Science

Trenton Taber, a 2015 graduate of Western Illinois University’s Agriculture Education program, has been named the Region 4 Outstanding Agriculture Teacher by the National Association of Agricultural Educator.

Farmer participation in the Precision Conservation Management program continues to grow for 2025.

Waterhemp populations continue to evolve in herbicide resistance and weed scientists are investigating its move to residual herbicides.

The Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council met in December and seated three new board members.

Indiana Grown, a program that promotes locally grown and made products, is celebrating accomplishments from several Hoosier schools in 2024.

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.

A genetic analysis suggests the bird flu virus mutated inside a Louisiana patient who contracted the nation’s first severe case of the illness, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

The death of an Oregon house cat and a pet food recall are raising questions about the ongoing outbreak of bird flu and how people can protect their pets.

Cargill RegenConnect has surpassed one million enrolled acres for the 2025 U.S. planting season, a milestone that underscores Cargill’s ongoing efforts to support farmers in adopting regenerative agriculture practices.

Channel seed is introducing an exclusive, new offering of downstream seed treatment products for next season along with an expanded portfolio of seed products.

Bayer announced new Climate FieldView features to help customers transition from 2024 harvest to 2025 planning.

Grain and fertilizer prices may have you thinking about skipping some normal fertility practices this year — particularly applying supplemental phosphorus and potassium. However, carefully consider all factors.

It Takes a Village is a nearly three-acre, urban nonprofit farm in Sauk Village, a suburb of Chicago, that opened in response to the last grocery store closing in the community in 2019.

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

The Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts announced the selection of Eliot Clay as its new executive director.

Dairy checkoff initiatives of 2024 successfully increased dairy access in schools, expanded market share for U.S. dairy products and supported the industry’s longstanding commitment to sustainability.

PrairiErth Farm will host a fruit tree pruning workshop on Feb. 8.

One of the biggest challenges growers face early in the planting season is controlling tough weeds. As soon as planting occurs, weeds begin to compete with the crop for sunlight, nutrients and moisture.

Digital agriculture is the next wave of technology that will help farmers increase their production and improve their management decisions.

The 89th annual Pest Management Conference will be held Jan. 13-15 at the Stewart Center at Purdue University.

The 2024 Hay Quality Seminar was hosted by the Indiana Forage Council and Purdue University Extension this fall.

Winners of the Hoosier Hay Contest were announced at the 2024 Hay Quality seminar.

The Livingston County Soil and Water Conservation District will hold its 80th annual meeting Jan. 16 at the Pontiac Elks Club.

An outbreak of often-fatal epizootic hemorrhagic disease afflicted more than 500 white-tailed deer in Indiana’s Allen, Porter and Wabash counties last summer.

Corn crops have a voracious appetite for nitrogen.

Low-moisture foods such as dried fruits, seeds, tree nuts and wheat flour were once considered to carry minimal microbial risks.

Balancing fertility input costs in times of lower commodity prices can be a conundrum for farmers.

Every growing season, corn and soybean producers have to make numerous management decisions that affect their bottom line.

What is the value of seed treatments to U.S. soybean farmers, and how do they feel about alternatives to seed treatments?

A warm, dry fall gave the Rahn family the opportunity to finish harvest early and rain showers over the past several weeks improved the conditions for fall work.

Illinois State Conservationist Tammy Willis announced a statewide funding opportunity for the Conservation Stewardship Program funded by the Inflation Reduction Act.

This marks the 90th year the University of Illinois Variety Testing will provide unbiased, third-party performance evaluations free for farmers.

A new digital platform designed to assist farmers implement precision farming strategies was rolled out this year.

Matthew Montgomery, of Chatham, was named recipient of the 2024 Illinois Certified Crop Adviser Award.

Illinois soybean farmers will now have additional assistance with evaluating field data to better implement practices that benefit the environment.

Corn products are typically recommended based on soil type and other factors, but a new effort now looks at root characteristics to tie it all together.

McDonald’s USA, Lopez Foods and Syngenta North America announced a collaboration that aims to increase feed efficiency and help reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions released per pound of meat produced.

ILSoyAdvisor Soy Envoys recapped the top agronomic challenges of 2024 and what potentially lies ahead for 2025 in an Illinois Soybean Association Field Advisor podcast.

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

Jim Fulton heard concerns about nitrogen leaving cropland and related water quality problems and decided to do something about it after hearing about constructed wetlands.

A constructed wetland designed to receive tile drainage water from 73 acres of corn and soybeans is doing its job of removing nitrates.

If you’re waiting for water, then the weather outlook headed into the first weeks of November will be good news. But if you’re ready to break out the cold weather gear, you may have to wait a while.

While the extended dry, warm fall has made harvest of corn and soybeans smoother for farmers, it also means farmers might have to put the brakes on when it comes to fall fertilizer applications.

Soybean farmers have benefited from decades of checkoff-funded research that’s pushed yields, and now a program is taking those efforts to the next level.

Cabbages are not exactly the typical big university landscaping, but at Northern Illinois University, cabbages — and other vegetables, fruits and herbs — are the first step in what could be a food revolution.

Moderate to severe drought conditions across the Corn Belt provided ideal conditions for fast harvest, but it also draws questions about fall fertilizer strategies and tillage if the weather trend continues.

Farmers for Soil Health empowers farmers to lead the charge in sustainability, putting real money directly into their hands to drive change where it matters most — at the farm level.

Examples of typical and not-so-common cover crops used in corn and soybean rotations were featured in a recent plot tour on the Farm Progress Show grounds.

Participation in the Precision Conservation Management program continues to grow and farmers can still sign up for the 2024 crop year, as well as 2025.

Lincoln Land Community College Continuing, Corporate and Professional Education and Todd Steinacher, agronomic coach, will offer a comprehensive Agronomy Journey Conference.