Mysterious seeds sent from foreign countries are being shipped to homes here in Illinois, and agriculture officials are warning those who receive them not to toss them out or plant them. (WGN-TV)

Price hikes within the food sector have been a result of supply chain issues as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, John Newton, the chief economist at the American Farm Bureau Federation, said. But he anticipates the prices will drop in the coming months. (FOX Business)

The American Farm Bureau Federation released its final report on priorities for milk pricing reform, calling for more democracy and a more equitable program for dairy farmers. (Farm Bureau)

The Illinois Pork Producers Association offers a customer service hotline for producers to call or text with questions related to pork and the COVID-19 crisis. For more information, visit our Livestock Resources page.

Whether people are buying from grocery stores, farmers markets, or restaurants, the demand for locally produced food continues to grow both in McHenry County and across northern Illinois. This has been especially true since the onset of COVID-19 earlier this year. (Northwest Herald)

The COVID-19 crisis continues to magnify existing shortcomings as consumer demand grows, making it nearly impossible for grocers to fulfill in-store and online orders with only in-store inventory at hand. To stem the pain and address the gaps, many retailers are hiring warehouse and on-premise workers to support order fulfillment. (Forbes)