By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

Officer shot report numbers down

The National Fraternal Order of Police reports, through Oct. 31, 285 police officers have been shot in the line of duty across the United States this year.

The number is down 5% from the same period in 2024.

Illinois is tied for tenth on the list of most officers shot this year with nine.

Thanksgiving meal costs down

According to an annual survey by the American Farm Bureau Federation, Thanksgiving dinner prices in Illinois mirrored national trends by declining for a third straight year.

Illinois Farm Bureau volunteer shoppers participating reported a state-wide average price of $49.20 for a classic holiday feast for 10, or around $4.92 per person.

The national average was about $5.52 per person, a 5% decrease from 2024.

Ag productivity report released

A new report highlighting farm productivity found that Illinois ranked sixth in the nation in agricultural sales, with about $29.2 billion generated in the most recent year.

According to Farm Flavor’s analysis, total U.S. farm output has doubled since the 1960’s while inputs have remained relatively stable.

More than 71,000 farms operate on 74% of Illinois’ total land area, with agriculture making up 0.9% of the state’s employment.