More Agriculture Stories From Illinois Newsroom
How small rural towns can access Inflation Reduction Act funding
Rural towns and utilities could get funding for all kinds of projects through the federal Inflation Reduction Act — but experts say it will take
Worried about spying and tensions with China, Midwest states want to limit who can buy farmland
Legislation is being proposed at the federal and state level to restrict foreign ownership of farmland, especially by China. The scrutiny comes after a Midwestern
The federal government isn’t actually measuring how inflation is hurting rural America
The consumer price index is widely used by Americans to determine inflation, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics only surveys American counties that include a
Budzinski tours ag research at U of I and visits with laid-off Akorn workers in Decatur
U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski visited the University of Illinois Research Park in Champaign on Thursday. But first, the central Illinois Democrat stopped in Decatur, where more than 400 pharmaceutical plant workers had been abruptly laid off by Akorn Pharmaceutical.
Weather stations that provide critical climate data are threatened by unstable funding
Accurate weather information is important for farmers, emergency responders and researchers managing extreme conditions. But many monitoring networks are limited by unstable, patchwork funding. VALPARAISO,
Rep. Sorensen ‘optimistic’ Congress can beat farm bill deadline
MOLINE — Congress has a tight deadline to approve a new farm bill. Central Illinois congressman Eric Sorensen, D-Ill., is part of the U.S. House
Illinois food deserts grow as rural grocery stores close
CHAMPAIGN – Food deserts have long been associated with urban areas where full-service grocery stores are hard to find. But rural areas also struggle with
GMO food labeling has been required in the U.S. for a year. Have consumers noticed?
Take a look at the back of the cans and boxes in your cupboards and you’re likely to see some that say “contains bioengineered food
Illinois congresswoman says U.S. farmland is under threat of foreign control
CHAMPAIGN – Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL15) on Monday introduced a bill that would place a five-year moratorium on U.S. land purchases by foreign nationals. The
Plans for a CO2 pipeline in Illinois are on hold
CHAMPAIGN – Plans for a carbon dioxide pipeline in Illinois have been temporarily halted. Navigator Heartland Greenway LLC has voluntarily withdrawn its Application for a
Farmers and farm workers are still waiting for agricultural labor reform after proposal stalls
Congress failed to pass immigration reform in December that would have provided a path to legal status for migrant farm workers and capped wages.
Why the price of eggs, a food staple for breakfast and baked goods, has risen so sharply
Consumers may have gotten used to seeing higher food prices at the grocery in the last couple of years, but egg prices have risen more than any other food product, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Consumer Price Index.
Amid a national egg shortage, local farmers continue to deliver
CHAMPAIGN — Americans have felt the pain of inflation in grocery stores this year. The USDA estimates that the cost of groceries was 10.6 percent
Midwest states court indoor hog and poultry production, despite the millions of gallons of manure
Legislation and programs in states like Missouri and Nebraska are paving the way to welcome large livestock operations by limiting local control over the facilities.
Broadband map holds the key to how much federal funding states will get to expand internet service
States, local governments and internet providers have until Friday, Jan. 13 to challenge the Federal Communications Commission’s National Broadband Map.
WILL at 100: A century of programming for the farming world
From its first sign-on in 1922 to the present day, agricultural programming for rural audiences has been an important part of programming on WILL-AM.
Amid a global food crisis, federal funding for agriculture research continues to decline
China has surpassed the U.S., becoming the world’s top funder of agricultural research. Brazil — a major U.S. competitor in agricultural exports — has also increased its funding over the past two decades.
A new, divided Congress will have to take on a new Farm Bill with far-reaching effects
WASHINGTON — The Congress that takes office next year will feature a Senate with a narrow Democratic majority and a House that, so far, has
Midwest cities have plenty of vacant lots. So why can’t urban farmers buy that land?
Urban farmers are trying to buy vacant lots for their farms to bring fresh, healthy food and green space to their neighborhoods, but they face
John Deere says it will make the tractor of the future — no driver needed
Farm implement manufacturers, including giant John Deere, are well on their way to deploying autonomous tractors. Prototypes are in the field now, and they could
USDA designates Champaign & Vermilion counties as primary natural disaster areas
After severe droughts in July and August, the U.S. Department of Agriculture designated Champaign and Vermilion counties as primary natural disaster areas. With that announcement,
SNAP-Ed pays workers so little that some qualify for food benefits themselves
CHAMPAIGN — Del Jacobs likes almost everything about her job. As a SNAP-Ed community worker in Illinois, she likes getting to know the regulars at
White House’s upcoming hunger conference could have huge policy implications for food security
WASHINGTON D.C. — For the first time since the Nixon administration, the White House will hold a conference on hunger, nutrition and health, bringing together
New climate law injects billions into agriculture conservation programs
CHAMPAIGN — Illinois State Conservationist Ivan Dozier is happy to explain the reasons why $18 billion has been set aside for United States Department of Agriculture
Biden has a $369 billion climate plan — and new advisers to get the program running
President Biden is switching up his climate team at the White House. On Friday, Biden announced his national climate adviser, Gina McCarthy, will step down.
