Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom Virtual Field Trips
Visit beef farms, grain operations, tree farms and more from the comfort of your home and classroom.
Organic and Synthetic Pesticides
Prevention is the first line of defence on both organic and conventional farms. However, when pest problems persist; pesticides are an important tool for protecting crops and ultimately our food supply.
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Grain Farm Technology
Today’s grain farmers use sophisticated technologies to make farming more efficient, profitable and environmentally friendly.
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Irrigation
Irrigation is key to global food security. World-wide, irrigation produces 40% of global food supplies. In Canada, only 8.5% of Canadian farms use irrigation; the rest rely solely on rain for crop watering.
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Fertilizer
Plants require nutrients to grow. As plants grow, they use nutrients from the soil. When they are harvested, they take those nutrients with them and so they need to be replenished for the next crop.
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Fertilizer Use
Improved farming practices and the use of fertilizers have helped feed the world while saving habitats that would otherwise be needed for growing food.
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Conventional or Organic Fertilizer
The nutrients used by plants to support healthy growth are the same, whether they come from organic or conventional fertilizers.
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Organic Pest Management
Organic farmers identify the conditions that allow weeds and pest to thrive and try to create more favourable conditions. The key to managing pests and weeds on organic farms is to reduce their impact by using different management practices.
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Organic Soil Management
Healthy soil matters to all farmers and “feed the soil, not the plant” is the mantra of organic farmers. Organic farmers focus on creating fertile soil that is rich in organic matter and teeming with life.
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Food Additives
Humans have been adding substances to food for thousands of years to make food last longer or improve taste. Historians have found records indicating salt was used to preserve meat as early as 3000 BC!
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