Literacy rates in Sub-Saharan Africa remain low, despite increased primary school enrollment. In rural Mozambique, only 3% of children possess grade-level reading skills. Poor learning outcomes in lower grades are a barrier to further expanding school enrollment at higher grade levels.

A molecule made by bacteria in the gut can hitch a ride to the kidneys, where it sets off a chain reaction of inflammation, scarring and fibrosis — a serious complication of diabetes and a leading cause of kidney failure — according to a new study from researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Mie University in Japan.

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will showcase groundbreaking research, hands-on demonstrations, and expert-led discussions at the 2025 Farm Progress Show in Decatur.

A few months ago, Greta Hall traveled from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to South Dakota State University and found herself listening to a lecture about SDSU’s invention of cookies and cream ice cream.

This fall, the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will welcome its 2025 freshman class, along with a distinguished cohort of new and newly promoted faculty. In 2025, the college promoted 12 faculty members and welcomed 17 new hires, strengthening its academic, research, and outreach excellence.

A new publication of policy recommendations for land use, energy, and agriculture has been released as part of the U.S.-German Forum on the Future of Agriculture, led by the Aspen Institute Germany together with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 

Matthew Vann has been named the new associate dean and director of University of Illinois Extension, the flagship public engagement organization housed in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the state’s land-grant university.

A team of agricultural economists, environmental scientists and policy experts envisions a path toward a carbon-neutral agricultural future by expanding the reach of policies designed to promote low-carbon biofuels for transportation and aviation. In a new paper in the journal Science, the researchers propose policies that would reward farmers for adopting “climate-smart” practices when growing biofuel crops and remove the hurdles that currently thwart such efforts.

Yesterday, the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) announced the winners of the Sale of Champions at the 2025 Illinois State Fair — the premier auction showcasing the top livestock exhibited by Illinois 4-H youth.