The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign announced on May 14 that its annual Agronomy Days series will return this summer, offering educational events for growers across the state. The season-long program, which runs from June through August, aims to teach participants about new developments in productivity, profitability, and sustainability in agriculture.
Agronomy Days are organized by the Department of Crop Sciences, the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES), and Illinois Extension. Organizers say the event is designed to reach a broad audience by scheduling activities throughout the growing season at various locations. Adam Davis, head of crop sciences, said, “We are carrying forward our decades-long tradition of Agronomy Day, with an emphasis on reaching a wider audience. We’ve intentionally scheduled events across the growing season and in multiple locations to highlight what’s happening in the field and to help growers and other attendees fit these educational opportunities into their busy schedules.”
The first event will be a Small Grains Field Day on June 4 at the Agronomy Seed House in Urbana. Experts will discuss wheat pathology and breeding as well as oat research projects. On June 11, Rader Family Farms in Normal will host a Summer Horticulture Field Day featuring discussions from ACES faculty Mohammad Babadoost, Kacie Athey, James Santiago on disease and pest management for specialty crops. Additional researchers and industry partners will also participate.
Later in June, Aaron Hager’s team will lead a Weed Science Field Research Tour at Clem Farm near Champaign where attendees can view research plots comparing corn and soybean herbicide programs along with new agricultural products.
Field days continue throughout summer with more events expected to be added over time. Nick Seiter, assistant professor and faculty Extension specialist in crop sciences said: “This series lets folks see the forefront of crop sciences research in action. We’re excited to welcome everyone to learn with us during Agronomy Days 2026.”
The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences allocates $3.8 million annually for student scholarships; promotes social well-being through nutrition programs; utilizes its own agricultural experiment station for campus-based research; maintains high retention rates; offers over 400 study abroad opportunities; and seeks global advancement in agriculture-related knowledge—all according to its official website.
