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Farm

  • Early Lambs Arriving

    A week-old lamb on the farm of Lynn Wollerman northwest of Vandalia munches on a piece of straw as it explores its new surroundings.

    The lambing season will begin in earnest in late January and into February.

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  • Annual crop summaries for Illinois released

    The Illinois Field Office of NASS last week released the USDA’s annual crop production summary, winter wheat seedings and grain stocks report. State highlights of the reports include:

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  • Farm Briefs

    Risk management meetings planned
    Farmers interested in receiving a checkup on their risk management plans are invited to attend one of two upcoming meetings in the Central Illinois area.
    Meetings will be held on Jan. 31 at the Holiday Inn in Mt. Vernon and on Feb. 1 at the Northfield Suites in Springfield. Both meetings begin at 5 p.m., cost $19 and include a ribeye steak dinner.
    Registration closes on Jan. 23. For more information, contact a COUNTRY financial representative or a Farm Bureau office, or go online at www.agrivisor.com.

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  • Grants available for 4-H, FFA clubs

    Each year, more than $20,000 in scholarship funds is awarded to college-bound high school seniors who are pursuing an agriculture-related education and career. Farm Credit Services of Illinois plans to present 25 $1,000 agriculture scholarships to current high school seniors in 2012.

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  • GROWMARK adds history section

    In honor of the GROWMARK System’s 85th anniversary, a new history section has been added to the cooperative’s website.
    The "Our History" site is designed to be as easy to use for people who want a little information as for those who want to dig deeply into the history of the system.

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  • Survey seeks cattle farmers for data on animal health

    Veterinary Informatics & Research Co. of Rolling Meadows is currently recruiting cattle farmers, feedlots and people within the Illinois cattle industry to participate in an animal health study.
    That study will track the use and prices of common veterinary products – such as vaccines and antibiotics – for large animals.
    The company cited the following benefits to the cattle industry:
    • Promotes more accurate forecasting of supply and demand;
    • Encourages competitive pricing between manufacturers;

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  • Hog and pig numbers up 5 percent from last year

    The number of hogs and pigs in Illinois on Dec. 1, 2011, was 4.60 million head, up 5 percent from Dec. 1, 2010. Breeding hogs on hand were estimated at 480,000 head, steady with a year ago. Market hogs, at 4.12 million head, were up 5 percent from a year ago.
    The pig crop during September, October and November 2011 was 2.48 million pigs, down 1 percent from the same period in 2010. There were 250,000 sows that farrowed, down 4 percent from a year earlier.
    The litter rate for the quarter averaged 9.90 pigs saved, up from 9.60 for the same quarter last year.

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  • Farm Briefs

    Temps, precip are up for December
    For December, statewide average temperatures were 35.7 degrees, 5.9 degrees above normal.
    Precipitation was also above normal for much of the state, with an average of 3.43 inches.
    The warm temperatures allowed farmers to wrap up fall field work.
    Topsoil moisture was rated at 5 percent short, 86 percent adequate and 9 percent surplus.

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  • Farm Briefs

    Shimkus opposes
    dust regulations
    Congressman John Shimkus (R, Illinois-19) supported legislation that would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating farm dust.  The bill, Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act (HR 1633), passed the House last Thursday with bipartisan support.

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  • Farm Bureau annual meeting

    The Illinois Farm Bureau is home to a wealth of fond and familiar traditions, first and foremost being the promotion and support of agricultural and farming traditions.
    Yet, for many Illinois farmers, the tradition that means the most is the grassroots, member-driven decision making that stems from the IFB’s annual meeting. Each year, Illinois farmers gather during the first week of December to meet, discuss issues facing agriculture and set policy for the coming year.

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