Farmland values remain resilient and actually edged higher across the heart of the Corn Belt in the third quarter.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago reported farmland values in its district increased 2% during the most recent quarter compared to the same time last year.
Chicago’s Seventh Federal Reserve District stretches across ...
For the first time in Illinois Farm Bureau history, the organization’s annual meeting was conducted virtually with 336 county Farm Bureau delegates participating via internet across the state.
Mark TuttleMike Schweitzer
Delegates serving DeKalb County included: Steve Bemis, Berkeley Boehne, Ed Cowan, Roy Plote and Mike Schweitzer.
New IFB policy addresses the challenge ...
Selling a farm residence off farmland just got easier.
Recent changes were made to DeKalb County’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan that allows landowners to parcel off their farm residence from their 40 acres and sell it as part of a few acres.
Previously, the county’s 40-acre rule required landowners to sell their ...
Farm economy sees strong turnaround for grain farms.
A couple months ago economists were predicting near-zero profits for Illinois farmers. Now the grain farm outlook appears to be much better while livestock farms continue to be financially stressed.
The University of Illinois and Purdue University findings and projections were reported in an ...
Hauling grain to the elevator? Consider giving a gift of grain.
A gift of grain is another option of charitable giving. The value of the grain can be used to support much needed charitable causes in our local community.
Farmers may donate corn or soybeans by delivering grain to a commercial elevator ...
Local grain companies have COVID restrictions in place to keep employees safe so facilities run smoothly for fall grain deliveries.
Commercial grain elevators are ready for this year’s harvest with modified health and safety practices in place due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Our biggest changes were made in the spring and will ...
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) opened signup this summer for CLEAR30, a new pilot program that offers farmers and landowners an opportunity to enroll in a 30-year Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contract.
This pilot is available to farmers and landowners with expiring water-quality practice CRP contracts in ...
Meet the 2020 leadership team.
Farm Bureau’s Executive Committee - (From left) Roy Plote, secretary; Mark Tuttle, president; Steve Bemis, vice president; and Steve Drendel, treasurer.
Typically, the election of county Farm Bureau officers occurs in late March each year. But this March was atypical with the COVID-19 pandemic. After the reopening ...
Crop farmers have stayed afloat because of government programs.
The $16 billion in CFAP (Coronavirus Food Assistance Program) funding comes from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC).
The USDA estimates for CFAP distribution include cattle receiving the most funding, followed by nonspecialty crops, ...
Most businesses were doing well before the coronavirus. Agriculture was not.
COVID-19 is just the latest in a string of misfortunes that have kept the farm economy down for several years: weather disasters, a trade war and even before that, commodity prices have been below the cost of production.
“None of us ...
