Wis. (WLAX.WEUX) – Ships loaded with grain are still departing Ukrainian ports right now. That is despite Russia suspending its participation in a U-N-brokered deal. The U-N said on Tuesday that three ships carrying corn, wheat, and sunflower meal left through a humanitarian sea corridor set up in July. A total of 14-ships also sailed […]

Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) – Grain commodity markets rising Monday on word Russia has suspended its part of the deal allowing Ukraine to ship grain from its Black Sea ports. Russia’s decision could have effects on already high food prices across the globe. Ukraine and Russia are key global suppliers of wheat, barley, sunflower oil, and other […]

CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Howard Buffett soon will make his second trip to Ukraine this spring and last Wednesday expressed his concern that USDA could be doing more to produce wheat on CRP-Set-aside acreage. “And I think we made a huge mistake in this country, by not immediately responding,” Buffett said. “You knew within two […]

TAYLORVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — Strawberry season at the Big M Berry patch southwest of Taylorville means hundreds of people filling quart containers of strawberries, thanks to the hospitality of Mel Repscher and his family. “We started back in 1985 with just about 2 acres of strawberries,” Repscher said. “And we’ve increased it a little bit […]

URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — Beer enthusiasts at Riggs Brewery Saturday were oblivious to a bumper crop of small grains enthusiasts more focused on the wheat and barley test plots on the east side of Urbana. Owner Matt Riggs hosted Small grains researcher Jessica Rutkoski and her followers, but there is a great family story brewed […]

CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — United Prairie’s corn plot was planted earlier this month, and chief agronomist Kyle Meece put in soybean test plots over the past several days. “This planter’s going to be the one, we’re doing 30-inch row beans, but we’re looking at some different in-furrow studies on beans,” Meece said. “We’re looking at […]

CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Is your corn up yet? If not, why is it not? You’re behind schedule, and somebody who knows about that is mama cutworm moth because she has laid all of her eggs all through your field so her babies would have something to eat. And they are going to be hungry, […]

CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — You’ve probably seen signs along fields like this one, designating the national Star program which was originated with 2 farmers in Champaign County. One was Steve Stierwalt. “My personal passion is agriculture and the need to protect this resource so that future generations can enjoy this tremendous resource we have here,” […]

KANKAKEE, Ill. (WCIA) — President Biden and Agriculture Secretary Vilsack visited the Kankakee area farm of Jeff O’Connor Wednesday to visit with Illinois farm leaders. “Thank farmers, you feed America, you got us through a pandemic, and you’re literally the backbone of our country,” Biden said. Last week the administration announced some initiatives to boost […]

CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — University of Illinois ag economist Gary Schnitkey is recommending farmers keep planting and not think twice about taking a prevented planting payment from crop insurance. “June 5 is the deadline for most of Illinois except the extreme southern counties and that is May 31,” Schnitkey said. “After that date farmers can […]

MACON COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — 5th graders in the Argenta-Oreana and Maroa-Forsyth districts could barely contain themselves when handed young chickens and goats at the AgUcation day. It is all coordinated by Jennifer Fink of the Macon County Farm Bureau. “Essentially, instead of inviting them out to the farm, we are bringing the farm to […]

CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Eric Snodgrass, the Chief Atmospheric Officer for fertilizer supplier Nutrien, says last winter’s La Nina has not departed, and that’s not good. “I would be watching out for in the central Pacific but also the Gulf of Alaska,” Snodgrass said. “Those two areas historically when we tend to have cold water, […]

CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — After one of the coldest, wettest Aprils on record, Nutrien’s Eric Snodgrass says that will reverse beginning next week. “After we get past this weekend, the pattern opens up to a big ridge,” Snodgrass said. “It’s so funny to think by early next week we’re going to be talking about temperatures […]

CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Chris, do you see any quail out here, anywhere? “I don’t think so,” Chris Greene said. “Haven’t heard any either.” They call out for bob white, or something like that, don’t they? “They sure do,” Greene said. You know I haven’t…. Oh, Hi, didn’t know you were with us here this […]

CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Farmers favorite crop chemicals for corn and soybean production are likely going to be either expensive or unavailable. That spurred a visit with GROWMARK’s Crop protection specialist Nathan Kleczewski. What do we do if we run into a “Sorry, we don’t have that product?” “Yeah, that is something I think we’re […]

MONTICELLO, Ill. (WCIA) — The tree planting project began some weeks back when 800 trees were delivered to the Illinois State Fairgrounds, and were dispersed to over 30 counties for planting this spring. One of the leaders was Curt Sinclair of U of I Extension. “We’ve taken delivery of about 800 oak trees,” Sinclair said. […]

I’m Clinton Griffiths, with today’s AgDay Minute. Higher food prices are changing the way people are eating around the world right now. Bloomberg reports that with prices rising for basics such as cooking oil, meat, and bread, people are cutting back. In India, for instance, restaurants along roadsides are halving their use of palm oil, […]

I’m Clinton Griffiths with today’s AgDay Minute. The US could be planning to donate around 400-thousand metric tons of emergency food to Ukraine. Sources tell Farm Journal’s ProFarmer the food aid is likely to be wheat. They say the announcement could come as part of President Biden’s trip to Europe later this week. The Wall […]

I’m Clinton Griffiths with today’s AgDay Minute. Coming to you from this year’s Commodity Classic in New Orleans. The free school meals program for all students may be coming to an end. The new Congressional spending bill does not include an extension to the waivers program. The waivers were authorized at the start of the […]

I’m Clinton Griffiths, with today’s AgDay Minute. Global food prices now sit at an all-time high. “The UN Food and Agriculture Organization” reports that they increased 3.9-percent last month in February to an all-time high. They now sit at more than 20-percent higher than they were just a year ago. Only sugar prices saw a […]