Agriculture researchers came together on Wednesday for the 2026 Dudley Smith Farm Field Day.  It took place at the Dudley Smith Farm Research Center between Taylorville and Pana.  Researchers presented their work to attendees and had the opportunity to tour the grounds and see the work in action.  The event took place despite the threat of severe weather, and most of it could be completed before the precipitation arrived.

Travis Meteer, a commercial agriculture educator with the University of Illinois Extension, served as one of the presenters.  He says the event not only connects researchers to each other and their work but also does so on the farmland where much of it takes place. 

Meteer also says the Dudley Smith Farm is emblematic of Illinois agriculture, which makes it an ideal setting for the Farm Field Day and its use in research with the University of Illinois. 

Researchers at the University of Illinois seek not only to convey information but also to educate farmers on practices that can produce better outcomes on yields and costs. 

Meteer’s research is called, “What are the synergies that cover crops bring to Illinois farmland?”  It focuses on the spread of specific crop production and how it relates to livestock grazing.

More information on the Dudley Smith Farm Field Day and the University of Illinois Extension more broadly is available at extension.illinois.edu.

Travis Meteer appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show as part of our live coverage of the 2026 Dudley Smith Farm Field Day.