A team of Purdue University students won first place in the food track of the 2026 Student Soybean Innovation Competition.

Bryan Severs was reappointed chair of the U.S. Identity Preserved Alliance at its annual meeting.

There’s heightened concern across the Corn Belt due to the surge in fertilizer and fuel prices, combined with a volatile commodity market.

United Producers Inc. announced a leadership transition at its Salem market as Maycey Crain and Mark Kleiboeker step into new roles to serve producers across the region.

With farmers capturing only a small share of the food dollar, even modest swings in commodity prices or increases in input costs can quickly strain farm finances.

Cattle, sheep and goat prices are at record or near record levels and fundamentally should remain that way for some time to come.

Thirteen Illinois Farm Bureau members and agricultural professionals graduated from the Agricultural Leaders of Tomorrow program, an extensive leadership development program designed to help participants develop leadership and advocacy skills.

Farmers and ranchers can capture more of the food dollar through value-added production, direct marketing and partnerships that move them deeper into supply chain activities.

Charlie Meier is quick to point out that had it not been for his involvement with FFA and 4-H as a youngster, he would not be a state representative.

We have continued to have a few health problems here with the insurance calves and now we have more mud.

Brush in our pastures is my nemesis and I find myself looking for every opportunity to do damage to every Russian olive and locust tree on the planet.

You drive past or in the fields and lots where we are calving and there are babies running around, enjoying their surroundings and their new playmates.

Johnson County 4-H is recognizing service members this spring by featuring 4-H alumni on active duty in the U.S. military.

Greg and Janis Thoren are the recipients of the 2026 Illinois Leopold Conservation Award.

St. Joseph Ag Days will be held April 10-12 this spring as a free, interactive way for families to learn about agriculture.

The 2026 Indiana General Assembly wrapped up its work, which included some wins for agriculture, according to leaders at Indiana Farm Bureau.

The Illinois Pork Producers Association honored a family that has contributed to the long-term success of the industry through leadership and pork promotion at the local and state levels.

As days lengthen and soil temperatures begin inching upward, cool-season forages slowly wake from dormancy.

Agricultural economic conditions are mostly flat since mid-January across the Corn Belt’s Federal Reserve Districts, according to a survey.

Orion Samuelson wasn’t my formal mentor, but he didn’t have to be. His work ethic spoke louder than any lesson plan ever could.

Strong results continue at the 2026 Illinois Performance Tested Bull Sale held at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield.

The latest federal farm income forecast reinforces the difficult reality for U.S. agriculture.

I took the Bud Williams “Hand ‘n Hand” Marketing School and Stockmanship School in-person classes in southwestern Missouri and learned you must include a profit in everything you do.

When we drone seeded clover on the wheat last February it had just a little green, but I was hoping it would soon look better and it does.

The National Pork Producers Council elected new officers and board members to lead the organization through the 2026-2027 term.

Delegates to National Farmers Union’s 124th Anniversary Convention cast their ballots to unanimously reelect Rob Larew and Jeff Kippley as the organization’s president and vice president, respectively.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has now sharply lowered its 2025 farm income outlook by $25 billion, reinforcing that this downturn is deeper and more persistent than many anticipated.

The September-seeded rye really greened up with the rain and temperatures, so some grazing may be taking place soon.

A little moisture is all it takes to get folks thinking spring has arrived.

I know a lot of people were thinking, and maybe rightfully so, that our region could use moisture. I beg to differ.

Raising livestock is an important way for Chad Bell to diversify his farming operation in western Illinois.

Farmland values increased 2% in the last quarter of 2025 and were up 6% year-over-year in the 7th Federal Reserve District.

One of the few bright spots in the agricultural economy has been beef cattle, as smaller cattle supplies paired with strong consumer demand for beef has driven up prices for both cattle and beef, reports Jim Henry.

Growing winter forage can improve water quality, reduce soil erosion, add organic matter, break up compaction and provide livestock feed.

We’ve had several inquiries by folks wanting to get started since these sky-high prices, both beef and lamb, have shown the benefit of diversifying from the corn and bean doldrums.

While winter grazing can work, understanding the physiological stress it places on forage plants — and planning for recovery — is critical to long-term pasture health.

For people in agriculture and rural communities, take heed: We work outside where ticks thrive, and one small bite can create a life-changing food allergy.

Western Illinois University’s Livestock Judging Team earned national recognition this season, placing in the top five at the Cattlemen’s Congress in Oklahoma City and being named the 2026 National Western Stock Show Senior College Champion Team in Denver.

Parasites are a hidden drain on cattle performance, quietly stealing productivity and profit from herds across the country.

AgriNews and Beck’s are proud to announce the Poynter Family of Putnam County as the 2026 Indiana Farm Family of the Year.

Giving lollipops to all the students at La Salle-Peru High School is just one of many activities planned for National FFA Week by the members of the La Salle-Peru FFA Chapter.

Case IH launched its all-new Puma series tractor, available in 155, 165 and 185 horsepower models, with a full vehicle redesign, configured for unmatched performance, reliability and efficiency.

Join University of Illinois Extension for a series, “Pasture Improvement: The Basics and Beyond,” that will focus on management strategies to improve pasture productivity and resilience.

The U.S. cattle and beef industry enters 2026 with strong but volatile market conditions, as historically tight cattle supplies, record-setting beef demand and elevated policy and weather uncertainty continue to support prices, even as markets appear to near cyclical highs.

Now is the time to reform regulations that have hindered conservation efforts, strengthen protections against the spread of New World screwworm, expand foreign market access for U.S. beef and advance science-based policies that keep beef at the center of the plate.

I just returned from a quick trip to CattleCon, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s annual meeting and trade show. The industry is rapidly growing with technology.

The shop has been getting a workout with all the fix-it projects we had stacked up and the weather has been motivation to move most work indoors.

We got our annual dose of bad winter weather and it has just now left us, as the warmup finally has gotten here and the snowpack has finally all but melted away.

One way to make more money with beef cows is to save some money.

Smith Family Farms focuses on meeting environmental goals with a cow herd, cover crops and no-till planting.