Chad Bell harvested his two fields of wheat and once the straw is baled he will be planting a cover crop on these acres.

Despite the fluctuation in available funding, farmers are still encouraged to utilize the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Continued low prices, government subsidy programs and high input costs will continue to weigh on farmer profitability and their ability to maintain current cash rents. These factors will all be important to consider when 2027 rents are negotiated in the fall of 2026.

A phone call from a friend changed Debbie Ruff’s career trajectory 35 years ago, and she’s “still having fun” as ag literacy coordinator.

Soil tests are important tools for farmers to determine the limiting factors for crop production on their fields.

Farmers are invited to deepen their agronomic knowledge at Precision Planting’s free, full-day summer sessions: the Radicle Summit and Precision Technology Institute Agronomy Days.

I’m working with this grower, Wendell Good, that I love working with here in central Illinois. His passion is wheat, whereas a lot of people don’t care to plant wheat or harvest wheat in the middle of July when it’s 100 degrees outside. He loves wheat. I do, too.

Hoosiers planted an estimated 1.58 million acres of cover crops, according to survey results from Indiana Conservation Partnership.

The Illinois Corn Growers Association and farmer leaders feel overwhelmingly positive after their review of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Regenerative Feedstock Rule.

Farmers for Soil Health, the farmer-led initiative launched in 2022 to double cover crop acres on U.S. farmland by 2030, has reopened enrollment for 2026 with increased per-acre payments and a simplified one-year contract designed to remove barriers for growers.

Eleven years of on-farm data puts some proof in the pudding in terms of what conservation practices can do for a farming operation.

The soil contains a complex community of interconnected microorganisms.

Corn and soybean stands look good on Cliff Lane’s farm, and he has not found any issues with emergence.

More than 25 speakers and panelists will provide strategies for creating and maintaining a successful forage and livestock operation during the Illinois Forage Institute on June 26 at Spoon River College in Canton.

Hosted by University of Illinois Extension Commercial Agriculture Educator Kathryn Seebruck, “Talking Crop” is a row crop production podcast, with episodes occurring every other week during the growing season between May and September.

Teens and young adults will test their knowledge of regenerative agriculture at a contest held during this summer’s Heart of American Grazing Conference in Effingham.

With corn and soybean planting finished, Chad Bell is focusing on evaluating the stands and completing tissue sampling and soil testing.

Brad Zimmerman’s father, Phil, was an early adopter of no-till and always looking for ways to improve his farm. He is now carrying on the idea of looking outside the box with an even more holistic approach to crop production that focuses on plant and soil health.

Once we got going, spring went really quick. We had a window there from mid-April to the end of April where a lot of guys went and then the last 10 days has just been hammer down and get her done.

Growing your own produce can be done in a water-wise way. Here are tips from experts on how to get started.

Rural Investment to Protect our Environment welcomed the Illinois Soybean Association to its Steering Committee.

Farming is a gamble every year when challenged by the weather and the cost of crop inputs, so there is no thought of gambling the future of the farm away at the casino.

The Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition and the Illinois Forage and Grassland Council will host the 2026 Heart of America Grazing Conference on July 15–16 in Effingham.

Illinois Farm Bureau will host 14 Nutrient Stewardship Field Days this summer for farmers and industry partners to collaborate and discuss ongoing research and innovative approaches to nutrient stewardship.

In May, grass is growing fast, and it’s easy to get ahead of yourself and move too quickly. Instead of sticking to a pre-set plan, watch what the plants are doing.

Mark Read has been involved in his community in a variety of roles over the years, and after retiring from farming, he was able to expand his volunteer work to well beyond north-central Illinois.

As we see more solar fields dotting our rural landscape, it’s understandable to question if this is the best use of our productive Illinois land.

Farmers are entering the critical spring planting season under a cloud of uncertainty as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran disrupts global trade, causing fertilizer and diesel costs to spike.

When Jay Whalen was hired as a seed specialist 17 years ago, he began using his farm for testing the company’s various products.

Dallas Conrad is building a legacy for the next generation on his central Indiana farm with the help of Meristem Crop Performance.

In 1920, Daniel Chapman’s great-grandpa Ritchie started farming the land using horses. Since then, each generation of the family has worked to leave a legacy for the next.

Planting corn and soybeans on Bell Family Farms has started for the 2026 growing season.

A garden is a structure, and like any structure, it requires a good foundation. That’s where soil health comes in.

With prices for many things creeping up this year, gardeners shopping for supplies might be looking to tighten their tool belts.

Farmland prices are expected to decrease from 1% to 5% this year, according to Illinois professional farm managers.

The 2026 Fruit and Vegetable Field Day will be held July 16, hosted by Purdue University’s Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture and Purdue Extension.

For generations, farmers and ranchers have been the backbone of rural communities and a driving force in our nation’s economy.

A “From Field Tile to Tap” tour demonstrated what farmers can do on their farms to protect drinking water sources downstream.

With field preparation starting and planting fast approaching, it is important to know your soil moisture status, says Jim Henry.

Precision Conservation Management has been selected as a recipient of funding through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Conservation Partners Program, part of $8.7 million awarded nationwide to support on-the-ground conservation efforts.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture is relaunching the Infield Conservation for Operationalizing Vital Ecosystem Resilience, or I-COVER, Program to promote the early establishment of cover crops using new techniques or technology.

It is important to take time to evaluate field conditions early in the spring, especially the soil moisture status, says Jim Henry.

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

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

Minerals are essential for normal function of sheep and deficiencies in any of them can negatively impact health and performance.

The Morrow Plots, famed in song and story, represent the oldest continuously running agricultural experiment in North America.

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.

As growers prepare for the upcoming growing season against a backdrop of volatility, like shifting markets, unpredictable weather and accelerating technology, they’ll be faced with higher-stakes decisions and less room for error.

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

After a wet start to March, Indiana fields are soaked.