Central Illinois Farm Network

Each year, IFCA is proud to support the next generation of agricultural leaders through scholarships that celebrate academic achievement, leadership, and a strong dedication to the future of our industry. For 2025, IFCA is offering five scholarships: four awards of $1,500 and one $2,500 award for the top overall applicant. These scholarships aim to encourage and assist students pursuing careers in the agricultural input and crop protection sectors, fields essential to driving

By Kent Casson It may be November, but there’s never a bad time to talk weed control out in the field. Farmers often have to navigate the options which work best for them in order to deal with pesky weeds, such as waterhemp, which emerge in fields each summer just when you think the field is clear. Understanding the inconsistent performance of Glufosinate for waterhemp control will be the theme of an upcoming online webinar from Field Advisor on Tuesday, Dec. 9, funded by the

Illinois Extension’s Legal Series for Illinois Small Farms webinars return with new session topics to continue assisting farmers across the state with the tools and resources required to address the needs of their farms. Producers focused on grain, livestock, specialty crops, or hobby farms can all strengthen their businesses through the sessions and tools provided by Extension’s local food systems and small farms team in partnership with  Farm Commons . Farm Commons is a non

McLean Co. ag award winners from Thursday night, photo courtesy of McLean County Chamber. The McLean County Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual Agriculture Awards Dinner on Thursday, November 20, 2025, at the Bloomington Country Club, bringing together agricultural leaders, business partners, and community members to celebrate McLean County’s largest and most influential industry.   The event welcomed guests for an evening of recognition, fellowship, and celebration of thos

Cooking a Thanksgiving dinner for your friends and family will cost less than last year, marking the third straight year of price declines. The American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual Thanksgiving dinner survey provides a snapshot of the average cost of Thanksgiving staples that make up a classic holiday feast for 10, which is $55.18 or about $5.52 per person.   This is a 5% decrease from 2024. Three years of declines don’t fully erase dramatic increases that led to a record

By Kent Casson After a nice rally in soybeans in recent weeks, we have seen some choppy trading. The soybean market has been a bit weaker as China continues to look at soybeans from Brazil as that country is priced cheaper than we are currently – especially when you add in a 13 percent tariff. “The market is still waiting for confirmation if China is going to buy U.S. soybeans,” Aaron Curtis of MIDCO told me last week. Some business was accomplished during the recent trade me

House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson (PA-15) released the following statement after voting to reopen the federal government: "Reopening the federal government comes as a relief to the American people, but there’s no question this shutdown inflicted unnecessary pain on farm families, rural communities, and those who depend on critical USDA services. From delayed farm loans to nutrition assistance uncertainty, the full scope of the disruption will take ti

Congressman Eric Sorensen, serving District 17, affirmed his support of Illinois farmers while visiting a farm in central Illinois.    Opey Rowell, a corn and soybean farmer in Manito, Ill., and member of Illinois Soybean Association’s Environmental Policy Task Force, showcased his regenerative agriculture practices to the Congressman on Nov. 10.    On his farm, Rowell grows cover crops, strip-tills and does liquid fertilizer placement, when nutrients are applied directly to

Meet with agriculture specialists from  University of Illinois Extension  and learn about the latest research impacting farms today while attending the  Greater Peoria Farm Show , Dec. 2-4. Show attendees can visit the Illinois Extension booth during show hours on Tuesday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to discuss questions and find resources on farm leasing, grain marketing, farm estate planning, fertilizer management, fertility program

By Kent Casson This is my kind of article. I’m talking all about food this week – specifically field meals. Have you ever eaten a home-cooked meal in the cab of the tractor or perhaps on the side of the road in the spring or fall? If not, you don’t know what you are missing. Mom always prepared field meals for Dad and Grandpa when I was growing up and we’d always get that same meal at the kitchen table. Some favorites I recall include oven fried chicken with white gravy, meat