Illinois Wheat price reached $6.24/bu in August 2026 — about $0.01/bu above the US average of $6.23/bu. Monthly price received by producers, sourced directly from USDA NASS.
Wheat monthly price trend
Illinois vs the US average, last 24 months of USDA NASS data
| Month | Illinois price | US average |
|---|---|---|
| 2020-01 | $5.69/bu | $4.88/bu |
| 2020-03 | $6.19/bu | $4.86/bu |
| 2020-04 | $5.85/bu | $4.85/bu |
| 2020-06 | $5.25/bu | $4.57/bu |
| 2020-07 | $5.26/bu | $4.54/bu |
| 2020-08 | $5.37/bu | $4.54/bu |
| 2020-09 | $4.96/bu | $4.73/bu |
| 2020-10 | $5.27/bu | $4.98/bu |
| 2020-12 | $5.54/bu | $5.46/bu |
| 2021-01 | $5.95/bu | $5.48/bu |
| 2021-02 | $6.18/bu | $5.83/bu |
| 2021-04 | $7.64/bu | $6.04/bu |
| 2021-06 | $6.31/bu | $6.23/bu |
| 2021-07 | $6.02/bu | $6.26/bu |
| 2021-08 | $6.63/bu | $7.14/bu |
| 2021-09 | $6.36/bu | $7.75/bu |
| 2021-10 | $6.75/bu | $7.92/bu |
| 2021-11 | $7.10/bu | $8.52/bu |
| 2021-12 | $7.29/bu | $8.59/bu |
| 2022-01 | $7.17/bu | $8.48/bu |
| 2022-02 | $7.41/bu | $9.16/bu |
| 2022-03 | $8.36/bu | $9.93/bu |
| 2022-04 | $9.77/bu | $10.20/bu |
| 2022-05 | $10.40/bu | $10.90/bu |
| 2022-06 | $9.10/bu | $9.61/bu |
| 2022-07 | $7.82/bu | $8.69/bu |
| 2022-08 | $7.82/bu | $8.55/bu |
| 2022-09 | $8.14/bu | $8.78/bu |
| 2022-10 | $8.43/bu | $9.18/bu |
| 2022-11 | $8.56/bu | $9.15/bu |
| 2022-12 | $7.62/bu | $8.97/bu |
| 2023-01 | $8.30/bu | $8.81/bu |
| 2023-02 | $7.77/bu | $8.54/bu |
| 2023-03 | $7.40/bu | $8.35/bu |
| 2023-04 | $6.57/bu | $8.31/bu |
| 2023-05 | $6.67/bu | $8.07/bu |
| 2023-06 | $6.53/bu | $7.67/bu |
| 2023-07 | $6.39/bu | $7.61/bu |
| 2023-08 | $6.06/bu | $7.34/bu |
| 2023-09 | $5.97/bu | $7.06/bu |
| 2023-10 | $5.69/bu | $6.96/bu |
| 2023-11 | $5.50/bu | $6.52/bu |
| 2023-12 | $5.96/bu | $6.79/bu |
| 2024-01 | $6.20/bu | $6.77/bu |
| 2024-02 | $6.09/bu | $6.34/bu |
| 2024-04 | $5.72/bu | $5.90/bu |
| 2024-05 | $5.97/bu | $6.19/bu |
| 2024-06 | $5.46/bu | $5.86/bu |
| 2024-07 | $5.26/bu | $5.52/bu |
| 2024-08 | $4.93/bu | $5.23/bu |
| 2024-09 | $5.25/bu | $5.36/bu |
| 2024-10 | $5.54/bu | $5.47/bu |
| 2024-11 | $5.35/bu | $5.45/bu |
| 2024-12 | $5.68/bu | $5.49/bu |
| 2025-01 | $5.78/bu | $5.52/bu |
| 2025-03 | $5.98/bu | $5.71/bu |
| 2025-04 | $5.71/bu | $5.61/bu |
| 2025-05 | $5.53/bu | $5.58/bu |
| 2025-06 | $5.11/bu | $5.28/bu |
| 2025-07 | $5.12/bu | $4.94/bu |
| 2025-08 | $4.90/bu | $4.84/bu |
| 2025-09 | $4.58/bu | $4.76/bu |
| 2025-10 | $5.05/bu | $4.73/bu |
| 2025-11 | $5.22/bu | $4.90/bu |
| 2025-12 | $5.26/bu | $5.03/bu |
| 2026-01 | $5.07/bu | $5.07/bu |
| 2026-02 | $5.30/bu | $5.15/bu |
| 2026-03 | $5.63/bu | $5.52/bu |
| 2026-04 | $5.87/bu | $5.70/bu |
| 2026-05 | $6.00/bu | $5.88/bu |
| 2026-06 | $5.61/bu | $5.70/bu |
| 2026-07 | $5.83/bu | $6.06/bu |
| 2026-08 | $6.24/bu | $6.23/bu |
How Illinois compares
Top Wheat-producing states, August 2026 price
| State | Price | vs US avg |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $6.96/bu | +11.7% |
| Colorado | $6.88/bu | +10.4% |
| North Carolina | $6.86/bu | +10.1% |
| Kansas | $6.84/bu | +9.8% |
| Nebraska | $6.67/bu | +7.1% |
| Oklahoma | $6.64/bu | +6.6% |
| Missouri | $6.4/bu | +2.7% |
| South Dakota | $6.34/bu | +1.8% |
What this price means for Illinois Wheat farmers
Illinois wheat fetched $6.24 per bushel in August 2026, sitting just $0.01 above the national average of $6.23 per bushel — a gap so narrow it is effectively at parity with the broader U.S. market. That slim difference is almost entirely a function of state-level basis conditions such as transportation costs and local elevator competition, not any reflection of grain quality or agronomic performance. Looking back at the marketing-year-average, however, tells a more cautionary story: this year's preliminary MYA of $5.11 per bushel trails last year's finalized figure of $5.40 by $0.29, signaling that despite a strong August print, average realized prices across the full marketing year have been meaningfully weaker year over year.
