The panic surrounding West Nile virus has quieted down, but the virus is still a cause for concern among horse owners. This crafty virus crossed the Atlantic in 1999 and has made a rapid progress westward. Over 9,000 equine West Nile cases were reported last year, including 431 Illinois cases. With a new vaccine available and an increased vigilance against mosquitoes, veterinarians and horse owners alike hope these numbers will be lower in 2003.

June 20, 2003

URBANA—Agricultural producers seeking to market crops whose value hinges on identity preservation need to understand the needs of those who are buying them, according to a recent University of Illinois study.

June 19, 2003

URBANA--"A divorcing son or daughter may not welcome a parent's advice, but they're not likely to shrink from a comforting embrace," said Angela Wiley, expert in family relations at the University of Illinois.

Parents of divorcing children are often unsure how to help a grown child who is hurting. Wiley said American parents are unsure about their role in a married child's life from the moment their son or daughter announces an engagement.

June 18, 2003

URBANA—A recent study by University of Illinois Extension answers the often-asked question: do large grain farms have lower per acre costs than smaller grain farms. The answer, according to Gary Schnitkey, the study’s co-author, is yes, up to about 1,000 acres.

June 18, 2003

URBANA - The possibility of unintended effects occurring in plants produced using biotechnology has generated fear, doubts and opposition. And even though biotechnology has been around for some 10,000 years, its use in crops, particularly those that will ultimately become food on our table, is suspect to some.

June 17, 2003

URBANA—As he cleans out his files after 33 years at the University of Illinois, rural sociology professor Andrew Sofranko comes across items that indicate the more things change, the more they stay the same.

“I was looking at some records from the 1970 U.S. Census, which indicated that there were just over 100,000 farms in Illinois. The question at that time was ‘what can we do to save the family farm?’ According to the latest Census, we have about 71,000 farms in Illinois and, after a hiatus, we are back to asking these questions again.”

June 17, 2003

URBANA--The West Nile virus will soon become more active in Illinois. Although only two infected birds have been found so far this year, it is time to start taking precautions to protecting yourself from this virus that killed 64 people in Illinois in 2002, said a University of Illinois entomologist.

June 17, 2003

URBANA—Although uncertainty still surrounds the 2003 corn growing season, producers face decisions about pricing the 2003 crop, said a University of Illinois Extension marketing specialist.

“Two general alternative approaches might be considered,” said Darrel Good. “One is the purchase of put options in order to protect the current price level and partially benefit from higher prices should they occur. If higher prices do develop, producers would then have to decide when to price the crop.

June 16, 2003

URBANA - Illinois has seen a major decline in the populations of grassland birds and other upland wildlife over the last 30 years, according to Richard E. Warner, researcher at the University of Illinois and director of Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant. He explained that agricultural land use has changed substantially in the past 100 years, contributing to the pronounced declines.

June 16, 2003

URBANA—A Chicago youth program that has led to improved diets and physical activity levels is now available on the internet through University of Illinois Extension’s Urban Programs Resource Network. The program combines jumping rope with nutrition lessons.