Agriculture

A couple of miles south of the main quad at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a remarkable agricultural experiment is taking shape. The so-called Alma Mater Plots are unique in their setup — with 64 one-acre plots, each individually tile-drained, it’s the largest experiment of its kind anywhere. And, to maximize the value of the experiment to Illinois and Midwest agriculture, scientists are teaming up with farmers in deciding what, exactly, to study.

A new analysis from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the Illinois Soybean Association finds that Illinois corn and soybean farmers could lose up to $609 million per year — representing a 3.6% revenue loss — if the state banned the weedkiller glyphosate.

Agronomy Days 2026 at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign continues with events scheduled into October, teaching Illinois growers the latest breakthroughs in productivity, profitability, and sustainability.

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Morrow Plots — the oldest continuously running agricultural experiment in North America — celebrate their 150th anniversary this year. It’s a milestone for the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, symbolizing its commitment to the land-grant mission, effort to feed a global population, and goal of nourishing its own campus community. 

It's midday at the Seed to Table summer camp in the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Food, Agriculture, Nutrition Innovation Center (JJK FAN) in East St. Louis, Ill. The kids have spent the morning learning how to plant, tend to and, yes, even weed a vegetable garden. Now the campers are pivoting into the kitchen to make healthy produce-based snacks with Grace Margherio, a 4-H youth development educator with University of Illinois Extension. "After Seed to Table," Margherio says, "they can visualize how their food grows on plants and want to be more involved in growing and cooking it."

As climate change increases the frequency of drought, excessive rainfall, and other extreme weather events, farmers face growing uncertainty about crop production. Understanding how farmers perceive and respond to that uncertainty can help improve agricultural policy and climate adaptation strategies.

With summer just around the corner, Agronomy Days will soon return to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The season-long series teaches Illinois growers the latest breakthroughs in productivity, profitability, and sustainability.

The livestock industry is changing quickly. Pig populations are increasing, farmers are decreasing, and tools are needed to address the widening gap.

Tile drainage is common in U.S. Midwest agricultural fields, helping to remove excess water and aerate the soil. While the practice enhances crop productivity, it can cause phosphorus to leak into nearby waterways, where it contributes to harmful algal blooms. Directing tile-drain runoff through a structure filled with biochar – a form of charcoal produced from organic waste – provides a potential remedy for phosphorus pollution, but the method is novel and not fully explored.

Larry Dallas’ farm in Central Illinois’ Douglas County is as flat as it gets. That’s a good thing for planting straight rows and maneuvering farm equipment in the field, but there’s a major downside, too.

“Heavier rain is hard for us to deal with because of the poorly drained soils and the lack of any roll to the ground. It's hard for the water to get away when the rain starts,” Dallas said. “We have installed a lot of drainage tile trying to mitigate that.”