Crop Production

Apr 17 | WILLAg Business Week Edition

  • April 17, 2026

  • Todd Gleason

WILLAg.org Radio Programming for the work week ending April 17, 2026
Geopolitical Shocks and the Nitrogen Price Squeeze
Agricultural markets this week experienced significant volatility driven by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, high input costs, and shifting weather patterns. A primary concern discussed throughout the week is the likelihood of farmers shifting acres from corn to soybeans due to the high costs and uncertain availability of nitrogen fertilizers. Early in the week,…

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Apr 10 | Market Review and Weather Update

  • April 10, 2026

  • Todd Gleason

WILLAg.org Radio Programming for the work week ending April 10, 2026
Commodity Markets and Geopolitical Influences
The week in commodity markets was heavily influenced by geopolitical events and energy prices, particularly the ongoing conflict with Iran. Earlier in the week, traders squared positions and moved to the sidelines ahead of a deadline with Iran, while keeping a close watch on crude oil resistance levels. Later, a temporary truce caused crude oil prices to plunge,…

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From Coal to Climate Smart: Switchgrass Projects Aim to Reclaim Iowa’s Low-ROI Farmland

  • April 10, 2026

  • Emily Heaton, Hellen Kayaga, Virginia Leach

As we prepare for the 2026 Biomass Webinar Series to kick off in July (register here), here is a refresher on the large Iowa switchgrass projects featured in 2025 Biomass Webinar Series.
Urbana, Illinois – In Chariton Valley, Iowa, switchgrass activities are expanding yet again. Nearly twenty years after the Chariton Valley Biomass Project demonstrated how farmers could stabilize their soil and their income using switchgrass to complement coal in power stations,…

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Federal Biomass Targets Take Center Stage in Webinar

  • April 8, 2026

  • Emily Heaton, Hellen Kayaga, Virginia Leach

As we prepare for the 2026 Biomass Webinar Series to kick off in July (register here), please enjoy this first in a series of posts highlighting presentations from the 2025 Biomass Webinar Series. This one is from Matt Langholtz, the lead author of the 2023 Billion Ton Report, which is the authoritative assessment of how much biomass is available to use for biofuels without affecting current food and wood use.…

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How AI and Drones are Hunting for Hidden Crop Genetics

  • April 6, 2026

  • Todd Gleason

Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed an innovative artificial intelligence method designed to mine massive amounts of drone-captured field data, revealing hidden, highly heritable genetic traits in crops.
For decades, agriculture has relied on visual cues and simple calculations to gauge plant health. The widely used Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), for example, uses just two bands of light reflectance to mathematically determine the greenness of a field. Now, an interdisciplinary team is pushing beyond these traditional boundaries.…

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Apr 03 | Weather Update and Market Review

  • April 3, 2026

  • Todd Gleason

We had a warm and wet end to March and start to April across the prairie state. Average temperatures this week ranged from the high 40s in northern Illinois to the high 50s in southern Illinois, between 4 and 10 degrees above normal.
by Trent Ford, State Climatologist
ISWS PRI University of Illinois
Some of the more impressive high temperatures this week included 93 degrees in Jacksonville and 88 in Champaign. March ended around 6 degrees warmer than normal statewide,…

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Preemergence Herbicide Injury on Early Planted Soybean

  • March 31, 2026

  • Todd Gleason

New research from the University of Illinois Herbicide Evaluation Group indicates that while certain preemergence herbicides can cause early-season damage to early-planted soybeans, the crop’s yield is generally unaffected as long as adequate stand counts are maintained.
Under the direction of Extension Weed Scientist Aaron Hager, U of I Research Specialist Logan Miller has been investigating potential issues with herbicide premixes and pre-plant herbicides used on early-planted soybeans. The study evaluated soybeans planted at early dates,…

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Fertilizer and Fuel Risks as a Result of the Iran Conflict

  • March 27, 2026

  • Todd Gleason

How is the ongoing conflict in Iran impacting global agriculture? In this farmdoc daily webinar, University of Illinois agricultural economists Nick Paulson and Gary Schnitkey are joined by industry experts to break down the recent spikes in fertilizer and fuel prices.
The panel discusses the immediate effects on the 2026 crop year, the critical differences between this market shock and the 2022 Russia-Ukraine conflict, and what decreased input affordability means for farmer profitability heading into 2027.…

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Cost-Effective Strategies for Tackling Crop Residue

  • March 16, 2026

  • Todd Gleason

As corn yields continue to climb across the Midwest, farmers are facing a growing operational challenge: managing the massive amounts of crop residue left behind after the combine rolls through.
In a recent webinar hosted by the Illinois Soybean Association, University of Illinois Crop Scientist Connor Sible detailed multi-layered strategies for breaking down crop residue, ensuring that fields are clean, healthy, and ready for spring planting.
Speaking with University of Illinois Extension’s Todd Gleason, Sible emphasized that residue management is a critical issue across all farming systems,…

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USDA Ag Outlook Forum Acreage Figures

  • February 19, 2026

  • Todd Gleason

USDA this morning released its Agricultural Outlook Forum acreage, yield and production numbers. These are widely anticipated by the trade and will be incorporated into the May WASDE (World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates) for corn and soybeans. The May WASDE includes the first official set of supply and demand tables for the new crop year.
USDA expects a slight decline in total acreage across wheat, corn, and soybean to 224 million (down ~1%). This number assumes a normal level of prevent plant acres and a modest expansion in the Conservation Reserve Program.…

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