RFD Illinois

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...

The top House Ag Democrat charged in a super-partisan farm bill mark-up the farm-food coalition is dead, and this may be the last traditional farm bill. RFD Radio Network Washington correspondent Matt Kaye reports. Illinois Farm Bureau Director of Commodities and Food Systems Tasha Bunting discusses the plans for a Market Study Tour to Mexico City, leaving next Monday. Doug Yoder, Country Financia...

RFD Radio Network Washington Correspondent Matt Kaye reports the ethanol industry now has another argument for Congress to quickly approve year-round E15 sales--the Iran Middle East conflict. Kris Reynolds, American Farmland Trust, talks about the Illinois Farm Bureau Nutrient Grant Program and the upcoming field day in Montgomery County on March 21. Shane Flowers, President of the American Associ...

RFD Washington Correspondent Matt Kaye reports the US-Iran conflict and interruptions to energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz threaten new farm input volatility at a time when US producers can least afford it. Chad Ruppert, Montgomery County Farmer, and Chas Brown, Macon County Farmer, talk about the fight to continue farming in a preview of this week's Taking Stalk podcast. USDA Meteorol...

Glenn "G.T." Thompson, Chair of the House Ag Committee, talks about planned Farm Bill mark up this week in the House from the floor of last week's Commodity Classic. Matt Raben, Vice Chair of the Illinois Corn Marketing Board, from Commodity Classic, talking about working for growers and looking for new uses for corn. USDA Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins addresses New World Screwworm from the Commodit...

Kevin Semlow, Illinois Farm Bureau Executive Director of Governmental Affairs and Commodities, follows several topics in Springfield, including the Family Farm Preservation Act. USDA Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins visits the 2026 Commodity Classic and discusses the planned "One Farmer, One File" program. Richard Fordyce, Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation at USDA, talks a...

RFD Washington Correspondent Matt Kaye reports as President Trump’s temporary tariffs to replace those the Supreme Court struck down represent a bridge back to highly discretionary levies, according to trade experts on a recent Brookings panel discussion. Stephanie Porter, Outreach Agronomist for the Illinois Soybean Association, talks about ISA at Commodity Classic 2026, growing season concerns,...

RFD Washington Correspondent Matt Kaye speaks with Iowa Ag Senator and Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley, who predicts tariffs put in place by President Trump will persist after court challenges. Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition plans "grazing schools" for early next month. Executive Director Christian Lovell explains what farmers can learn. Robert Cossar, Croplan Seed Innovation Experience Member, t...

RFD Washington Correspondent Matt Kaye reports on US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins comments from last weeks USDA Farm Economy Outlook. Tyler Musgrave, Musgrave Angus Farm in Pike County, discusses preparing for Spring sales. KWQC Meteorologist Cyle Dickens has your forecast, as he looks as whether winter is here to stay or ready to go. David Widmar, Ag Economic Insights, discusses similarit...

RFD Washington Correspondent Matt Kaye reports on reactions after the Supreme Court’s Friday 6-3 ruling striking down President Trump’s tariffs, but many questions remain. Tasha Bunting, Illinois Farm Bureau Director of Commodities and Food Systems, reminds dairy farmers the deadline is approaching soon for FSA programs to offset costs. Phillip Nelson, president of the Illinios Farm Bureau, reflec...

Kevin Semlow, Executive Director of Governmental Affairs and Commodities at the Illinois Farm Bureau, details action expected on the 2026 Farm Bill rollout and a Bureau call to action. Dan Engel, Director of Supply and Merchandising of Crop Nutrients at Growmarks, talks about the challenges currently facing the fertility markets. Washington Correspondent Matt Kaye reports on USDA annual outlook fo...

RFD Washington Correspondent Matt Kaye reports the ethanol industry says a handful of mid-sized oil refiners are awash in cash and appear to be putting profits over a deal to market E15 year-round. Katie Brown, President of the Illinois Pork Producers Association, talks about a new USDA Food Pyramid pork back to center of the plate and message to membership for the year ahead. USDA Deputy Secretar...

Illinois Farm Bureau President Philip Nelson describes the events at this week's Government Affairs and Leadership Conference, as well as some of the legislative priorities for the bureau. DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick previews some potentially severe weather on the way this weekend. Retiring US Senator Dick Durbin speaks to Illinois Farm Bureau membership at the Government Affairs and Leader...

RFD Washington Correspondent Matt Kaye reports a failure to find an agreement for year round E15 sales ahead of a Sunday deadline. Bill Graff, State Executive Director of the Illinois Farm Service Agency, and Shelly Sweatman, Conservation Division Chief of the Illinois FSA, talk about CRP signup with host Rita Frazer. Illinois Feed and Grain Association President Spencer Janssen covers how the org...