Tile drainage is a common practice used in agricultural fields to remove excess water, but it also transports harmful nutrients into water bodies, contributing to algal blooms that deprive aquatic life of oxygen. Woodchip bioreactors are an efficient way to reduce nitrogen pollution by treating the water as it exits the field. However, these denitrifying bioreactors may leach phosphorus from the woodchips into the environment.

With colorectal cancer on the rise in people under 50, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are looking at the colon’s tiniest inhabitants to reveal causes and potential treatments.

Small grains researcher Juan David Arbelaez-Velez knows the secret to making perfect rice — and it’s not about how you cook it. Arbelaez and his team are investigating the genetic blueprint that determines different grain attributes such as appearance, cooking time, and texture. Their paper, published in The Plant Genome, offers a strategy that will help breeders improve grain quality holistically, while cutting costs and saving time.

Imagine moving into a new house just to discover it has no insulation. That’s what life can be like for a bat box resident.

Bat boxes, a kind of artificial roost, are a simple and cost-effective way to increase habitat for these flying mammals. They’re a preferred spot for mother bats to raise pups if their favorite housing option, large dead trees, are hard to come by. But if improperly designed, bat boxes can end up hurting more than helping, Illinois bat researcher Joy O’Keefe says. 

On Saturday, July 19, alumni, families, supporters, and current and former staff gathered on the grounds of 4-H Memorial Camp, which is located within Allerton Park but independently owned and operated by Illinois 4-H, to commemorate the camp’s 75th anniversary. Since opening its doors in 1950, 4-H Memorial Camp has shaped the lives of thousands of youth through hands-on learning and connection to the natural world.

In late July, the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign announced it will end a successful Illinois Extension-led program impacting food security and health for 1 million residents annually, affecting nearly 2,000 statewide partnerships, and cutting over 200 jobs — more than one-quarter of Illinois Extension’s workforce.

A scientist in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is the recipient of the 2025 national agInnovation award for Excellence in Agricultural Research Innovation. 

In a groundbreaking new project, scientists used precision fermentation to produce brewed chicken protein and evaluated it for use in pet food. Dogs that consumed the protein in their kibble during a six-month study had beneficial digestive effects, the researchers found.

The COVID-19 pandemic upended life for individuals and communities worldwide. Social isolation, health mandates, illness, and economic hardships took a toll on the well-being of families and children, but there were also silver linings to people’s experiences. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign looks at impacts of the pandemic among youth and parents across the U.S. Midwest.

Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson and World Business Chicago announced the return of the Chicago Venture Summit: Future of Food, the city's flagship food innovation and venture capital convening, which will take place on Oct. 14, 2025. Now in its fourteenth year, this two-day experience continues to elevate Chicagoland's position as a national hub for food tech, ag innovation, and entrepreneurial investment.