Choosing the right cover crop can be a daunting task, whether it is the first time you’re planting a cover crop or you're deciding to switch to something new. With countless options and complex factors to consider, it can be difficult to determine which is the best cover crop for your...
Agriculture policy is a complex area that can be difficult for many to understand. People often look at what Congress or Federal agencies do regarding agricultural production. However, we must not ignore the courts' essential role in policy-making. After all, the courts are responsible for...
In recent years, cover crops have gained popularity as a sustainable agricultural practice that farmers can implement to improve the health and functioning of their soils. Cover crops are not a new concept, though. They used to be a normal part of our agricultural systems. It is...
This blog post continues a series analyzing the local dust storms that have occurred across the area recently. Part one looked at the specific causes of wind erosion and dust storms and their impacts on agriculture. This second part examines practices that producers can implement on their...
Pesticides play an important role in managing pests, but they must be used responsibly and according to label directions so that they don’t endanger people, pets, livestock, plants, and the environment. While there is much work done to educate pesticide users about safety, and most applications are...
Every summer Extension Pesticide Safety Education Specialists are asked the same type of question repeatedly by home vegetable gardeners. The details leading up the situation at hand vary, but in the end the basic question is the same. Their vegetable plants have accidentally or mistakenly...
Many parts of Central Illinois, including Logan County, experienced high winds on May 21st, which caused large amounts of dust to be kicked up. These high winds and dust storms prompted the National Weather Service (NWS) to issue a Dust Storm Warning. This Warning stretched from Pekin to Decatur,...
Driving through the country this time of year, you’re likely to see two things: corn and soybeans. In 2023, 11.2 million acres of land in Illinois were planted in corn and nearly 10.4 million acres in soybeans. These two crops make up the vast majority of our agricultural production in...
This past month, the supreme court overturned Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) (1984) with the recent Loper Bright V. Raimondo (2024) decision. Chevron v. NRDC, also known as the Chevron deference, granted federal agencies leniency in interpreting ambiguous laws based on the idea...
Pesticides are essential for commercial growers to control weeds, insects, and disease, and are an integral part of an integrated weed management (IWM)...
