From sale trends to who’s buying, panelists covered a myriad of hot topics during the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers’ recent Land Values Conference.

Farmers were more optimistic about the ag economy in March, according to the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer.

Bunge announced more than 70 new career opportunities at its plant in Morristown over the course of the year.

Students at Purdue University celebrated Ag Week — a tradition of student-led events hosted by the College of Agriculture.

A couple from Columbus announced a new faculty endowment fund to Vincennes University, which will support agricultural innovation and education.

With a September deadline, and a congressional summer vacation on the calendar, the clock is ticking on a new five-year farm bill.

While the Fed expects to cut interest rates this year, it won’t be ready to do so until it sees “more good inflation readings” and is more confident that annual price increases are falling toward its 2% target.

Six years ago, Illinois farmer John Ackerman didn’t hire any contract workers at all. Now he typically hires about 22 every year through a local coordinator that helps farmers hire crews of skilled workers.

Republican legislators in Kansas advanced proposals aimed at preventing individuals and companies from China and other U.S. adversaries from owning farmland or business property.