New Lock and Dam Start Expected in FY21

This week, the House Appropriations Committee approved a FY21 budget for Energy and Water Development that would include funding for one new project for inland waterways lock and dam modernization. This signals the potential for a new start in the Upper Mississippi River Basin in FY21.

The approved budget funds the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers $7.63 billion, a decrease of $21 million from FY20’s record-setting appropriated level, but $1.7 billion above the President’s FY21 budget request.

The Inland Waterways Trust Fund funding level is $90 million for a total of at least $180 million in funding for Construction and Major Rehabilitation of inland waterways projects.

New Cost Structure

The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure voted the Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (WRDA 2020) favorably out of Committee. The bill adjusts the cost-share for construction and major rehabilitation of inland waterways projects. Previously the cost-share was 50 percent from the general fund of the Treasury and 50 percent from the Inland Waterways Trust Fund. Now the cost-share moves to 65 percent from the general fund of the Treasury and 35 percent from the Inland Waterways Trust Fund.

The cost-share shift is a top priority for IL Corn.

Illinois Lock Closure Update

The Illinois Waterway Consolidated Lock Closures are officially underway! July 1, the first miter gates were pulled at Starved Rock Lock and Dam in Ottawa, Illinois. Both the upper and lower miter gates will be replaced at Starved Rock during the closure.

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Budget Reconciliation Bill Passes Congress

By Lyndi Allen • July 3, 2025

Illinois corn farmers will be impacted by many provisions in the Budget Reconciliation Bill that passed in both chambers this week.

Importance of Trade Series: Ethanol

By Lyndi Allen • July 3, 2025

Trade plays a critical role in driving demand for U.S. corn—not only as grain or feed, but also as fuel.

Corn: More American Than Apple Pie

By Lindsay Croke • June 30, 2025

When we think of Independence Day traditions, sweet corn on the cob is as iconic as fireworks and often even more central to the celebration. According to Instacart, purchases of sweet corn surge by 380% over the annual average heading into July 4th, outranking other grilling staples like baby back ribs and burgers. But corn's role in your Fourth of July celebration goes far beyond your plate. In Illinois alone, 8,300 acres of sweet corn are harvested annually, averaging 155 cwt per acre. That’s more than 128 million pounds of locally grown sweetness fueling summer cookouts across the state. And while sweet corn makes a big impression on the grill, most of Illinois’ corn crop isn’t sweet corn - it’s field corn. Less than 1% of the state’s crop is sweet corn, while the rest is used in products that are often invisible to consumers but vital to everyday life: fuel, packaging, fireworks, and even spirits.