Hemp Fields Being Tested For THC Compliance in the State
By Benjamin Cox on September 26, 2019 at 11:28am
This year marks the first season for Illinois farmers to legally grow hemp. The state department is currently doing spot checks throughout the state, checking levels of THC to make sure levels aren’t above .3%. State Ag Director John Sullivan said that testers walk fields and snip off pieces from random plants to submit to […]
Taiwan Pledging to Purchase IL Soybeans
By Benjamin Cox on September 25, 2019 at 12:12pm
Illinois soybean growers may have received a lifeline for their market today. Taiwanese buyers signed letters of intent with Illinois crop marketers, according to a statement from Gov. J.B. Pritzker. There are two agreements for $1.1 billion apiece to buy corn and soy in 2020 and 2021. The deal is more than double Taiwan’s purchases […]
Black Walnut Harvest Starts October 1st
By Benjamin Cox on September 25, 2019 at 10:33am
Have you ever wondered about how to get rid of black walnuts if you have one in your yard? Did you know that you could get money for them if you have enough? Black Walnut Harvest and Hulling begins on October 1st up and down the river basins. The opening price for black walnuts is […]
Early Hard Freeze Not Expected at This Point for Fall
By Jeremy Coumbes on September 25, 2019 at 9:54am
With the calendar ready to soon flip the page to the month of October, many are beginning to wonder when the first freeze of the year will happen. State Climatologist Trent Ford researched past data and median dates and says a hard freeze is not likely to happen soon. “That range is from mid-October in […]
Illinois Declared Federal Disaster Area From Spring Flooding
By Benjamin Cox on September 19, 2019 at 2:49pm
Illinois has officially been declared a federal disaster area by FEMA. In a White House statement released on Thursday, President Donald Trump declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Illinois and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms and flooding between February […]
Logan Ag Services Expanding in Griggsville, Opening New Facility in Winchester
By Benjamin Cox on September 18, 2019 at 9:45am
A Pike County Ag Business had their major expansion toured yesterday by Illinois Ag Director John Sullivan. Sullivan toured the new dry fertilizer storage facility that Logan Agri-Service is building in Griggsville. The new addition will nearly double the site’s capacity. The 80×55 hoop structure, which just had the concrete laid this week, is expected […]
OHSA Reminds Farmers of Dangers of Grain Entrapment
By Benjamin Cox on September 18, 2019 at 8:45am
National Farm Safety & Health Week continues throughout this week in Illinois. Illinois OHSA wants to remind farmers that grain storage is one of the most dangerous areas on a family farm. Last year, nationwide there were 30 grain entrapment cases with 15 of those leading to fatalities, according to Purdue University’s Agricultural Safety and […]
Obama-era WOTUS Rule Repealed By EPA
By Benjamin Cox on September 15, 2019 at 6:14am
The Illinois Farm Bureau is happy with a recent EPA decision to roll back an Obama-era rule from 2015. Recently, the EPA decided to repeal the Waters of the United States rule put in place in 2015. According to the EPA’s repeal, the rule encroached upon state land-use and didn’t clearly define rules set forth […]
Scott County Farm Aid This Weekend
By Benjamin Cox on September 12, 2019 at 3:09pm
A group of Scott County citizens are hoping that a weekend of food and music can help farmers through the poor season. Inspired by the Farm Aid concerts established by John Mellencamp, Neil Young, and Willie Nelson in the mid-80s, the two days’ worth of concerts will go into a fund to aid Scott County […]
Durbin Sponsoring Legislation For Fed Funding Increase for Ag Over Next 5 Years
By Benjamin Cox on September 10, 2019 at 12:11pm
An Illinois Senator is hoping to pass legislation to increase funding for agricultural research at the Department of Agriculture over the next 5 years. Senator Dick Durbin, a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today introduced new legislation that would authorize a five percent annual funding increase over the next five […]