Urbana, Ill. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced that it is funding a new project led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign that will address major obstacles to adoption of cover crops in the United States.

URBANA, Ill. – Artificial food dyes have been linked to multiple health concerns, including hyperactivity in children, allergies, and certain cancers. The science isn’t settled and the Food and Drug Administration says color additives are safe, but consumers are nonetheless clamoring for natural alternatives.

URBANA, Ill. – The birth of a child is a major life transition, and it can be a stressful time for new parents. Family and relationship education programs are available to help individuals and couples deal with these challenges. But do such programs work as intended?

Lyle Fettig, professor emeritus of agricultural and consumer economics, died on Jan. 1 at his home in Savoy.

Throughout his career in ACE, Fettig had a passion for teaching and advising. He was honored with the Karl E. Gardner Outstanding Undergraduate Advising award, and he was included in the ACES Academy of Teaching Excellence. He also served as associate editor of the American Journal of Agricultural Economics and was an establishing editor of the North Central Journal of Agricultural Economics.

URBANA, Ill. – This fall, 27 students joined the Jonathan Baldwin Turner (JBT) Scholars program in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES). JBT Scholars is a competitive scholarship program open to undergraduate students in all ACES majors.

This week’s 5 Questions Friday features Emma Kuhns, agricultural and consumer economics major with public policy and law concentration. Emma hails from Mason, a small town near Effingham. She is one of this year’s recipients of the prestigious Jonathan Baldwin Turner Scholarship in the College of ACES, and she shares her thoughts about the JBT program.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Bill & Melinda Gates Agricultural Innovations has awarded a grant of $34 million to the Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency project, an international research effort led by scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In its 10-year history, RIPE has demonstrated large increases in crop productivity in replicated field trials on the university farm.

William “Bill” Cupps’ contributions to the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) continue to be felt today through scholarships, college programs, and communication activities. Cupps passed away on December 2, 2022, at the age of 88.

Josie Rudolphi is a professor of agricultural and biological engineering at the University of Illinois whose research examined suicide among farmers and ranchers, as well as the mental health of their children.