For marketing and selling decisions, it is important not to let a strong single-month reading like August's $6.24 set expectations for what the year will deliver. If a farmer locks in a forward contract based on a peak monthly price, they may be pricing bushels at a level that does not reflect the average conditions they will actually sell into across harvest and storage months — the recent run from $5.61 in June to $6.24 in August illustrates just how much intra-year volatility can distort a single data point. The marketing-year-average, currently at $5.11 on a preliminary basis, is the appropriate anchor for annual revenue planning and break-even analysis, because it smooths across the full range of months during which grain is priced and delivered. Forward contracts negotiated off a monthly high are useful for capturing opportunity, but farm budgets built on that same high will likely disappoint when reconciled against what the full season actually returned.
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Frequently asked questions — Illinois Wheat price
Why does Illinois Wheat receive a slightly different price than the US national average?
Illinois Wheat prices reflect local supply-and-demand conditions, transportation costs to nearby elevators and terminals, and regional basis levels relative to Chicago Board of Trade futures. For August 2026, Illinois averaged $6.24/bushel compared to the US average of $6.23/bushel, a $0.01/bushel premium that indicates marginally favorable local marketing conditions. Farmers should monitor their local elevator basis alongside state averages to identify the best timing and location for sales.
What is the difference between the Illinois Wheat August 2026 price of $6.24/bushel and the marketing-year-average price of $5.11/bushel?
The $6.24/bushel figure is the USDA-reported monthly price received by Illinois farmers during August 2026, reflecting cash market conditions at that specific point in the crop year. The marketing-year-average (MYA) price of $5.11/bushel represents the weighted average price received across the entire wheat marketing year, weighted by monthly sales volumes, and is the benchmark used for crop insurance indemnities and farm program calculations such as ARC and PLC. The $1.13/bushel gap between these figures highlights how end-of-marketing-year prices can significantly exceed early-season averages, rewarding producers who stored grain or forward contracted strategically.
How frequently does USDA update Illinois Wheat price data, and where does it originate?
USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) publishes monthly prices-received data for Illinois Wheat through its Agricultural Prices report, typically released on the last business day of the following month. Final marketing-year-average prices are confirmed after the marketing year closes and all monthly data have been collected and weighted. Agronomists and grain merchandisers should check each monthly release to track price trends and refine forward-marketing strategies throughout the crop year.
How can I use the Illinois Wheat price of $6.24/bushel alongside yield data to estimate gross revenue per acre?
Multiply the Illinois state average price by your farm's expected or actual yield to estimate gross revenue; for example, an Illinois farm yielding 70 bushels per acre at $6.24/bushel would generate approximately $436.80 per acre in gross receipts. Comparing this figure against your cost of production helps determine breakeven yield thresholds and informs decisions on forward contracting, storage, or crop insurance coverage levels. For a more conservative planning scenario, substituting the marketing-year-average of $5.11/bushel—yielding roughly $357.70 per acre at 70 bu/ac—provides a lower-bound revenue estimate aligned with full-season price risk.