A corn crib, which carries a bit of history itself, was given a fresh coat of paint when Mike Fogarty decided to add a special touch.

Spraying for weeds in corn and soybean fields has been completed on Cliff Lane’s farm and the next task will be spraying the crops with fungicide.

Hoosiers planted an estimated 1.58 million acres of cover crops, according to survey results from Indiana Conservation Partnership.

Overall agricultural conditions in the Corn Belt continue to be dampened by lower commodity prices, higher input costs and tighter credit.

Few phrases in rural America carry more weight than eminent domain.

Public lands offer quality grazing grounds for livestock, which in turn reduces wildfire risk and contributes to the vitality of rural communities across the West.

The national debt’s influence reaches into nearly every corner of our economy.

Despite the fluctuation in available funding, farmers are still encouraged to utilize the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Farmer sentiment dropped again in June as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer Index declined from 119 points in May to 113 points in June.

Continued low prices, government subsidy programs and high input costs will continue to weigh on farmer profitability and their ability to maintain current cash rents. These factors will all be important to consider when 2027 rents are negotiated in the fall of 2026.

The use of AI in agriculture has potential to enhance efficiency through precision agriculture, optimize resource use and improved production.

The ag real estate market is showing signs of softening in 2026, said Howard Halderman, president and CEO of Halderman Farm Management and Real Estate Services, during a recent webinar.

Not separating family dynamics from business realities can cause fractures when it comes to succession planning on family farms, experts said during a webinar hosted by Halderman Real Estate and Farm Management.

Proactive farm estate and succession planning ensures agricultural legacies survive across generations.

With the updated data from the latest quarterly grain stocks and acreage reports, the U.S. Department of Agriculture made some slight adjustments in the crop balance sheets.

At a time when commodity prices remain under pressure and margins are already thin, higher operating expenses will place additional strain on farm viability, reports Jim Henry.

The United States is the world’s largest producer and exporter of corn. But that global market — and corn superpower status — is not guaranteed.

Farmers for Soil Health, the farmer-led initiative launched in 2022 to double cover crop acres on U.S. farmland by 2030, has reopened enrollment for 2026 with increased per-acre payments and a simplified one-year contract designed to remove barriers for growers.

An expected large shift away from corn acres didn’t happen, based on a planted acres survey of farmers by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

After spring planting is complete, agricultural producers in Illinois should make an appointment with their local Farm Service Agency county office to complete crop acreage reports before the applicable deadline of July 15.

Agricultural operations in Illinois have been significantly impacted by recent severe weather and tornadoes.

The latest projections highlight the challenges farmers continue to face as input costs remain elevated with historically low commodity prices.

Families celebrating the Fourth of July holiday with a cookout will find that prices at the grocery store closely reflect inflation increases over the last year, reports Jim Henry.

The history of the United States is written in every row of crops, pasture and dairy barn from sea to sea.

Data centers create both economic opportunities and resource pressures, particularly around land, water and energy.

Four Indiana FFA members were named Stars over Indiana at the state convention, an honor for their had work in and outside of the classroom.

Agricultural conditions were unchanged or declined in most of the Federal Reserve Districts, while cost pressures intensified from fuel and fertilizer spikes.

A look at women whose contributions significantly shaped agriculture — trailblazers at the national, state or local level — is illuminating.

The Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer declined from 121 in April to 119 in May, driven primarily by worsening views of current conditions on the farm.

State lawmakers approved a $55.9 billion budget that included current-level funding for the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

State funding appropriations for Soil and Water Conservation Districts were kept at current levels for the third consecutive year, while legislation to create a sustainable funding source for the agency stalled.

Over the next several weeks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will conduct the June agricultural survey by contacting over 90,000 producers across the nation to determine crop acreage and stock levels as of June 1.

The number of acres managed by Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers members increased substantially in 10 years.

The U.S. Forest Service will abandon its nine regional offices as its parent U.S. Department of Agriculture consolidates out of Washington, D.C.

Stark and Tazewell counties had the state’s top average corn and soybean yields, respectively, in 2025.

Benton and Warren counties were Indiana’s top soybean and corn yield producers, respectively, in 2025.

The Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers’ comprehensive annual farmland values report also includes various tidbits of interest.

The 7th Federal Reserve District’s “good” farmland values increased 3% year over year, but dipped 1% over the last two quarters on average.

Smart site selection, local engagement and long-term planning can ensure rural America remains both a hub for agricultural production and a partner in responsible technological growth, reports Jim Henry.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture will distribute more than $796,000 over the next three years to expand access to fresh, locally grown produce and boost the competitiveness of the state’s specialty crop industry.

Complete certification early to avoid interfering with tile installation.

Farmland sales in Illinois are continuing their recent pattern of being unpredictable. Low farmer profits are the main driver of this volatility, but other factors also weigh on the marketplace.

Preparing for taxes and the transition of farming operations from one generation to the next is important for farm families.

Poverty is deepening and hunger is increasing across Cuba, a country of nearly 10 million people.

As we see more solar fields dotting our rural landscape, it’s understandable to question if this is the best use of our productive Illinois land.

The U.S. House passed a new farm bill after the agriculture industry has operated for the past eight years under the previous legislation that included three extensions.

Rather than treating wetlands as an obstacle, mitigation gives farmers a defined, documented pathway to move forward without jeopardizing their standing with federal farm programs.

In 1920, Daniel Chapman’s great-grandpa Ritchie started farming the land using horses. Since then, each generation of the family has worked to leave a legacy for the next.

Lease agreements shifted toward more traditional crop-share agreements in 2026.

The Indiana State Department of Agriculture updated its State Nutrient Reduction Strategy — a statewide strategy designed to improve water quality in Indiana, the Great Lakes and beyond.