Stu Ellis

URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — Many farmers are scouting fields, trying to determine what they might have done differently to boost their crop prospects. Some answers will be offered in two weeks. A few weeks ago, University of Illinois crop physiologist Fred Below invited the public to Crop Physiology Day on August 6. But many farmers […]

URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — The White House’s Office of Management and Budget has admitted to cancelling congressionally approved research grants to institutions such as the University of Illinois. The loss...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — One of the topics Illinois lawmakers debated during the past session was restrictions on crop protectant sprays.

GREENVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — The southern third of Illinois is where the bulk of the state’s wheat is grown, but this year’s yield champion is from Central Illinois. Wendell Good of Tazewell County is getting a reputation for being the state’s best yield producer when it comes to wheat. He met with Stu Ellis last […]

URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — The new science of crop production and solar panels is a truly electric idea, and University of Illinois researchers are finding out there are numerous ways they can be …

CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Ecstasy and exultation spread over the Corn Belt like a drought-breaking rain on Wednesday. The USDA’s August crop report spurred the jubilance, and the noon hour report pushed up the corn market by 20 cents. Brian Bastings of Advance Trading in Bloomington sat down with Stu Ellis to break down the […]

CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — The cattle industry was rocked by a major announcement last week, and it impacts both cattle raisers and consumers. Tyson Foods announced that it was going to shut down its cattle processing plant at Joslin. While East-Central Illinois is not cattle country like the other two-thirds of the state, cattle raisers […]

CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Fall means football season and back-to-school season for students. On the farm, it’s a lot of seasons. It’s not yet harvest season, at least in Central Illinois, but farm auctions are starting, and it’s also the season for negotiating rent agreements for next year. Those indicate the strength and weakness in […]

BOONE, Iowa, (WCIA) — It’s the Super Bowl of agriculture: the Farm Progress Show. The 2026 edition of the annual event opened in Iowa on Tuesday. WCIA’s Stu Ellis made his latest report From the Farm ...

BOONE, Iowa (WCIA) — The Farm Progress Show continues in Boone, Iowa, bringing together people from across the globe to see the latest in agriculture. Among the many products being showcased there is ...