Illinois professor brings science to life with popcorn

URBANA, Ill. – In Kirsten Wyatt’s agriculture science classroom in Paxton, an unusual piece of equipment helps high school students learn genomics. Not a microscope or a PCR machine, but a popcorn popper.

Read full story

Landowners: Learn forest management with U of I

URBANA, Ill. – Buying and maintaining forested land can be daunting if landowners don’t know how to manage it. Fortunately, a new University of Illinois outreach program is here to help.

Read full story

ACES students help create fertilizer app for Tanzanian farmers

URBANA, Ill. – Farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa use fertilizer well below recommended rates for optimal productivity. One reason is lack of trust in the products available from local agri-dealers, says Hope Michelson, professor in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics (ACE) at University of Illinois.

Read full story

See Yourself at ACES at Farm Progress Show 2021 Aug. 31-Sept. 2

URBANA, Ill. – “See Yourself at ACES” when you join the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at Farm Progress Show 2021 in Decatur Aug. 31-Sept. 2.

The College of ACES tent, located at 34W, south of the main entrance on West Progress Avenue, will feature exhibits and interactive opportunities presented by the college and University of Illinois Extension for producers and those in the agriculture industry, as well as for high school students and their families, ag teachers, FFA leaders, and others.

Read full story

Grain bin safety event is March 29 to April 2

URBANA, Ill.  – Each year, more than 20 agricultural workers in the U.S. die in grain bin accidents, and the number of fatalities is increasing. Stand Up 4 Grain Safety Week is an annual event that promotes awareness, education, and training on grain bin safety.

This year, Stand Up 4 Grain Safety Week takes place online March 29 through April 2. Daily sessions from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. CDT include video presentations, supplementary materials, and other resources.

Read full story

farmdocDAILY celebrates 10 years of providing farm business analysis online

URBANA, Ill. ­– For a decade, agricultural professionals in Illinois and beyond have had a trusted online source for daily analysis and information. farmdocDAILY, part of the University of Illinois farmdoc project, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary on March 17.

And to mark this occasion, the farmdoc team will be releasing its list of the all-time top 20 articles.

Read full story

Metropolitan farming offers surprise opportunities for U of I junior

URBANA, Ill. - Where and how we grow up influence what we decide to do for a living. Maggie Furr grew up in the rural community of Shelbyville, Illinois. Her parents farm corn and soybeans. Furr, a junior in crop sciences in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES), expanded on her interests and upbringing by exploring another side of agriculture: metropolitan farming.

Read full story

Soybean Innovation Lab releases new guide to African soybean seedborne diseases and pests

URBANA, Ill. – The Soybean Innovation Lab (SIL) developed a new Guide to African Soybean Seedborne Diseases and Pests for use by African seed companies, seed multipliers, research institutions, and soybean processors, whose operations demand high-quality seed. Identifying the causes of decreased seed health, which translates to poor germination, low yields, and decreased profitability, is key to building a successful soybean industry in Africa.

Read full story

COVID-19 data dashboard helping make sense of the crisis

URBANA, Ill. – During the COVID-19 pandemic, many are paying closer attention to numbers than ever before. Whether it’s the number of new cases in local communities or the death toll worldwide, these figures can be alarming and overwhelming.

Enter Zaheeda Darvesh. The data analyst with University of Illinois Extension is taming COVID-19 numbers for one Illinois community and helping the public make sense of the crisis.

Read full story
Subscribe to Outreach