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 a slim Republican majority. What’s not clear is how that split in control will affect one of the biggest pieces of legislation on the agenda next year: the Farm Bill. […]
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 challenges in acquiring that land. KANSAS CITY, Kan. — There’s a high demand for the vegetables Mediatrice Niyonkuru grows in her urban garden. Cassava leaves, muchicha and white eggplant are […]
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 be widely available by the end of the decade. Autonomous vehicles that drive themselves may come to farm fields long before they are common on roadways. John Deere intends to […]
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, farmers with 30% crop loss, can apply for low-interest, emergency loans. This can help replace equipment or refinance certain debts. John Gehrke heads the loan program at the USDA Illinois […]
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 local food pantries and teaching them about healthy eating on a budget. She likes working with children, especially since she doesn’t have any kids of her own. What she doesn’t […]
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 advocates, lawmakers and experts to come up with strategies to tackle food insecurity and diet-related health issues. The conference comes after a spike in food insecurity rates across the country […]
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 (USDA) farm conservation programs within the bipartisan Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, a $740 billion climate, tax and healthcare spending package signed into law by President Joe Biden this summer. […]
Rural areas need more veterinarians, but low pay and student debt make choice difficult
For as long as she can remember, Dr. Cyrena Hull wanted to be a veterinarian — she recalls how as a child she would pretend to hook up her stuffed animals to makeshift IVs. Hull began working at the Perry Veterinary Hospital in Perry, Oklahoma, straight out of veterinary school six years ago. She’s one […]
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. Her deputy, Ali Zaidi, will move into her role. And John Podesta, a chief of staff for former President Bill Clinton and a climate adviser to former President Barack Obama, […]
‘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 visitors. They’re getting creative by highlighting amenities that can be a bit off the beaten path. https://cpa.ds.npr.org/s60/audio/2022/08/underdog-tourism-states-web.wav Listen to this story here. Climbing into a cattle water tank and floating […]
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 East suburbs near St. Louis — including much of Decatur and Springfield. This week, the Illinois Farm Bureau’s political action committee endorsed 13th district Republican candidate Regan Deering. The news […]
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 Republican challenger Kathy Salvi during the Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable candidates forum Wednesday in rural Lexington. The recently signed Inflation Reduction Act and the Biden Administration’s student loan forgiveness plan […]
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 message was one of optimism, billing himself as the state’s “chief marketer.” His challenger, state Sen. Darren Bailey, a Republican from Xenia, told the room full of farmers that Illinois […]
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. Tammy Duckworth met Vilsack at a Casey’s General Store in Le Roy. Duckworth pointed out a new, yellow handle at the Casey’s pump – where drivers can fill up their […]
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 farming systems and investigate the impacts of transformed crop rotations. The multidisciplinary research project funded by a $10 million grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture will […]