MT. VERNON, Ill. — In the southern half of Illinois, where about 200 growers assembled for the Illinois Wheat Assoc. annual winter forum, Louis Aldag went straight to the numbers.

The CPA with the Mt. Vernon-based firm of Aldag & Associates said that during the past 10 years, growers who opted to produce wheat along with double-crop soybeans returned a higher profit per acre in three of those years compared to growers who went with corn or beans alone.

That option remains viable for growers in 2012, particularly for areas of the state with variable soil types. “The bottom line is, especially for growers here in southern Illinois, is that wheat and double-crop beans will be a competitive choice to corn,” Aldag said.

Using data compiled by the USDA and University of Illinois extension, Aldag pointed out the wheat-beans combination returned higher average profits for growers in 2003, 2006 and 2007. Corn alone posted higher returns the past four years, and is forecast to return about $418 an acre versus $359 for wheat and double-crop beans. Soybeans alone are forecast at about $315 an acre for 2012.

 Between 2002 and 2010, taking into account all years, corn was more profitable than the wheat-beans combination by just $17 per acre.

“Being close to the historical average suggests that farmers have economic incentives similar to previous years for planting wheat, further suggesting that farmers likely plant wheat acres close to historical norms,” according to the extension report.

One farmer who knows firsthand the value of the wheat-soybeans combo is Steve Stallman, this year’s president of the wheat association and a grower in Randolph County.

“I’ve always had good success with wheat and double-beans,” said Stallman, who farms about 1,300 acres in one of the top three wheat-producing counties in Illinois.

Last year, nearly 800,000 acres of wheat were planted in the state, with approximately 46.66 million bushels produced.

USDA released final wheat-related numbers for 2011 the day before the forum, and it showed Washington County growers led the way with 4 million bushels of wheat. Clinton County was second with about 2.25 million bushels, while Stallman’s Randolph County was third, at 2.22 million bushels.

Using prices of $5.50 for corn, $12 for beans and $6.75 for wheat, Aldag highlighted the projected returns for a variety of options for 2012.

Returns are projected at $215 per acre for double-crop soybeans, $144 for wheat, $315 for beans and $418 for corn (after soybeans; corn after corn is pegged at $347 per acre).