June 2025
We’re waiting for you at the forage expo
This year’s Expo features a wide range of exhibits, equipment demonstrations, presentations, contests, and award announcements.
Hosts Donald Brown and Eric Stiegler have gone all out to provide something for everyone.
Equipment demonstrations: mowing, tedding, raking, baling, silage chopping, and bale wrapping.
Commercial displays of forage-related products.
Educational presentations will run 10 to 11:30 AM.
10 AM: NRCS Update & Cost Share Programs, Josh Franks, NRCS
10:30 AM: Pasture Improvement and Weed Control, Kathryn Seebruck, U of I Extension
11 AM: How Forage Quality Impacts Animal Performance, Travis Meteer, U of I Extension
Location: 9776 IL Rt. 75E, Davis, Illinois
This event is free and pre-registration is not required.
Food available for purchase on site.
Sponsored by the Illinois Forage and Grassland Council and the Northwestern Illinois Forage and Grassland Council.
‘IN THE BEGINNING’ Grazing Field Day
Friday, June 27 from 9 AM to noon with lunch provided.
Walk the pastures of Wilcoxen Angus on June 27 for the IFGC Grazing Field Day.
LAYOUT & DESIGN: Selecting the most effective layout and design when you are first starting can be challenging and overwhelming.
PASTURE SCORING: Identifying problem areas and addressing them from all angles. This session will walk through the pasture condition score sheet and how to translate the "score."
NEXT STEPS: Where to go and what to do when the master plan comes together. This session will cover financing options, resources and networks.
Registration Requested: Call 309-547-3011 or fultonfb@att.net.
Location: 10255 E Mile Load Rd, Ipava, Illinois
Sponsors: Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition, Illinois Forage and Grassland Council, and Fulton County Farm Bureau.
2025 Quality Hay & Haylage Contest
Enter your 2025 harvested hay and haylage bales during the Forage Expo on July 30.
Entries in the Quality Hay & Haylage Contest must be delivered on site from 8:30 to 10 AM.
There is no entry fee.
NIRS analysis will be provided free of charge.
Bales weighing over 100 pounds need an official scale weigh ticket.
Producers are limited to 1 entry/class.
Four hay classes and one haylage class will be available. Class winners will receive a certificate.
We’ve built a new resource center for Illinois growers and graziers.
The Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition, in partnership with the Illinois Forage and Grassland Council, University of Illinois Extension, and the Illinois Natural Resources Conservation Service, has launched of a new educational initiative for producers: The Illinois Grazing and Forage Hub.
The Hub is a free, farmer-focused online platform designed to help Illinois producers improve pasture management and grazing practices, regardless of experience level. The Hub brings together grazing guidance, forage selection tools, industry event calendars, and producer stories all in one easy-to-navigate space.
The Hub was created as a central starting point for anyone in Illinois looking to manage their land and forages better, smarter, and more sustainably. Find us online at grazingforage.com.
2025 SUMMER EVENTS
JUNE 17 @ 7 - 8 PM: HUB WEBINAR: Get Growing and Grazing Advice
Learn what other Illinois growers and graziers are doing on their farms to improve their grass farm operations. The quarterly online chats will be heavy on conversation, light on slides, so you can listen in wherever you are: in the pasture, in the truck, or home.
Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition Director of Producer Programs Logan Karcher will host our two panelists.
David Kleinschmidt, Progressive Agronomy Consulting Service. With his work focusing on better soil testing, nutrient cycling, and the power of timing and diversity, David continues to bridge the gap between conventional and regenerative practices, empowering farmers to make informed decisions that benefit both their present needs and future sustainability.
Dan Sanderson, Pasture Grazed Regenerative Farm. Dan is a lifelong farmer and the founder of Pasture Grazed Regenerative Farm in northern Illinois, where he raises pasture-based beef, pork, and sheep alongside his family. Dan has transitioned from conventional methods to a regenerative approach that prioritizes soil health, biodiversity, and working with nature. He is the author of Grounded: One Farmer’s Journey to Regenerative Agriculture, a personal story of lessons learned, mistakes made, and the mindset shift that reshaped his farm and future.
Celebrate National Forage Week June 15 through June 21
Forage systems — comprised of grasses, legumes, and diverse plant communities — are the foundation of a healthy agricultural landscape. These systems not only provide high-quality feed for livestock, but also serve as essential tools for protecting natural resources and ensuring the long-term sustainability of working lands.
Here’s how forages make a difference:
Land Conservation: Forage crops reduce erosion, stabilize soil, and build organic matter, helping to preserve our most valuable natural asset—productive farmland.
Natural Resource Stewardship: Well-managed forage systems enhance water infiltration, reduce nutrient runoff, and contribute to cleaner air and water, embodying the principles of responsible land stewardship.
Support for Production Agriculture: Forages provide economical, nutrient-rich feed for livestock, boosting the efficiency and profitability of beef, dairy, sheep, and goat operations across rural America.
Soil Health: Perennial and rotational forages improve soil structure, nutrient cycling, and biological activity, building resilience in farming systems.
Biodiversity: Forage lands support diverse plant and wildlife populations, contributing to ecological balance and pollinator habitat.
Economics: By supporting livestock-based enterprises, forages drive rural economies, reduce feed costs, and create opportunities for local and regional agricultural growth.
Energy and Innovation: Forage crops like switchgrass and alfalfa are being used in bioenergy and bioproduct research, highlighting their potential in diversified farming systems.
Public Benefits: Scenic forage landscapes offer recreational opportunities and contribute to the cultural and aesthetic value of rural areas.
IFGC AWARD NOMINATIONS DUE
Awards for producer, education/ government staff, and industry representatives will be announced at the Forage Expo. Nominations are due July 15. Current IFGC officers and board members are not eligible. Download the form at illinoisforage.org/membership.
IFGC MEMBERSHIP DUES
Working together, we can build an agriculture future that supports farm families and soil health. Have you remembered to pay your 2025 dues?
Member Fees
Student Membership: $5
Individual Membership: $30
Northwest IFGC Membership: $50
Corporate Membership: $200
Pay online at the American Forage and Grassland Council.
EVENTS
June 18: Dudley Smith Farm Field Day|
Livestock management practices impact your profit, your soil, and water quality for your neighbors. An all-star lineup will include researchers from University of Illinois College of ACES and Illinois Extension.June 18: Pasture Ecology Workshop
Pastures are not just a one-dimensional system used to support grazing livestock. Healthy pastures are full of life both above and below the soil surface. In this day-long pasture ecology class, we will look at the entire pasture system and all of the life that it supports above and below the growing forages.June 28: Summer Pasture Walk at Beardstown
Learn to improve your rotational grazing system as you walk the Leo Arnold Farm. Observe the farm’s permanent fences, solar chargers, and more.July 21 - 24: XX International Silage Conference|
ISC 2025 will feature more than 60 oral and over 100 poster scientific and technical presentations focusing on silage production, conservation, and feeding, with themes ranging from agronomics of crop growth to the sustainability of silage use in the ruminant production systems.July 26: Summer Pasture Walk at St. Anne
Join us for a FREE Pasture Walk to see a cow-calf grazing operation that incorporates annual forages and winter feeding to improve soil health.
Registration information is available for all events at illinoisforage.org/events