Tornado and drought damaged areas in Illinois will receive disaster funds
Farmers can apply for emergency loans after tornadoes and drought last spring.
Trees climb up cities’ priority lists after getting a $1.5 billion boost in federal climate funding
Driving along the Rock River, Mitch Leatherbie, a street superintendent for the city of Rockford, Illinois, spots a pair of trees he considers survivors. “There’s two ash trees, right, they’re still standing,” said Leatherbie. “… Those were just a couple of them that we kept.” In the early 2000s, Rockford lost approximately 5,000 ash trees…
The high plains drought is so bad that Kansas is importing wheat from Europe
Kansas wheat farmers will reap the smallest harvest in more than 60 years. Persistent drought withered much of the crop. SYLVAN GROVE, Kansas — Kansas is “the wheat state,” the officially adopted moniker that embraces its place as the country’s breadbasket. Tall white grain elevators, some decorated with wheat murals, loom over tiny farm towns….
How do you find love on the farm? Dating apps, long-distance drives or maybe a reality TV show
Oklahoma rancher Landon Heaton lives alone on his 700-acre ranch near a small town called Coyle, about an hour outside of Oklahoma City. The 35-year-old said he loves caring for his animals, watching his dogs roam free and cattle thrive. But his devotion to working on the ranch took priority in his life, and he…
Raw milk sales will soon be legal in Iowa, joining most of Midwest. But health experts offer caution
Iowa is the latest state to legalize the sale of raw milk, which comes directly from cows without any pasteurization. While nearly every Midwestern state allows such sales, some health experts caution there are health risks to drinking it. Jennifer Harvey and her family love to drink raw milk. They even use it in the…
Going once, going twice, gone! Auctions are moving online and changing a rural tradition
Auctions — a marketplace for knick knacks, farm land and everything in between — are often also gathering events for rural communities. That’s changing as more auctions go online. Tractors, four-wheelers, a truck, a skid-loader and more are neatly parked in rows outside a northeast Nebraska farmhouse. The farmer who owns this equipment is retiring…
Rantoul village trustees will vote on cannabis craft grower proposal
The Rantoul Village Board has agreed to vote next week on whether to allow a cannabis growing operation to open in the village. Rantoul trustees agreed to take the vote after hearing a new presentation Tuesday night from Blake Schilb.
The farm bill is a big deal if you produce, or eat, food — but it may face a tough time in Congres
Every five years, Congress has to renew the farm bill — a gigantic piece of legislation that supports and protects food production, natural resources and provides food benefits to low-income families. Lawmakers are in the process of shaping one of the biggest legislative packages moving through Congress this year: the 2023 Farm Bill. Few Americans…
Piatt County wind farm opponents face off against a new state law encouraging their construction.
Voters in the central Illinois county of about 16,000 rejected wind farms in general, in an advisory referendum that the county board had placed on the April 4 ballot.
This spring brings worry rather than rain for some parts of the Great Plains and Midwest
Last winter’s precipitation relieved some areas of drought, yet in other places it’s deepened, making spring stressful for farmers and ranchers. Spring is the time for planting crops and turning cows out to graze — yet in parts of the central U.S., dry conditions are upending the growing season. Missouri, Wisconsin and Illinois received enough…
Milkweed — the plant that’s good for butterflies, yet still banned in many Midwestern cities
Across the Midwest, some city codes threaten people with fines for having milkweed on their property. But experts say many places have dropped those rules to support monarchs with urban and suburban butterfly gardens.
CO2 pipelines would be a boon for ethanol. But some question if they’re really a climate solution
Three companies want to capture carbon dioxide from Midwestern ethanol plants, transport it by pipeline and store it underground. Many in the ethanol industry claim it’s essential to the industry’s survival. Environmentalists and even farmers argue the pipelines are a boon for the industry — not a real solution for climate change. This story is…
Farmer City hasn’t had a grocery store in seven years. Local citizens want that to change.
FARMER CITY – Laura Enger has lived in Farmer City for most of her life. When the only grocery store in town closed over seven years ago, Enger said the community lost easy access to fresh food and produce. “Once a town loses its grocery store, the heart of it sort of dies,” Enger said. …
New Illinois law brings big changes for Cottage Food businesses
CHAMPAIGN – If you’ve ever bought a scone or a jar of strawberry jam at your local farmers market, you’ve likely supported someone in the cottage food business. A cottage food business is just what is sounds like: food prepared in a private home for sale to the public (bonus points for quaintness if that…
How small rural towns can access Inflation Reduction Act funding
Rural towns and utilities could get funding for all kinds of projects through the federal Inflation Reduction Act — but experts say it will take dedicated community members stepping up to help make that happen. The act, passed in August, has money for rural development and energy infrastructure, as well as electric vehicle infrastructure and…