McLean County Farm Bureau

FARMERS ARE PLANNING FOR ILLINOIS RIVER SHUTDOWN NEXT YEAR

It’s not uncommon for many Illinois farmers to ship much, or even all, of their commodities along the Illinois River. “They’re going to need to re-route, predetermine and plan to not be able to use the river for up to 4 months,” said Illinois Farm Bureau’s Kirby Wagner. The Illinois Army Corps of Engineers has released a schedule that has closures of six locks next year. Wagner added that the work will be done during lower shipping times, starting after what is traditionally flood season and ending before post-harvest shipping. (NPR Illinois)