Biochar — an ancient farming method — is finding new life improving soil and burying carbon
Nick Cuchetti is mixing up something special in a bucket on his family farm in Luebbering, Missouri. The dusty substance looks a lot like charcoal, but scientists who study it bristle at the comparison. This is biochar — a soil amendment and a hot topic in sustainable agriculture. As Cuchetti pours the biochar onto his […]
New facility in Decatur makes animal feed ingredients from insects
A new facility that raises fly larvae for animal feed has opened in Decatur.
Governor J-B Pritzker helped cut the ribbon Thursday for the North American Insect Innovation Center, built by the French biotech company Innovafeed SAS.
The 10,000 square foot facility, with a staff of ten, is the company’s first facility in the Americas. And it is a precursor to a much larger growing and manufacturing plant, with 100 to 300 employees, that Innovafeed plans to build adjacent to the current facility over the next two years.
Bird flu is spreading in dairy herds. Midwest farmers say they’re vigilant but not alarmed
The flu has been found in cows for the first time, but most cattle seem to be showing only mild symptoms and recovering from the illness. Officials say the pasteurization process means milk remains safe. Midwest farmers and others in the dairy industry say they are staying vigilant but are not overly alarmed as bird […]
A UIUC researcher wants to compare new farmland soil samples to old ones. Objective: learn how farming affects soil over time.
A soil scientist at the University of Illinois Urbana campus is reaching out to landowners and farmers, as he prepares to take soil samples at locations where samples were taken years ago across the state.
Raising roosters is big business. Now a push to ease penalties for cockfighting is ruffling feathers
There are rows and rows of small white structures housing individual roosters on Troy Thompson’s farm in southern Oklahoma. “You know, some people like pigs, some people like horses — I like chickens,” Thompson said. These breeds of colorful Hatches and Kelsos are said to derive from jungle fowl and have historically been bred for […]
This farmer’s livelihood was ruined by PFAS-contaminated fertilizer that few Midwest states test for
Biosolids — a type of treated sewage byproduct from wastewater treatment plants — are used as a nutrient-rich fertilizer on farms across the Midwest. But a group of toxic “forever chemicals” are slipping through the cracks and could be inadvertently contaminating millions of acres of farmland. Jason Grostic comes from a long line of […]
New USDA ‘climate-friendly’ farming and ranching practices have yet to be proven, report says
An environmental activist group charges that many “climate smart” farming practices recently added to a list for U.S. Department of Agriculture funding are not yet proven. The Environmental Working Group says funding from the Inflation Reduction Act should not be used to pay farmers for using the practices, until there is more evidence that they work.
Most veterinarians are women, but they still face sexism in rural areas where they’re most needed
When Dr. Bailey Lammers started her veterinary career nearly a decade ago in her home state of Nebraska, she joined a minority of women practicing in rural areas. At first, Lammers said clients were hesitant of her ability to care for their livestock. “There would be times where they would call in and be like, […]
Ag groups and lawmakers warn of a monopoly in the fertilizer industry with one plant’s sale
The sale of a fertilizer plant in southeast Iowa to Koch Industries is shining a spotlight on consolidation in the industry. Several groups are asking the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice to carefully review the deal. When Koch Industries announced a $3.6 billion dollar deal in December to buy OCI’s Iowa Fertilizer […]
The feds sent letters to 44 states to fix SNAP application errors and inefficiencies
The majority of states are not processing food assistance applications on time and making too many payment errors, according to the federal government. U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack sent a letter to the governors of 44 states earlier this month that are failing to meet federal standards when it comes to processing applications […]
Aging farmers and fewer farms in the new agriculture census should be a ‘wake up call,’ says Vilsack
The average farmer in the U.S. is now 58 years old, according to the Census of Agriculture, released Tuesday. There are also fewer farms in the country than there were in the last census. The average age of farmers in the U.S. is continuing to increase while the number of farms declines, according to new […]
Some Midwest states take power to ban wind and solar projects away from local communities
As the number of wind and solar farms increases, so does opposition in the rural areas where they’re being built. While more counties and townships passed restrictions in the last year, some states are responding by passing laws making it harder for local governments to say no to wind and solar. The land in Piatt […]
The U.S. hopes to build more pipelines for carbon capture. Landowners don’t want them
Thousands of miles of oil and natural gas pipelines already crisscross the country. Now, many more are being proposed to carry things like hydrogen and carbon dioxide as ways to combat climate change. The pipeline runs right through Kenny Davis’ modest Scott County, Illinois, farm, where he had planned to build a home for him […]
Capitol Briefs: State money to address food deserts; unemployment at 4.2%; tax season opens
Fresh food availability targeted in grant program; IDOR begins processing returns.
Accounting investigation under way at ADM and its top financial executive has been placed on leave
ADM said that an investigation was initiated in response to a voluntary document request by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company said late Sunday that it’s cooperating with the SEC. ADM named Ismael Roig as interim CFO.
