URBANA, Ill. (Chambana Today) – More than 200 international farmers, scientists, and agribusiness professionals gathered Monday at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for International Agronomy Day, an event held every other year in conjunction with the Farm Progress Show to spotlight advances in global agriculture.
Hosted at the Crop Sciences Research and Education Center in Savoy, the day featured field demonstrations, research presentations, and opportunities to engage directly with world-renowned crop scientists from the university’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) and the Department of Crop Sciences.
“This is a rare opportunity to share Illinois’ agricultural innovations with a global audience,” said Dr. Adam Davis, head of the Department of Crop Sciences. “We’re proud to host this event, which showcases everything the College of ACES stands for—research, outreach, and real-world impact. But the real heroes of the day are the organizers in the Office of International Programs, who worked tirelessly to bring it all together.”
Since its launch in 2012, International Agronomy Day has served as a gathering point for global leaders in agriculture to learn, connect, and collaborate. This year’s event brought 244 registrants from four countries—Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, and Japan—representing a range of professions including agronomists, agricultural economists, and engineers.
Speakers included ACES Dean Germán Bollero, who welcomed visitors and emphasized the university’s commitment to international collaboration. “I’m especially proud of the diversity of exhibitors and participants we will see this week,” Bollero added. “From entomologists to economists, events like International Agronomy Day and the Farm Progress Show bring together every part of the ag ecosystem.”
“This is not just a campus event,” said Lauren Karplus, international programs coordinator for the College of ACES. “We’ve been planning this since last year, and the number of people who came—combined with beautiful weather—made it the perfect week to showcase our international partnerships and research excellence.”
The afternoon began with welcome remarks at 12:50 p.m., followed by interactive presentations in the research plots. Faculty experts, including Professor Aaron Hager, were available for interviews and led discussions on topics ranging from weed science to precision agriculture. Dean Bollero reinforced how events like today – and this week – showcase the advances in agriculture. “Food and agronomy are truly global enterprises,” said Dean Germán Bollero. “We connect with researchers, producers, and innovators around the world to ensure the sustainable production of agriculture for generations to come.”
To learn more about the event or future international initiatives, contact Lauren Karplus at lkarpl2@illinois.edu.
