News releases

Midwestern farmer feedback requested to guide $10M resilient agriculture project
URBANA, Ill. – The Diverse Corn Belt project is seeking farmer input through focus groups and in-field research. This is a multidisciplinary project exploring alternative crops, longer rotations, integrating livestock and perennials that could help increase resilience in Midwest agriculture....

¡Hola GKW 4-H!
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Produce donation program improves health and nutrition at food pantries
URBANA, Ill. ­– Food pantries provide much needed relief for food insecure individuals and families. But pantries often rely on donations of canned and packaged foods with limited nutritional value. Growing Together Illinois, a program from Illinois...

Reduce impact of extreme temperatures on power grid
  URBANA, Ill. - The National Weather Service reports that portions of the Midwest have experienced record-breaking, early-season heat, including numerous record highs and heat index values above 105 degrees....

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 adjacent...

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...

Livestock judging helps youth improve local herds
URBANA, Ill. – Illinois 4-H members headed to the showring for the 2022 State Livestock Judging Contest held at the University of Illinois campus on June 20. Instead of leading animals, these young members were acting as judge, evaluating groupings of cattle, hogs, and sheep against a standard...

Illinois State Fair cancels live poultry shows to protect from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The Illinois Department of Agriculture announced today both junior and open live shows at the Illinois State Fair will be canceled for 2022 to protect from highly pathogenic avian influenza.  Illinois State Fair junior poultry exhibitors will continue to have an...

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...

How much spring nitrogen to apply? Pre-planting weather may provide a clue
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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....

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...

Addressing inequities to create a vital STEM workforce in Illinois
URBANA, Ill – A collaborative effort between the University of Illinois School of Social Work and Illinois Extension is working to address social inequities that negatively impact the vitality of the...

Researchers: Farmers know tick risks; now is time to take preventative actions
URBANA, Ill. – Ticks, once limited to the northeast region of the United States, are making a westward migration across the U.S. and with them, tickborne diseases that cost the healthcare system up to $1.3 billion a year to treat. Exposure to ticks can happen anywhere - from backyards to parks...

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...

Grundy, Kankakee, Will Extension Unit welcomes new interim director, grateful to Megan Walsh for her service
BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – The University of Illinois Extension offices in Grundy, Kankakee, & Will counties welcome new Interim County Director Michele Crawford who will lead the Unit until the hiring process can commence for a...

Local youth shadow civic leaders for Grundy County Government Day
MORRIS, Ill. – The University of Illinois Extension 4-H held their annual Government Day on Wednesday.  Over 60 middle school students and over 30 government officials converged in Morris at the administration building, courthouse, and off-site to job shadow county officials and learn more...

IDOA continues emergency rule to protect poultry from highly pathogenic avian influenza
SPRINGFIELD, Ill - The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) announced today that it will continue to enforce emergency rules prohibiting the sale or exhibiting of poultry and poultry products at swap meets, exhibitions, flea markets, and auction markets in Illinois to prevent the...

Kankakee Extension Hosts IDOA Director, Senator Patrick Joyce, SIU Representatives For Press Conference On Farm Stress
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Study: Proposed nitrogen fertilizer policies could protect farmer profits, environment
URBANA, Ill. – Nitrogen fertilizer has major implications for crop yields and environmental health, specifically water quality in the Gulf of Mexico. Federal and state governments have shied away from regulating nitrogen fertilizer use, but voluntary and incentives-based programs have not been...