More Agriculture Stories From Illinois Newsroom
Antique tractor sells for $1.47 million in Illinois, shattering the world record
The 1913 CASE 30-60 is one of just five that still exist, making the model highly sought after by antique tractor enthusiasts. A century-year-old tractor
Most farmers are climate skeptics. But it turns out improving their soil also fights climate change
This story was produced in partnership with the Food & Environment Reporting Network Climate change is not a big concern for Lin Warfel. Sure, he’s
Pork producers are taking a gamble to get more money for lobbying and lawsuits
Looking for ways to fund lobbying and legal efforts to preserve their way of business, pork producers are turning down guaranteed money that could go
Farmers turn to old-fashioned manure as fertilizer prices soar
It’s never been a better time to sell manure. “We have been inundated with calls,” said Andy Scholting, president and co-founder of Nutrient Advisors, a
People of color don’t feel welcome at many farmers markets. A new initiative aims to change that
For some Midwesterners, farmers markets are a quintessential summertime tradition touting local, healthy food and laid-back community gathering spaces. But people of color say many
Biden waiving ethanol rule in bid to lower gasoline prices
MENLO, Iowa — President Joe Biden has journeyed to corn-rich Iowa to announce he’s suspending federal rules that restrict ethanol in gasoline, aiming to strike
As bird flu sweeps across U.S. even small, backyard flocks are at risk
In fall 2020, Leah Shaffer ordered four chickens from a Missouri hatchery — a pandemic impulse purchase to get her two children outside, she said.
The Midwest has lost 57 billion metric tons of topsoil over the last 160 years, new study finds
Farmers till their land to prepare soil for planting, but a new study published in the journal “Earth’s Future” found topsoil in the Midwest is
EPA reverses course on herbicide ban in 10 Midwest and Plains states
Farmers in 132 counties in states across the Midwest and Great Plains are now free to use Corteva’s Enlist brand of herbicides, changing course on
Not a fan of daylight saving time? Don’t blame farmers
Every spring Americans grumble about losing an hour of sleep to daylight saving time. This year the debate over changing the clocks is lingering, after
Midwest farmers worry if they’ll break even as Russia’s invasion pushes fertilizer costs higher
ST. LOUIS — Mark Scott has been farming corn and soybeans on his family’s land outside of St. Louis for more than 30 years, and
Local farmers started selling online during the pandemic. That trend is here to stay
PLEASANTVILLE, IA — When the pandemic first hit, Maureen Schletzbaum had to figure out how to sell her produce while avoiding human contact. Normally, she’d
This Midwest family lost their dog to toxic algae. So why aren’t states doing more testing?
CENTRALIA, Ill. — It was supposed to be a fun weekend getaway to celebrate Mandi Miller’s 30th birthday. She and her husband, Austin Elkins, chose
The war in Ukraine could cause a global food crisis, U of I professor warns
URBANA – Ripple effects from the war in Ukraine will likely be felt in all corners of the globe — especially when it comes to
Shuttered offices, potentially high fertilizer costs: Here’s what the situation in Ukraine means for U.S. agriculture
As Ukraine continues to fight against Russian forces, experts warned of potential fallout for the U.S. agriculture industry. On Feb. 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin
It takes tons of water to put meat on Americans’ plates. But most meat companies don’t ensure conservation in their supply chains.
