Illinois State University

An Illinois State University organics class toured a farm and milling facility to see up close the field-to-bag process.

Growing specialty crops including vegetables, pumpkins, gourds, mums and gladioli have developed into award-winning projects for Ty Steffen.

Beef production spans generations in the Hanson and Kuipers family in Iroquois County where they operate a forage-based program utilizing a paddock grazing system along with growing corn, soybeans and wheat.

Working one-on-one with farmers and seeing positive changes across the landscape is what drives Aidan Walton. Walton has served farmers as a Precision Conservation Management specialist since 2021.

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

Business and numbers attracted Aaron Johnson to a career in agricultural financing, but the relationship and people aspect of the business became his passion during the past several decades.

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

Members of the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers elected a new leadership team during the organization’s annual meeting with Elizabeth Strom being named the new president.

The Illinois Corn Growers Association thanked Rich Clemmons for over four decades of work representing agriculture in Illinois policy. Clemmons announced his retirement after supporting ICGA as a lobbyist since 2008.

After meeting over 5,500 students and traveling over 14,500 miles, the Illinois FFA major state officers have completed four of their six weeks of chapter visits.

What began as an independent research project as a senior at Illinois State University has transformed into a career centered on on-farm trials that use an “outside-the-box” approach to crop production.

Although Claire Hodge did not plan on a career in agriculture, that changed while shopping at a farmers market.

A group of Brazilian agronomists, landowners and input industry representatives visited several locations in Illinois that included stops at the Illinois State University Farm, Bayer research facilities and John Deere.

Western Illinois University’s School of Agriculture will host its fourth annual Pennycress Field Day on May 25 at the Agriculture Field Laboratory.

Growing up just outside West Lafayette, Indiana, home of Purdue University, Rob Rhykerd had his sights set throughout high school on a career in engineering.

The 2023 Illinois Pork Producers Association delegate body recently elected four at-large directors and three new district directors.

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

An Illinois Valley Community College Foundation agriculture scholarship will honor the late June and Lyndon Hiltabrand of Cedar Point.

Receiving the Illinois Corn Growers Association’s Mike Plumer Environmental Award was extra special for honorees Richard Lyons and Ivan Dozier having known and worked with Plumer for many years.

The Illinois Corn Growers Association honored five individuals for their support of farmers and the industry during the group’s annual meeting. ICGA’s top award was presented to Mark Lambert, St. Louis, for his many years of service to Illinois corn farmers.

At the 95th National FFA Convention and Expo, held Oct. 26-29 in Indianapolis, nearly 70,000 students, advisers and guests from across the United States congregated in and around Lucas Oil Stadium to celebrate the successes of FFA members.

Farmers were encouraged to give cover crops a try at the Marshall-Putnam Farm Bureau Nutrient Loss Stewardship Field Day.

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.

Finding points of commonality and developing strong partnerships between groups that may not always agree has been a strong suit in the Prairie State’s nutrient loss reduction efforts.

The new Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program has sparked a large response, drawing more than 450 proposals seeking $3 billion to $4 billion in grants.

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.

A team of Illinois State University researchers are evaluating the impact of cover crops on carbon sequestration and organic matter.

Keeping the massive microbial community in soils happy is vital in crop production and research is underway that focuses on the relationships between cover crop selection and microbes.

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.

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

All students at the Grand Ridge School are learning about agriculture this year with the development of an ag program at the school that includes kindergarten through eighth grade.

Corn and sunflower planting season has arrived for Ukrainian farmers, bringing a multitude of other concerns and uncertainties that stretch across the globe as Russia continues its invasion.

Parturition management is one of the most popular classes in the Department of Agriculture at Illinois State University.

The Illinois Soybean Association has named its ILSoyAdvisor Soy Envoy class for the 2022 growing season. Funded by the Illinois Soybean checkoff program, the Soy Envoys represent a partnership between ISA and the Illinois Certified Crop Adviser Program.

Since Ava Marshall is part of a farm family, she thought she was well-versed in agriculture until she attended the Women Changing the Face of Agriculture event.

The early March weather has finally allowed us to complete the frost seeding. Conditions improved rapidly over the last weekend in February.

The Illinois Forage and Grassland Council will host an educational meeting for livestock and hay producers on Saturday, March 12.

A longtime member and mentor to many through decades of service to Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers was named to the chapter’s Hall of Fame during its recent annual meeting.

Implementation of cover crops will play a major role in reaching the goals established by the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy and a farm organization is helping to deliver that message directly to farmers this summer.

Cover crop successes and challenges were featured in a recent field day at the Illinois State University Research Farm. Nicholas Heller, ISU assistant crop sciences professor, led a tour of three cover crop systems that looked at seeding, management and benefits.

Regulations, consolidations, state budget cuts, training requirements and environmental concerns are only a snapshot of issues Jean Payne took head-on during her two-plus decades at the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association.

University Farm, Illinois State University’s research farm, will host a Cover Crop Field Day April 16.

The Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts is accepting applications for the George McKibben Memorial Scholarship.

Illinois agriculture remains rooted in tradition, but emerging technologies are continually advancing the industry. For students in Illinois State University’s Agriculture Department, hands-on learning opportunities are essential for merging the past and present with classroom theory and current best practices.