University of Illinois

With his eight-year commitment to the Army National Guard, Chuck Hanley was able to juggle his agriculture careers with his service.

Let’s pause to consider the-above headline. First, it’s a quote; I didn’t write it. That’s important because the third rail of today’s ag journalism — the deadly, high-voltage topic that can burn your career — is Donald Trump.

The timely planting of cover crops for maximum biomass has typically been limited to post-harvest or aerial inter-seeding, followed by the hope of rain for stand establishment.

An Illinois State University organics class toured a farm and milling facility to see up close the field-to-bag process.

Drone technology is increasing in its applicability in improving farm operations.

Seedstock breeders should be identifying bulls they plan to consign to the 2025 Illinois Performance Tested Bull Sale.

Owning farmland goes well beyond simply growing a crop, and the upcoming second annual Farmland Owners Conference will help sort out and clarify questions and concerns.

Beef production spans generations in the Hanson and Kuipers family in Iroquois County where they operate a forage-based program utilizing a paddock grazing system along with growing corn, soybeans and wheat.

A bottle of Windex led Jessica Rutkoski from a high school in rural Wisconsin to working on crop research and improvement around the globe and back to Midwest wheat fields.

Working as a veterinarian means every day is different — and that’s what Taryn Pfeiffer really enjoys about her career.

Working one-on-one with farmers and seeing positive changes across the landscape is what drives Aidan Walton. Walton has served farmers as a Precision Conservation Management specialist since 2021.

Prices paid for Prairie State farmland declined across all categories during the first half of 2024, according to Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers survey respondents.

Whether they’re taken to heart to taken with a grain of salt, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s monthly crop and livestock estimates are crucial for the entire farm supply chain.

The annual Orr Beef Research Center Field Day will take place at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 11 at the Ag Sciences Complex and Fred Bradshaw Learning Center at the John Wood Community College Agricultural Education Center.

The Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition and U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin announced that the farmer-led nonprofit organization will receive a $923,458 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Livestock managers and owners are invited to join University of Illinois Extension for the Storing Forages: Balancing Cost and Performance workshop on Thursday, Sept. 19.

While the dictionary doesn’t include the word “stockmanship,” most livestock producers know what it means: handling livestock in a calm, quiet manner that results in animals that are healthier and gain faster.

Sheep and goats are a popular choice for youth and adults. Small ruminants are a good place for anyone to enter the livestock business on small acreage. Often, they develop into significant farm enterprises.

To gain a better perspective in the current November and December futures price volatility, a soybean trade specialist noted historic parallels in the past 20 years, buyer opportunities and demand potentials.

The Livingston County Soil and Water Conservation District will host a summer farm tour Tuesday, Aug. 27.

A wheat-double-crop-soybean combination is a common practice in some areas of Illinois, particularly in the southern part of the state, but it can present production challenges.

The Livingston County Soil and Water Conservation District’s Women in Ag Meeting: Ideas Inc. — How to Add Conservation to Your Land will be held Aug. 6 in Pontiac.

Midwest Dairy is rewarding five students from Illinois with $1,000 this fall at the college or university of their choice.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture announced an intrastate testing requirement for lactating dairy cattle participating in livestock exhibitions in Illinois to minimize the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza.

The Illinois Agri-Women organization has awarded five scholarships for students studying agriculture.

Bill Harmon, professor of agronomy at Lincoln Land Community College, received the Golden Owl award for postsecondary instructors at the Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Instructors Conference in Carbondale.

The Illinois Soybean Association is observing its diamond anniversary with events throughout the year.

Organic farming can support soil microorganisms that promote plant defenses and reduce insect pests. But not all organic practices are equally beneficial.

Five new officers elected by the delegates during the 96th Illinois FFA State Convention will be traveling throughout the state during the upcoming year engaging with members to inspire them to achieve their goals.

The Stars Over Illinois announcement of the top four FFA members in the state was just one of numerous highlights of the 96th Illinois FFA State Convention held in the state’s capital city.

A longstanding complaint here is the utter incomprehensibility of federal milk pricing policy. For years we’ve joked that only four people in the world understand its complexity.

A statewide survey is underway by the University of Illinois to determine the extent of waterhemp resistance to Group 15 herbicides.

The company that’s bringing a new rye cover crop to market this year has a long history of developing top genetics through its research and breeding programs.

Eric Miller grows more than corn, full-season and double-crop soybeans and wheat on his Piatt County farm.

The Illinois General Assembly approved a record $53.1 billion spending plan that included some good and bad news for agriculture-related programs.

Despite adverse weather last year, including an extended dry period, Illinois corn averaged 206 bushels per acre and soybeans hit 63 bushels per acre, much to the surprise of many.

Eliminating the information gap to help agriculture voluntarily meet the Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy goals has been a top priority for the Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership.

Soil health and quality play a significant role in the nutritional value of pastures and cover crops, determining grazing strategies and sustainability.

This June, producers can get answers to their questions about installing edge-of-field conservation practices by connecting with farmers who have first-hand knowledge.

The Illinois State Horticultural Society announced that Jonamac Orchard in Malta will host its annual Summer Horticulture Field Day.

Applications are being accepted through May 31 for a unique training course for farmers, advisers and conservation professionals that focuses on the soil health system.

Monthly average temperatures during “meteorological winter” were above freezing throughout a sizable chunk of Illinois, and the $64,000 question is — how has that impacted insect populations?

Illinois Wheat Association is inviting farmers and researchers to tour wheat fields and take estimate yields of the winter wheat crop during its annual Wheat Plot Tour on May 21.

The announcement of guidance on eligibility for the sustainable aviation fuel tax credit was met with both concern and optimism.

This Illinois Beef Foundation announced eight young people from across the state as 2024 scholarship recipients.

Many factors impact fertility and reproduction of dairy cows, including the nutrition of their rations.

Resiliency is important for farmers to leverage resources and technology to make their operations sustainable for future generations.

Local, state and international representatives marked the grand opening of the North American Insect Innovation Center pilot facility.

When a prospective pharmacy student tells Dr. Heidi Olson that they’ve never thought about pharmacy as a career before, the director of the RPHARM program at the University of Illinois College of Medicine doesn’t take it personally. She’s been there herself.

Whether it’s prescribing antibiotics for an infection, drugs to ease pain after surgical procedures, lifesaving insulin for diabetes or being a health-care provider for a rural community, rural pharmacists have always filled a unique role in the medical community.