From programs addressing shortages in the livestock and food sectors to rural housing and community facility assistance, state organizations are committed to building up rural economies. Representatives from Illinois USDA Rural Development, Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs and the Rural Illinois Medical Student Assistant Program discussed available resources.     Read more

With many newly elected legislators who weren’t involved in the 2018 farm bill, now is the time to reach out, build relationships and tell the story of agriculture. “You could invite them to come to the farm in the spring, ride on the tractor and have a farm visit,” suggested Christina Nourie, Illinois Farm Bureau northeast legislative coordinator. She discussed ideas for strengthening relationships between county Farm Bureaus and their adopted legislators.   Read more

University of Illinois’s “iCOVER” project received a $5 million grant from USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program. The funds will scale up robotic seeding of cover crops and verification of soil carbon through innovative radiological robotic sensing technologies.

A new bill, which would mandate all employees receive at least 40 hours paid leave per 12-month period, is awaiting Gov. J.B. Pritkzer’s signature. How could it impact you or your business? Mark Raney, Illinois Farm Bureau’s associate director of state legislation, offered examples of how the new requirement could work.

Having a local market is important to cattle farmers in Bureau County. And Ron and Paula Bend plan to keep the gates open for farmers as the new owners of Walnut Auction Sales. “The Cuveliers ran it and had a pretty good market,” Ron Bend told the RFD Radio Network. “I think we can take that and hopefully grow it a little more. A lot of good people work there, and they stayed.”

Liver, skirts, tongue and tripe. While beef herd numbers are down in the U.S., those less desirable cuts are keeping international export markets strong. “Variety meat is what adds value to the carcass,” said Dean Meyer, chair of the U.S. Meat Export Federation. He discussed the demand for U.S. beef at the Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show.