Central Illinois Farm Network

Join the Livingston County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) for a Toolshed Talk to learn about current weed and pest control measures and how conservation can help you control weeds and other pests on your farm. You will hear from Will Bushert, CCA with Evergreen FS, Doug Hanson with ProHarvest Seeds, and farmer Tom Kelly on the best methods they have found for weed and pest control. The Toolshed Talk will be on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at Kelly Brothers Farm, 2634

The Livingston County Farm Bureau Foundation invites you to attend the 7th annual LCFB Foundation Golf Outing. This four-player scramble style outing will take place Saturday, July 11 at the Dwight Country Club. Lowest score for men’s, women’s and mixed teams will earn prizes. On course contests include Longest Drive, Longest Putt and Closest to the Pin for men and women contestants. Registration is limited to the first 27 foursomes so register your team today. Registration f

By: Kent Casson Faith is described as a strong belief, trust or confidence in someone or something. It involves an inner assurance or commitment, often referred to as a conviction of those things not seen. Nobody knows more about faith than a farmer. We are putting corn and soybean seeds in the ground with hopes the crop emerges successfully, leading to good yields the following harvest. Since those seeds won’t grow in the bag, we have to go out to the fields and make our bes

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a final rule implementing the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, restoring whole and reduced-fat (2%) milk options in federal Child Nutrition Programs for children and adults ages 2 and older. The rule advances President Donald J. Trump’s commitment to improving childhood nutrition and supporting America’s dairy farmers by ensuring schools and child nutrition providers can once again offer students nutrient-dense dairy options th

Those interested in what’s happening with farmland values and farmland lease trends can now access the 2026 Illinois Farmland Values and Lease Trends Report as a free pdf download at the web site of the sponsor, www.ispfmra.org. This publication is produced annually by the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. “This is a great opportunity for those interested to access a review of prices paid for Illinois in 2025 by geographic region and count

By: Kent Casson Who doesn’t love a nice steak? Or perhaps a slice of prime rib? This is widely known as “May Beef Month” which is a great excuse to spread the message of beef across Illinois. The Illinois Beef Association recently provided a news release which made me a little hungry, as they provided various recipe ideas during special events in May involving beef. I must admit a nice juicy burger with tomato and onion freshly off the grill sounds pretty good. May’s most ce

Blaze Fehr poses in front of a Ford TW-30 Friday during Prairie Central FFA Day in Fairbury. A 1981 TW-30 Ford tractor gets a few stares when it is parked at a show or special event. Prairie Central High School student Blaze Fehr, 17, proudly displayed the tractor during Friday’s FFA Day held outside of Dominy Library in Fairbury. “It’s all original,” Fehr explained. “The thing was well taken care of by an old mentor of mine.” The tractor belonged to Pontiac-area farmer Alan

(By: University of Illinois Extension) Farmland Sales in Illinois are continuing their recent pattern of being unpredictable. Low farmer profits are the main driver of this volatility, but other factors also weigh on the marketplace. Sources for this article include: The Land Sales Bulletin, the 2026 Illinois Farmland Values and Lease Trends compiled by the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (ISPFMRA), and the AgLetter from the Federal Reserve

The House of Representatives passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 Thursday morning morning with a final vote of 224-200. House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson (PA-15) issued the following statement today commending the passage of this critical legislation, also known as the Farm Bill: “Working in Congress on behalf of our nation’s farmers, ranchers, and rural communities is an honor — even when the work requires debating the farm bil

By Kent Casson With warmer temperatures and sunshine returning to Central Illinois, large equipment is filling the roadways for another spring planting season. Here is my semi-annual article on staying safe out in farm country for the next couple of months as farmers work to put the 2026 crop in the ground. Farmers should plan their travel on busy roads, avoiding rush hours and the time before daylight and after dark. The proper reflective Slow Moving Vehicle emblem must be u