Joliet Junior College

The only career Bob Friestad ever considered was farming and more than seven decades later he continues to grow crops on his farm near Morris in northeastern Illinois.

Over the past two decades, a Livingston County farmer traveled to the capitol to meet with legislators and advocate for agriculture.

The month of January saw Illinois FFA’s major state officers get right back into the swing of things. January kicked off with the officers spending a week at the Illinois FFA Center in Springfield.

For Austin Granby, a decision to end a fun-filled vacation early, in favor of hitting the books, paid off.

The Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association presented its annual awards at its recent convention. The awards recognize Illinois veterinarian professionals who provide compassionate care with leading-edge medical practices.

If the cost of eggs is breaking the household budget, also consider the effect on the restaurant industry.

Working with cattle and vegetables resulted in two Illinois FFA members receiving national Agricultural Proficiency Awards.

Excitement levels were high as delegates to the 94th Illinois FFA State Convention elected five members to the state officer team during the Thursday morning session of the three-day convention.

Normal Community High School made a commitment to an expanded agriculture program and hired its first full-time ag teacher in 2014. It was a good move, as the number of students taking ag classes increased from 75 to 80 the first year to about 200 students this school year.

Row crops and livestock were part of Tammy Miller’s day-to-day life on her family’s Livingston County farm and she now shares her experiences and helps guide college students toward agricultural careers.

All students at the Grand Ridge School are learning about agriculture this year with the development of an ag program at the school that includes kindergarten through eighth grade.

A Grundy County farmer and former university director have been named to U.S. Department of Agriculture leadership roles in Illinois.