Local Ag News

Grant funding will help the Rockridge FFA Program.  Kirsten Kapraun is the school’s FFA Advisor. Kapraun says the chapter is hosting an FFA Fall Market this Saturday from 9 a.m.-to-Noon. Proceeds will help with travel [FULL STORY]

WRMJ visited with Mercer County FFA president Robby Holtschlag on Wednesday. The chapter put together a test plot and is ready to share some of their data next Tuesday, October 5th from 6-to-7:30 p.m.

A farmland sale in western Mercer County brings $7,750 an acre.  Dale Jones is with Sullivan Auctioneers. The virtual sale was Tuesday.

Farmland values continue an upward trend in Illinois. A sale on Friday in Douglas County near Arcola brought $17,000 an acre says Dan Sullivan with Sullivan Auctioneers. Sullivan says there were bidders from nine states [FULL STORY]

Harvest season about a month a way in Western Illinois. Michael Zecher farms south of Aledo and also has ground in northern Henderson and southern Rock Island counties. He spoke with WRMJ Thursday morning. Zecher [FULL STORY]

It takes fans, it takes drinking water, and it takes sprinklers to keep livestock cool during this stretch of heat in western Illinois. Mercer County pork producer Chad Bell took to social media to explain [FULL STORY]

Sunflower season is here. Kate Danner and her husband Jason have started Dandee Flowers on their family farm, west of Aledo. The grand opening is this weekend. Dandee Flowers is open Saturdays and Sundays 8 [FULL STORY]

Another big success for the Mercer County Youth Livestock Auction. $53,934 was grossed at the Friday night event. Evan Wynne showed the grand champion market swine, which brought $7 a pound. The grand champion steer [FULL STORY]