Southern Illinois University

Following a successful year at the Illinois State Fair with more than 70,000 people passing through the FFA Barnyard, the major state officers kept in “fair mode” as they traveled to the Du Quoin State Fair.

Confetti, traveling and fair food, oh my. Many people joke that my teammates and I are now “owned” by Illinois FFA.

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

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.

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 Badd Axe Ladies firefighter training program is opening up new career options for young women.

Thirteen enterprising graduate students researching soybean topics at universities across Illinois exhibited their innovative projects during the Illinois Soybean Association’s recent Soybean Summit.

The month of January saw Illinois FFA’s major state officers get right back into the swing of things. January kicked off with the officers spending a week at the Illinois FFA Center in Springfield.

Three superior members of the Illinois Agri-Women were honored with awards during the group’s annual meeting.

The drought that impacted much of Illinois was a primary concern in the first half of the 2023 growing season. Stephanie Porter and Kelsey Litchfield of the Illinois Soybean Association peeled away the layers of this past crop season in a recent podcast.

The droughty growing season revealed some “oopsies” and unusual disease occurrences in fields. Stephanie Porter reviewed the 2023 growing season during an ISA Field Talk event.

The Illinois Soybean Association doubled the number of soybean production research projects approved for fiscal year 2024.

Gracie Murphy, National FFA eastern region vice president from Illinois, shared an update with AgriNews as she prepares for the National FFA Convention.

The road to Illinois FFA Major State Office is not a smooth path and the officers learn quickly that their term is very busy; however, it is among the most fulfilling journeys on which a teenager can embark.

The Du Quoin State Fair reflects the spirit of a region. That region is southern Illinois and Josh Gross, the manager of the fair, is proud of the unique aspect of Illinois’ “other” state fair.

Illinois Agri-Women has awarded five scholarships for females studying agriculture. One $1,500 IAW Helen Henert Agriculture Education Scholarship has been awarded to Mallory Ames, an agriculture education major.

As the National FFA eastern region vice president, Gracie Murphy has met members and been involved in events across the nation, including eight state conventions.

Current research efforts are leading to a clearer picture of the incidences and severity of soybean foliar and stem diseases.

As the 95th Illinois FFA State Convention draws near, the Illinois FFA state officer team has been busy putting the finishing touches on the annual extravaganza.

The ILSoyAdvisor Soy Envoys are a critical component to the Illinois Soybean Association’s agronomic advantage. These expert individuals are literally in the trenches and in the fields, studying soils, crop growth and pests and making recommendations to growers.

Breaking the stigma of mental health issues is one aspect of helping those who are challenged with stressful situations.

Discussing topics such estate planning and mental health may not be comfortable for family members, but are essential.

John Pike’s career took some unexpected turns and he’s loved every bit of it. Pike was awarded the 2023 ILSoyAdvisor Soybean Master Adviser Award and was recognized at the Illinois Soybean Association’s Soybean Summit.

If it’s January, you’re most likely to find Matt Rush on the road and on his way to a meeting.

The successes by farmers and the accomplishments by the state’s Department of Agriculture were highlighted to open the Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable.

I’ve always loved the quote, “The bad news is, time flies. The good news is, you’re the pilot.” I think that idea is especially relevant as the calendar turns over a new page.

For three days in mid-December, the Illinois FFA Major State Officer Team embarked on a retreat to spend time focusing on the beginning of planning the 95th Illinois FFA State Convention.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Agriculture shared accomplishments made in 2022 to support the state’s No. 1 industry.

One question that Ryan Reeverts might be asked is how he prepared for the Illinois Farm Bureau Discussion Meet, which he won at the IFB’s annual meeting in Chicago earlier this month. A better question is — how did he find the time? “I definitely try to stay busy,” Reeverts said.

The Illinois Soybean Association has announced its ILSoyAdvisor award winners. The two awards are one way that ISA recognizes and shows its appreciation of Certified Crop Advisers across the state. Recipients were John Pike and Janette Porter.

As harvest begins to wind down, planning for the 2023 growing season is beginning to ramp up. The Illinois Soybean Association is proud to announce the FY23 checkoff-funded research projects which will be conducted in Illinois in partnership with university researchers.

Gracie Murphy is focused on helping FFA members find their purpose. Murphy is the eastern region vice president of the National FFA officer team. She is one of six FFA members that were selected for the team during the final day of the 95th National FFA Convention and Expo.

Incumbent Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker touted the work his administration has done on behalf of agriculture in remarks during the recent Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable candidate forum.

The road to Illinois FFA major state office is not a smooth path and the lucky few who are named state officers learn quickly that their term is not easy, either. However, it is among the most fulfilling journeys on which a teenager can embark.

The centennial of the Du Quoin State Fair is being honored in many ways when the fair kicks off, and one of the ways is a slate of significant improvements to the historic Perry County venue that has hosted the fair and many other events, the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds.

The people who meet Miss Illinois County Fair Queen Addisyn Calloni as she travels around to county fairs throughout the state would never guess it, but speaking to large groups of people hasn’t always been a favorite thing for Calloni.

Four students have been chosen for scholarships by Illinois Agri-Women. Alexis Claire Carroll of Carrollton is the 2022 recipient of the Illinois Agri-Women Helen Henert Agriculture Education Scholarship.

Excitement levels were high as delegates to the 94th Illinois FFA State Convention elected five members to the state officer team during the Thursday morning session of the three-day convention.

FFA members with projects that include managing crops, raising pigs, goats, rabbits and puppies, as well as experiments with cattle were honored during the Stars over Illinois event held on the second day of the 94th Illinois FFA State Convention.

My mother exemplifies the ethos of the ideal American farmer: a thoughtful steward of the land, an acute decision-maker and a relentlessly hard worker. Watching her work cattle is like watching Gordon Ramsay cook a gourmet dinner or Brad Paisley play an electric guitar riff.

The winner of the Star in Agribusiness award will be presented during the Stars over Illinois ceremony June 15.

If you’re from a rural community, you’ve been there. There are places you go and you just can’t seem to get any kind of cell reception. Dead zones.

Field trials of a new cover crop, CoverCress, are in its third year at the Illinois State University Farm and multiple benefits are being realized as intended.

The farmer is the most valuable asset on a farm. “The farmer takes care of his livestock, crops and equipment, but oftentimes farmers don’t take care of themselves,” said Karen Stallman, agriculture resource specialist for the Farm Family Resource Initiative.

Southern Illinois University’s Board of Trustees approved agreements clearing the way for a new multimillion-dollar interdisciplinary research and economic development hub, capitalizing on SIU Carbondale’s research into food, fermentation and biotechnology.

Chris Vick has been a student, a worker, a teacher and a farm director, all at the same university. For Vick, Southern Illinois University, more precisely the SIU University Farms, isn’t just work, but also home and family.

Although it was not her first career choice, Lisa Oellerich found her calling when she started teaching agriculture and advising the Scales Mound FFA Chapter.

College students graduating with a degree in agricultural education have a lot of job opportunities.

Blout Farms, based in Prairie City, has experienced continued growth in recent years, adding more acres and equipment to its operation.

When a person suffers from depression or anxiety it changes their ability to function. “If someone is losing control of who they want to be and they are losing hope, that’s a big red flag,” said Adrienne DeSutter, an agricultural mental health specialist.