‘It’s not for everyone.’ How Midwestern states tempt tourists with unpretentious getaways
Mount Rushmore and the Great Lakes are a couple of the Midwest’s tourism magnets, but some states have to work against their reputations to attract
13th district Republican candidate Regan Deering scores Illinois Farm Bureau endorsement
CHAMPAIGN — Illinois’ 13th district congressional race is heating up as November approaches. The newly redrawn district stretches from the Champaign-Urbana area to the Metro
Duckworth, Salvi court ag industry voters in campaign for U.S. Senate
LEXINGTON — An array of issues, ranging from biofuels and renewable energy to livestock protection and trade agreements, faced Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth and
Bailey, Pritzker face off in agriculture forum with accusations of lies
LEXINGTON – The candidates for Illinois governor faced questioning about their agriculture-related policies Wednesday in an outbuilding on a McLean County farm. Gov. JB Pritzker’s
USDA secretary visits Le Roy gas station to promote money for biofuels
LE ROY – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack visited Illinois on Tuesday to announce a new investment of $100 million for biofuel infrastructure. Sen.
Diverse Corn Belt project will explore agronomic and economic benefits of transformed crop rotations
NORMAL — Over the next five years, the Diverse Corn Belt project will be conducting research to discover opportunities that can be created from diversified
Black and brown farmers say Inflation Reduction Act breaks promise of relief for ‘past wrongs’
The massive Inflation Reduction Act has equally massive consequences for farmers of color who were promised debt relief more than a year ago. The legislation
Once a bipartisan issue, conservation has become controversial after Biden sets goal
Conservation has been a popular part of agriculture for decades. But it’s become controversial since the Biden administration announced a national conservation goal. Nebraska Gov.
Summer nights are heating up — and that’s impacting crops and livestock
Climate experts say summer nights have gotten warmer. One study found the average minimum temperature in the United States has gotten warmer by 2.5 degrees
When it comes to chemical fertilizer – less is more, new study says
Farmers can use far less chemical fertilizer — which can be expensive and harmful to the environment — and maintain high crop yields, according to
‘Red letter day’: Ag startup bought out by Bayer works closely with ISU researchers
NORMAL — A chemical and agricultural behemoth has bought a St. Louis-based startup company that works closely with Illinois State University, where researchers have worked
Southern Illinois storm spares lives, spoils soybeans
NEWTON — Parts of southern Illinois are recovering after a sudden storm dropped about ten inches of rain and hail in less than 24 hours.
Native Americans across Midwest embrace traditional foods rejected by centuries of colonization
Native American tribes and communities are creating formal programs that focus on their traditional foods to not only combat systemic food insecurity, but also connect
University of Illinois researchers lead the world’s largest study of Eastern box turtles
DANVILLE — On a sunny morning in Kennekuk County Park, researchers and veterinary students from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign scoured the area for Eastern
Carbon is agriculture’s latest money-maker. But is it enough to combat climate change?
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — If you take an aerial view of Jason Lay’s farm in mid-April, it would look like a green dot amid a sea
LGBTQ farmers often go unnoticed. But their perspective may help reshape agriculture
There aren’t any definite numbers about how many farmers belong to the LGBTQ community in the U.S, but many are making a point to become
July’s weather will be critical for Midwest corn farmers and, possibly, consumers
Mark Mueller sleeps anxiously this time of year. Except when it rains. The northeast Iowa farmer said the corn on his farm near Waverly is
Agriculture companies have lots of job openings in STEM fields, far from the farm
Agriculture companies are looking for people who are interested in science, and hiring managers are increasingly looking for people who don’t have traditional ag backgrounds.
War and drought are affecting the world’s wheat supply. That could mean higher prices at the grocery store
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine cut off wheat exports, while drought conditions in the Great Plains will further reduce grain stocks. Reduced supplies could trickle down
Beefalo — producers say this cattle and bison crossbreed provides the best of both
The crossbreed gained some attention in the 1970s. Supporters today say there is big potential to provide better, healthier meat by combining the best qualities
War and drought are affecting the world’s wheat supply. That could mean higher prices at the grocery
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine cut off wheat exports, while drought conditions in the Great Plains will further reduce grain stocks. Reduced supplies could trickle down
Champaign County survey is the first step in filling rural internet gaps
URBANA — Surveyors will start knocking on doors in rural Champaign County this weekend to ask residents if they are happy with their internet service.
One year later, farmers of color are still waiting on billions of federal relief dollars
The American Rescue Plan promised $4 billion in debt relief to “socially disadvantaged farmers.” But a swarm of lawsuits from banks and white farmers alleging
How small companies bring fast internet to rural places that telecom giants ignore
Installing fiber-optic internet in sparsely populated places like western Kansas is extremely expensive, even with government subsidies. But some smaller, local broadband providers are finding
Black farmers have lost $326 billion worth of farmland, study says
For the first time, researchers have assigned a value to the Black-owned farmland lost over the past century. Throughout the 20th century, Black farmers in
Kernza — the grain you’ve never heard of that could revolutionize farming
https://cpa.ds.npr.org/s60/audio/2022/05/kernzawebaudio.mp3 The perennial grain can produce an annual crop even as it stays in the ground for up to four years. Its deep root system
Farmers in the Plains are in ‘dire straits’ due to drought, wildfire conditions
Most of Illinois has had plenty of rain, but even with a few recent rains, much of the Great Plains are in a drought. Wildfires
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
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
