Farmers rounded out the year 2019 generally optimistic about the state of the economy and the future. That’s according to the Ag Economy Barometer, a monthly report calculated by Purdue University. Michael Langemeier is a professor at Purdue and helps put the barometer together. He says it was volatile throughout the last year amid trade…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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 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…
There are just weeks left until adult-use recreational cannabis becomes legal in Illinois. While many consumers have been looking forward to that day…
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…
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…
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….
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”…
While local 4-H groups are known for summer programming, educator Julie Kreikemeier works with hundreds of students year-round across Colfax and Cuming…
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…