The Illinois Department of Agriculture will distribute more than $796,000 over the next three years to expand access to fresh, locally grown produce and boost the competitiveness of the state’s specialty crop industry.

I planted cereal rye right into the bean stubble, after combining the beans off last fall. I never got enough rain to get enough growth to be able to graze it last fall.

The initial crop balance sheet forecasts for the 2026-2027 marketing year were unveiled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

I’m praying we have everything planted by the end of May, but it sure doesn’t look promising. The cover crops and wheat crop looks fantastic, despite the challenges of the daily freeze and frost watches.

Farming is a gamble every year when challenged by the weather and the cost of crop inputs, so there is no thought of gambling the future of the farm away at the casino.

Illinois agricultural producers impacted by recent severe weather — including tornadoes, straight-line winds and hail — can access technical and financial assistance from the USDA.

Illinois Farm Bureau will host 14 Nutrient Stewardship Field Days this summer for farmers and industry partners to collaborate and discuss ongoing research and innovative approaches to nutrient stewardship.

In May, grass is growing fast, and it’s easy to get ahead of yourself and move too quickly. Instead of sticking to a pre-set plan, watch what the plants are doing.

The Brookfield Aces 4-H club is like a large family where members are encouraged to help each other with their projects, community service activities and fundraisers.

Scouting emerging corn and soybeans provides both a chance to determine that crop’s current needs as well as guidance to correct any mistakes next year.

We are nearly a month now post-inaugural production sale. All the nervousness and concerns were brushed aside, as the sale in all facets turned out to be a great success.

When Jay Whalen was hired as a seed specialist 17 years ago, he began using his farm for testing the company’s various products.

Mark Bacon’s on-farm research is paying off by taking significant nitrogen cost out of production for corn in 2026.

Planting corn and soybeans on Bell Family Farms has started for the 2026 growing season.

For decades, farmers and ranchers have been begging antitrust officials for probes into concentrated industries like meatpacking, seed, fertilizer, machinery and grain merchandising.

Beck’s recently acquired the Mid-State Seed soybean processing facility in Marshall in central Missouri.

A garden is a structure, and like any structure, it requires a good foundation. That’s where soil health comes in.

With prices for many things creeping up this year, gardeners shopping for supplies might be looking to tighten their tool belts.

Planting season is ramping up with progress varying depending on the weather’s cooperation across geographies.

I asked a friend that has a home weather station to go back 24 months and tell me do we have a plus or minus water balance. He came up with 18 inches short.

A “From Field Tile to Tap” tour demonstrated what farmers can do on their farms to protect drinking water sources downstream.

Farmland values remain resilient in spite of a cooling agricultural economy, according to the latest installment of the Maximizing Your Farmland Series presented by Halderman.

For the past decade, farm profits have been highly volatile, making farm business planning difficult.

We have continued to have a few health problems here with the insurance calves and now we have more mud.

Whether you farm five acres or 5,000, you’re part of something bigger than your own farm. You’re helping support jobs, strengthen communities and power an economy that reaches every corner of this country.

Beck’s has acquired the exclusive licensing rights of the SOYLEIC patents from the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council.

The countdown to planting begins with April’s arrival, and farmers could start soon if conditions are favorable.

Seven U.S. grain dust explosions in 2025 caused 10 injuries and four fatalities, according to a nationwide annual summary.

Illinois Soybean Association has selected six agronomic professionals to serve as the 2026 IL Soy Envoy class.

The “red buffalo” played a critical role in maintaining prairie ecosystems for many millennia and the practice continues.

About 400 young ladies connected with professional women to learn about numerous agricultural careers during the Women Changing the Face of Agriculture event.

The Illinois Pork Producers Association honored a family that has contributed to the long-term success of the industry through leadership and pork promotion at the local and state levels.

As days lengthen and soil temperatures begin inching upward, cool-season forages slowly wake from dormancy.

Consolidations from the farm gate through the entire supply chain, combined with inconsistent federal policies, have pushed agriculture toward a pivotal moment in the nation’s history.

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

When we drone seeded clover on the wheat last February it had just a little green, but I was hoping it would soon look better and it does.

Changing feeds in dairy cow transition diets can help reduce costs.

Military action in the Middle East has disrupted critical shipments of fertilizer and oil as farmers head toward planting.

We must ensure strong market opportunities here at home to keep family farms in business.

Farmers can optimize their fungicide return on investment using a new Fungicide Timing Tool from Pioneer.

Other than a nickel increase in the projected average wheat price and tweaks in the global supplies, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s crop balance sheets were mostly unchanged in the March estimates.

The September-seeded rye really greened up with the rain and temperatures, so some grazing may be taking place soon.

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

Wyffels Hybrids is expanding its footprint in western Indiana for the 2027 growing season, marking a milestone for the family-owned seed corn company as it celebrates 80 years in business.

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.

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

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.

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

It doesn’t get more local, organic and in-season than a backyard vegetable garden.