Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello II joins Rita Frazer to take a look back at the stories that shaped Illinois agriculture in 2025 — from state fair milestones and infrastructure upgrades to an uptick in wheat acres and expanded meat and poultry inspections. 
Costello also digs into the pressures farmers are facing, the impact of tariffs and why strong trade relationships matter more than ever. Don't miss a candid, wide-ranging conversation about the wins, the worries and what's ahead for Illinois ag.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Or is it?
While the holidays bring a certain magic for many, they can be difficult for people experiencing stress, depression, anxiety and grief. 
In this episode of Taking Stalk, RFD Radio’s Rita Frazer is joined by licensed counselor Rachel Brown for a timely conversation on how to manage stress, find balance and maintain emotional wellness as farm families head into the holidays.

Adam Nielsen spent years advocating for agriculture as Illinois Farm Bureau's director of national legislation.
After a shocking diagnosis forced him to retire early, Nielsen decided to draw from his well-honed skills to advocate for a new cause: Alzheimer's awareness.
In this episode of Taking Stalk, Nielsen and his wife, Dayna, join RFD Radio’s Rita Frazer to share their family’s story of adjusting to a new life — and turning pain into purpose. 

Resources:
Alzheimer's Association: alz.org

On paper, the 80,000-90,000 registered attorneys in Illinois suggest a state well covered by legal professionals. But many of those attorneys are concentrated in the more metropolitan parts of the state, leaving rural communities outside of Chicago and surrounding counties with too few attorneys to meet the high demand for legal services in downstate Illinois. 

In this episode of Taking Stalk, RFD Radio's Rita Frazer brings together Mattoon attorney Angel Wawrzynek and Garrett Thalgott, Illinois Farm Bureau's assistant general counsel, for a conversation on what's missing in legal representation in rural Illinois — and why it should matter to everyone.

2025 marks 10 years since the establishment of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS), a  collaborative, science-based effort to reduce nutrients in waterways. The goal is to reduce  phosphorus and nitrogen loads by 45% with interim targets set at a 15% reduction in nitrogen and a 25% reduction in total phosphorus by 2025.

Is the strategy still the right approach? What have we learned? Andrew Margenot from the University of Illinois joins Illinois Farm Bureau Vice President Evan Hultine for this important update.

Illinois Farm Bureau President Brian Duncan welcomes Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy, to discuss ethanol's history, its promising future and what it all means for farmers and consumers.

More resources: 
Growth Energy: growthenergy.org

It happened so fast.
"I went in there and was poking around on it, and all of a sudden it broke loose, and the grain just started. It just swirls around you, and you can't get away from it. No matter how hard you try, you can't get out of that volume of grain."
John Boland hopes sharing his story -- which thankfully has a happy ending -- will save someone else.
In this episode, Boland, a farmer from Champaign County, and William Fulton, Illinois Fire Service Institute, joins RFD Radio’s Rita Frazer to discuss life-saving advice for farmers everywhere.

GLP-1 medications, the “me era,” the “Make America Healthy Again” movement and private label grocery products are among the latest trends changing consumer food demand.

And farmers should pay attention.

"At the end of the day, it's the consumer who decides the fate of the products the farmer produces," said Tom Bailey, a senior consumer foods analyst with Rabobank.

In this episode, moderated by RFD Radio's Rita Frazer, you'll learn:

• What trends are occuring with Americans' personal finances
• About private label grocery products and what they mean for branded food companies and the farmers who supply them
• How the "me era" is changing the food industry
• What the MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) movement is all about 
• How (and if) tariffs influence consumer demand for food

RFD Radio's Rita Frazer taps into the expertise of Ag Economist David Kohl and the wisdom of Illinois Farm Bureau President Brian Duncan, as they have a hard but hopeful conversation about today's farm economy.  

Transcript available here:
https://www.farmweeknow.com/podcasts/now-and-then-a-deep-dive-into-the-farm-economy/article_5610561a-3ede-4956-bd04-d6a84a5c5666.html

Illinois state fairgoers can find much more to eat than corn dogs and lemonade shakeups.
And that’s by design.
Agriculture advocates have been working for years to incorporate local food options at the state fair to meet consumer demand. It also serves as an important way to connect Illinois agriculture to consumers.
In this episode, RFD Radio’s Rita Frazer brings together a talented group of agvocates to discuss the evolution of local foods at the fair:
*Jackie Sambursky, Illinois Department of Agriculture’s bureau chief of marketing, promotions and grants
*Kayla Graven, IDOA domestic marketing manager
*Raghela Scavuzzo, Illinois Farm Bureau’s associate director of food systems development
They'll also share how to attend the first-ever Farm to Fair BBQ at the Du Quoin State Fair.

How to buy tickets:

https://www.ilfb.events/event/FarmToFair/summary