Nearly half of the current Congress wasn’t in office when the 2018 farm bill was passed, meaning the 2023 bill will require farmers to advocate harder than they have in years past. And to ensure legislators understand issues impacting Illinois farms and Farm Bureau policy positions, members should apply to participate in the March Leaders to Washington program, writes Nowell Moore, who attended in fall 2022. Read more

As farmers shift their soybean planting window earlier, seeds and seedlings are exposed for longer periods of time to cooler damp soils that favor pathogens like Fusarium, the pathogen that causes Sudden Death Syndrome. That’s why producers should take serious which seed treatments they use to boost yields, writes Jason Boehler, GROWMARK’s seed treatment product manager.     Read more

USDA invites urban farmers, innovative producers and other stakeholders to virtually attend Feb. 23 the fourth public meeting of the Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production. The committee is part of USDA’s efforts to support urban and innovative agriculture, creating a network for feedback.     Read more

In 2007, Sager invited then Woodford County Farm Bureau manager Jolene Neuhauser to select a table for a gift and choose the wood and the finish. The resulting small table, handcrafted from hickory and walnut with an inscription from Sager on the bottom of the drawer, symbolizes a part of ag history that “means a lot” to Neuhauser, she said. Read more

Mike Sager of Eureka rescued wood much like he saved topsoil and restored beauty to both. The longtime Woodford County Farm Bureau member, self-taught wood carver and master craftsman was also an early prophet of no-till farming and conservation practices. He details the inspiration behind hundreds of creations, from rocking horses to carved wooden chains, in the latest part of the Gems of the Heartland series.     Read more

Brian and Debbie Prest admit they had to overcome a sharp learning curve when they first broke ground on their farm 22 years ago. But the first-generation farmers were determined, and ultimately developed a successful cropping operation, Prest Ag. They shared that journey with FarmWeek’s Daniel Grant at the Double Crop Forum in Mt. Vernon. Read more