More Agriculture Stories From Illinois Newsroom
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.
Peaches are bountiful again after last year’s poor crop. But it’s more mixed in one Midwest state
The peach crop across the U.S. is much better this summer than it was last year when cold temperatures affected crops in Georgia and South Carolina. Yet in southern Illinois, while some orchards are getting a bumper crop, others are having yet another year of low production.
$51 million awarded to Champaign-Piatt-Macon biomanufacturing tech hub project
A year-long campaign to promote biomanufacturing in central Illinois has paid off for the University of Illinois and its partners. The U-S Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration has awarded an approximately $51 million grant to a consortium led by the University of Illinois, to establish the Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing (or iFAB) tech hub in Champaign, Piatt and Macon Counties.
Drought lingers in parts of the Midwest and Great Plains. ‘You have to have some hope’
Planting is well underway across the Midwest, but farmers are still grappling with dry conditions that led to lower than normal corn yields last fall. It’s the third year of a near historic drought for parts of the Corn Belt.
NASA is helping farmers — how researchers are using satellite images to address big ag issues
It’s been a year since NASA kicked off an effort to provide farmers with useful information garnered from satellite images of Earth. The program includes
Wool prices are so low, Midwest sheep producers have to find new uses — or raise sheep without it
A strong spring wind rattles the metal, corrugated barn on the Cory Family Farm where inside, a few dozen sheep cluster next to a wall.
Cutting SNAP benefits is ‘not the right policy’ for farm bill, Agriculture Secretary Vilsack says
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — the food program for low-income individuals — has become one of the hottest topics in farm bill negotiations, as
Biochar — an ancient farming method — is finding new life improving soil and burying carbon
Nick Cuchetti is mixing up something special in a bucket on his family farm in Luebbering, Missouri. The dusty substance looks a lot like charcoal,
New facility in Decatur makes animal feed ingredients from insects
A new facility that raises fly larvae for animal feed has opened in Decatur.
Governor J-B Pritzker helped cut the ribbon Thursday for the North American Insect Innovation Center, built by the French biotech company Innovafeed SAS.
The 10,000 square foot facility, with a staff of ten, is the company’s first facility in the Americas. And it is a precursor to a much larger growing and manufacturing plant, with 100 to 300 employees, that Innovafeed plans to build adjacent to the current facility over the next two years.
Bird flu is spreading in dairy herds. Midwest farmers say they’re vigilant but not alarmed
The flu has been found in cows for the first time, but most cattle seem to be showing only mild symptoms and recovering from the
A UIUC researcher wants to compare new farmland soil samples to old ones. Objective: learn how farming affects soil over time.
A soil scientist at the University of Illinois Urbana campus is reaching out to landowners and farmers, as he prepares to take soil samples at locations where samples were taken years ago across the state.
Raising roosters is big business. Now a push to ease penalties for cockfighting is ruffling feathers
There are rows and rows of small white structures housing individual roosters on Troy Thompson’s farm in southern Oklahoma. “You know, some people like pigs,
This farmer’s livelihood was ruined by PFAS-contaminated fertilizer that few Midwest states test for
Biosolids — a type of treated sewage byproduct from wastewater treatment plants — are used as a nutrient-rich fertilizer on farms across the Midwest. But
New USDA ‘climate-friendly’ farming and ranching practices have yet to be proven, report says
An environmental activist group charges that many “climate smart” farming practices recently added to a list for U.S. Department of Agriculture funding are not yet proven. The Environmental Working Group says funding from the Inflation Reduction Act should not be used to pay farmers for using the practices, until there is more evidence that they work.
Most veterinarians are women, but they still face sexism in rural areas where they’re most needed
When Dr. Bailey Lammers started her veterinary career nearly a decade ago in her home state of Nebraska, she joined a minority of women practicing
Ag groups and lawmakers warn of a monopoly in the fertilizer industry with one plant’s sale
The sale of a fertilizer plant in southeast Iowa to Koch Industries is shining a spotlight on consolidation in the industry. Several groups are asking
The feds sent letters to 44 states to fix SNAP application errors and inefficiencies
The majority of states are not processing food assistance applications on time and making too many payment errors, according to the federal government. U.S. Department
Aging farmers and fewer farms in the new agriculture census should be a ‘wake up call,’ says Vilsack
The average farmer in the U.S. is now 58 years old, according to the Census of Agriculture, released Tuesday. There are also fewer farms in
Some Midwest states take power to ban wind and solar projects away from local communities
As the number of wind and solar farms increases, so does opposition in the rural areas where they’re being built. While more counties and townships
The U.S. hopes to build more pipelines for carbon capture. Landowners don’t want them
Thousands of miles of oil and natural gas pipelines already crisscross the country. Now, many more are being proposed to carry things like hydrogen and
Capitol Briefs: State money to address food deserts; unemployment at 4.2%; tax season opens
Fresh food availability targeted in grant program; IDOR begins processing returns.
Accounting investigation under way at ADM and its top financial executive has been placed on leave
ADM said that an investigation was initiated in response to a voluntary document request by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company said late Sunday that it’s cooperating with the SEC. ADM named Ismael Roig as interim CFO.
The farm bill stalled in Congress last year, leaving lawmakers to deal with it in an election year
Congress kicked the can down the road by failing to negotiate a new farm bill last year. The bill has been extended through the end