There is a good chance the pumpkins you carve, use as ornamental fall decorations or as pie filling for your holiday treats came from Central Illinois. 

Illinois leads the nation in pumpkin production, with a swath of land near Peoria producing most of the state’s pumpkin crop. Morton, Illinois is commonly referred to as the “Pumpkin Capital of the World”, hosting the annual Morton Pumpkin Festival and home to a Libby's pumpkin processing plant.

Any Economics 101 student knows business is driven by supply and demand. It’s not often a company succeeds in creating demand for its products – and changing the way people live in the process. Kozy’s Cyclery has done just that, and this year its owners have received the Illinois Retail Merchants Association’s “Retailer of the Year” award.

Rows of green soybeans are a common sight in the fertile farm fields of Illinois. The typically three-foot high crop breaks up the sometimes monotonous rows of corn fields that Illinois is most famous for.

While Illinois produces significantly more corn per year, the state ranks first in the country in annual soybean production.

Even if you’re surrounded by soybean fields, you may not be aware of how often you come in contact with Illinois-grown soybeans.