RFD Illinois

Hope for a two-week Iran war ceasefire and opening of the Strait of Hormuz is bringing new hope of relief for farmers and consumers, while that relief could be gradual. RFD Radio Network's Washington correspondent Matt Kaye reports.. Illinois Director of Ag Jerry Costello talks about the need and push for year-round E-15. Sherman Newlin, Risk Management Commodities, a division of Zaner Ag Hedge, j...

Farm costs and bankruptcies continue to rise as Ag lawmakers seek ways to provide relief. RFD Radio Network's Washington correspondent Matt Kaye reports. Tasha Bunting, Director of Commodities & Food Systems at the Illinois Farm Bureau, talks about the success of a recent Mexico Market Study Tour and the topics of new world screw worm and cattle prices. Michael Langemeier, at Purdue University...

Payment limit relief and new tax breaks will help producers this season under the president’s tax and spending bill, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. RFD Radio Network Washington correspondent Matt Kaye reports. Bill Harmon talks about his years at Lincoln Land Community College, his students, and his decision to become an ag teacher. Harmon is set to retire in June. Chris Yates, Chief Meteorologis...

Thirty million new base acres in last year's "One Big, Beautiful Bill" won't be parceled to the first arrivals at local FSA offices, but in a new process. RFD Radio Network Washington Correspondent Matt Kaye reports. Dave Lidy, South Central FS Total Livestock Services, discusses his organization Holly’s Mountain. Coverage of last Friday's Illinois Farm Bureau Nutrient Stewardship Field Day in Jo...

Luke Worrell, Worrell Land Services in Jacksonville and co-chair of the Land Values Committee, talks from the Bloomington Land Values Conference. Also from the Land Values Conference, Dr. David Kohl, Professor Emeritus at Virgina Tech, expans on how conflict in the Middle East is having an effect on the markets he studies. IFB Executive Director of Governmental Affairs and Commodities Kevin Semlow...

US Ag trade negotiator Julie Callahan previewed the administration’s ag trade goals for this year at a recent Agri-Pulse forum. RFD Radio Network Washington correspondent Matt Kaye reports. Dave Lidy, FS Total Livestock Dairy & Beef Specialist, gives an update from the field. Doug Yoder, Crop Sales Leader at Country Financial, introduces Justin Maschoff, who will be taking his place as he prep...

The Iran war and Congress’ fight over Homeland Security funding and the voter ID SAVE Act are complicating farming's plight. RFD Radio Network Washington correspondent Matt Kaye reports. Tara Barrett-Duzan, Edgar Co. farmer and keynote speaker at the 16th Annual Women in Ag Conference, talks about her journey as a former news anchor to the fields, after losing her brother and father. Joe Camp, Com...

A celebration of agriculture on the lawn of the White House last week covers key issues like trade and year-round E15, Illinois Farm Bureau president Philip Nelson was there. Dennis Michelson, WITY Meteorologist, says rain is coming to a drought-stricken Illinois. A DC biofuels group says the Trump administration is stepping up on biofuels policy, while Congress fails to act, RFD Radio Network Was...

Carl Setzer, Consus Ag Marketing, discusses the potential impact of upcoming reports and expected record levels of stored crops. Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANNRS) hosted a leadership program in Freeport last week. Meteorologist Paul Otto has a look at your forecast.

Kevin Semlow, Executive Director of Governmental Affairs and Commodities, recaps Ag Legislative day in Springfield this week. Josh Lindville, StoneX, discusses the impact of global events on moving fertilizer. RFD Radio Network Washington Correspondent Matt Kaye says House and Senate Ag Chairs continue to search for a path forward for a Farm Bill. Meteorologist Paul Otto has a look at your weekend...

Senate Ag Chair John Boozman says it may be possible to attach year-round E15 to a Senate farm bill as he pushes back on oil industry demands to exclude small refiners from any deal. RFD Radio Network Washington correspondent Matt Kaye reports. Bridge payments to farmers rolling out in Illinois-over the half-way point. Ben Kasch, Bower Trading, describes the movement in what he calls a "headline-d...

Illinois Farm Bureau President Philip Nelson discusses estate reform and the Farm Family Preservation Act from Springfield's Ag Legislative Day. American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall talks about Ag Day from the nation's capital with RFD Radio Network's DeLoss Jahnke. Meteorologist Paul Otto has a look at your forecast.

