It’s pumpkin season – from spiced lattes to Halloween decorations on the porch – and chances are it was grown in Illinois.

Just over a third of all pumpkins in the United States – 485 million pounds – come from Illinois, according to annual USDA surveys. Advertisement

Much of that production centers on Morton, a village in Tazewell County that proudly calls itself the “ Pumpkin Capital of the World .” About 85% of the world’s canned pumpkin is packed at the Nestlé/Libby’s plant in the middle of town.

Indiana ranks second in production, but Illinois grows roughly three times as many pumpkins, even after its production fell by 30% last year. That decline came even though the harvested acres remained steady; acreage had already dropped by nearly 18% in 2023 compared to the previous year

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