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Events and Highlights

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Cottage Food Sellers | Illinois requirements

Whether for a hobby or as a career, selling food grown or made in your home carries endless possibilities for enjoyment and profit. It also carries substantial responsibilities for the public's safety who purchase and consume your food products. Major changes took effect January 1, 2022 in the Cottage Food Operation Law's Home-to-Market Act. Illinois Extension is your guide to operating within the new regulations. Outshine the rest and grow your home-based business. Check it out here.

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Food Preservation

Preserving food at home lets us enjoy homegrown, locally purchased, or seasonal foods throughout the year. Safe food preservation methods stop or slow the natural spoilage process to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria while preserving the nutritional value, taste, color, and texture of some of our favorite foods. These processes can help make the most of a bountiful harvest, provide individuals and families with access to seasonal food in off-seasons, support local producers, and prevent excess food from going to landfills. Learn more here.

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Collect. Submit. Get results. Contribute to research!

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URGENT: Be part of the solution

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Help collect ticks from humans, pets, and livestock in your area. We are studying the movement of ticks, tick-borne diseases, and their impact. Your contribution provides vital data to enhance our understanding of ticks and disease prevention, helping to protect humans, pets, and livestock. Ticks are on the move, increasing the risk of diseases such as Lyme disease and Alpha-gal syndrome in humans, as well as Anaplasmosis in livestock.

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For more information, contact Teresa Steckler at (618) 695-4917 or email tsteckle@illinois.edu
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Ogle County Farm Stroll | Oct. 12 | SAVE THE DATE

Save the Date: Oct. 12 from 11 am to 4 pm, take part in a self-guided tour of Ogle County's diversified family farms. There is no beginning or end, just choose which farms to see and hit the road! Rain or shine, there are ten farms participating this year. Call 815-732-2191 for more information or see more here.

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Farmers: receive free mental healthcare

The Illinois Agricultural Mental Health Voucher Program connects agricultural producers and their families with local mental health professionals. This program would enable producers to seek mental health services at no cost to the producer and their family. From this program, we hope to broaden mental health access for agricultural producers and their families. Request a voucher here.

News Releases
Cover Crops in Field
Getting Started with Cover Crops
Join University of Illinois Extension for a program on “Getting Started with Cover Crops”. This program is taking place from 8 to 11:45 a.m. on Tuesday, August 5 at the Stockton Public Library, 140 W. Benton Avenue, Stockton, IL. Doors will open at 7:50 a.m. This program is being offered free of...
Looking down the rows where a corn and soybean field edge meet
Corn after soy: New study quantifies rotation benefits and trade-offs
URBANA — While the majority of Midwestern farmers rotate corn and soybeans, commodity prices and corn yield advantages compel some to plant corn year after year. Although foundational research on the benefits of corn-soybean rotation goes back decades, University...
Four youth with cakes and ribbons
Ogle County 4-H Fair Food Decorating Contest award winners
OREGON, Ill.—This year’s Ogle County 4-H Food Decorating Contest was held at the Ogle County Farm Bureau in Oregon on Tuesday, June 17. From colorful frostings to fondant designs and edible decorations, these young bakers demonstrated a wide range of decorating techniques. Whether they're...
food distribution site
High impact University of Illinois Extension SNAP-Ed programs face elimination
URBANA, Ill. — There are many barriers Illinois residents face in making healthy choices. For over 30 years, University of Illinois Extension’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) programs have helped people stretch their food dollars while increasing their nutrition...

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