Bathed in an otherworldly purple glow, James Santiago points to a curled leaf at the base of a spinach plant. “This is an issue we saw all the time at the vertical farm where I worked in Virginia. We don't know exactly what's going on, but I think it has something to do with water stress, which is weird because the plants are growing in water.”

The energy that plants capture from sunlight through photosynthesis provides the source of nearly all of humanity’s food. Yet the process of photosynthesis has inefficiencies that limit crop productivity, especially in a rapidly changing world. A new review by University of Illinois scientists and collaborators reflects on how improving photosynthesis can bring us closer to food security.

Laney Toffler, a student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, recently traveled to Orlando to receive the Women in Agribusiness award and connect with industry leaders and peers, gaining insights that will shape her future in the field.

Roscoe L. Pershing, professor emeritus and former head of the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences and The Grainger College of Engineering, at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign passed away peacefully on Nov. 7 at the age of 85.

International humanitarian aid organizations rely on analyses from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system, a global partnership that monitors and classifies the severity of food insecurity to help target assistance where and when it is most needed. Those analyses are multifaceted and complex – often taking place in regions where data is scarce and conditions are deteriorating – and stakeholders tend to assume they overestimate need.

When Fatima Aljneibi began exploring international universities beyond her home in the United Arab Emirates, she knew she wanted a place where her interests in agriculture, the environment, and public policy could converge. Her college counselor encouraged her to look at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign — and once she discovered the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, the path became clear.

The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is redefining educational access with the launch of ACES 102: Introduction to Sustainable Food Systems. Approved by the Illinois Board of Higher Education and debuting this fall, the course marks the first dual-credit class offered by the Urbana campus. 

The U.S. is largely self-sufficient in agricultural food production, supported by a well-developed storage and interstate trade system. However, extreme weather events put increasing pressure on agriculture, potentially impacting the country’s ability to provide food for its growing population and underscoring the importance of maintaining a resilient food supply chain. 

When students enroll in Agricultural and Consumer Economics 241: Advanced Personal Finance at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, many expect a traditional course with many lectures and challenging tests. But what they find instead is an immersive, practical experience designed to strengthen financial literacy and prepare them for the real world. A component of the course that makes it different from others is the Action Learning Project. Students are then able to apply classroom concepts to benefit communities beyond campus.