Illinois farmers interested in growing food with trees and perennial crops are being encouraged to join a new statewide network that offers peer-to-peer support and resource connections to show producers how agroforestry can help them diversify income, improve soil health and make farms more resilient.

As stakeholders on all sides of the animal welfare debate continue to pressure members of Congress to include their requests in the final draft of the Farm Bill, Illinois farm groups say existing welfare standards are at stake. They say the views of farm veterinarians, who study livestock confinement deeply, are being left out of the conversation.

A fight over hog housing standards is shaping up as one of the latest Farm Bill battles. A Missouri farmer is among those urging senators to reject the 'Save Our Bacon Act,' a proposal that would block state laws such as California's Proposition 12.

Missouri farmers say they're facing some of the toughest economic conditions in decades. Now, they're pressing lawmakers to make the next Farm Bill a lifeline for family farms instead of big agribusiness.

Cuts proposed in the next federal budget could impact a nationwide river program active across Missouri waterways, including the Mississippi River north of St. Louis. Conservation groups say the effort improves water quality, wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation while generating strong returns for taxpayers.

A southwest Missouri rural school district is turning seven acres of unused campus land into a working school farm, giving students hands-on agricultural experience as small family farms continue disappearing across rural America.

A coalition of sustainable farming groups is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reject an effort by Bayer-owned Monsanto to avoid cancer lawsuits tied to its weed killer Roundup, arguing farmers and communities deserve clear warnings about health risks linked to glyphosate. The coalition says reliance on glyphosate harms people and the environment, while sustainable alternatives like crop rotation and organic farming are growing and could reduce dependence on toxic pesticides.

A new analysis shows how nature loss disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income households in Illinois and across the country. These communities are also more likely to live in polluted areas, which further increases their vulnerability to climate change and poor health outcomes. Experts argue that current policies and conservation practices often worsen these inequities and are calling for community-centered approaches that address systemic racism and ensure equitable access to natural spaces.

An Illinois researcher specializing in rural affairs is urging lawmakers to expand the 2026 Farm Bill to support not just agriculture, but the rural non-farm economy at large, highlighting how both are deeply interconnected. He says rural communities face challenges like population decline, economic shifts, and limited access to housing and health care, making broader investment in rural development essential for long-term sustainability.

The Corn Belt Windbreak Project is studying decades-old windbreak trees and shrubs to measure their economic and environmental value. Experts say farmers have been removing them to gain acreage, but that costs them money. Researchers at the University of Illinois will work with farmers to evaluate windbreak impacts on yields, soil, and water quality, and develop strategies to help farmers use them profitably now and in the future