Getting heifers developed, inseminated early and confirmed pregnant plays a significant role in the lifetime productivity of beef and dairy cows.

The U.S. House passed a new farm bill after the agriculture industry has operated for the past eight years under the previous legislation that included three extensions.

These super-high prices we are experiencing all across the beef industry leave one unanswered question on every producer’s mind: When will it all end?

We are nearly a month now post-inaugural production sale. All the nervousness and concerns were brushed aside, as the sale in all facets turned out to be a great success.

As we continue the great ride with cattle prices we still must do some things well to be as profitable as possible.

Local livestock auction yards have been around since about the time cattle were first introduced as a commercialized American food source and they are the epitome of a robustly competitive market.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Legislative Conference is where grassroots policy meets action.

In cow-calf operations, reproductive success comes down to timing. A calf born just a few weeks earlier can mean significantly more weight at weaning, tighter calving groups and improved lifetime performance.

Global disruptions have tightened fertilizer supplies and driven up costs. At the same time, fuel prices continue to rise, further tightening balance sheets.

Farmers and ranchers can capture more of the food dollar through value-added production, direct marketing and partnerships that move them deeper into supply chain activities.

Thirteen Illinois Farm Bureau members and agricultural professionals graduated from the Agricultural Leaders of Tomorrow program, an extensive leadership development program designed to help participants develop leadership and advocacy skills.

It’s never been so expensive for Americans to buy a steak or hamburger, but cutting those costs requires ranchers like Stephanie Hatzenbuhler to raise more cattle — and that’s not an easy ask.

For our U.S. cattle and sheep industries, do you want free markets or competitive markets? That’s not a trick question as there’s presently significant political tension between these two goals.

The Mexican cattle industry has been hit hard by New World screwworm fly larvae infestations, and the United States has closed the border since July to imports of cattle, bison and horses.

Like other farmers across the nation, my work is not a job, but a calling.

A team of Purdue University students won first place in the food track of the 2026 Student Soybean Innovation Competition.

Bryan Severs was reappointed chair of the U.S. Identity Preserved Alliance at its annual meeting.

There’s heightened concern across the Corn Belt due to the surge in fertilizer and fuel prices, combined with a volatile commodity market.

United Producers Inc. announced a leadership transition at its Salem market as Maycey Crain and Mark Kleiboeker step into new roles to serve producers across the region.

With farmers capturing only a small share of the food dollar, even modest swings in commodity prices or increases in input costs can quickly strain farm finances.

Cattle, sheep and goat prices are at record or near record levels and fundamentally should remain that way for some time to come.

Charlie Meier is quick to point out that had it not been for his involvement with FFA and 4-H as a youngster, he would not be a state representative.

We have continued to have a few health problems here with the insurance calves and now we have more mud.

Brush in our pastures is my nemesis and I find myself looking for every opportunity to do damage to every Russian olive and locust tree on the planet.

You drive past or in the fields and lots where we are calving and there are babies running around, enjoying their surroundings and their new playmates.

Johnson County 4-H is recognizing service members this spring by featuring 4-H alumni on active duty in the U.S. military.

Greg and Janis Thoren are the recipients of the 2026 Illinois Leopold Conservation Award.

St. Joseph Ag Days will be held April 10-12 this spring as a free, interactive way for families to learn about agriculture.

The 2026 Indiana General Assembly wrapped up its work, which included some wins for agriculture, according to leaders at Indiana Farm Bureau.

The Illinois Pork Producers Association honored a family that has contributed to the long-term success of the industry through leadership and pork promotion at the local and state levels.

As days lengthen and soil temperatures begin inching upward, cool-season forages slowly wake from dormancy.

Agricultural economic conditions are mostly flat since mid-January across the Corn Belt’s Federal Reserve Districts, according to a survey.

Orion Samuelson wasn’t my formal mentor, but he didn’t have to be. His work ethic spoke louder than any lesson plan ever could.

Strong results continue at the 2026 Illinois Performance Tested Bull Sale held at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield.

The latest federal farm income forecast reinforces the difficult reality for U.S. agriculture.

I took the Bud Williams “Hand ‘n Hand” Marketing School and Stockmanship School in-person classes in southwestern Missouri and learned you must include a profit in everything you do.

When we drone seeded clover on the wheat last February it had just a little green, but I was hoping it would soon look better and it does.

The National Pork Producers Council elected new officers and board members to lead the organization through the 2026-2027 term.

Delegates to National Farmers Union’s 124th Anniversary Convention cast their ballots to unanimously reelect Rob Larew and Jeff Kippley as the organization’s president and vice president, respectively.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has now sharply lowered its 2025 farm income outlook by $25 billion, reinforcing that this downturn is deeper and more persistent than many anticipated.

The September-seeded rye really greened up with the rain and temperatures, so some grazing may be taking place soon.

A little moisture is all it takes to get folks thinking spring has arrived.

I know a lot of people were thinking, and maybe rightfully so, that our region could use moisture. I beg to differ.

Raising livestock is an important way for Chad Bell to diversify his farming operation in western Illinois.

Farmland values increased 2% in the last quarter of 2025 and were up 6% year-over-year in the 7th Federal Reserve District.

One of the few bright spots in the agricultural economy has been beef cattle, as smaller cattle supplies paired with strong consumer demand for beef has driven up prices for both cattle and beef, reports Jim Henry.

Growing winter forage can improve water quality, reduce soil erosion, add organic matter, break up compaction and provide livestock feed.

We’ve had several inquiries by folks wanting to get started since these sky-high prices, both beef and lamb, have shown the benefit of diversifying from the corn and bean doldrums.

While winter grazing can work, understanding the physiological stress it places on forage plants — and planning for recovery — is critical to long-term pasture health.

For people in agriculture and rural communities, take heed: We work outside where ticks thrive, and one small bite can create a life-changing food allergy.