Agriculture
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The world's tallest sunflower blooms in an Indiana backyard as a tribute to UkraineSep 12, 2025 4:05 pm - FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) — When Alex Babich, 47, stood in his backyard in Fort Wayne, Indiana, craning his neck to look 35 feet into the sky, he wasn’t just staring at a sun...
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Woodchip bioreactor helps Peoria area farmer reduce nitrogen runoffSep 09, 2025 4:39 pm - A Marshall County farmer installs woodchip bioreactor on his land to reduce nitrogen runoff, doing his part to meet statewide nutrient loss reduction goals and improve local water quality.
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U of I grad’s company ‘turning poop into profit’Sep 09, 2025 2:01 pm - Bianca Bailey founded Agriwater to transform livestock waste into clean water and valuable byproducts using an electrocoagulation technique she developed. She is now competing for $100k in the AFBF Ag Innovation Challenge.
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How an Illinois farmer turned flooded farmland into rice paddies
Sep 09, 2025 10:09 am - One Illinois man’s decadeslong fight to convert his fields into rice paddies demonstrates how it’s possible to bring diversity to the Corn Belt, but improbable so long as federal farm policy remains focused on soybeans and corn.
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U.S. agricultural trade deficit reaches nearly $29 billionAug 21, 2025 12:51 pm - The U.S. ag trade deficit climbed to a new high the first half of 2025.The deficit hit a record $28.6 billion through June, according to USDA data released this month.
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Illinois beekeepers battle losses, costs to keep hives buzzing
Aug 19, 2025 10:36 am - Beekeepers face steep startup costs and significant bee colony losses — often exceeding 50% annually. Illinois has more than 5,400 registered beekeepers, with nearly nine in 10 managing 10 hives or fewer.
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Governor gives boon to trial lawyers, vetoes treasurer-backed bill
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Recent aerial applicator crashes draw attention to safetyAug 14, 2025 4:23 pm - Summer skies fill with planes and helicopters in rural Illinois every summer as corn and soybean fields need crop protection. However, the risk to aerial applicators was magnified last month with four crashes within eight days in Illinois.
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‘Creating a little wine community’: Geneva Winery expands production in Elburn, plans to grow
Aug 12, 2025 11:31 am - Brent Copstead, owner of Geneva Winery, is expanding the business to include an event venue, vineyard and larger production facility.
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Sonny Acres to build special event space, The Barn on NorthAug 12, 2025 10:30 am - Sonny Acres, the farm and family entertainment complex in West Chicago, is building a 7,000-square-foot building, The Barn on North, to host special events.