WRDA 2024 Unanimously Passed by Senate

Thursday, the Senate unanimously passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024, also known as S. 4367. The Senate’s version of the bill, supported by Illinois Senators Richard Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, includes provisions for lock and dam improvement along the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. IL Corn thanks Sen. Durbin and Duckworth for their investment in the state’s waterways infrastructure.

The Senate WRDA 2024 bill (Section 109) permanently adjusted the inland waterways cost-share for construction and major rehabilitation projects to 75% general revenues/25% Inland Waterways Trust Fund (IWTF) (from 65%/35%). It also provided 100% full Federal funding for projects funded in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The funding will allow for continued improvements to be made on Lock and Dam 25, on the Illinois-Missouri border.

The House of Representatives passed its WRDA legislation on July 22, but the bill did not include any inland waterways provision. Now, the Senate EPW Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will begin the conference process to resolve differences between the two bills.

Lock and dam improvements are critical to grain exports in Illinois. Over 50% of Illinois corn is transported out of state every year. Help strengthen our collective voice on the urgency and importance of lock and dam modernization in WRDA 2024. Please share your support alongside the Waterways Council, Inc and tell your House representative to support the lock and dam provision.

< Older Post

Newer Post >

The sun is setting behind the capitol building in washington d.c.

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.