Producers Need to Complete Crop Acreage Reports

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds Illinois producers to complete crop acreage reports, by the applicable deadline for their County.  Acreage reporting dates vary by crop and by County.  Contact your FSA County office for a list of acreage reporting deadlines by crop.  Timely, accurate

Soil and Water Conservation District New Location

This is to inform the public that Whiteside U. S. Department of Agriculture moved to a new location of 400 Wilkens Drive, Morrison, IL, the last week of April 2020.  Natural Resources Conservation Service/Soil and Water Conservation District can be reached, as before, at 815-772-2124, extension 3.

January 5 Honeybee Management Session VII

It is time for another beekeeping management session at Andresen Nature Center, 409 N. 4th Street in Fulton, IL, adjacent to Heritage Canyon.  The session will be held on Sunday, January 5, 2020, beginning at 1:00 p.m.  It will be led by Mike Kramer, one of our local beekeepers and the

Bustos and Pelosi Meet Illinois Farm Bureau

In Springfield, IL, on Wednesday, August 14, 2019, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (a member of the House Agriculture Committee) invited Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to meet with the President of the Illinois Farm Bureau.  Leaders discussed farm conditions, infrastructure, biofuels, and President Donald Trump’s reckless trade war.  They also

Register for Cover Crop Workshop

Register by 4:00 p.m., on Monday, August 5, 2019, for a Cover Crop Workshop to be held Thursday, August 8, beginning at 10:00 a.m.  Lunch will be provided at noon.   The location is the Bill Holesinger farm, a quarter mile north of the Garden Plain and Frog Pond Roads

Bustos Applauds Final Rule for Year-Round E15

Congresswoman Cheri Bustos–a member of both the House Appropriations and Agriculture Committees–released the following statement on Friday, May 31,2019, after the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced their final rule to implement year-round E15, a fuel blended with 15 percent ethanol. “After years of fighting for year-round E15, today’s

Apply Now for District Conservationist Position

The Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service is accepting applications for three District Conservationists.  One vacancy is available in each of these locations:  Morrison, Mount Carroll, and Ottawa, IL.  This full-time, permanent position opens today, Tuesday, April 30, and closes Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Applications will be accepted only

February 8 On-the-Road Laws Seminar

Trucking regulations can be complicated, and farm exemptions compound the problem.  It seems everyone has a different answer to your question.  To to find out what you need to know, come join us from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m., on Friday, February 8, 2019, at the Whiteside County Farm Bureau, 100

Small Farms At-Home Webinars Begin January 24

The University of Illinois Extension presents Small Farms Winter Webinars, a weekly, at-home, educational series for the small farm community  Online programs are scheduled on Thursdays from January 24, through April 4, 2019, from noon to 1:00 p.m. This series will provide practical knowledge on emerging topics, which advance local

Conserve and Preserve Tour August 22

Rock Island County Soil and Water Conservation District will host a free conservation field tour, “Conserve and Preserve,” on Wednesday, August 22, 2018, from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. This tour will focus on local farms that employ great examples of conservation.  Included is an evening meal and presentations on other

Bustos: Farmers Want Trump to End War on Them

On Tuesday, July 24, 2018, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos responded to the Trump Administration’s $12 billion proposal for Federal Agricultural Programs, to deal with the ongoing damage from the President’s rapidly-escalating trade war.  Bustos, a member of the House Agriculture Committee and the only Midwesterner in Democratic Elected House Leadership, issued

Making Cover Crops Work July 17

Whiteside County Soil and Water Conservation District will sponsor a cover crop workshop on Tuesday, July 17, 2018, led by Dean Oswald.  It will be held at the farm of Bill Holesinger on Frog Pond Road, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.  The workshop will be limited to 50 participants, so

Whiteside County Introduces “Farm-to-Fork” Map

There have been several food trends emerging over the past few years, and one of the biggest is the “Farm-to-Fork” movement.  People are getting closer to the source of their food and knowing their producer and their production methods. To help people connect directly with growers and producers in the

Illinois Cattle Feeders Meeting March 9

Illinois cattlemen and cattle women will have the opportunity to hear from several experts at the 2018 Illinois Cattle Feeders Meeting, planned for Friday, March 9, 2018, at Sauk Valley Community College, IL Route 2, south of Dixon, IL. The meeting will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Ag Speaker Series at The Sawmill Museum

The Sawmill Museum will be hosting a winter speaker series titled “How Clinton Has Built and Fed the World.” The series will take place at the museum, located at 2231 Grant Street in Clinton, IA, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., on Thursdays from January 25, to March 22, 2018. The