Internet Links

Forage Yield Data Available

http://vt.cropsci.uiuc.edu/forage.html
University of Illinois Crop Variety Testing has posted harvest data from this year's first hay cutting on their web site. They plan to continue this after each harvest. This provides an opportunity to make variety comparisons during the growing season.

Illinois Field Crop Diseases

http://cropdisease.cropsci.uiuc.edu/
This new website by Dean Malvick, Extension Specialist, Crop Science Dept. provides the most current information about diseases affecting field crops in Illinois. Currently there is information for soybeans and alfalfa with information on corn, wheat and sorghum coming soon.

Illinois Rural Policy Digest

http://www.farmdoc.uiuc.edu/policy/digest/digest.html
Current articles include: "Environmental and Cost Effectiveness of Conservation Programs in Illinois" and a discussion of the Illinois Farmland Property Tax.

West Nile Virus (WNV)

http://www.ipm.uiuc.edu/wnv/index.html
The site contains more than 15 fact sheets about West Nile Virus and how to protect you and your family. Additionally, the site contains many WNV links, including to the Illinois Department of Public Health, IL EPA, and other states with WNV information.

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)

http://il-traill.outreach.uiuc.edu/biosecurity/bse/index.htm
Due to concerns raised about Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) or "Mad Cow Disease" in the news in recent months, Illinois TRAILL is providing you this page on where you may gather more information. Due to amount of high quality information already online about BSE we decided to links to sites, which have clearly defined ownership by an institution or government agency. This list of links is just a sampling of the information available to you and many contain their own list of links that you may follow.

New Illinois Watershed Management Website

http://www.watershed.uiuc.edu
The Illinois Watershed Management Clearinghouse has just unveiled a new website. Combing the resources of University of Illinois Extension, Illinois EPA, Illinois Department of Natural Resources and C-FAR this new website promises to provide a one stop location for those interested in Illinois watersheds and their management. New to this website is a watershed locator that gives contact information on local watershed groups on a county and regional basis.

Plant Genetic Resources: New Rules For International Exchange, June 2003

http://www.ers.usda.gov/Amberwaves/june03/Features/PlantGeneticResources.htm
Plant genetic resources (germplasm) are critical to meeting rising public expectations concerning the quantity and the quality of food. To assure the preservation of diverse germplasm, some of which is endangered, and to facilitate equitable international exchange of germplasm, delegates from 116 countries voted to approve a new United Nations International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. The treaty is certain to have effects on the U.S., which has the largest national germplasm collection in the world and the largest investment in plant breeding.

Crop Residue Removal for Biofuel Production

http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/mngmt.htm#residue
This literature review addresses the national question of how much crop residue can be harvested to generate biomass energy without threatening water quality and soil quality.

Manure Management for Water Quality: Costs to Animal Feeding Operations of Applying Manure Nutrients to Land

Agricultural Economic Report No. (AER824), June 2003

http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/aer824/

By Marc Ribaudo, Noel Gollehon, Marcel Aillery, Jonathan Kaplan, Robert Johansson, Jean Agapoff, Lee Christensen, Vince Breneman, and Mark Peters

A regional analysis focuses on off-farm competition for land to spread surplus manure, using the Chesapeake Bay region as a case study. Finally, a sectorwide analysis addresses potential long-term structural adjustments at the national level and ultimate costs to consumers and producers.

Farms and Land in Farms, Feb. 2003

http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/reports/nassr/other/zfl-bb/fmno0203.pdf
An annual survey of farm numbers in the US and 50 states, from USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service

Getting Your Product to Mexico

http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/trade6585?opendocument
A Canadian view of this open market for commodity grains.

Dynamics Of Agriculture Competitiveness: Policy Lessons From Abroad

http://www.ers.usda.gov/Amberwaves/April03/Features/DynamicsofAg.htm
The competitiveness of a nation's products in international markets is rooted in the relative abundance (and quality) of resources available to that nation. This report highlights recent experience in South America, the Former Soviet Union, and China also highlight the importance of policies, institutions, and even cultural values.

Consumer-Driven Agriculture: Changing U.S. Demographics Influence Eating Habits,

http://www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/April03/Features/
Understanding your future market in 2020 and how the U.S. population is changing.

Amber Waves

http://www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/
Amber Waves presents the broad scope of ERS' research and analysis. This web magazine covers the economics of agriculture, food and nutrition, the food industry, trade, rural America, and farm-related environmental topics.

Pasture Raised Products Study Final Report

http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/pdfs/pasture_focus_group.pdf
This October/November 2002 paper reports on six consumer focus groups conducted on product messages and strategies for pasture-raised products.

Hoop Barn Swine Production

http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/pdfs/hoopsheet.pdf
This 2002 fact sheet that summarizes work of the Hoop Group, a research team initiated by the Leopold Center in 1998.

I Want More Say in My Food Choices!

http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/pdfs/food_resource_guide.pdf
This two-page guide is designed to help consumers find information about local foods. It contains web sites and contact information for organizations that support local food systems and/or local food directories. November 2002

How Far Do You Fruit And Vegetables Travel?

http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/pdfs/food_chart.pdf
This is a two-page update of research collected as part of the Leopold Center's "Food, Fuel and Freeways" report. Included is a chart of 30 produce items that arrive by truck at the Chicago Terminal Market from across the continental United States and Mexico.

Linking Land Quality, Agricultural Productivity, And Food Security

June 20, 2003

http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/aer823/
As rising populations and incomes increase pressure on land and other resources around the world, agricultural productivity plays an increasingly important role in improving food supplies and food security. This report explores the extent to which land quality and land degradation affect agricultural productivity, how farmers respond to land degradation, and whether land degradation poses a threat to productivity growth and food security in developing regions and around the world.

New Uses Council

http://www.newuses.org/reports.php
New Uses Council (NUC) is a dynamic and expanding, 501(c)(3) non-profit membership organization dedicated to the development and commercialization of biobased products. These products are made from traditional and new agricultural and forestry crops and residues; rights-of-way, park, yard and garden trimmings; the clean biomass portion of municipal wastes; and, when needed, aquatic biomass grown in an environmentally enhancing manner. NUC maintains that biobased products reduce dependence on fossil energy, particularly imported oil, and thereby enhance national, energy, homeland, economic and environmental security.