Water is critical to America’s meat habit. Cows, pigs and chickens drink it. Farmers clean barns and cool animals with it. Meatpackers sanitize plants and
‘A pretty big sea change’: EPA says it will consider endangered species when approving new pesticides — without the threat of lawsuits
Before approving new pesticides for use on crops or around homes, the Environmental Protection Agency is supposed to determine what impact they’ll have on endangered
A hotter, drier climate and dwindling water has more farmers taking a chance on cotton
MOSCOW, Kansas — Across the state, small-town grain elevators painted with corn ears and wheat heads stand as monuments to the crops’ economic and cultural
Hemp farmers and processors have been talking in circles. New data could bridge the gap
It’s been a chicken-and-egg problem for Midwestern hemp farmers, ever since the 2018 Farm Bill allowed them to grow cannabis plants with low levels of
Winters are getting warmer across the Midwest
In Illinois, the average winter temperature is about 5 degrees warmer than it was in 1970. In Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa, it’s about four
Corn ethanol is fueling our cars and climate change, study says
Congress passed the Renewable Fuel Standard in 2005, mandating a certain amount of renewable fuel – namely corn ethanol – be mixed in with traditional
As African Swine Fever plagues other countries, the U.S. works to keep it out
Al Wulfekuhle doesn’t take biosecurity lightly. The pork producer showers before he goes into a barn and again as he leaves and asks the same
U of I Chancellor Robert Jones reflects on COVID, higher tuition, agriculture and race
URBANA — For more than 5-years, Dr. Robert Jones has served as Chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He is a native of Georgia,
The American Farm Bureau Federation claims it’s the ‘Voice of Agriculture.’ These groups beg to differ.
This story is a collaboration between Investigate Midwest and Watchdog Writers Group. The newsrooms are continuing to cover Farm Bureaus and their influence. Is there an
Indoor farming delivers super-fresh produce to cities, but its energy use creates a ‘conundrum’
Vertical farms stack rows of plants on top of each other. Those indoor farms control the lighting, water and temperature to create ideal conditions to
The air in rural areas may be just as toxic as the pollution in cities
URBANA — A new study suggests the notion of clean, country air might be misleading. Traditionally, air quality has been measured by the size of
NUTRIENT LOSS THREAT: Illinois agriculture continues to battle nutrient pollution
Nutrient loss is one of the most serious pollution threats faced in the U.S., causing a Rhode Island-sized dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico,
NUTRIENT LOSS THREAT: Nutrient pollution is Illinois’ ‘most widespread’ water problem
Editor’s Note: Andrew Adams is a student in the Public Affairs Reporting program at University of Illinois Springfield who is a reporting intern at the
Billions are at stake in how the government defines a place as rural
HOUSTON, Mo. — A town of 1,000 people feels like a rural place to someone from Chicago. To a person living in a town of
Deere Introduces Autonomous Tractor
John Deere has used this year’s Consumer Electronics Show to introduce its first autonomous tractor. Tuesday it put on an hour-long, multi-media presentation showing off
How one small Iowa town continues to deal with the effects of a major COVID outbreak
STORM LAKE, Ia. — Emilia Marroquin has experienced firsthand just how much Storm Lake, Iowa, has changed over the past two decades. On a driving
Meatpacking jobs are attractive to immigrants. COVID made the work even riskier
PERRY, Ia. — Amner Martinez still doesn’t know all the details from when his 74-year-old father Concepcion got dangerously sick with COVID-19 near the beginning
Nearly two years into COVID, worker safety is still a concern at meatpacking plants
DES MOINES — In late October, Debbie Berkowitz, a worker safety and health expert and former senior policy advisor for the Occupational Safety and Health
Small farms are producing less and facing money problems
A new U.S. Department of Agriculture report found the percentage of farms that are small and family owned remained unchanged from 2011 to 2020, holding
Energy secretary promotes infrastructure law at University of Illinois biofuel lab
URBANA – U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm stopped in Urbana on Thursday as part of her two-day tour of Illinois energy facilities. She listened
Geologists say Midwest rock formations could store carbon dioxide for ‘eons’
Two proposals for carbon pipelines throughout the Midwest would pipe carbon dioxide from dozens of ethanol plants to rock formations in North Dakota and Illinois
Peoria Ag Lab scientists using soybean oil to develop a better jet biofuel
PEORIA — Soybean oil offers a lot of potential in blending up a cleaner jet fuel. But to date, wide-scale adoption has presented problems. Unlike
