National Ag Day is March 24, with the theme, “Together We Grow.”

The National Pork Producers Council announced the induction of Ken and Julie Maschhoff and Sam Carney into the NPPC Hall of Fame during the 2026 National Pork Industry Forum.

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.

The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer rose three points to 116 in February.

From progress on the farm bill to new trade agreements and growing momentum for year-round E15, there’s been meaningful movement that shows agriculture’s priorities are being heard.

The Fertilizer Institute is closely monitoring developments following the reported closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime shipping channel for global fertilizer and energy markets, amid the widening war in Iran.

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.

The latest federal farm income forecast reinforces the difficult reality for U.S. agriculture.

March is when most people’s thoughts turn to spring and most farmers start looking forward to another productive year of growing food, feed and fiber.

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement is up for a joint review July 1 — a critical moment that will determine whether the free trade agreement continues or terminates.

An acreage swing toward more soybeans and less corn in the upcoming growing season is forecast by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Illinois Soybean Association District 6 Director Rob Shaffer has been appointed by the U.S. secretary of agriculture to serve as a director on the United Soybean Board for a three-year term.

As president of Illinois Farm Bureau, Philip Nelson aims to provide impactful advocacy for farmers in the state.

When it comes to highly pathogenic avian influenza, biosecurity is the key to mitigating the risk of disease spread.

Honda reported a 42% drop in profit for the nine months through December, compared to a year earlier, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs hurt the Japanese automaker’s earnings.

House Ag Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson must not be a superstitious man. If he were, he would not have introduced the biggest bill of his congressional career, the “Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026,” on Friday the 13th.

In a key win for U.S. pork producers, President Donald Trump has finalized a beneficial trade agreement with Taiwan, a direct result of the National Pork Producers Council’s long-fought effort to secure greater market access in the Asian nation.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed in its supply and demand estimates report that corn demand continues to improve, but supplies remain plentiful.

An atypical note by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on what could have happened if China purchased more soybeans was featured in the supply and demand estimates report.

Farmers need stronger market returns, so income comes from selling commodities, not aid — and that means improving the farm safety net through a fully passed farm bill, strengthening trade demand, and addressing rising input costs, says Jim Henry.

Illinois soybean farmers are once again the top producers of soybeans in the United States.

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.

To any farmer who feels these frustrations, I want to begin my term as Indiana Corn Growers Association president by offering a hand of help and hope. You are not alone.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced payment rates for the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program, but there are still some gaps.

More than 200 farmers and agricultural professionals attended this year’s Top Farmer Conference.

China, the White House’s biggest tariff punching bag last year, purchased its promised 12 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans more than 45 days ahead of its agreed-upon deadline.

Agricultural economic conditions are largely unchanged from mid-November through early January, according to surveys conducted across Federal Reserve Districts in the Corn Belt.

Isn’t it time that consumers be allowed to choose the best beef in the world produced under the best of conditions?

The surprising 1.3 million harvested corn acre jump from the November to the Jan. 12 U.S. Department of Agriculture crop production reports, combined with record quarterly stocks inventories, drew more questions than answers.

A word of caution: Do not get between reality and political forces in Congress when Republicans and Democrats agree to spend more money on farm programs rather than reform the very programs that are failing farmers and rural America.

The stage is set for tighter and potentially more volatile milk markets ahead, reports Jim Henry.

When farmers and ranchers come together, they don’t just talk about challenges — they get to work finding solutions.

A combination of higher beginning stocks and larger than expected production pushed up crop ending stocks in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s balance sheets.

A veteran commodities economist called the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s crop production annual summary one of the most unusual January reports that he’s seen in the decades.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins signed a memorandum to establish priorities for this year’s research and development activities funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

U.S. corn exports continued at record pace through the end of 2025, while the future global demand potential for ethanol remains bright.

With cattle herds at historic lows and input costs high, Jim Henry predicts beef prices will remain elevated for the foreseeable future.

With lower grain prices, higher interest rates and increased production costs, some farms are facing a challenging financial situation.

The president didn’t return much affection to rural voters in 2025. Farm inputs, health care and food costs continued to rise; yo-yo tariff policies sliced ag exports; and cuts to several federal farm and rural programs clipped rural communities.

Farmers were less optimistic about the ag economy in December, especially when it came to their long-term outlook, according to the latest reading of the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer.

The current economic environment for farmers is challenging with tighter margins and more volatility.

Sampling in the top U.S. corn-producing states found farmers harvested the highest quality in at least 15 years.

Per-acre payment specifics for the $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance Program were released on New Year’s Eve.

The outlook for the four pieces of the demand pies that drive corn and soybean prices is anticipated to include some growth and a wild card in 2026.

When it comes to soybean demand, meat exports are a big part of the equation.

From testifying to Congress to working on his fifth-generation farm in southern Illinois, Kenneth Hartman Jr. has dedicated the last three decades to advocating for corn growers.

Mark Gebhards, retired Illinois Farm Bureau executive director of governmental affairs and commodities division and chief strategy officer and adviser to the IFB president, was honored with the IFB 2025 Eagle Award for Excellence.

Farmers say they are grateful to President Donald Trump and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins for providing resources that, for many, could make the difference between staying in business to plant another crop, or shuttering a family farm.

Working with a new administration during 2025 has been fast-paced and challenging for those dealing with regulatory and legislative policies.

The best action we could take in the coming year to better serve all Americans — farmers, ranchers and every food buyer — is to simply stop digging the deepening hole we’re already in.