More Agriculture Stories From Illinois Newsroom
‘Quite remarkable’: The Farm Aid benefit concert, which started in Champaign, celebrates 40 years
Farm Aid is a traveling benefit concert that has raised more than $80 million nationwide to help struggling family farms across the U.S. The first annual Farm Aid event was held 40 years ago, on Sept. 22, 1985, in what is now Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign.
USDA plan to move jobs out of D.C. and closer to farmers draws mixed reviews
A plan to disburse Washington-based USDA jobs to five hubs, including Kansas City and Indianapolis, is making waves across agriculture. Critics say the shakeup could hobble the agency, while proponents it will move staff closer to farmers and save money.
Gov. Pritzker announces new Cronus Chemicals fertilizer plant in Tuscola is moving forward
For more than a decade, Cronus Chemicals has sought to create a fertilizer production facility in East Central Illinois. At the Farm Progress Show in Decatur, the governor announced the company is following through with its $2 billion investment.
Your food probably traveled a long way before reaching the grocery store. Here’s why
The interest in local food systems, like farmer’s markets and direct farm-to-consumer sales, is on the rise. But the U.S. is still more reliant on imported foods than ever before.
USDA canceled a support program for small businesses. This Midwest grower may lose her farm
Farmers who were promised funding through the federal Regional Food Business Centers have been left in limbo after the Trump administration shut down the program. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it will honor grants the program already approved, but it’s unclear when.
Will Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ help farmers in the Midwest and Great Plains? It depends
The massive legislation extends tax cuts and increases safety nets for farmers who grow commodities, like corn, wheat and rice. But deep cuts to federal food assistance spending could hurt specialty growers who benefit from programs like Double Up Food Bucks.
Already in the red, rural hospitals across the Midwest brace for Medicaid changes
Health care leaders worry rural hospitals could be hit hard by Medicaid spending reductions in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” In the Midwest and Great Plains, Oklahoma and Kansas could face the highest risk of hospital closures and service reductions.
USDA’s end of diversity efforts in farm programs will mean ‘less food for the community’
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will no longer take a farmer’s race or gender into consideration for many of its loans and benefit programs.
Drought means ‘drier than normal.’ How will climatologists define drought if the new normal is dry?
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is developing a framework for assessing drought in a changing climate. It’s a difficult task, as what’s considered drought is often situational.
Some farmers are using this new, experimental practice to help prevent flooding
Across much of the Midwest, the atmosphere is becoming warmer and retaining more water, leading to heavier downpours. A two-crop system called relay intercropping could help farmers buffer weather whiplash and boost profits.
Beef prices are at an all-time high. Here’s why it’s gotten so expensive
Shoppers are seeing record high beef prices at the grocery store. That’s in part because the number of cattle in the U.S. is at an all-time low, while consumer demand has remained strong.
Chinese researchers charged with smuggling ‘agroterrorism weapon’ to infect Midwest crops
The FBI and Department of Justice hailed the arrests and charges as crucial in protecting national security and public safety.
Federal funding for these ag research labs ended. Now the search is on for new support
The Trump administration paused funding to the U.S. Agency for International Development in January, followed by a near-complete dismantling of the agency this spring, including the Feed the Future program.
Ranchers may have to relearn how to fight an old enemy — the New World screwworm
New World screwworms used to be a constant concern for ranchers, until they were eradicated from the U.S. in the 1960’s. Now that they’re on their way back, those who remember dealing with them have warnings about their impact.
A federal bill would make it easier for farmers to kill protected black vultures
Black vultures have a reputation for killing newborn livestock, which can be a problem for ranchers in the Great Plains and Midwest. Legislation efforts aim to remove permit requirements for farmers to shoot or capture the birds.
Farmers are taking on more debt. Some worry more financial stress could be ahead
Farmers continued to take on more debt through the first quarter of 2025, prolonging a trend from last year. That’s as farm incomes have shrunk over the last couple of years, and some worry President Trump’s tariffs could make economic conditions tougher.
The Trump administration pauses a moonshot push to grow biofuel crops with less fertilizer
10 days after taking office, the Trump administration decided to hold off on a $38 million investment that the energy department had previously boasted could save farmers $6 billion in fertilizer spending.
Private donation allows U of I Soybean Innovation Lab to resume its work
The program previously had its funding cut by the Trump administration. An anonymous $1 million donation will help keep the lab running.
