Crops

Events

Agriculture Drone Education Day

June 5, 2026

Dudley Smith Farm Field Day 2026

June 17, 2026

County

Christian

2026 Youth Crop Scouting Competition

August 4, 2026

Blog Posts

A flooded farm field with dark looming clouds overhead.

Farm Drainage Series Part 8

May 19, 2026

A USDA Certified Wetland Review is required before altering farm drainageMost farmers and absentee landowners who own or farm cropland in Illinois...

Freshly harvested corn pushes out of a combine with blue sky and wispy clouds in background

Farm Drainage Series Part 7: Farmers Incentivizing Landowners to make Tile Improvements

May 5, 2026

Farm drainage tile systems in Illinois have aged, leaving many farms poorly drained, resulting in lower crop yields. Upgrading farm drainage systems...

A farmer in cap and coveralls is bent over looking at a broken tile and water.

Farm Drainage Series Part 6: Repairing and Maintaining Farm Tile Systems

April 14, 2026

This article is not to be construed as legal advice. Consult with your legal advisor before entering tile agreements.Contractors design...

A tile contractor uses a backhoe loader to aid installation of a large tile main, with dirt road on left and farm field on the right.

Farm Drainage Series Part 5: Challenges Installing Drainage Tile Mains — Railroads, Highways, and Others

March 27, 2026

This article is not to be construed as legal advice. Consult with your legal advisor before entering tile agreements.Installing the...

More Blogs

News Releases

People riding on a seated trailer being pulled around a field day event by a green tractor.

May 15, 2026

ACES Agronomy Days series returns to University of Illinois
With summer just around the corner, Agronomy Days will soon return to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The season-long series teaches Illinois growers the latest...

May 12, 2026

Delve into water quality research at Dudley Smith Farm Field Day
PANA, Ill. — To help area agricultural producers learn about the latest research on water quality, conservation practices, and related topics, the Dudley Smith Initiative is hosting a research plot tour this June with...

A group of people watching an Extension educator demonstrate flying a spray drone near a farm field.

May 11, 2026

Explore key benefits, challenges of using agricultural drones at Illinois Extension field day
URBANA, Ill. — Technology continues to advance and modernize today’s farming practices. Drone use in farming has gained steady traction and interest, particularly in the application of agricultural inputs such as pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers.Attendees can learn more at a field-...

Green leafy stemmed Asian copperleaf plant in a farm field

May 6, 2026

Novel Illinois weed species, Asian copperleaf, identified in northern Illinois
URBANA, Ill. — Corn and soybean farmers should be scouting for a new weed this upcoming growing season. According to University of Illinois crop experts, Asian copperleaf (Acalypha australis) was identified in a field in Stephenson County in...

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Videos

Farm Management: Pre-plant Spraying

Before the seed goes in the ground, farmers spray the ground. For this particular filed the farm is using 28% nitrogen and a preplant herbicide. Thanks to technology, the farmer can utilize GPS and other onboard technology to better control the amount of spray being used.