A new waterways definition could put farmers and environmentalists at odds
ROLLA, Mo. — Chris Brundick looks at a few inches of water running through a low lying strip of land on his 450 acres in
More agricultural guest workers came to the Midwest this year than ever before
The Midwest saw a record rise in the number of agricultural guest workers this year helping out on farms, in meatpacking plants and with landscaping
As tax dollars dry up, university ag schools turn to agribusiness dollars and industry projects
From Iowa to Oklahoma to Kansas, universities are working more closely with agribusiness in search of ways to pay for projects where tax dollars have
A giant investment firm paid a university to study one of its biggest assets — farmland
TIAA-CREF invests heavily in farmland, so it paid a university to research it. Read Part I and Part III of this series. CHAMPAIGN — In
Corporate money keeps university ag schools ‘relevant,’ and makes them targets of donor criticism
Large donors can put universities in potentially awkward positions when faculty conclusions conflict with the interests of those benefactors. Data collected by Harvest Public Media
Thanksgiving will be pricier this year, like everything from the grocery store
Making a Thanksgiving feast will cost more this year as the pandemic’s effect on the economy drives up food prices. Even economists like Curtis Dubay
Ranchers have a plan to contend with Big Beef and restore local economy
Ranchers in Nebraska are rebelling against the “Big Four” meat companies by planning their own beef processing plant. They’re seeking a transformation for themselves, the
Deere employees reject contract offer, will stay on strike
MOLINE – Workers at Deere & Co. have rejected a contract offer that would have given them 10% raises. Tuesday’s vote means workers will remain
Meatpacking workers fueled an economic boom, but many need food pantries to get by
This is the second of a two-part series looking at what meatpacking has meant for southwest Kansas. Click here to read the first part. GARDEN
No pumpkin shortage this year, but climate change could squash Halloween harvests to come
MORTON — The great pumpkin shortage of 2021 is turning out to be as real as Linus’ Great Pumpkin. Neither ever showed. Instead, despite some
Deere workers would get immediate 10% raises under new offer
Updated Sunday 11:00 p.m. MOLINE — Union workers at farm-equipment maker Deere & Co. would get wage increases of 10% if they ratify a tentative
Midwest farmers are on track for a record-high harvest, despite a year of extreme weather
GIBSON CITY – In August, nine inches of rain dumped on one of Randy Aberle’s fields of corn and soybeans near Gibson City, Illinois. “We
The U.S. agriculture secretary says Mexico’s GMO ban won’t hurt corn exports
Mexico is phasing out genetically modified corn for human consumption by 2024. But U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said he’s been assured by his Mexican
The U.S. is bracing for a virus that could devastate its hog operations
An African Swine Fever outbreak in the U.S. could kill millions of pigs in the country, mean financial ruin for some growers and put a
Thousands of John Deere workers, including in Illinois, strike after rejecting a contract offer
John Deere workers walked off the job after the United Auto Workers union failed to negotiate a six-year contract with the tractor maker. More than
As Marijuana Industry In Oklahoma Booms, Rural Utilities Feel Growing Pains
STILLWATER, Okla. — The medical marijuana industry in many areas is booming, but some utility providers struggle to keep up with the growing need for
Peas, Beans Gain Momentum In Midwest
LINCOLN, Neb. — For years, consumers have been eating more and more dry peas, chickpeas, lentils and beans. Bags of lentils or canned chickpeas aren’t
Unique Art Project Reminds Drivers to Share Roads with Tractors
On a sunny and warm late summer afternoon, Kelley Quinn of Macomb unveiled her latest piece of art. Her canvas is a vintage 1939 Farmall H
Fertilizer Runoff In Illinois Is Still On The Rise, Despite Program Designed To Slow It Down
When it rains on a farm here in central Illinois, the water that runs off into local streams and rivers carries with it excess nutrients
Farmers Try To Figure Out How Much Carbon They Could Sell
Some Midwestern farmers are involved in a research project to help determine how good some practices are for the environment, and it may help them
Changing The Rock Dust Applied To Farm Fields Could Help Reduce Carbon Emissions
SHELDON — Agriculture is responsible for more than 10% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and some in the
As Climate Change Ramps Up Heat, Farmers Struggle To Keep Animals Cool
RAYMOND — A pig’s ideal temperature is 65 degrees Fahrenheit. So on a 90-degree day in the middle of July, Phil Borgic keeps a close
Lawmakers Celebrate Illinois’ Role In Distribution Of Penicillin
SPRINGFIELD – Lawmakers gathered Tuesday at the University of Illinois Springfield to designate a new state microbe and add agriculture sciences to the list of