Choosing a drone mapping platform for checking farm fields
HAVANA, Ill. - Farmers can map farm fields and check crop conditions with a farm drone. Mapping platforms are highly detailed and can record conditions throughout the growing season, which can be very useful in comparing years of growing conditions of the same field. A farmer can choose either a...
Crop dusting: Exploring aerial application safety by plane or drone
URBANA, Ill. — One of the trademarks of summer is the sight of planes and helicopters making gravity-defying turns as they make passes up and down cornfields. While this evokes awe and amazement, it also elicits curiosity as to what they are doing and why. Additionally, when serious or fatal...
Submit photos that capture resilient spirit of Illinois agriculture
URBANA, Ill. — Have a farm photo that brings a smile every time it is shared? Inspire others and create more smiles by having that photo be part of the 2026 Seasons of Strength calendar from North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance...
Getting ready for an agronomy service call
This article is for educational purposes and not to be considered legal advice.HAVANA, Ill. - How should a farmer prepare for an agronomy service call when there is a problem with the crop growing in the field? It could be a poor stand with low and varied emergent plants. There...
Biologicals vs. biostimulants: Illinois study clarifies crop input confusion
URBANA, Ill. — Every time Fred Below and Connor Sible meet with Illinois farmers, they get the same question. “What’s the story with these biologicals? Do they work?”The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign crop scientists and...
New land grant research detects dicamba damage from the sky
URBANA, Ill — Drones can now detect subtle soybean canopy damage from dicamba at one ten-thousandth of the herbicide’s label rate — simulating vapor drift — eight days after application. This advancement in remote sensing from the University of Illinois...
Farm estate planning series
HAVANA, Ill. - Studies have shown that fewer than 20 percent of farm families have an effective estate plan to roadmap what happens to the family farm when dad and mom retire or pass away. Death is inevitable. What is very normal is that families avoid talking about what is unavoidable. ...
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...
Climate change cuts global crop yields, even when farmers adapt
URBANA, Ill. — The global food system faces growing risks from climate change, even as farmers seek to adapt, according to a June 18 study in Nature.In contrast to previous studies suggesting...
Getting dust to settle, stay on Illinois farmland
URBANA, Ill. — As another large dust storm impacted Illinois in May, the conversation and questions continue about why and how to get the dust to settle and stay in the field rather than across roadways....
Understanding Illinois farmland property taxes
HAVANA, Ill - Understanding Illinois property tax calculations is complex and confusing. Properties such as personal residences are taxed based on fair market value. The State of Illinois assesses farmland based on the agricultural use value rather than the farm market value. Based...
University of Illinois Agronomy Days series returns to ACES
URBANA, Ill. — Summer is back, which means the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will return with its Agronomy Days series, where Illinois growers can learn more about the latest productivity,...
Cultivate farm success through Illinois Extension's Farm Business Foundations program
For Immediate Release LINCOLN, Ill. - University of Illinois Extension is proud to announce the launch of the Farm Business Foundations series, designed to support individuals who are starting new farm operations or taking over family farms. This three-session program provides...
Dust storms in Illinois: Identifying farm solutions
URBANA, Ill. — Dust storms have become an increasing concern in Illinois, prompting investigations into their causes and potential solutions. These weather events have resulted in fatalities, including a 2023...
Dust storms in Illinois: Examining roles of weather and farming practices
URBANA, Ill. — Recent dust storms in Illinois have raised the question of the cause of these events. In the last few years, these dust events have caused fatal accidents among traveling motorists. Another public concern is the drop in air quality during these storms.Some of the emerging...
