Greg and Janis Thoren are the recipients of the 2026 Illinois Leopold Conservation Award.

The Weitendorf Agricultural Education Center has been a hub of activity for nearly two decades, hosting workshops, seminars, expos, livestock and horticulture judging, countless opportunities for students of all ages and other events.

After a wet start to March, Indiana fields are soaked.

Indiana farmers can apply for free soil sampling through a statewide program aimed at improving nutrient management and water quality.

Thirteen Illinois Farm Bureau members traveled to Mexico to strengthen agricultural ties and gather insight on trade ahead of the upcoming review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

Initial results of the Illinois Soybean Association On-Farm Trial Network’s first sulfur trials on 17 locations across the state were revealed at the recent Field Advisor Forum.

Maximizing ROI isn’t just about how much you apply — it’s about understanding the science behind nutrient efficiency from application to uptake.

Illinois Farm Bureau will host five Nutrient Stewardship Field Days this spring for farmers and industry partners to collaborate and discuss ongoing research and innovative approaches to nutrient stewardship.

Improving farm drainage tiles in Illinois can be very challenging because most farmland is owned by absentee landowners rather than by the farmer.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized a two-season registration for over-the-top dicamba use on dicamba-tolerant soybeans.

The Morrow Plots, famed in song and story, represent the oldest continuously running agricultural experiment in North America.

Results of the third annual Illinois Ag Retail Survey found conservation practices are gradually increasing across the Prairie State.

Southern corn rust is generally considered a “tropical disease,” but there were unusually widespread reports of the fungus across Indiana and Illinois in 2025.

Gov. Mike Braun proclaimed Feb. 23-27 as Invasive Species Awareness Week in Indiana.

Corn diseases can produce mycotoxins that impact the corn silage in dairy cattle rations.

In another move toward shaping future dairy champions, Midwest Dairy announced the 2026 Illinois Dairy Ambassadors.

Farmers invest a lot of resources and time into their crop. Avoiding delays early can safeguard those investments.

As growers prepare for the upcoming growing season against a backdrop of volatility, like shifting markets, unpredictable weather and accelerating technology, they’ll be faced with higher-stakes decisions and less room for error.

A timely, well-executed burndown clears the way for planting, strengthens resistance management and keeps weeds from dictating the season before it even begins.

The 2026 class of Brevant seeds is hitting ag retail shelves now as anticipation for planting builds.

Corn bred with genes from wild relatives can reshape soil microbial communities and reduce nitrogen loss — with no yield reduction, according to new research from the University of Illinois.

A duo nozzle and injection system that simultaneously provides blanket and spot applications in a single pass was revealed by Precision Planting.

Weed resistance is a problem for many corn and soybean farmers that is likely to continue.

The Saving Tomorrow’s Agriculture Resources program is designed to be free, straightforward, voluntary and locally relevant.

Markup of the new farm bill is underway and Illinois pork producers got a first-hand account of the legislation by the U.S. House Agriculture Committee chair.

When you understand how to optimize your crop nutrition inputs, you can improve your returns without necessarily increasing your costs.

A coalition of health and environmental groups sued the Environmental Protection Agency, challenging the rescinding of a scientific finding that has been the central basis for U.S. action to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change.

Growing winter forage can improve water quality, reduce soil erosion, add organic matter, break up compaction and provide livestock feed.

The difference between successful and less successful farming operations ultimately hinges on whether “we’re in this for the long term or short term.”

While winter grazing can work, understanding the physiological stress it places on forage plants — and planning for recovery — is critical to long-term pasture health.

Western Illinois University School of Agriculture will host an open house starting at 9 a.m. Friday, March 27, at the University Farm Livestock Center.

Beck’s announced the launch of Seed IQ, an AI-driven platform designed to help farmers make the best decisions when choosing hybrids.

The Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association’s interim president got his start with the organization as an intern collecting biomass samples in cover crop fields, as well as coordinating nitrogen rate trials and anhydrous safety training.

Heirloom and ancient grains are grown on Hazzard Free Farm without any chemical pesticides.

Regenerative agriculture is about mimicking nature’s principles, designs and patterns.

Join University of Illinois Extension for a series, “Pasture Improvement: The Basics and Beyond,” that will focus on management strategies to improve pasture productivity and resilience.

University of Illinois Extension’s online-only Crop Management Conference allows more time to plan and strategize with the resources most beneficial to today’s farms from the comfort of home.

Now is the time to reform regulations that have hindered conservation efforts, strengthen protections against the spread of New World screwworm, expand foreign market access for U.S. beef and advance science-based policies that keep beef at the center of the plate.

Agriculture has never been just about acres, animals, or equipment. It’s about people. It’s about families, partnerships, neighbors and communities whose lives are tied to the land and to each other.

Farmers, advisers and conservation professionals looking to sharpen their skills and further Illinois’ stewardship practices are encouraged to apply for the Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership’s Soil Health Leadership Program which is accepting applications through March 1.

The Practical Farm Research conducted by Beck’s is aimed to make a difference and help farmers succeed.

Soy foods align closely with the Dietary Guidelines’ emphasis on nutrient-dense, plant-based protein sources. They recognize foods such as tofu and tempeh for their protein content, as well as fermented soy foods like miso, which are valuable for gut health.

An Indiana bill aimed at restricting certain food additives in school meals is moving forward, drawing concern from agricultural groups like Farm Bureau which warn that the legislation could create higher costs, regulatory confusion and other problems.

A planting system that places the seed in the optimum position to promote even germination and emergence was revealed at the annual Precision Planting winter conference.

If ever there was a time to turn off the television — especially during the evening news hour — this is it.

Nick Seiter, University of Illinois Extension entomologist, said populations of both northern and western corn rootworms have developed resistance to all available Bt traits.

A common practice of adding an insecticide with a fungicide application at R3 is likely missing its mark with no return-on-investment, according to researchers.

The Illinois Agri-Women organization has awarded four scholarships for females studying agriculture.

Many of the changes in the new food guidelines issued recently by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services were red meat to farmers and ranchers.

Committed to protecting Illinois’ resources and the environment through farmer-led, locally-developed programs, Illinois Farm Bureau is awarding a record 34 grants for nutrient stewardship and pollinator projects to county Farm Bureaus across the state.