Agriculture

URBANA, Ill. — For decades, International Agronomy Day at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has hosted international groups looking to learn more about the latest innovative technologies, research, and practices in sustainable agriculture. This year, the College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences (ACES) has organized its Aug. 28 event ahead of the Farm Progress Show in Decatur, which kicks off Aug. 29.

URBANA, Ill. — For those whose primary experience with corn is the butter-drenched cob variety, it might come as a surprise that other forms of sweet corn are in trouble. A new University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign analysis shows sweet corn production for frozen and canned products has been steadily shrinking in the U.S. over the past 27 years, particularly in rainfed portions of the Midwest. 

URBANA, Ill. — Winter cover crops could cut nitrogen pollution in Illinois’ agricultural drainage water up to 30%, according to recent research from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. But how will future climate change affect nitrogen loss, and will cover crops still be up to the job?

URBANA, Ill. — As summer 2023 marches on, so do the events of Agronomy Days at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a season-long series providing practical, research-based information that can improve yield, input management, and sustainability on the farm. 

URBANA, Ill. — Meat processing plants in the U.S. have garnered considerable public attention in recent years, often focusing on production and labor issues. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the vulnerability of large, concentrated plants, as major shutdowns led to reduced output and higher meat prices for consumers.

URBANA, Ill. — Agriculture is a stressful occupation, and farmers face substantial mental health challenges. Research indicates they often experience higher levels of anxiety and depression compared to the general population, but less is known about the effects on their families. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign explores how economic stressors affect the mental health of U.S. farmers and their adolescent children. 

URBANA, Ill. — Corn growers seeking to increase the amount of nitrogen taken up by their crop can adjust many aspects of fertilizer application, but recent studies from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign show those tweaks don’t do much to improve uptake efficiency from fertilizer. That’s because, the studies show, corn takes up the majority of its nitrogen – about 67% on average – from sources occurring naturally in soil, not from fertilizer.

URBANA, Ill. — The University of Illinois will host the special event “Feeding a Heating Planet” — the third and final edition of the PBS NewsHour series “Tipping Point: Agriculture on the Brink” — at 6 p.m. Central Time on May 24, 2023, on the historic quad of the land-grant institution. 

URBANA, Ill. — Last year, the University of Illinois tried something new with its longstanding Agronomy Day. After more than six decades, the single-day ag education event was no more.

URBANA, Ill. — From self-driving tractors to weeding robots and AI-powered data collection, automated machinery is revolutionizing agricultural production. While these technological advancements can greatly improve productivity, they also raise new questions about safety measures and regulations. To address these issues, a recent study from the University of Illinois reviewed current academic literature on the safety of automated agricultural machines.