RFD Radio Network Washington Correspondent Matt Kaye reports the Ag economy needs more help from the government, bioeconomy and consumers, all key topics at Agri-Pulse’s annual Food and Farm Policy Forum.  Hayden Geisler, auctioneer at Geisler Auctioneering, discusses a successful weekend equipment estate auction and, hopefully, a sign of a turnaround in the used equipment market. Illinois State C...

Farmers are again facing rising input costs on top of continued regulatory burdens, topics of a recent Senate Ag hearing. RFD Radio Network Washington correspondent Matt Kaye reports. Highlights from IFB Mexico Market Study Tour with Hannah Spangler, guest include David Wirth,  Sangamon County & William Barth, Bond County. Illinois Farm Bureau's Raelynn Parmely and Kane County Farm Bureau Pres...

Kevin Semlow, Illinois Farm Bureau Executive Director of Government Affairs and Commodities, discusses the results of Illinois' primary election and bureau legislative priorities. Dr. Connor Sible, Research Assistant Professor at University of Illinois, previews an upcoming seven month series on biologicals. Meteorologist Paul Otto has a look at your forecast.

RFD Radio Network Washington Correspondent Matt Kaye reports Year-round E15 approval from Congress would bring certainty for farmers eyeing down a new planting season. Chad Leman, past president of Illinois Pork Producers, talks about his experience at the National Pork Forum. Tim Ekberg, Vice President and Chief Underwriter of Country Financial, discusses a significant number of policy writers ea...

Illinois Farm Bureau President Phillip discusses input costs, board business and preparing for spring planting. Madison Wozniak, Agronomist at FMC, discusses the prime conditions for spring planting from the 2026 Commodity Classic. RFD Radio Network Washington Correspondent Matt Kaye reports on Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley's alternate proposal for getting year round E15 in effect. Meteorologist Pau...

Orion Samuelson, a decades-long ag broadcaster on WGN in Chicago, passes away. RFD Radio Network remember his numerous contributions to the field. Joe Camp, Commstock Investments, discusses soybean limits and market movement. Mike Love, Morgan's Meat Market in Mattoon and former President of the Illinois Association of Meat Producers, talks corned beef on St. Patrick's Day. Buddy Courdt, Raber Pac...

Kevin Semlow, IFB Executive Director of Governmental Affairs and Commodities, joins the program to discuss state legislative priorities like estate tax reform. Growmark Vice President of Crop Nutrients Kreg Ruhl discusses the impact of conflict in the Middle East on moving fertilizer components around the world. The Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing Hub features at Ag Tech Day...

Ag leaders tells Congress biofuel policies are critical to building demand for growers, RFD Radio Network Washington Correspondent Matt Kaye reports. Chase Brown, Macon County farmer, talks about making a family farm work and the role livestock plays in farm ownership. Troy Uphoff, Shelby County Farmer, and Fred Below, University of Illinois Crop Physiologist, talk about yield contests and plantin...

RFD Radio Network Washington Correspondent Matt Kaye reports Ag Senator Chuck Grassley predicts the House will pass the Farm Bill soon, forcing the Senate to skip a committee markup. Meteorologist Paul Otto talks about an upcoming brief return to weather that feels like winter. Illinois Farm Bureau hosts "Rules of the Road" sessions around the state, Illinois Farm Bureau's Rodney Knittel explains...

A long-running fight over farmers selling land to solar power companies breaches the Farm Bill debate on the US House, RFD Radio Network Washington Correspondent Matt Kaye reports. Ed Shimon, National Weather Service in Lincoln, says Illinois residents need to be "weather-aware" today. Illinois Junior Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANNRS) Conference program adv...

A rollback of California's Proposition 12 animal confinement restrictions survive a House Ag Committee Farm Bill markup, RFD Radio Network Washington Correspondent Matt Kaye reports. Meet Lillian Helbig, from Okawville High School in Washington County, the senior is the Illinois Farm Bureau Actively Engaged Student of the Month. A Rural Business Transitions webinar series begins this week a collab...

Illinois Farm Bureau President Philip Nelson discusses the organization's Farm Bill interests after a big week for agriculture on Capitol Hill. Tim Abel, Director of Customer Risk Management at Growmark, joins the program to discuss the Iran conflict's impact on fuel prices and markets. Andy Heggenstaller, Syngenta, discusses a new trait aimed at soybean weed management. Meteorologist Paul Otto ha...