For many, spring is an opportunity to deep clean and organize homes, offices and other areas that have become cluttered over the winter and previous year. Your pesticide storage areas shouldn’t be overlooked. A well-organized and maintained pesticide storage area will help to save time and money...
In 2024, 241 pesticide misuse complaints were filed with the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Of those, 202 cases have been completed (reviewed and closed or an enforcement action taken) as of early April 2025. Of those completed cases, 103 were closed and no evidence of misuse was found....
Do you still need to obtain your Illinois pesticide applicator or operator license? Now that the in-person pesticide safety education clinics have concluded, you may be wondering what your options are for training and testing. See below to get you well on your way to becoming certified.Training...
As spring continues to warm up and weeds and insects increase in abundance, demand for management of these populations will continue to grow. Along with pest insects and flowering weeds, bees, wasps, butterflies, and flies will also begin to emerge as essential pollinators in many systems. While...
Looking for financial help to adopt conservation practices on your farm? A new online tool is making it easier than ever for Illinois growers to connect with cost-share programs tailored to their operation. Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership (ISAP)’s...
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released the estimated acres for corn and soybeans to be planted. The report indicates a substantial reduction in intended soybean plantings for 2025 (at a negative 4%), offset by a significant increase in intended acres to be planted in corn (...
This post is the second of a two-part series on preparations for the upcoming planting season in Central Illinois. With Spring officially underway, it is important for farmers to get their equipment ready to go into the field as soon as conditions are right. Part one of this series focused on...
Improving farm efficiency is vital in today’s farming world. Keeping track of your farm financial records and being able to report the results with ease helps the farmer to improve operational efficiency. Selecting the right software for record keeping is vital.Just like preferences in...
The average age of farmers in Illinois hovers at around sixty years of age. This statistic implies that many current farmers have memories of the 1980s when the world of Midwest farming fell apart: many family farm operations were forced out of business. The 1970s saw a sharp increase in grain...
As Winter gives way to Spring and the temperature rises, one of the most important times in the agricultural industry is on the horizon: planting. Months of preparation and waiting since harvest will finally come to an end as farmers begin to put the next crop in the ground. However, even with a...
