A phone call from a friend changed Debbie Ruff’s career trajectory 35 years ago, and she’s “still having fun” as ag literacy coordinator.

Farmers across the Midwest are dealing with a new problem — black vultures are attacking livestock. This scavenger species didn't live in the area previously; however, warming temperatures have expanded its range.

A multispecies grazing system can result in several benefits including more uniform grazing, reduced herbicide use, eliminating unwanted plants and the potential for more profit.

From supporting rural communities to marketing products internationally, the Illinois Department of Agriculture provides a wide range of programs.

There are many current issues important to Illinois cattlemen including the development of a new farm bill.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the Strengthening Processing for U.S. Ranchers Program that will provide temporary support for eligible beef processing establishments.

Entries for the dairy cattle show at the 59th World Dairy Expo in Madison are now being accepted exclusively online at worlddairyexpo.com.

The Illinois Corn Growers Association and farmer leaders feel overwhelmingly positive after their review of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Regenerative Feedstock Rule.

We are hosting a cattle farm wagon tour here at River Oak — 15703 E. 1600th St., Macomb — on the morning of July 11, beginning at 8:30 a.m. You can register with University of Illinois Extension.

The fat cattle market continues to roll along with setbacks followed shortly with new highs.

The official start of summer started off with a vengeance down here as the last week of June was a scorcher.

This country was built by ordinary men and women willing to do extraordinary things.

Lake County Farm Bureau has invited elected officials, school representatives and their families to attend the annual Evening on the Farm event July 24 at Kleine Dairy Farm.

State and local officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the opening of Incobrasa Industries’ new facility that doubles its annual soybean processing capacity.

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

Cattlemen should make sure they have the correct number of bulls to match the number of cows in the herd and that vaccinations are up to date.

BioCV’s new sow monitoring system uses a smart ear tag to continuously track individual animal temperature, behavior and movement.

Heat stress remains one of the biggest seasonal threats facing dairy producers.

The Illinois Division of Midwest Dairy announced that five Illinois students will receive a $1,000 scholarship to support their education at an accredited college or university this fall.

Midwest Dairy, in partnership with VentureFuel, announced the six companies selected for the second-annual Midwest Dairy Accelerator, an intensive 10-week virtual program designed to help emerging food and beverage brands scale innovative products that use Midwest dairy.

A team of food science students from Utah State University won first place in Dairy Management Inc.’s New Product Competition with a high-protein personal pizza featuring a crust made with approximately 85% dairy ingredients.

The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management Program is accepting nominations for its annual FARM Excellence Awards, recognizing U.S. dairy industry achievements in adopting and improving on-farm practices.

The Drug Residue Prevention Manual continues to be a trusted resource for dairy farmers when making educated choices with their veterinarians to care for their animals.

It was a memorable day for a select group of women who attended Girls Who Grill, an exclusive event designed to build confidence around grilling.

Merck Animal Health reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the cattle industry’s response to the growing threat of New World screwworm.

The farm economy is at a pivotal moment: If policymakers are not able to learn from the mistakes of the past, the past could repeat itself.

Students from the Western Illinois University School of Agriculture earned multiple team and individual honors at the 2026 North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Judging Conference.

Corn shelling is once again a job on Nathan Gudmunson’s farm operation.

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.

Scientists have discovered an evolutionary innovation in soybean plants that might improve crop yields if fine-tuned through alternative approaches such as gene editing.

As we gather this Fourth of July, it’s worth remembering and mentioning that the safest, most abundant and affordable food supply in the world happens because farmers and ranchers continue showing up every day despite the challenges.

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

Around 160 people attended the 2026 Livestock Summit in Indianapolis, bringing together leaders and farmers from across the state.

From weaning and transportation to commingling and even changes in weather, cattle move through a series of stressful events that can challenge their immune functions.

Matt Raben, a White county farmer and Illinois Corn Marketing Board director, was elected to serve on the executive committee of the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council during the organization’s 37th annual meeting.

Four outstanding FFA members involved with raising livestock, conducting research projects and painting farm equipment were named top in the state during the Stars Over Illinois Ceremony.

The FFA journey for Claire Woeppel is a legacy.

Detection and containment methods have improved since New World screwworm was previously in the United States — but eradication could take significant time, cautions Jim Henry.

The 97th Indiana FFA State Convention wrapped up with an impressive showing of leadership, skill and community impact.

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.

At a time when farmers are facing the toughest economic environment we’ve seen in a generation, we need every tool available to help strengthen farm income and create new opportunities for agriculture.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed the presence of New World screwworm in Texas and New Mexico, sounding the alarm for producers across the country to be cautious and keep an eye out for the pest.

As cases of New World screwworm spread and threaten the beef and cattle industry, the Trump administration is rolling out a familiar playbook: Blame former President Biden.

My oldest granddaughter received her State FFA Degree. Less than 2% of all Illinois FFA members meet the requirements to earn the honor.

I’m getting way behind on cultivating, and the corn — and weeds — aren’t waiting.

June seems to go by so fast every year. I think I am going to slow summer down and accomplish so many things and then it is already July Fourth.

Indiana Pork sponsored Indianapolis Tenderloin Week, a celebration of one of the Hoosier state’s most beloved culinary traditions: the breaded pork tenderloin sandwich.

With a mandatory July 1 deadline for the trilateral joint review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement approaching, an economic study detailed the trade pact’s overall impact on U.S. agriculture.

For most of my life, I assumed everyone’s dad worked as hard as mine. It wasn’t until I got older that I realized what I witnessed growing up wasn’t something everyone experienced.