Thursday's show includes regular updates from Illinois Farm Bureau Executive Director of Governmental Affairs and Commodities Mark Gebhards and IDOA Director Jerry Costello. We discuss the impacts of a mild winter on the insect population with State Ag Pest Survey Coordinator Kelly Estes. We also talk truck driving labor issues with Jesse Merrell of NHH in Tipton, Indiana. Interview recorded at last weekend’s Mid-West Truck & Trailer Show in Peoria.

RJ Podeschi, Dean of the Tabor School of Business at Millikin University discusses the new Agribusiness Major at the school.
USDA food safety specialist Archie Magoulas talks Super Bowl Sunday food.
New President of Illinois Pork Producers Association is Chad Leman. He spoke with RFD Radio’s Rita Frazer at this week’s Illinois Pork Expo.

Congressional Quarterly’s Ellyn Ferguson joins the show to talk ag policy in Washington. She discusses proposed legislation to prohibit foreign adversaries from owning U.S. farmland.
Illinois Farm Bureau Environmental Program Manager Raelynn Parmely previews Mississippi North Central watershed planning meetings.
DTN AG meteorologist John Baranick provides latest weather update.

Luke Lish from McNay Truck Line in Quincy discusses labor market in trucking industry from Mid-West Truck and Trailer Show in Peoria.
Illinois Congressman Darin LaHood also from the truck and trailer show talks trucking issues.
Retiring Illinois Farm Bureau Senior Economist Mike Doherty provides reaction to the latest jobs report.
Comstock Investments Joe Camp previews a new market week.

Bill Bodine, Illinois Farm Bureau Director of Business and Regulatory Affairs provides an update on the latest development with the Heartland Greenway project.
Viola farmer Chad Bell will be featured in an Illinois Farm Families Super Bowl TV ad promoting the “We are the 96” campaign. He talks about the experience.
Burke Minsley and Katie Hulsey with the US Geological Survey discuss the 2023 U.S. Geological Survey study of the Illinois River Basin.

Illinois Farm Bureau Executive Director of Governmental Affairs and Commodities Mark Gebhards provides a number of updates including IFB’s “Allies in Agriculture” effort.
Rita Frazer checks in with Illinois Beef Association VP Dave Duzan from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Convention in New Orleans.
Illinois Ag In the Classroom Education Director Kevin Director previews next week's virtual meeting with county coordinators.
We meet Kathy’s Kitchen owner and operator Kathy Keylor from Virginia, Illinois.

Scott Wilson, Manager Customer Risk Management for GROWMARK discusses current energy market conditions.
We get an update on the Illinois Ag Leadership Foundation Class of 2023 with program director Melissa McMillan and fellow Bo Gentry from Downs.
Pat Hill, Weed Management and Chemistry Stewardship Manager for Bayer talks crop protection.

We meet the founders of the Rural Indexing Project, Zach Huelsing & Jon Lehman. They have been providing original photographic documentation of buildings, signs, and symbols since 2010.
Monica Nyman with the St. Louis Dairy Council discusses healthy food choices.
Meteorologist Dan Hicks with Freese-Notis Weather recaps January conditions.

State Director for USDA Rural Development Betsy Dirksen Londrigan provides program updates including February application deadline for Rural Business Development Grant Program.
Randy Graham with Illinois Specialty Growers recaps the energy from the Everything Local conference.
Helen Van Beck of American Farmland Trust details the Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership.
And Comstock Investments' Joe Camp previews a new market week.

Friday's show featuresIllinois Farm Bureau Executive Director of Governmental Affairs and Commodities. He breaks down several Springfield items.
Southern Illinois Congressman Mike Bost talks several ag issues.
Dr. Dan Miller of the Millikin University math department details a robotics competition on the Decatur campus this weekend.
Darin Copeland of Prairie Farm Dairy highlights yogurt and dips.