Drones

The Highland Community College Agriculture Department invites the public to the 2023 Agriculture Research Day.

With an aim to challenge the status quo, Precision Planting opened its Precision Technology Institute five years ago. The farm that focuses completely on research has since hosted visitors from across the globe.

The one certainty about the Ukrainian-Russian war is that there is little certainty. Even with Russia’s recent history of aggression, few predicted outright war.

After working eight- to 10-hour shifts at their full-time jobs, the Smolkovich brothers converged to do chores at their cattle operation Monday evening.

We are in full summertime mode with the activities going on around the farm. The sprayer is still running, applying the last of the herbicides on the soybeans.

Agronomics, conservation and technology were just a few of the topics covered by farmer panelists at the Illinois Soybean Association’s Soybean Summit.

Gripp Custom Farming was among numerous agriculture businesses featuring the latest technologies during the Greater Peoria Farm Show. Bill Winter, Gripp Custom Farming sales representative, said the firm has full ag retail locations in Sheffield and Wyanet.

The 60th annual Farm Science Review came to a close at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center in London, Ohio, after welcoming 114,589 visitors during the course of the three-day event and showcasing the latest in agricultural innovations.

We are now experiencing a serious drought to a level not reached since 2012. All the summer months, so far, have provided us with nothing more than a few tenths of moisture at a time and nothing at all lately.

Fred Below’s interest in plants was sparked at a young age by his grandfather and his curiosity grew exponentially when he looked at the University of Illinois’ agronomy course offerings.

Although he has not found tar spot in his cornfields yet, Steve Pitstick will spray a fungicide for prevention of the disease. “We’ve had tar spot since 2018,” said Pitstick who farms about 5,000 acres of corn and soybeans near Maple Park in northern Illinois.

Utilizing no-till practices has been part of the Zimmerman farm for several decades. “My dad was a bit of a pioneer. He started no-tilling in the mid-’80s when not a lot of people were doing it around here,” said Brad Zimmerman during the Soy Around the State media tour.

In addition to planting corn and soybeans seeds, Brady Holst applies a mix of bacteria and fungi with his planter. “We’ve been putting biologicals on with the planter for about five years,” said Holst, who farms with his dad and brother.

Heartland Community College kicked off the construction of a 29,500-square-foot-facility and outside growing labs which will support agriculture programs and the next generation of ag students.

As the toxins from Bt corn become less and less effective at managing western and northern corn rootworms, what’s next? It will take a combination of innovative techniques to provide sustainable control, according to University of Illinois researchers, who are gearing up for a project involving next year’s crops.