Tariffs impact what crops some U.S. farmers are choosing to plant this year
Farmers are planning on putting fewer acres of soybeans in the ground this spring amid retaliatory tariffs from China and higher production costs.
U.S. farmers were already struggling to turn a profit. Trump’s trade war will make that harder
Recently implemented tariffs are likely to push crop prices further down, while increasing the costs for fertilizer and farm equipment.
USDA ended its local food programs. A look at how farmers, schools and food banks are coping
Thousands of schools, farmers and food pantries in the Midwest and Great Plains planned on federal dollars over the next year to support local food purchases. And then the U.S. Department of Agriculture cut the programs.
Tariffs threaten to upend markets American farmers depend on
U.S. row crop farmers produce enormous quantities of food, and they depend on selling lots of it overseas. They thrive under free trade policies.
Rural communities rely on this USDA agency. Trump’s cuts threaten that
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development has provided billions of dollars each year to small towns, farmers and businesses.
An alternative to the USDA Organic label could be more accessible for farmers. Can it stick?
Certified Naturally Grown offers farmers a cheaper and less time-consuming option to communicate how they produce their food. But terms like “natural” on food labels can be confusing for consumers.
Gov. Pritzker visits Urbana as part of statewide tour focused on Trump administration’s impact in Illinois
Governor Pritzker urged Illinoisans to participate in “mass activism” and let Congress know they oppose the Trump administration’s cuts to food and agriculture programs.
Champaign County has been affected by bird flu, even without any farm outbreaks
The disease has infected several wild animals in the county, some of which have been brought to the University of Illinois Wildlife Medical Clinic. Public health officials advise against handling wild birds showing signs of illness.
USDA ends programs that help schools and food banks buy locally-grown food
The cancellation of two programs will affect more than $1 billion in expected funding this year. Food advocates worry the cuts are coming when other federal food programs are at risk.
Billions of federal aid for farmers is due this month. Some are counting on it
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said earlier this month that economic aid payments Congress approved late last year are on the way. But with days left before the deadline, some farmers are anxiously waiting.
Closing Market Report turns 40 years old
The Closing Market Report turned 40 years old this year.
Midwest farmers worry about the impacts of tariffs on exported crops and imported fertilizer
The Trump administration’s tariff announcements this week are bringing uncertainty to farmers going into planting season. Farm groups warn that retaliatory tariffs will add an additional “burden” to U.S. producers.
A Midwest farmer was promised money for a new delivery truck. Then Trump froze the funds
Farmers, nonprofits and state agencies received almost $3 billion in grants from the Inflation Reduction Act in Missouri, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska. But recent federal funding freezes have recipients concerned they won’t end up receiving money.
Trump’s tariffs raise alarms for Illinois farm industry
The Illinois Farm Bureau is concerned about harm to the state’s farmers from potential tariffs on the United States’ top three agricultural trading partners: Mexico, Canada and China.
USAID funding freeze halts food security and ag research at Midwest university labs
The Soybean Innovation Lab based at the University of Illinois has laid off 30 employees and expects to shut down in the spring if funding isn’t restored.
Foreign ownership of U.S. farmland is still small but has increased, analysis shows
The amount of American cropland, pastureland and forestland owned by foreign investors continued to increase in 2023, according to a recent analysis by the American Farm Bureau Federation.
A Midwest farmland owner tests a longstanding wetland conservation law called ‘swampbuster’
A case in federal court aims to dismantle a decades-old wetlands law, best known for its nickname.
For decades, the government banned hemp. Now, it’s funding hemp research
Lincoln University in Missouri is heading a USDA-funded project researching the commodity, but its prohibition created high hurdles for getting the crop off the ground.
Federal aid for farmers aims to offset losses on farms. Will it help?
The one-time payments could offer short-term support as many farmers grapple with less income and extreme weather.
The soybean is poised to become Illinois’ official state bean
Lawmakers have put the soybean on track to become Illinois’s official state bean. The Prarie State is the top producer of soybeans in the U.S., with about a quarter of its land used for growing the crop.
How Donald Trump’s tariffs have — and could — affect Illinois agriculture
For his second term, Trump proposed various tariffs on the campaign trail and after his election, including a 60% tariff increase on Chinese imports and an additional 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico.
