Farm Business Management

This is article one from a two-part series.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...

This is article two from a two-part series.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 traffic accident that took the lives of eight people on a...

A flexible cash lease is an alternative to a straight cash lease. The flexible cash leash protects the farmer and landowner from economic loss. This type of lease can prevent a farmer from committing to a lease that requires a high guaranteed rent payment, allowing the landowner to have a higher...

Draining excess water from farm fields in Illinois is vital to food and renewable fuel production. However, the lack of adequate farm drainage is a serious problem. Many older farm drainage systems are still in place but are past their viable economic use value due to being obsolete, inefficient,...

One of the most consistently asked questions to University of Illinois Extension offices across the state is, what is the going rate for cash rent for farmland?Cash rent rates are a common yet recurring question that is continuously researched...

When heavy rains result in ponded fields, the cause is poor drainage. Old field tiles in poor condition and/or undersized cannot efficiently remove excess water fast enough. When left unaddressed, the problem will worsen over time, resulting in compacted fields and lower yields.  Fixing the...

Farm drain tiles are vitally crucial to the success of Illinois crop production. These underground drainage systems help provide good soil-based crop growing conditions by removing excess water from the soil. A balanced mixture of air, water, and soil is crucial for plant health, as excessive...

Competition for farmland is fierce. Many other farmers may want to work the same land you do, whether renting or buying. Farming is a highly competitive business. Being efficient in business is essential to successful farm operations. Prioritizing management activities that will increase...

This article is for educational purposes and not to be considered legal advice.How should a farmer prepare for an agronomy service call when there is a problem with the crop growing in the field? The problem could be a poor stand with low and varied emerged plants. There may be chemical...