Farming

It's been an uncertain growing season for Central Illinois farmers, with periods of drought giving way to several consecutive days of rain. Now, it could be a record-approaching harvest.

A new Precision Agriculture Technician program launching at Illinois Central College is looking to expand the horizons of student learning through machine repair and agricultural- based education.

Congress will begin negotiations on a farm bill soon. Illinois Farm Bureau President Richard Guebert says the bureau has been meeting with farmers across the state to hear their priorities.

Leaders from the state’s farm commodity groups fear that if crops don’t receive increased precipitation in the next three weeks, drought could severely affect yields and serve to push consumer food prices even higher.

While the adoption of cover crops-- defined as an overwintering crop raised for the protection and enrichment of the soil-- and other agricultural conservation practices by farmers will not completely eliminate dust storms, widespread usage of sustainable conservation practices by farmers could reduce the chances of another deadly dust storm occurring.

Nine-banded armadillos are beginning to pop up more frequently in central Illinois, and if current climate trends hold, experts say it's likely those sightings will become more common.

The end of expanded federal nutrition benefits come at a time when central Illinois food banks already were struggling to ensure everyone is fed.

FFA, the venerable youth institution formerly known as Future Farmers of America, is breaking new ground in order to keep pace with changes in technology and non-traditional agriculture related career opportunities.

Longtime Peoria-area meteorologist Mike McClellan recently came to the Peoria County Farm Bureau building to talk to local growers about one of their favorite topics: the weather.

In an extended interview with WCBU-WGLT, Illinois Agriculture Director Jerry Costello II discussed successes achieved in the space of agriculture during Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s first term, along with Costello’s goals for his next four years at the helm of the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA).