immigration authorities.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s office decided not to prosecute the suspects, DHS said, and Granadillo Padilla and Martinez Cermeno were eventually deported.
“Giovanna Mercedes Moreno Occhipinti’s actions were calculated and deliberate, leading to the loss of three lives,” said HSI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino. “I’m proud of our agents for pursuing this case to the end, ensuring that everyone who helped facilitate this mass homicide is brought to justice.”
Fox News was told by DHS that Occhipinti was a teacher at an unspecified school in the Chicago suburb of Elgin. Illinois officials have refused to cooperate with federal authorities and will not tell DHS the name of the school, Fox News has learned.
Occhipinti is being held at the Grayson County Detention Center in Leitchfield, Kentucky.
Read more at FoxNews.com
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