Some Illinois wheat growers are combining more than 90 bushels per acre as the state's soft red winter wheat harvest nears completion.

Brownfield Ag News reports that farmers across Illinois describe this season's crop as one of the best in years, with both yields and test weights running above average. The harvest is almost finished, and the early verdict is positive on nearly every measure.

"It's been a really good wheat year," one grower told Brownfield. Reports from different regions of the state point to yields well above the usual Illinois average, and grain quality is holding up as well.

Test weights are strong, which matters for farmers selling into milling channels. High test weight generally means better grading and fewer discounts at the elevator, so quality reports like these translate directly into stronger farmgate prices.

The soft red winter wheat grown in Illinois is used mainly for pastries, crackers and other flour products. A large, high-quality crop can add pressure to already soft basis levels in the region, since more supply tends to weigh on local cash prices even when futures hold steady.

Growers who follow wheat with double-cropped soybeans also benefit from an early harvest finish. Getting wheat out of the field on time opens planting windows for the beans, and a quick harvest reduces the risk of weather losses on mature grain.

Attention now turns to storage and marketing. Farmers with on-farm storage can choose when to sell, while those hauling straight to town face the basis and storage decisions that come with a big crop.

Watch for final USDA yield estimates later this summer, along with how the double-crop soybean planting that follows this wheat develops through August.