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Root for your favorite native plant to help crown 2026 Rain Garden Rumble champion

February 25, 2026

URBANA, Ill. — Let the garden games begin with the return of the annual Rain Garden Rumble, where nature and gardening enthusiasts get to pick the champion in this native-plant-playoff. This botanical bout – hosted by the Red Oak Rain Garden, University of…

Support food access for Illinoisians with ACES’ Orange & Blue Days

February 20, 2026

URBANA, Ill. — This spring, the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will participate in a campuswide crowdfunding initiative known as Orange & Blue Days, inviting community members, alumni, and friends to help the…

From students to leaders: 4-H Teen Teachers program inspires the next generation

February 17, 2026

ULLIN, Ill. — 4-H is America’s largest youth development organization, empowering nearly 6 million young people with the skills to go beyond the expected. To be Beyond Ready. Students who want to build leadership skills, strengthen communication, and serve as positive role models in their…

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USDA NRCS Chief Terry Cosby stands at a podium speaking to a crowd

February 19, 2024

Agriculture, environmental leaders urge continued collective action on nutrient pollution prevention
 URBANA, Ill. — Nutrient pollution in Illinois waterways is complicated. The nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus leach into lakes, rivers, and streams from a wide variety of sources. So, both the solutions to reducing nutrient loss and those involved in developing and putting those practices...

Members pose in green shirts in the Capitol.

February 13, 2024

Teen leaders showcase leadership, speaking skills at State Capitol
SPRINGFIELD, IL — Illinois 4-H teens put their leadership skills to the test as they communicated the value and impact of Illinois 4-H with state legislators as a part of 4-H Legislative Connection on Feb.7 and 8.Legislative Connection provides Illinois 4-H teens a unique opportunity to...

People crouched around a raised garden bed with vegetables growing in it. One woman is taking notes.

February 7, 2024

Get inspired to get growing at regional garden days
URBANA, Ill. — Imagine picking fresh fruit off a tree in your backyard. Or snipping fresh herbs from a potted plant growing on your windowsill for a family meal. Gardening is an adventure, and each spring is a new opportunity to grow. Whether your garden is a few houseplants by a window...

February 5, 2024

Dive into a new webinar on holistic health solutions
URBANA, Ill. — University of Illinois, along with the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute, and in collaboration with Illinois Extension, has developed the...

hands holding soil with a plant with a graphic overlay of icons of recycling, renewable energy, CO2

February 2, 2024

New Extension initiatives empower Illinois to meet the challenges of changing climate
URBANA, Ill. — The science is clear; the world’s climate is changing. Illinois has already seen the impacts on everything from agriculture productivity and food access to public health hazards and diminishing natural resources. To meet these challenges and further its land-grant mission of...

Large group of people sitting in pesticide training clinic session.

January 29, 2024

Sign up for in-person pesticide applicator training clinics, testing across Illinois
URBANA, Ill. — Certain pesticide applications require that the applicator be licensed and certified. It is important to ensure this training and certification is done before making a pesticide application. Putting understanding, experience, safety, awareness, and knowledge to the test helps...

January 26, 2024

Illinois Extension establishes advancement position to further mission
URBANA, Ill. — A new advancement position for Illinois Extension has been created that will focus on expanding fundraising efforts to further Extension’s land-grant mission of serving the residents of Illinois....

January 24, 2024

Check-in your bee hotel to support pollinator research
URBANA, Ill. — Bee hotels buzz with activity, but is it the right kind? A graduate student at University of Illinois is researching bees and needs help, in the form of donated used bee hotels, from the public to understand if these man-made nests are helping or harming bee populations in...

January 24, 2024

Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Grants Available
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) announces $6.4 million in competitive grant funds will be available for projects designed to help strengthen the state’s food supply chain. The program, Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program (RFSI), is a cooperative...

January 23, 2024

Illinois SNAP-Ed summits bring awareness to hunger, food insecurity
URBANA, Ill. — One in eleven people in Illinois struggle with food insecurity daily, including one in nine children, according to Feeding America. When families are hungry, making a healthy food choice is not always an easy...

January 23, 2024

Environmental educator will connect east-central Illinois with natural resources
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Whether you’re battling invasive species on your property, starting to compost at home, or trying to reduce fertilizers on the farm, doing the right thing for the environment isn’t always clear. The University of Illinois...

Gloved hands over soil holding pulled out plants

January 22, 2024

Use weed clues to dig up environmental issues like fertility, soil compaction, moisture issues
Winter is a good time to make garden plans, and one constant issue gardeners face every growing season is weeds. While weeds can be frustrating, they can also be saying more about a yard than you think. Weeds can be found in a wide range of locations. Some weedy plants are more likely to...

Tony Studer with cobs of orange and blue popcorn.

January 19, 2024

From snack to science: Innovative grant brings popcorn into the classroom
URBANA, Ill. — In a few years, popcorn could become a standard element in science classrooms across Illinois and the nation. With funding from a new USDA...

Young, green corn plants popping up in a field row.

January 18, 2024

Ask questions, get answers for planting season at 2024 Illinois Crop Management Conference
URBANA, Ill. — As the new year begins, crop producers, consultants, and industry professionals already have the year’s crop on their minds. Stay up to date with research updates and opportunities impacting statewide crop production at the 2024 Illinois Crop Management Conference with...

January 18, 2024

Thriving Communities webinars offered for grant navigation, strategic planning
URBANA, Ill. — Sustainable development in Illinois encounters challenges in balancing resource demand with responsible management. Transitioning to sustainable infrastructure involves substantial investment and planning, including upgrading existing structures for energy efficiency and...

Person holding two chickens and smiling at the camera in a chicken coop.

January 12, 2024

Register for a local 2024 Certified Livestock Manager Training session
URBANA, Ill. — Depending on an operation’s size, livestock manager training certification is required for many Illinois production livestock facilities. Having certified individuals on staff strengthens an operation through shared knowledge and building conversations with individuals responsible...

A map of the US with mostly shades of brown and white showing the shifts in grow zones since 2012

January 12, 2024

Shifting USDA plant hardiness map reflects changing climate, changes for plants
URBANA, Ill. — On a cold, blustery January day, it may be hard to remember that 2023 was the hottest year on record. But the newest update to the plant hardiness map, in which half the country shifted to warmer zones, is a stark reminder that the climate is changing and changing fast....

Green earth with arrows and text around it

January 11, 2024

Explore green space stewardship practices, emerging trends at 2024 Gateway Green Conference
URBANA, Ill. — Evolving research and environmental changes make it more important than ever for professionals who work with trees, landscapes, natural areas, and parks to remain current with responsible stewardship practices, understand how to successfully manage emerging diseases and pests, and...

January 10, 2024

Scaling up urban agriculture: Research team outlines roadmap
URBANA, Ill. — Urban agriculture has the potential to decentralize food supplies, provide environmental benefits like wildlife habitat, and mitigate environmental footprints, but researchers have identified knowledge gaps regarding both the benefits and risks of urban agriculture and the...

January 9, 2024

Opportunity to learn practical money management strategies
URBANA, Ill. — Navigating financial management can often seem overwhelming and intimidating, particularly for those uncertain about how to begin. Studies have shown that financial stress can have detrimental effects on both physical and emotional well-being. Therefore, having access to practical...

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Root for your favorite native plant to help crown 2026 Rain Garden Rumble champion

Support food access for Illinoisians with ACES’ Orange & Blue Days

From students to leaders: 4-H Teen Teachers program inspires the next generation

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