Dan Sanderson is the recipient of the 2025 Illinois Leopold Conservation Award.

The Hoosier Sheep Symposium will be held Sept. 20 at Purdue University in the Creighton Hall of Animal Sciences, 720 Clinic Drive, West Lafayette.

Milk was named the official beverage of high school athletics in Indiana by American Dairy Association Indiana Inc. and the Indiana High School Athletic Association.

Despite all the hot weather we had in July and August, the cattle have come on well and look great. Returns on the cattle we have sold continue to show they are performing and grading very well.

Prices for every class of cattle are over-the-moon high and the only question I hear is, “When will this bubble burst?” The answer of course is, “Who knows?”

The moderate drought we are back in has hastened the row crop maturation and held back everything else needing a drink.

After years of rising input costs and volatile markets, Illinois farmers finally have updated farm policy that reflects their needs in the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” landmark legislation that delivers real, meaningful wins for Illinois farmers.

The Purdue University Ag Economy Barometer fell 10 points to a reading of 125 — the third month of declines.

Washington became the first state to ban octopus farming in 2024, followed by California, which also outlawed the sale of farmed octopus.

September usually marks a turning point. Summer turns to fall, vacation turns to school and the green hope and promise of growing crops turns into the yellow and gold of harvest. This month feels different, though.

Why wouldn’t you want to farm the land in a way that builds soil biodiversity, delivers a return on investment and restores wildlife habitat?

Clay Geyer is preparing for the next chapter on the farm — harvest and the Indiana State Corn Husking Contest.

Your data is constantly flowing — from the milking parlor to the feed bunk to the breeding pen.

Dairy Management Inc. is accepting entries for its 2026 New Product Competition, inviting undergraduate and graduate students across the United States to develop innovative dairy-based products that meet today’s consumer demands for bone and muscle health and weight management.

Crop prices and trade policies remain among the top concerns across Corn Belt districts for the fourth straight Federal Reserve survey.

Judicious use of antibiotics is tremendously important for the future of beef and dairy production.

Brazilian beef imports are accelerating the ongoing contraction of the U.S. cattle industry by displacing domestic cattle producers, their cattle and domestic feedlots — and this is weakening America’s ability to be self-reliant in beef production.

Registration is now open for CattleCon 2026, which will be held for the first time in downtown Nashville.

The annual Orr Beef Research Center Field Day will take place at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 10.

The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management Program is seeking nominations for its FARM Farmer Advisory Council, uplifting farmer voices and helping shape the future of the FARM Program.

Graduate students pursuing careers in meat science and animal science are encouraged to apply for the annual W.D. Farr Scholarship program.

Legislation lifting long-standing restrictions on small poultry farms in Illinois was signed into law by the governor after unanimous approval in both General Assembly chambers.

There’s something deeply gratifying about reporting on 4-H and FFA members who are raising animals, showing livestock and learning responsibility through hands-on work.

Combining solar projects with grazing animals is a way for livestock producers to expand their operations without depending on land ownership.

Developing a livestock grazing plan during the initial design of solar projects helps to eliminate future problems.

I’m hustling to keep up with the grass growth and mow under the fence to keep the volts up and my high school help went back to school.

Nathaniel will be marketing his first-ever pastured organic broiler crop as his entrepreneurial debut.

Our county fair is underway and my granddaughter has three of her Shetlands at the 4-H and junior shows.

The Parkers wrapped up a successful weekend at the Illinois State Fair livestock show and returned to their farm with ribbons in hand.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture announced the winners of the Sale of Champions at the 2025 Illinois State Fair — the premier auction showcasing the top livestock exhibited by Illinois 4-H youth.

Sixty-five young livestock exhibitors vied for the title of “Grand Champion Overall Master Showman” during the Illinois State Fair Master Showmanship Contest.

Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello II announced a $625,000 commitment from Compeer Financial to the Illinois Fairgrounds Foundation toward ongoing upgrades to fairground buildings.

Champions were crowned in the Supreme Drive at the Indiana State Fair.

The Lake County Fair hosted its inaugural 4-H Urban Ag Expo, highlighting the talents of 11 young people who participated in the county’s new urban agriculture program.

In a period when retail beef prices are at an all-time high and consumers are still willing to pay, South Dakota rancher Calli Williams would love to cash in. But it’s not so simple.

The United States’ suspension of live cattle imports from Mexico hit at the worst possible time for rancher Martín Ibarra Vargas, who after two years of severe drought had hoped to put his family on better footing selling his calves across the northern border.

If “America First” is the goal, then the American Beef Labeling Act is an integral component. You simply can’t say you’re putting America first when you’re catering to the self-interests of global corporations.

Becoming a trained observer of livestock can help producers evaluate the nutritional value of their pastures.

Plant succession is a process where one plant community replaces another.

Ken Ropp made his first cheese delivery of the season to Tanners Orchard.

Several hundred IH 1206 tractors are expected to be on display during the Half Century of Progress event at the National Aviation Center near Rantoul.

Franklin Gaisler has featured his Oliver tractors during the past several Half Century of Progress shows and was at his 20th Historic Farm Days this summer.

Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery announced that two of its artisanal cheeses have been awarded bronze and silver medals at the 42nd American Cheese Society annual conference in Sacramento.

The Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition will host two upcoming Grazing Schools, with events scheduled this September in Cambridge and Waltonville.

The nation’s largest grocer is reportedly creating a closed, vertically integrated system for which it touts new jobs and new marketing opportunities for ranchers.

From canning vegetables to volunteering at Taste From Indiana Farms at the Indiana State Fair, Mindy Orschell is enjoying the final few weeks of summer on — and off — the farm.

The cooler weather this past week allowed us to wean calves and introduce some new heifers to the herds.

World Dairy Expo Virtual Farm Tours have brought some of the best dairy operations from near and far to Madison for over 20 years.

Thanks to a new partnership, dairy producers will soon have additional options for achieving and marketing verified greenhouse gas reductions from on-farm sustainability practices.

The prices for what these feeder cattle are costing and what fat cattle are bringing seems dangerously crazy.