Developing a thriving soybean market in Africa doesn’t just represent a new crop in the rotation for smallholder farmers — it builds an entire ecosystem of seed companies, processors and trade partners ready to enter the global soybean market.

When a Chicago native Andrea Padilla, a senior agriculture major, returned to higher education after a decade-long hiatus, she didn’t expect her path to lead through Western Illinois University’s agricultural research fields — or to a first-place national research award.

Farmers were more optimistic about the ag economy in November, according to the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer.

Agricultural conditions remained strained but slightly improved over the last six weeks, according to a survey across the Corn Belt’s Federal Reserve Districts.

Farmer Tyler Everett had the ultimate “seat at the table” with President Donald Trump.

A $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance Program to help farmers offset trade disruptions and increased production costs was announced by the Trump administration.

The American Soybean Association, U.S. Soybean Export Council and ASA’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health expressed strong support for the America First Trade Promotion Program recently announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service.

Zorina fungicide has received U.S. Environmental Protection Agency registration and is now approved for use, subject to state approvals.

The latest grain bin technologies can help prevent leaving money on the table because the soybeans are too dry.

On the southern Illinois dairy farm of my youth, we marked seasons by the work more than by the month.

With harvest complete and cover crops planted, work at Riskedal Farms is focusing on repairing machinery and deciding what changes they will make for the 2026 growing season.

The 2025 corn and soybean growing season ended as it started — ideal conditions — along with the usual and unusual challenges sandwiched in between.

Good corn yields overall and variable soybean yields with minimal insect and disease pressure were the general theme across the University of Illinois Variety Testing fields.

The Illinois Corn Growers Association and Precision Conservation Management presented the 2026 Randy Stauffer Stewardship Award to Whalen Farms.

New data released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture created serious doubts about whether China will really buy millions of bushels of American soybeans like the Trump administration touted last month after a high-stakes meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.

With lower grain prices, higher interest rates and increased production costs, some farms are facing a challenging financial situation.

American Soybean Association President Caleb Ragland urged Congress and the administration to take immediate action to reduce farm production costs and prevent additional family farm closures.

Illinois Soybean Association is excited to celebrate outstanding individuals in agriculture through its annual Achievement Awards.

The way Beck’s Hybrids approaches its business and makes decisions is different than publicly traded companies.

Farmers have options they can implement prior to the end of the year to impact the amount of taxes they will owe for 2025.

The Precision Conservation Management program is wrapping up its 10th year of providing free technical assistance to identify solutions for the environment and farmers’ bottom lines.

Clay Geyer celebrated the end of another successful year on his farm in northern Indiana.

Overall, I believe the corn and soybeans did much better this year than last, but we were done planting this year before May 1.

The past few years have tested even the most seasoned farmers. Facing rising input costs, unpredictable market access and many other challenges, farmers and ranchers are working harder while margins grow thinner.

The work done at this breeding site in east-central Illinois tests and refines Xitavo® soybean seed-exclusive varieties under real growing conditions, not just lab settings.

A favorable fall weather pattern provided the Henert family the ability to complete harvest and fall fieldwork in a timely manner.

New hardware and software features have been added to GSI’s GrainVue grain management system.

Cox Farms enjoyed more grain storage and a more efficient harvest after expanding to a new 125,000-bushel storage bin this fall.

The Illinois Soybean Association has hired Kevin “KJ” Johnson as the new director of government relations and strategy.

Ropp Jersey Cheese has transitioned from using milk produced on-site to milk from another family farm for its cheese products.

Brian Rexing, an Indiana dairy farmer and a member of the Dairy Farmers of America cooperative, was chosen as the National Milk Producers Federation’s 15th chairman at the organization’s Joint Annual Meeting.

Jim Henry points to biofuels — not export demand — as the key driver for corn and soybean markets in the future.

Syngenta announced Victrato seed treatment is now registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for soybeans and cotton.

Despite the latest — and delayed — crop balance sheets showing only slight changes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s reports painted the trade screens red.

With limited data, in some cases, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released its first World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report since September.

Minimal changes were made in “I” state corn and soybean average yields in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s crop production report.

We figured we were probably 5% over our Actual Production History for the year in both corn and soybeans and actually our toughest ground did better than our better ground this year.

A new soybean seed treatment aimed at protecting the crop from its top nemeses waits registration.

As the fall harvest season comes to a close, farmers are carefully studying their balance sheets.

This year’s harvest is definitely not as good as last year, but better than I had feared.

Agricultural conditions across the Corn Belt are strained in part due to concerns about China’s elimination of soybean purchases and low crop prices, according to a Federal Reserve survey.

An Illinois grain farmer and popular host of podcasts, radio and television shows was the guest speaker at Eureka Savings Bank’s recent inaugural ag event.

Jim Henry shares some long-awaited positive trade news — a meaningful step to reestablishing a stable, long-term relationship with the world’s largest buyer of soybeans.

After college, Marcus Maier got a full-time job, but he still had the notion of joining the Army in the back of his mind.

Landowners and farmers should consider a flexible cash lease to accommodate changing prices and yields during the growing season, which allows farmers to minimize some risk and for landowners to capture higher profits.

A farmer and biodiesel facility quality control manager, both from Illinois, were among the newly appointed Sustainable Advanced Biofuel Refiners Coalition directors.

Two farms were honored with the inaugural Weaver Popcorn Manufacturing Stewardship Award, presented by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture and Weaver Popcorn Manufacturing.

American farmers welcomed China’s promise to buy some of their soybeans, but they cautioned this won’t solve all their problems as they continue to deal with soaring prices for fertilizer, tractors, repair parts and seeds.

Paradox seems to be the guiding principle of today’s food policies.

Indiana agriculture took center stage as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins visited Everett Farms and Seed LLC in Lebanon ahead of her keynote address to the 98th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis.