New Trade Deal For US, Mexico And Canada Clears Another Hurdle
A much-anticipated update to the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement is one step closer to implementation. On Tuesday, the Senate Finance…
More People Returning Christmas Trees To Nature
It’s after Christmas and maybe you’re wondering what to do with the wilting, live tree in your living room. You might think about re-purposing the tree after the ornaments come down. More people are recycling Christmas trees versus throwing them in a landfill, according to the National Christmas Tree Association. For some trees, that means being…
Legal Recreational Cannabis In Illinois May Be In Short Supply, At First
BELLEVILLE — Supplies of recreational marijuana in Illinois will likely be tight when the drug is fully legalized on Jan 1. A group of state lawmakers wrote a joint letter this month expressing their concerns. “Each state that has implemented an adult-use cannabis program has had issues related to supply shortages,” wrote the group, including…
Dept. of Natural Resources Encourages More Plants At Solar Farms
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is encouraging owners of solar energy fields to be more pollinator-friendly. Across the planet, bees and other pollinating insect species are disappearing at an alarming rate. That’s due in part to a loss of natural habitat space to humans. Now, as part of the 2018 Pollinator-Friendly Solar Site Act,…
Near Cities, Land Owners And Urban Farmers Confront Pressure From Development
On a side street near the Des Moines Water Works, a tall fence surrounds three garden plots. Geese fly overhead while trucks drive past a sign between…
Biodiesel Tax Credit Included In Year-End Spending Bill
Congress has reached a deal to keep the federal government open, pending a final vote in the Senate that’s expected this week. The spending bill also…
Hundreds Discuss Growing Hemp In Illinois
Hundreds of farmers, processors, and researchers gathered at the Illinois state fairgrounds on Tuesday to talk about hemp. It’s been over a year since former Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner legalized growing hemp in the state. One year later… growers, processors, and government officials have learned a lot. The purpose of the summit in Springfield…
Cultivators Prioritize Patients As Cannabis Shortages Loom
There are just weeks left until adult-use recreational cannabis becomes legal in Illinois. While many consumers have been looking forward to that day…
Revamped Trade Deal Offers ‘Hope’ To IL Farm Bureau
Illinois Farm Bureau President Richard Guebert says the new trade agreement the U-S has brokered with Canada and Mexico offers hope after a tough year for the state’s farmers. Guebert says Canada and Mexico were already strong trading partners for Illinois farmers, but the ongoing trade dispute with China has made U-S’ neighbors to the…
State Hosting Hemp Farming Summit On December 17
The Illinois Department of Agriculture will host a hemp summit on December 17 in Springfield. It is aimed at bringing together farmers, processing companies, and others to share tips and tricks about the plant. The summit will happen at the Orr Building on the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Hemp, unlike its THC-rich cousin marijuana, can be…
Thousands Of Illinoisans Could Lose Food Stamps Under Trump Change
About 100,000 Illinoisans will lose food stamps under a rule change finalized by the Trump administration this week. The rule change to the SNAP program, as food stamps are now called, takes effect in April. It will make it harder for states to waive work and time limit requirements for able-bodied adults to receive assistance….
Farmers Receive Record Payments For The Crops They Couldn’t Plant
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has paid out a record $4.24 billion in claims for acres farmers couldn’t plant this year. The “prevented planting”…
Why It’s Hard To Help Children Through Mental Health Challenges In Rural Communities
While local 4-H groups are known for summer programming, educator Julie Kreikemeier works with hundreds of students year-round across Colfax and Cuming…
A New Law Allows More Farmers To Qualify For Bankruptcy, And Some Are Thinking About It
It’s a difficult year for many farmers in the United States. A wet spring flooded crops and delayed planting across the Midwest, while trade conflicts…
Reporter’s Notebook: Knowing What’s In The Heart(land)
Reporting any story means having to learn more about myself, what I care about and what I want to do next. For example, I once talked with John Gruidl of the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs. He said a lot of younger folks now choose a place to live before they choose a job, and…