5 with Mark Illinois Farm Bureau’s Mark Gebhards provides his five weekly takeaways of issues impacting agriculture. He discusses the Midwest State Legislative Conference, farm bill, renewable energy, waters of the U.S. and more. Listen here

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) has extended the deadline to Aug. 11 for producers to apply for funds under the Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program. The program aims to aid organic dairy farmers who may be facing higher marketing costs for 2023 due to factors like higher input and transportation costs and unstable feed supplies and prices.   Read more

Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) facilities will help eliminate what he calls a “time-tax” for Illinoisans. The program will include simplified online services such as renewing a driver’s license or ID and license plate stickers.   Read more

The University of Illinois Extension’s new Illinois Agricultural Mental Health Voucher Program aims to provide free mental health care for farmers and their families. The program, funded by a USDA grant, looks to remove cost as a barrier for farmers looking for help.   Read more

“Children are fully aware of what’s happening on the farm, and they are not immune to the stressors that exist,” said Josie Rudolphi, Illinois Extension specialist and assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at the University of Illinois. Rudolphi and Richard Berg are sharing results from the first year of a five-year study, which revealed a relatively high prevalence of both anxiety and depression for parents and adolescents.   Read more

Growing up on her family’s vegetable farm in Eureka, Kira Santiago never anticipated a future in farming. While spending some time experiencing city life in Boston, Santiago reconnected with her rural roots. Now, she uses her background in art to create powerful pieces with her flower harvest.   Read more