farmers
New survey finds most U.S. farmers can’t afford fertilizer
By TAMMIE SLOUP FarmWeek • A nationwide survey conducted by American Farm Bureau Federation shows 70% of respondents cannot afford to purchase enough fertilizer to get them through the year. More than 5,700 farmers from every state and Puerto Rico responded to the survey, which was conducted April 3-11. In Illinois, more than 250 farmers…
Read MoreHouse Ag Committee chair talks farm bill timeline
By TAMMIE SLOUP FarmWeek House Ag Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson is optimistic farm bill legislation will get to the full House floor this year, with committee markup beginning March 3. Illinois Farm Bureau members have been an integral piece of moving the legislation forward, Thompson said. “Thank you for your early investment, coming to…
Read MoreHistorically dry conditions in 2025 boost drought issues
By RHIANNON BRANCH FarmWeek Drought, flooding, tornadoes, severe thunderstorms and extreme temperature swings; 2025 had it all and it varied drastically by location, making last year a memorable one from a weather standpoint for many Illinois farmers. State Climatologist Trent Ford, with the Illinois State Water Survey, reviewed weather statistics from 2025 and events that…
Read MoreIDOA relaunches cover crop discount program
By HANNAH SPANGLER FarmWeek Illinois farmers who planted cover crops this fall can once again earn a break on next year’s crop insurance premiums through the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s (IDOA) Fall Covers for Spring Savings program. IDOA will offer up to a $5-per-acre discount on 2026 crop insurance premiums for verified cover crop acres…
Read MoreBudzinski introduces bipartisan legislation to address farmers’ input costs
By Tribune Staff • WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) introduced the bipartisan Fertilizer Research Act alongside Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (IA-02), Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03), and Congressman Randy Feenstra (IA-04). By requiring the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to conduct a study of the market factors driving fertilizer costs, the bill would…
Read MoreBudzinski, Johnson introduce bipartisan BASE Act
By Tribune Staff • WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) and Congressman Dusty Johnson (SD-AL) introduced the Balanced Agricultural Support and Efficiency (BASE) Act to require the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to update base acres for all farms as soon as is practicable. The last mandatory update was completed in 1985;…
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