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. 

On Saturday, July 19, alumni, families, supporters, and current and former staff gathered on the grounds of 4-H Memorial Camp, which is located within Allerton Park but independently owned and operated by Illinois 4-H, to commemorate the camp’s 75th anniversary. Since opening its doors in 1950, 4-H Memorial Camp has shaped the lives of thousands of youth through hands-on learning and connection to the natural world.

In late July, the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign announced it will end a successful Illinois Extension-led program impacting food security and health for 1 million residents annually, affecting nearly 2,000 statewide partnerships, and cutting over 200 jobs — more than one-quarter of Illinois Extension’s workforce.

If you’ve ever been on a fishing boat, you might be familiar with live wells – small water tanks, built into the boat, where live fish can be stored. In bass fishing tournaments, these live wells keep fish alive throughout the competition, so that they can be released at the end. Anglers are always looking for ways to keep fish safe and healthy in these wells, since live bass mean higher prizes and more fish spawned for next year.

Yesterday, faculty from the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign spoke as invited witnesses to an Illinois House Agriculture and Conservation Committee hearing on the impacts of the USDA funding freeze, tariffs, and the delayed Farm Bill on Illinois agriculture.

Many of the youth participatory action research projects that aim to empower young people to lead change in their schools or communities often fail to fully integrate them into the process, diminishing participants’ learning opportunities and the projects’ potential impact, a recent study found.

LGBTQ+ people involved in farm work are over three times more likely to experience depression and suicidal intent and about two and a half times more likely to experience anxiety than the general population. That’s according to a new study led by farmer mental health experts at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.  

Evelyn Brandt Thomas turned 100 on her last birthday, and just over 100 days into this year, she was awarded the prestigious Order of Lincoln by the Lincoln Academy of Illinois. This award is Illinois’ highest honor for professional achievement and public service. 

Residential segregation is an example of the long history of structural racism in the United States. Black Americans are more likely to live in low-quality neighborhoods, which contributes to disparities in health outcomes. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign looks at how community stress affects the mental and emotional health of Black men and women in the U.S.