The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has the largest freshman class on record, with enrollment data going back to 1963. This marks the second consecutive year of record-setting growth in the college’s undergraduate community.

Scientists from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a method to isolate genes from amounts of microbial DNA so tiny that it would take 20,000 samples to weigh as much as a single grain of sugar. In a new paper, the researchers used the method to discover previously unknown antibiotic resistance genes in bacterial DNA isolated from fish habitats at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium and separate samples of human stool.

In collaboration with other Bioenergy Research Centers (BRCs), researchers at the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI) are developing industrially feasible techniques for second-generation biofuel production from oilcane, an oil-rich variety of sugarcane, to help meet our growing societal demand for fuels.

The Blavatnik Family Foundation and The New York Academy of Sciences has announced the Finalists for the 2025 Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists.

Jim and Ellen Holmes have devoted their lives to service — first to their country and now to the next generation of students.

Jim Holmes grew up on a small Angus cattle farm near Dunlap, Illinois, where problem-solving was part of everyday life.

“If something broke, you fixed it with a screwdriver, an adjustable wrench, and a hammer,” Jim said with a laugh.

Malawi’s Lower Shire Valley is changing. Over 14 years, the Shire Valley Transformation Program will turn 42,500 hectares (over 105,000 acres) into irrigated farmland, giving nearly 50,000 smallholder farmers a real chance at building prosperity and generational wealth.

The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has reached the university-required $5 million threshold to officially establish the James F. Evans Global Center for Food and Agricultural Communications. 

The Sustainable Student Farm (SSF) is a cornerstone of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences community. This Friday, September 5th, from 3 to 6 p.m., the farm is opening its gates and welcoming visitors for its annual open house.There will be food offerings and tours of the farm, as well as talks from faculty and SSF partners.

A critical program supporting healthy communities in Illinois and across the country took a devastating hit on July 4 when HR1, the federal budget reconciliation bill, was passed and signed into law. In addition to slashing funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as food stamps), the bill eliminated funding altogether for SNAP’s companion program, SNAP-Education, which works with community partners to educate SNAP-eligible families and individuals on obesity prevention, healthy foods, active lifestyles, and stretching food dollars.