Politics

The number of monarch butterflies spending the winter in the western United States has dropped to its second-lowest mark in nearly three decades as pesticides, diminishing habitat and climate change take their toll on the beloved pollinator.

Lawmakers and farmers mingled at the Indiana Statehouse to enjoy a bacon brunch and discuss farm policies.

The notion of tariffs dates back to the first major law passed by the U.S. Congress in 1789 and has evolved over time.

The long-term downward spiral in the number of U.S. cattle farms and ranches informs us that our industry is in a severe crisis.

New Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers officers were installed at the group’s annual conference.

Members of Illinois Agri-Women gathered for their annual meeting to elect new officers, conduct association business and learn about several Illinois agricultural organizations.

A freeze on federal loans and grants is creating turmoil for some rural U.S. business owners who fear they won’t get reimbursed for new, cleaner irrigation equipment or solar panels they purchased with the promise of a rebate.

The CattleFax Outlook Seminar, held as part of CattleCon 2025 in San Antonio, shared expert market and weather analysis.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Executive Committee approved the organization’s policy priorities at CattleCon 2025.

Tariffs will not curtail imports, but they will help to rebalance trade by leveling the economic playing field between domestic cattle producers and producers from countries who enjoy less stringent production standards and lower currency valuations.

The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture set its federal policy focus for 2025, prioritizing five key issues.

Over his 30-year career, Tim Harris has never strayed far from his multigenerational family farm southeast of Princeton, but his volunteer work for various organizations and his impact expands far beyond Bureau County.

Gov. Mike Braun proclaimed the week of Feb. 15-22 as FFA Week in Indiana to celebrate agricultural education and FFA’s impact on youth leadership and career success.

During the final stages of building the world’s first atomic bomb, scientists worried their new weapon might ignite the atmosphere and wipe out every living thing. Farmers are experiencing similar anxieties as efforts slash federal spending.

America’s farmers and ranchers are no strangers to uncertainty, but the challenges they face today call for immediate attention and decisive leadership.

Zoe Kent hopes people get a little joy out of her talking about farming on the Internet. In one of her latest videos, she compares pesticide application to dry shampoo. “Farming is for the girls,” she quips.

Just a couple weeks ago at the American Farm Bureau Convention in San Antonio, Texas, I reminded Farm Bureau members that it’s going to take all of us stepping up in 2025 to drive agriculture forward.

When you push markets one way with tariffs, you should expect an equal and opposite reaction from those same markets.

Sean Duffy, the new transportation secretary, faced his first major crisis just hours after his swearing-in.

Hours after being sworn in as the new U.S. secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy took aim at the way the government regulates miles per gallon for cars and trucks — a principal way it regulates air pollution and climate change.

During National FFA Week, many of us recall those years we spent wearing blue and gold jackets with the FFA logo emblazoned on the back. I still have mine, a hand-me-down from my sister, hanging in a closet somewhere in this old house.

Automaker Stellantis plans to reopen an assembly plant in Illinois and build the next-generation Dodge Durango in Detroit, the automaker said.

The Mexican government repealed its ban on biotech corn imports from the United States.

We need your help in convincing Congress and the administration to help reverse the decline of our nation’s cattle and sheep farms and ranches, and your calls and letters to Congress will certainly help.

We have officially wrapped up the 106th American Farm Bureau Convention in San Antonio, Texas, and I’m so thankful for another incredible week with our Farm Bureau family as we looked for ways to step up and drive forward.

Just weeks into the Republican takeover of Congress and the White House, Project 2025 is the cornerstone of President Donald Trump’s governing plans.

With U.S. and Illinois pork producers being some of the first to be impacted directly by news coming out of Washington, D.C., Jennifer Tirey is ready to arm producers and allied industry with timely information.

I love living in a part of the country where we get four seasons every year. However, I would be willing to trade in a few of the colder days of winter for some extra days in spring, the season of new beginnings.

Bird flu is forcing farmers to slaughter millions of chickens a month, pushing U.S. egg prices to more than double their cost in the summer of 2023. And it appears there may be no relief in sight, given the surge in demand as Easter approaches.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced $14.7 million in federal grant funding will be used to extend the state’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program beyond June 30.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has announced applications for two internship opportunities available for summer 2025.

The Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, platform is generating a lot of interest in how our food is produced. Farmers and ranchers welcome a healthy discussion — we always have.

With a new Congress and administration sworn in, it’s time to get back to work in Washington. Just like there’s never a shortage of work to be done on the farm, there’s a full list of issues that our lawmakers need to tackle.

Corn and soybean prices for this marketing year are projected below the 20-year average, but expenses aren’t following the trend.

Brooke Rollins was confirmed as secretary of agriculture, placing a close ally of President Donald Trump into a key position at a time when mass deportation plans could lead to farm labor shortages and tariffs could hit exports.

Think water is not an issue in Indiana or the Midwest, like it is in Arizona or California? Think again, cautioned Brianna Schroeder, a partner at Janzen Schroeder Ag Law, during an educational seminar at the Fort Wayne Farm Show.

Harmful chemicals in sewage sludge that is spread on pasture land as fertilizer are causing cancer, the Environmental Protection Agency said.

The day after Congress certified Donald Trump’s election as president, the U.S. Border Patrol conducted unannounced raids throughout Bakersfield, California, descending on businesses where day laborers and field workers gather. The impact was immediate.

Mexico and the European Union announced a revamped trade agreement that they said would substantially increase trade and investment, days before the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

I have said it many times: farming is not an easy life’s work and certainly not for the faint of heart. Farming can push you to your physical and emotional limits. It can nearly kill you. It can save your life.

Dairy producers may see differences in their milk checks from changes that are included in the Federal Milk Marketing Orders referendum.

Deere & Co. unfairly forces farmers to visit authorized dealers to repair their equipment, resulting in higher prices than if they could fix it themselves or get help from independent shops, the Federal Trade Commission claims in a lawsuit.

While the 2018 farm bill might be on its second extension, the subsidy for one crop insurance product will increase without the benefit of new legislation, benefiting farmers.

Smithfield Foods’ CEO hopes everything the company has done to make working in its plants more attractive since COVID tore through the industry will help it weather the impact of President Donald Trump’s promised mass deportations.

Jaime Castaneda, executive vice president of policy development and strategy for the National Milk Producers Federation, looks at the issue of immigration reform through the eyes of an immigrant.

U.S. dairy has found its “whey” into China with a dairy byproduct that continues to grow in popularity. Whey is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained in making cheese.

The new year always feels like a fresh start, a time to plan for the months ahead and think about what needs to get done.

Scott Halpin’s term as Illinois Farm Service Agency executive director concluded with the change of federal administrations.

California’s efforts to limit pollution from diesel-powered trains and big rigs were stalled in anticipation of pushback from the incoming Trump administration.

Adding sustainable aviation fuel to the list of products made from corn and soybeans may help increase profits for U.S. farmers.