News Releases

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Guide outlines steps to take when pesticide drift occurs
URBANA, Ill. – Pesticides assist in managing pests. People should use precise application techniques detailed on the label so they don’t endanger people, pets, livestock, plants, and the environment. Damage can occur when pesticide drifts from its intended location onto...
A field of hemp
Midwestern hemp database applications open until July 24
URBANA, Ill. – Industrial hemp is one of the fasting growing crops across Midwestern fields and researchers are recruiting producers in the race to learn more. University of Illinois Extension commercial agriculture educators are working...
Succulents: Not Just for Cacti Anymore!
Join Whiteside County Master Gardeners and discover the secret to succulents. Learn the basics on soil, water and containers and the different ways you can propagate succulents. Participants will have a plant to work with and take home, as well as cuttings from different succulent plants. This...
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Microclovers making a comeback as lawns grow in biodiversity
URBANA, Ill. – Clovers are making a comeback in lawn seed mixes. Today many families want to attract more pollinators to their yards. They are searching for ecologically sound ways to grow grass, including adding white clover back to the turf seed mix. Clover adds diversity to lawns and...
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Protect the delicate balance of our natural world
URBANA, Ill. – The impact of human activity on the planet is revealing itself in the soil, rivers, streams, and lakes. Three free online University of Illinois Extension webinars this summer will focus on the impact environmental changes with water and soil can have on the long-term health of...
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To outsmart weeds in the garden, take multiple approaches
  URBANA, Ill. – As gardeners know, weeds will grow nearly anywhere. Even cracks in the pavement can sustain plant life if there is soil, water, and light. Whether a plant is considered a weed depends on how it is affecting the intended use of the site and who is looking at it....
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Illinois youth tackle a new challenge
Urbana, IL – Youth from across Illinois headed into the great outdoors to participate in the statewide 4-H Hooks Us Together Virtual Fishing Bass Challenge in May. While competition is the focus, participating youth take away much more from the experience. “The intention of this...
Will the Real Lily Please Stand Up
Lilies are elegant plants that command attention wherever they are planted. They are equally at home in both formal and naturalistic settings, and most take readily to containers. With 8,000 or so varieties, lilies parade an endless range of colors, shapes and heights. By carefully blending...
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Funds available to districts to replace school buses
URBANA, Ill. – Federal funding is now available for replacing older dirty school buses with cleaner vehicles, including electric school buses. University of Illinois Extension and Prairie Rivers Network are collaborating on a free online webinar...
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Cover crops not enough to improve soil after decades of continuous corn
  URBANA, Ill. – Although about 20% of Illinois cropping systems are planted to continuous corn, it’s nearly impossible to find fields planted this way for decades at a time. Yet long-term experiments like one at the University of Illinois, including over 40 years of continuous corn...
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Support pollinators with cheerful viola flowers
URBANA, Ill. – Roses are red, violets are blue and they have also earned top honors being named Plant of the Year by the International Herb Association. Every year, the association selects plants that are considered...
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$3.9M USDA NIFA grant funds ‘Farm of the Future’
Urbana, Ill. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that it is funding a new collaboration between two institutes and a research center at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign that will create an integrated farm of the future in the U.S. Midwest. Titled “I-...
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Learn what research reveals for current health challenges
URBANA, Ill. – The rush of summer activities can interrupt healthy routines. Researchers from University of Illinois can help guide your summer health choices. A series of seven workshops will dive into a wide range of topics, from fitness to brain health.  The free online...
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Young farmers seek solutions to entry barriers
URBANA, Ill. – Young and beginning farmers face many challenges, including access to land, financial capital, technical knowledge and support, social networks, adequate labor, marketing experience, health insurance, and childcare. University of Illinois Extension is wading through the...