Politics

Hours after being sworn in as the new U.S. secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy took aim at the way the government regulates miles per gallon for cars and trucks — a principal way it regulates air pollution and climate change.

During National FFA Week, many of us recall those years we spent wearing blue and gold jackets with the FFA logo emblazoned on the back. I still have mine, a hand-me-down from my sister, hanging in a closet somewhere in this old house.

Automaker Stellantis plans to reopen an assembly plant in Illinois and build the next-generation Dodge Durango in Detroit, the automaker said.

The Mexican government repealed its ban on biotech corn imports from the United States.

We need your help in convincing Congress and the administration to help reverse the decline of our nation’s cattle and sheep farms and ranches, and your calls and letters to Congress will certainly help.

We have officially wrapped up the 106th American Farm Bureau Convention in San Antonio, Texas, and I’m so thankful for another incredible week with our Farm Bureau family as we looked for ways to step up and drive forward.

Just weeks into the Republican takeover of Congress and the White House, Project 2025 is the cornerstone of President Donald Trump’s governing plans.

With U.S. and Illinois pork producers being some of the first to be impacted directly by news coming out of Washington, D.C., Jennifer Tirey is ready to arm producers and allied industry with timely information.

I love living in a part of the country where we get four seasons every year. However, I would be willing to trade in a few of the colder days of winter for some extra days in spring, the season of new beginnings.

Bird flu is forcing farmers to slaughter millions of chickens a month, pushing U.S. egg prices to more than double their cost in the summer of 2023. And it appears there may be no relief in sight, given the surge in demand as Easter approaches.

Zoe Kent hopes people get a little joy out of her talking about farming on the Internet. In one of her latest videos, she compares pesticide application to dry shampoo. “Farming is for the girls,” she quips.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced $14.7 million in federal grant funding will be used to extend the state’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program beyond June 30.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has announced applications for two internship opportunities available for summer 2025.

The Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, platform is generating a lot of interest in how our food is produced. Farmers and ranchers welcome a healthy discussion — we always have.

With a new Congress and administration sworn in, it’s time to get back to work in Washington. Just like there’s never a shortage of work to be done on the farm, there’s a full list of issues that our lawmakers need to tackle.

Corn and soybean prices for this marketing year are projected below the 20-year average, but expenses aren’t following the trend.

Think water is not an issue in Indiana or the Midwest, like it is in Arizona or California? Think again, cautioned Brianna Schroeder, a partner at Janzen Schroeder Ag Law, during an educational seminar at the Fort Wayne Farm Show.

Harmful chemicals in sewage sludge that is spread on pasture land as fertilizer are causing cancer, the Environmental Protection Agency said.

The day after Congress certified Donald Trump’s election as president, the U.S. Border Patrol conducted unannounced raids throughout Bakersfield, California, descending on businesses where day laborers and field workers gather. The impact was immediate.

Mexico and the European Union announced a revamped trade agreement that they said would substantially increase trade and investment, days before the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

I have said it many times: farming is not an easy life’s work and certainly not for the faint of heart. Farming can push you to your physical and emotional limits. It can nearly kill you. It can save your life.

Dairy producers may see differences in their milk checks from changes that are included in the Federal Milk Marketing Orders referendum.

Deere & Co. unfairly forces farmers to visit authorized dealers to repair their equipment, resulting in higher prices than if they could fix it themselves or get help from independent shops, the Federal Trade Commission claims in a lawsuit.

While the 2018 farm bill might be on its second extension, the subsidy for one crop insurance product will increase without the benefit of new legislation, benefiting farmers.

Jaime Castaneda, executive vice president of policy development and strategy for the National Milk Producers Federation, looks at the issue of immigration reform through the eyes of an immigrant.

U.S. dairy has found its “whey” into China with a dairy byproduct that continues to grow in popularity. Whey is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained in making cheese.

The new year always feels like a fresh start, a time to plan for the months ahead and think about what needs to get done.

Scott Halpin’s term as Illinois Farm Service Agency executive director concluded with the change of federal administrations.

California’s efforts to limit pollution from diesel-powered trains and big rigs were stalled in anticipation of pushback from the incoming Trump administration.

Adding sustainable aviation fuel to the list of products made from corn and soybeans may help increase profits for U.S. farmers.

Starting in September of 2027, all new passenger vehicles in the United States will have to sound a warning if rear-seat passengers don’t buckle up.

New vehicle sales in the United States rose 2.7% last year as prices and interest rates eased a bit, making SUVs, cars and trucks a little more affordable.

Several environmental groups are suing California air regulators over their recent update of a contentious climate program, saying they failed to address the pollution impacts of biofuels.

The H-2A program is one way farmers can solve the need of qualified employees for their operations.

U.S. farmers harvested the second-largest corn and soybean crops on record last fall, improving carries in the futures market and lifting the margin outlook for grain elevators storing corn and soybeans.

The annual Purdue Ag Alumni Fish Fry will be held Feb. 1 at the Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds with a theme of “People of Purdue Agriculture.”

This past year marked my second full year serving as executive vice president at the American Farm Bureau Federation and it has been inspiring to see our organization flourish as we serve farmers and ranchers.

Farmers were slightly less optimistic about the economy in December compared to November, according to the latest reading of the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer.

By far the biggest lender to U.S. farmers, ranchers and rural businesses is the Farm Credit System whose four banks and 56 associations hold nearly 50% of all debt in rural America.

Congress approved a one-year extension to the 2018 farm bill late on Dec. 20 that included nearly $31 billion in disaster and economic assistance for farmers and ranchers.

Agriculture groups are grateful that Congress extended the 2018 farm bill for another year, but urge lawmakers to stay focused on new, modernized legislation that recognizes the many changes and challenges of the past six years.

When we talk about water issues in Indiana, you might think we’re concerned with water quality rather than quantity.

Family farms accounted for 96% of total U.S. farms and 83% of the total value of production, according to the Agricultural Resource Management Survey.

The 25th annual First State Bank Ag Conference, a special forum for area farmers, is scheduled for 10 a.m. Jan. 23 at the Mendota Civic Center.

Why the results surprised anyone is itself a surprise. After the state of California began testing dairy herds for highly pathogenic avian influenza, known also as bird flu or H5N1, in August, it found the pathogen on 645 dairy farms.

California officials have declared a state of emergency over the spread of bird flu, which is tearing through dairy cows in that state and causing sporadic illnesses in people in the United States.

Twisted equipment and snapped tree limbs still litter Chris Hopkins’ Georgia farm more than two months after Hurricane Helene made its deadly march across the South.

Two central Illinois agriculture teachers already had plenty on their plates as they watched and listened to the news.

The Indiana Corn Growers Association reelected Chris Cherry, a farmer from New Palestine, as president.

Conservation practice adoption, pesticide regulations and biofuel tax credits are just a few of the issues for agriculture entering 2025.