The Illinois Advantage
SEPTEMBER 2026 | VOLUME 6, ISSUE 11
The St. Lawrence Seaway is an often overlooked yet vital navigable deep waterway connecting the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean. Here's why it matters and why ISA is investing in strengthening this transportation resource.
By Jeff O'Connor, At-Large Director and Market Development Committee Chairman, Illinois Soybean Association
Read updates about ISA's partnership with USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
By Darby Danzl, Regional Technical Agronomist, and Whitney Miller, Agronomic Services Coordinator, Illinois Soybean Association
Relive the highlights of ISA’s 2025 Soybean Summit through photos that capture key moments, speakers and takeaways that made the event an essential experience.
By Olivia Key, Illinois Field & Bean Assistant Editor
TikTok sensation Jackson Laux, age 9, partners with John Deere to inspire agriculture's future.
By IL Field & Bean Team
Designed for both aspiring leaders and seasoned experts, ISA's LEAD Program provides tailored opportunities for growth, collaboration and impact
By Nicole Butler, ISA Executive Employee Relations
Read more about your Illinois Soybean Association's project highlights, program developments and what's ahead in the FY24 Year End Report.
By IL Field & Bean Team
Rising costs on inputs like feed, fertilizers, fuel and labor, along with higher insurance premiums and inflated equipment prices, can make it difficult for farmers to make a profit. So what's a farmer to do?
By IL Field & Bean Team
Within the 20 agronomic research projects funded by ISA in FY26, one priority continues to stand out: conservation.
By Ashley Rice-Haddon, Lead Writer, Illinois Field & Bean Magazine
Participants in the On-Farm Trial Network provide key insights into how management decisions affect productivity and profitability.
By Darby Danzl, ISA Regional Technical Agronomist, and Stacy Zuber, Ph.D., ISA Research Data Scientist
Known as the “silent yield robber,” soybean cyst nematode (SCN) reduces yields without leaving obvious above-ground symptoms.
By Nathan Schroeder, Associate Professor, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Every year, ISA's farmer-led Board takes a careful, science-based approach to investing checkoff dollars where they matter: back into your fields.
By IL Field & Bean Team
A team of researchers at the University of Illinois has been evaluating a range of soil health tests focused on respiration, also known as mineralization carbon or CO2 burst.
By Andrew Margenot, Ph.D. and Heidi Allen, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Meet ISA’s new crop of agronomy experts as they share 2025 growing season strategies and recommendations.
By Stephanie Porter, CCA, ISA Outreach Agronomist, and Kelsey Litchfield, ISA Agronomic Outreach Manager
Less than two years since its launch, this program boasts more than 63 Sustainably Certified products, each of which must meet the standards outlined by the USDA’s BioPreferred® Program.
By IL Field & Bean Team
As more companies and consumers embrace soy, eco-friendly solutions will increasingly become the norm rather than the exception.
By Jaidyn Miller
Explore how St. Lawrence Seaway could get more Illinois soy to Europe.
By Eileen Pabst, ISA International Markets Manager, and Tim Rendall, ISA Domestic Markets Manager
Discover why U.S. soy is the best choice for animal agriculture worldwide.
By Emma Peters, ISA International Markets Coordinator
A new study commissioned by ISA examines why investing in Illinois' rural bridges is critical to maintaining our competitive role in the global marketplace.
By Todd Main, ISA Director of Market Development
Why feed buyers love U.S. soy — and how to keep orders coming.
By Dr. Dominique Bureau, Stephen Gunther and Dr. Flavia M. Damasceno
Join ISA Public Policy Manager Collin Cisco for an exploration of both federal and state estate taxes and learn how Illinois farmers should prepare.
By Collin Cisco