McDonald’s said it plans to invest $200 million over the next seven years to promote regenerative agriculture practices on cattle ranches.

The earliest winter calvers were moved to corn residue closer to his home and, as mentioned last month, half of the stocker steers grazing the sorghum-sudangrass also were shipped out to a Nebraska feedlot.

I would like to find some time for some more brush control projects, but I’m concerned that the dry weather may have rendered the target plants less receptive to absorb the chemical than would be ideal and I don’t want to waste the herbicides or the time to apply them.

With the shutdown of the government, there is uncertainty in knowing when we will receive our cost-share funds from the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

CattleCon 2026, the largest cattle industry event of the year, is heading Feb. 3-5 to the heart of downtown Nashville.

Greg Thoren is using a virtual fencing system to graze cattle in various areas of his farm as part of his regenerative agriculture plan for his operation.

The Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition has released a new “How-To” Video Series designed to give livestock producers quick, practical tools to improve grazing systems and pasture management.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service is a U.S. Department of Agriculture agency that helps landowners fix natural resource concerns on their land.

It’s almost time for Mindy Orschell’s favorite view — sunsets from the combine next to a fresh-cut soybean field.

Developing a livestock grazing plan during the initial design of solar projects helps to eliminate future problems.

Combining solar projects with grazing animals is a way for livestock producers to expand their operations without depending on land ownership.

The United Soybean Board tightened its budget belt for the new fiscal year by prioritizing high-impact projects with better return on investment for farmers.

Cattle are now grazing on a field of cover crops at Riskedal Farms.

We went from moist to popcorn-fart dry. However, my warm-season annuals loved it. They just kept on growing.

Many of us are still reeling from the recent tragic murder of Charlie Kirk. His legacy as a staunch defender of his Christian faith, as well as his defense of truth, has inspired thousands of people, young and old, around the world.

Dan Sanderson is the recipient of the 2025 Illinois Leopold Conservation Award.

Despite all the hot weather we had in July and August, the cattle have come on well and look great. Returns on the cattle we have sold continue to show they are performing and grading very well.

Prices for every class of cattle are over-the-moon high and the only question I hear is, “When will this bubble burst?” The answer of course is, “Who knows?”

The moderate drought we are back in has hastened the row crop maturation and held back everything else needing a drink.

Why wouldn’t you want to farm the land in a way that builds soil biodiversity, delivers a return on investment and restores wildlife habitat?

The annual Orr Beef Research Center Field Day will take place at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 10.

I’m hustling to keep up with the grass growth and mow under the fence to keep the volts up and my high school help went back to school.

Nathaniel will be marketing his first-ever pastured organic broiler crop as his entrepreneurial debut.

Plant succession is a process where one plant community replaces another.

The Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition will host two upcoming Grazing Schools, with events scheduled this September in Cambridge and Waltonville.

We think now in our second rotation that things are improving, not just from better practices from us, but from the steers perhaps having less anxiety about what and where they are grazing.

Wheat harvest is complete on Riskedal Family Farms and cover crops have been planted that will be grazed by cattle starting in September.

Identifying their business goal will help cattlemen determine where to allocate dollars in their operation.

American Agri-Women’s 30th Symposium was held at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington.

With good yields come low prices, so at times like these it’s good to have some diversification.

There will be at least three more pasture walks put on by the Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition coming up.

“Summertime, when the livin’ is easy.” That line from a well-known song couldn’t be further from the truth.

By having the HeatSiecker patches on this year, it allowed for digital alerts of estrus and not having to spend as much time visually observing the cows in person.

Illinois Farm Bureau is hosting Nutrient Stewardship Field Days this summer for farmers and industry partners to collaborate and discuss ongoing research and innovative approaches to nutrient stewardship.

A wise-old rancher told me last year, “I can lead you to knowledge, but I can’t make you think.”

The Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition has worked successfully through the tension of whether it would still have grant funds for events after the days of DOGE.

The Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition announced the launch of a new educational initiative for producers: the Illinois Grazing and Forage Hub.

I’ve got my bean crop planted into green standing cereal rye that had been sprayed just the day previous. It went into great soil conditions.

Last month I alluded to an announcement concerning our grazing operation here at River Oak for 2025. So, here it is.

Focusing on soil health is important for farmers since soil fertility is not inexhaustible.

The focus at TWG Ranch is to raise reproductive, maternal cattle with longevity and product merit.

Tags on bags of livestock feed must meet specific standards.

Some of the highlights I came away with from the Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition’s 2025 Grazing Conference are: soil microbes help the water percolate through the soil and cover crops help feed the soil microbes which make them multiply.

It is great to see several tractors in the fields around northern Illinois. They are putting fertilizer down and soil finishing the fields. No planting yet, but it will not be too long.

Grass will be ready for turnout soon. It is hard to hold out, but so important to give grass a fair start.

Vegetation management is a vital part of the development plan for solar arrays since shade is the No. 1 enemy for collecting sunlight by the panels.

Illinois cattlemen have an abundant supply of low-cost feed available for their herds with the millions of acres of corn grown each year in the state.

Disruption is the key to adaptive grazing systems.

American Farmland Trust focuses on protecting farmland, keeping farmers on the land and promoting sound farming practices.

The Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition announced the recipients of the 2025 Master Grazier Awards at the ILGLC Annual Grazing Conference in Springfield.