Weakness of political parties and widespread neglect in Congress are fueling the dysfunctionality of federal lawmaking, according to Jonah Goldberg, editor-in-chief for The Dispatch. As farm bill discussions ramp up, it’ll be that kind of behavior that could cause programs to expire. Goldberg discussed today’s political climate and its impact on policymaking and the farm bill spoke before speaking at the Governmental Affairs Leadership Conference

Mark your calendar for the only in-person anhydrous ammonia training session before the spring application season. One session will be offered Feb. 27 in Bloomington. Learn more about the training and farm operator training requirements.   Read more  

Fertilizer prices have declined by more than 40% since hitting record highs last spring, encouraging some farmers to lock in orders. Another positive note? Supply chain issues and freight rates are also easing as Mississippi River levels recover and diesel prices level off.   Read more

Charles Henry Turner, the country’s first Black entomologist, was “passionate about everything, no matter how small or large.” His lessons and good values are scattered alongside his experiments in “Buzzing with Questions,” a book by children’s author Janice Harrington. Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom (IAITC) and county ag literacy coordinators learned how to use Harrington’s book in lessons and got a sneak preview of a new book, “Farm Boots,” by Lisl Detlefsen. Read more

Looking for ag lessons away from a screen? A new series of lessons geared to ages 8 through 11 allows students to engage in ag literacy without the tech. And they can earn scout badges along the way. County literacy coordinators with Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom recently learned about AgBadging and getting students involved in hands-on activities.   Read more

How do you take your steak? Heart-shaped. Matt Witte, Bloomington Meats, shares how he creates their popular heart-shaped ribeye for Valentine’s Day. “A lot of people still buy fillets because that’s the king of Valentine’s Day,” he said. But he still sold eight to 10 a day leading up to the holiday and expected to sell nearly 30 on Valentine’s Day. He also discussed chickens and egg prices with RFD’s DeLoss Jahnke. Listen here