Collard enthusiasts are using science and preservation to lift up rare varieties of the leafy green
Collard greens are a nutritious vegetable with a rich cultural heritage in the U.S. Now, scientists and enthusiasts are working to preserve and popularize heirloom varieties that could be tastier and more climate resilient than common grocery greens.
Trump’s proposed tariffs target big U.S. trading partners. What that could mean for Midwest farmers
Many economists and commodity groups say import taxes on products from countries such as China, Mexico and Canada could boomerang and harm U.S. agriculture.
More of the nation’s milk supply will be tested for bird flu under a new federal rule
The new strategy aims to pinpoint where bird flu exists in the U.S. and halt its spread. There have been hundreds of cases in cattle and dozens in humans.
Farm groups say producers need a new farm bill, but many expect another extension as time runs out
The clock is ticking for Congress to address the expired farm bill. Several groups are urging lawmakers to get an updated bill to the finish line before the end of the year.
Welcome to Morton, Illinois — the bite-sized town that produces a whole lot of canned pumpkin
The pumpkin pie Americans enjoy each Thanksgiving often comes from pumpkins grown near Morton, Illinois.
In an effort to reduce deadly grain bin accidents, OSHA expands safety emphasis program
There are dozens of grain handling accidents that occur each year in the U.S. That’s why OSHA has placed several states under regional emphasis programs over the years to promote worker safety at grain handling facilities.
Cicadas impacted some apple harvests in Central Illinois, but Curtis Orchard was spared
This summer, three broods of cicadas emerged at the same time in parts of Illinois. Cicadas lay their eggs in the bark of small trees, which can damage or stunt their growth. The volume of cicadas varied from town to town.
Some farmers left in limbo after Missouri’s state budget limits funding for a USDA grant
Missouri’s 2025 state budget includes less than a third of the federal funding the state received for Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program grants. More than
It tastes like chicken, but ‘cultivated’ meat sees growing opposition from U.S. lawmakers
Cultivated meat – meat grown from animal cells – is touted as a way to meet growing global demand with far fewer climate impacts. Yet
Federal drought relief policies leave some farmers out to dry
Programs that provide drought relief to farmers use the U.S. Drought Monitor to determine eligibility, but some experts say it doesn’t always capture local
It’s warmer and drier than usual in the Midwest this fall. Here’s what that means for producers
Fall is typically a drier time of the year for the Great Plains and Midwest. But drought is once again rearing its head in much
Bird flu outbreaks made egg prices more expensive. Here’s what to know
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is projecting that egg prices will decrease in the coming months. But experts said that all depends on whether
Low Mississippi River levels are again making it more expensive to transport crops in the Midwest
River barges are an efficient way to move crops — 15 barges can hold about as much grain as 1,000 semi-trucks. But low river
Prairie home companions: Why more farmers are planting native landscapes in their crop fields
While corn and soybeans dominate the Midwestern landscape today, some farmers are integrating strips of native prairie back into their fields. This conservation practice has
Chicken farmers sue Tyson after the company closed a Missouri plant and ended their contracts
Commercial chicken farmers literally bet the farm, spending millions of dollars on land and enormous chicken houses to raise birds they never own — putting
Cows produce planet-warming gases. What does that mean for a beef-lover’s diet?
Cattle contribute more greenhouse gases than other livestock. The reasons behind that have some ranchers trying to address environmental impacts, while experts say there are
Immigrant farmers often can’t get federal grants to start businesses. These nonprofits are helping
Documentation status, language barriers and lack of information can all create barriers for immigrants to access federal grants. Now a number of organizations are stepping in to provide direct support.
Demand for raw milk is strong, even as bird flu in cattle adds new concerns about health risks
Raw milk continues to grow in popularity, despite bird flu in dairy cattle bringing increased scrutiny from health experts.
Pork producers face longer drives and higher costs after tough years lead to packing plant closures
Over the last two years, several large pork packers have closed plants in California, Minnesota and most recently Iowa. For some pork producers, this means additional miles and more money to deliver hogs on top of tough economic times.
A rediscovered soil archive – more than a century old – could show how years of farming alters soil
Soil science is a relatively new field and becoming more critical in the work to keep soil healthy and productive. The discovery of century-old soil samples at a land-grant university could offer big clues into how soil has changed over time.