News and stories about sustainability
Eliminating the information gap to help agriculture voluntarily meet the Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy goals has been a top priority for the Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership.
Soil health and quality play a significant role in the nutritional value of pastures and cover crops, determining grazing strategies and sustainability.
Applications are being accepted through May 31 for a unique training course for farmers, advisers and conservation professionals that focuses on the soil health system.
The 2023 National FFA Annual Report was recently published, outlining the organization’s achievements and laying a blueprint for its future.
Get ready for a fish-out-of-water journey into the world of dairy farming with Emmy-nominated sketch comedian and actress Vanessa Bayer.
Andretti INDYCAR has joined the B20 Club of Indiana — a group that supports biodiesel, renewable fuels and sustainable aviation fuel.
Several times over the past few weeks I’ve been approached by a friendly stranger. They wanted to know if I would comment on an issue and sign my name in support or opposition.
Resiliency is important for farmers to leverage resources and technology to make their operations sustainable for future generations.
Food companies are using technology to improve sustainability at every step of the supply chain.
For Doug McKalip, the chief agricultural negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, removing barriers to and boosting U.S. agricultural exports and trade is a work in progress.
There’s not a day that goes by, when farmers aren’t thinking about how to leave the land better than we found it.
Many times, while standing on the very land my father and grandfather cultivated, I reflect on how things have changed. From the adoption of new sustainability practices to our approach to livestock management, our farming methods have evolved significantly.
Midwest Dairy, the checkoff organization representing over 4,000 dairy farmers in a 10-state region, announced that Corey Scott of Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota, has been named its new CEO.
Farming is a beautiful way of life for many families. It’s also a business. An often-quoted phrase is an important one in agriculture: the business of business is relationships.
Whether it’s caring for expectant sows, introducing Peoria County fourth-graders to baby pigs or steering the Illinois Pork Producers Association as its new president, Cheryl Cowser Walsh approaches each task with a positive mindset.
Animals are an important part of the sustainable food system.
Larry Hopkins, a sheep farmer from Westfield, was one of three new farmers elected to serve on the executive board of the American Sheep Industry Association.
The Fort Wayne Farm Show, to be presented Jan. 16-18 by Tradexpos at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, will feature daily educational seminars provided by Northeastern Indiana Soil and Water Conservation Districts and Purdue Extension.
Dairy Management Inc., which manages the national dairy checkoff program, announced significant outcomes in 2023 on behalf of America’s dairy farmers and importers.
Another year has passed with an outcry for improved sustainability on our planet. If you ask 10 people to define sustainability, you will get 10 different answers.
Joel Gruver, a professor of soil science and sustainable agriculture at Western Illinois University in Macomb, will receive the 2024 Sustainable Agriculture Achievement Award from Practical Farmers of Iowa.
It has been a blessed Christmas season. The halls are decked, presents have been wrapped and you can hear Faron Young singing Christmas carols when you step in the backdoor of our house.
The word sustainability has been tossed around like a leaf on a windy fall day, but is there proof in the pudding?
Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., baseball’s “Iron Man” who holds the record for most consecutive games played, will be among the featured speakers at Dairy Strong, one of the Midwest’s premiere conferences for the dairy community.
Not only did Oct. 8 mark the final 85 days of 2023, but Prairie Farms Dairy announced that its 85th anniversary celebration will finish strong with a variety of special activities.
Although Claire Hodge did not plan on a career in agriculture, that changed while shopping at a farmers market.
Kipster, the world’s first carbon-neutral egg farm, began in the Netherlands and has traveled all the way to North Manchester in northern Indiana.
The Illinois Soybean Association announced the launch of the “It’s Sustainably Soy” Certification program to recognize organizations, construction firms and executives for utilizing sustainable soy-based products in their infrastructure projects.
Soil tilth building practices should be considered offensive management tools. “Cover crops have been pushed as defensive tools against erosion, water quality problems or impeding regulations,” said Mitchell Hora.
Sustainability is at the core of the Morgan Brothers farm. Through sustainable practices, they save money on labor and inputs, and time in the field.
The Illinois Soybean Association is proud to be providing a space for farmers to do just that at this year’s Farm Progress Show.
Stakeholders across the dairy value chain discussed challenges and opportunities during the recent 2023 Dairy Sustainability Alliance Spring Meeting.
Whether you are a farmer, producer or consumer, it is important to stay informed on current and upcoming agricultural practices.
Since 1991, the Beef Checkoff-funded National Beef Quality Audit has delivered a set of guideposts and measurements for cattle producers and other stakeholders to help determine quality conformance of the U.S. beef supply.
The Indy 500 Milk Person, Kerry Estes, is prepared to hand off the iconic glass of milk to the winning driver on race day.
Increasing productivity and profitability of AGCO customers is important for the company to meet the needs of a growing population.
Indiana Farm Bureau members celebrated Earth Day, acknowledging the importance of land and the measures farmers take to protect it.
I’m a third-generation farmer. I love that it’s natural for farmers to speak of our calling in terms of generations.
When buying the week’s groceries for the family, picking up paper supplies for a school project, or replacing a worn-out pair of jeans, we can trace all those products back to a farm.
Illinois Milk Producers Association during its 2022 annual awards program recognized two farmers who showcased leadership, stewardship and excellence in the dairy industry. David Ruppert of Montgomery County is the recipient of the 2022 Dairy Industry Service Award.
Dairy industry leaders discussed how USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities projects can help secure a climate smart and profitable future for farmers during the Dairy Sustainability Alliance Fall Meeting.
A unique tool that places farm sustainability insights into the hands of growers was launched this year by Syngenta.
The Illinois Soybean Association checkoff program is sharing its “Good to be Soy” message with Fighting Illini fans in their fall and winter sports lineup. ISA hosted a “Good to be Soy” tailgate within the Grange Grove quadrant next to Memorial Stadium before kickoff.
Not everyone in agriculture shares the same definitions of sustainable or regenerative agriculture. But most will agree these efforts include environmental, economic and social practices to ensure we have — and will continue to have — the water, materials and resources needed.
It amazes me how many people believe that sustainability is a new concept in agriculture. Those of you involved in production agriculture know sustainability is necessary to keep doing what you are doing.
The strength of Farm Bureau is on full display when we speak with our one united voice and come to the table to address the challenges we face at the local, state and national level. And it’s our strength and unity that has made us such a trusted voice for agriculture in our nati
A Heartland Community College class used a 75-acre farm as its textbook. Heartland’s introduction to regenerative agriculture class toured Epiphany Farms to see firsthand a working farm and event venue that focuses on sustainability and a farm-to-fork concept.
It’s rare to find one Midwestern academic publicly questioning the economic and environmental impacts of ethanol.
I inherited my parents’ passion for taking care of land, protecting the water and providing wildlife refuge. Visitors to our farm are often surprised to learn this commitment to sustainability goes back to the 1950s. The same is true on many generational farms across the country.
Almost four years after the project was announced, designs for a $23 million sustainability center at Northern Illinois University have received the go-ahead from the state of Illinois.