Pork

The policies that impact our daily lives are often shaped at the local level. Yes, state and national policies are very important, but I cannot help but notice that sometimes we lose sight of what’s right in front of us in our communities.

Though growth in economic activity was generally small, expectations for growth rose moderately across most geographies and sectors across the Federal Reserve Districts.

Garrett Hawkins, a Waterloo farmer, was elected president of the Illinois Corn Growers Association for 2024-2025 at its recent reorganizational meeting.

Cattle and sheep graze on permanent pasture, cover crops and crop residue on Pasture Grazed Regenerative Farm in northern Illinois.

For the first time since the end of 2019, farmland values in the 7th Federal Reserve District did not see a year-over-year increase.

Carmel High School senior Julia Hohne and sous chef junior Maddie Arroyo finished first in the Junior Chef competition of the 2024 World Food Championships.

Fall fieldwork is near completion for Berkeley Boehne after some much-needed rain slowed tillage for some of his fields.

Federal health officials called for more testing of employees on farms with bird flu after a new study showed that some dairy workers had signs of infection, even when they didn’t report feeling sick.

Americans who think of petrified hot dogs, frozen burritos and salty snacks when they imagine getting food at a gas station or truck stop may be pleasantly surprised during their next road trip.

Illinois FFA members received prestigious awards for the development of their outstanding projects during the 97th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis.

Fall is a great time to enjoy the fruits of our labor as farmers and to remind us of our many blessings as we approach Thanksgiving. Be sure to give proper thanks to the author of those blessings.

Voters chose to send Donald Trump, who served his first term as U.S. president from 2016 to 2020, back to the White House in the Nov. 5 national election.

Chef Bryan Flower hurries toward one of the raised “free-to-pick” vegetable, flower and herb beds that flank Neptune North residence and dining hall on the Northern Illinois University campus in DeKalb.

As farmers face tight profit margins, organizations like the United Soybean Board are working hard to maximize market opportunities for U.S. soy.

Ron Dykstra knew from a very young age that he wanted to farm.

Dewaine “Dewey” Haag grinned as he recalled barely avoiding being AWOL while stationed at Fort Dix. It was a chance worth taking to move his wife, Marie, who was expecting their first child, to New Jersey.

Agricultural economic activity has been flat to down modestly since early September, with some crop prices remaining unprofitably low.

A group of agricultural diplomats from around the world visited Indiana, including touring a family farm.

The Fort Wayne TinCaps and Indiana Pork are donating nearly 2,300 meals of ground pork to the Community Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Indiana.

Warm, dry weather is helping farmers in northern Illinois to quickly harvest corn and soybeans with little need to run the crops through a dryer prior to storage.

Regenerative farming and soil health are the focus for pastured-raised animals at Terra Vitae Farms.

Over its 50-year history, the Illinois Stewardship Alliance’s causes may have shifted, but it has never lost its focus on advocating for local farmers and communities.

Rain at the end of August was good timing for the double-crop soybeans growing in northern Illinois.

For Cliff Behrmann, bacon runs in the blood. Behrmann is the owner of Behrmann Meat and Processing, a business started by his maternal grandfather and Behrmann’s father.

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

Jeanette Merritt’s role as the communications director for Indiana Pork combines her passion for agriculture with her professional expertise in marketing and communication.

Farmland values for the Seventh Federal Reserve District increased 2% in the second quarter of 2024 from a year earlier, marking the smallest year-over-year gain since the third quarter of 2020.

A new Land Use Change Initiative is leading efforts to resolve inconsistencies in definitions, metrics and methodologies for quantifying land use change.

Amid all the hoopla surrounding the 2024 elections, the Indiana Bacon Festival has a ticket that most everyone can agree on — “Bacon for President 2024.”

Providing improved seeds, tools and fertilizer along with training is changing the lives of farmers in Uganda through a project developed by Joe and Nathalie Schmidt.

An agricultural production system that integrates crops and livestock into a single interconnected practice in one field was the top yielder in Precision Technology Institute’s trials last year.

Sixty young livestock exhibitors vied for the title of Grand Champion Overall Master Showman during the 2024 Illinois State Fair Master Showmanship Contest.

Indiana has one of the smallest state agriculture departments in the nation — and Don Lamb would not have it any other way.

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.

Proper ventilation plays a critical role in providing an ideal environment in swine barns.

Whether you have a sweet tooth or prefer something savory, the Indiana State Fair has a huge lineup of foods to try.

The earth provides an overabundance of food, but the distribution of that food is the struggle.

Agricultural conditions varied in tandem with sporadic droughts across the Federal Reserve districts, but concerns over crop price declines were common in all corners of the Corn Belt.

In the last two years, bird flu has been blamed for the deaths of millions of wild and domestic birds worldwide. But it seems to have hardly touched people.

An Iowa truck driver who vanished last fall and whose body was found in a farm field this spring died of hypothermia related to acute methamphetamine intoxication, an autopsy found.

Berkeley Boehne and his brother, Vaughn, raise corn, soybeans and wheat on their DeKalb County farm, where they also feed pigs and operate a custom manure application business.

A second quarter U.S. Department of Agriculture Hogs and Pigs report held few surprises for producers and traders.

While U.S. and Illinois hog numbers remain high, there are indications that those numbers may start to come down, yielding some relief for producers haunted by red ink.

What is Steve Meyer’s prescription for the U.S. pork industry to get back to profitability? “Better demand, lower costs, fewer pigs,” said the senior economist with EverAg.

Indiana Pork and Legacy Farms hosted two pork buyers from McDonald’s Japan on their recent visit to Fair Oaks Farms and Belstra Milling.

Hoosier farmer Jim Douglas is representing American farmers everywhere as the face of an advertisement campaign for soybeans in South Korea.

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.

In the southwest toe of Indiana, 25 miles north of the Ohio River and 12 miles east of the Wabash, the Seib family farm continues its legacy.

Three little piggies went to a yoga class. Their human companions had a blast.

Exceptional projects of FFA members from across the state will be highlighted during the 96th annual Illinois FFA State Convention, set for June 11-13.