Highland Community College to host Northwest Illinois Agronomy Summit on Jan. 29

FREEPORT – Highland Community College in Freeport will host the Northwest Illinois Agronomy Summit Conference on Wednesday, Jan. 29.

The Northwest Illinois Agronomy Summit is an annual event that brings together farmers, agronomists, researchers and other agricultural professionals to discuss the latest trends, research and advancements in agriculture. The University of Illinois Extension is holding the event from 10 a.m. to 2:35 p.m. at the Highland Community College Conference Center, 2998 W. Pearl St. in Freeport.

The summit will feature research updates from U of I Extension faculty specialists covering several topics, including pest and weed control, soil health and fertility, precision agriculture technologies, sustainable farming practices, agricultural economic market trends, and corn and soybean management techniques.

Other presentation topics include:

• Connor Sible, research assistant professor in the Department of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois, will present “What we Know Today About Biologicals in Illinois Row Crops and Corn and Soybean Management Considerations for 2025.”
• “Managing P & K to Optimize Corn Response to N in Northern Illinois Soils” will be presented by John Jones, assistant professor of agronomy and soil fertility Extension specialist in the Department of Crop Sciences.
• Aaron Hager, professor and weed science Extension specialist in the Department of Crop Sciences, will hold a discussion on “Resistance, Mitigations, and Metribuzin: Aspects of Weed Management in 2025.”
• Highland community agriculture instructor Justin Ebert will share insights into the college’s agriculture program and provide updates on the college research plots, including the recently installed subsoil irrigation system.

Registration is required and costs $25. For more information or to register, visit go.illinois.edu/jsw or call U of I Extension program coordinator Nikki Keltner at 815-235-4125.