In a period when retail beef prices are at an all-time high and consumers are still willing to pay, South Dakota rancher Calli Williams would love to cash in. But it’s not so simple.

Ken Ropp made his first cheese delivery of the season to Tanners Orchard.

University of Illinois alumnus Eric Hodel didn’t begin his career expecting to lead one of the nation’s largest faith-based food banks.

From canning vegetables to volunteering at Taste From Indiana Farms at the Indiana State Fair, Mindy Orschell is enjoying the final few weeks of summer on — and off — the farm.

The cooler weather this past week allowed us to wean calves and introduce some new heifers to the herds.

As global temperatures rise under climate change, scientists are trying to better understand the effects on managed and wild bees as they pollinate crops, gather nectar, make honey and reproduce.

The prices for what these feeder cattle are costing and what fat cattle are bringing seems dangerously crazy.

We think now in our second rotation that things are improving, not just from better practices from us, but from the steers perhaps having less anxiety about what and where they are grazing.

My father-in-law farmed in Stark County his whole life and for many years worked at the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service office out measuring bins and acres for the various government programs.

Wheat harvest is complete on Riskedal Family Farms and cover crops have been planted that will be grazed by cattle starting in September.

We’ve received 5 to 6 inches of rain starting about July 4, and they have been regular, weekly rains. The crop is taking up the water fast.

One weather event completely changed the course of my farming operation. I was driving down the road and had to slow down because something was on the road — it was soil from our field.

How should a farmer prepare for an agronomy service call when there is a problem with the crop growing in the field?

Before railroads were established in Illinois, cattle and hog farmers drove their animals to livestock markets and processing facilities.

In the year ahead, the United Soybean Board will boost demand for U.S. soy, drive on-farm resilience and bring value to the nearly half a million U.S. soybean farmers.

The Illinois Soybean Association’s agronomy team is spending the dog days of summer scouting for problems in fields that have, could or will impact plants.

Farmers will have a new option for controlling corn rootworms with Syngenta’s Opello insecticide.

The agricultural economic outlook across the Corn Belt’s Federal Reserve Districts remain subdued.

Budget reconciliation legislation that includes farm safety net enhancements, higher reference prices and biofuel tax credits was approved by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump.

With recent wildfires in the western United States and Canada, smoke has made its way to the Midwest. It particularly may affect already vulnerable crops.

I’ve been doing a lot of trucking, spraying, machinery repairs. Wheat was fantastic this summer.

With data from the recent survey-based acreage and grain stocks reports, the U.S. Department of Agriculture lowered new corn and soybean production estimates in its supply and demand estimates report.

Corn and soybean crops are in the ground and now must deal with a host of threats, including disease pressure.

Farm drones can be valuable in helping farmers keep an eye on their crops through the growing season.

Incorporating cover crops into their regenerative farming system has been a learning process for the Riskedal family this spring.

Illinois and Indiana fields have experienced a broad range of weather this growing season, from heavy rains in the south to drier conditions to the north in both states.

All of my crops look very good considering the lack of measurable rainfall.

As severe storms once again soak, twist and pelt the nation’s midsection, a team of dozens of scientists is driving into them to study one of the nation’s costliest but least-appreciated weather dangers: Hail.

Farmers truly share a bond, no matter where we live or what we grow and raise.

We should be back in the sheep barn this year with some lambs my granddaughter is bringing for the 4-H show.

With good yields come low prices, so at times like these it’s good to have some diversification.

There will be at least three more pasture walks put on by the Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition coming up.

William Henert spends a significant amount of his time during this period of the growing season spraying crop protection products on the corn, soybean and seed corn crops on the northern Illinois farm.

The roots of the commercial corn must be really good because it hasn’t shown any signs of stress, so with the planting date, the root size probably helped.

Even small Midwestern farms can harness the power of AI to boost productivity without breaking the bank.

A young family from California recently stopped at the Ropp Jersey Cheese store where they shared some of their common along with unique experiences with Ken Ropp.

We’ve been getting spotty rains. Some fields are getting them and some aren’t, but so far we’ve been pretty lucky.

“Summertime, when the livin’ is easy.” That line from a well-known song couldn’t be further from the truth.

With the record prices being paid for fat cattle I am trying to get them to eat and gain as fast as possible so we can take advantage of this crazy-high cattle market.

By having the HeatSiecker patches on this year, it allowed for digital alerts of estrus and not having to spend as much time visually observing the cows in person.

At a glance, the July agricultural supply and demand estimates report looked positive for the market with lower than expected ending stocks, but the trade thought otherwise.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency extended the prevented planting crop reporting deadline for producers affected by spring flooding, excessive moisture, or qualifying drought.

A pair of crop reports fell primarily in line with trade expectations as the market turned its focus toward weather in the last quarter of the marketing year.

Farming is all about being resilient, and Mindy Orschell and her family have had to be just that as weather challenges impacted planting this spring.

Timing sure was tricky this year and continues to be an issue with spraying and sidedressing the crops.

As another large dust storm impacted Illinois, the conversation and questions continue about why and how to get the dust to settle and stay in the field rather than across roadways.

Corn Belt agricultural conditions ranged from weak to slightly favorable in the latest Federal Reserve’s Beige Book.

The U.S. Small Business Administration is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit organizations in Illinois of the July 21 deadline to apply for low-interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the derecho July 15-18, 2024.

American farmers take the responsibility of providing a safe food supply to heart because we know that food security means national security.

Two weeks from now we’ll probably go in and hit the weeds back and that will be good for the season because the beans will canopy.