A Pipeline Technology for a New Livestock Industry: The PigLife Dataset
The PigLife data set, developed under AIFARMS, is a first-of-its-kind benchmark made to train computer vision (CV) systems on pig tracking, furnishing the agricultural industry with accessible and revolutionary optimization.
AIFARMS Associate Director Madhu Khanna Named 2025 AAAS Fellow
CDA Affiliate and AIFARMS Associate Director Madhu Khanna has been named a 2025 AAAS Fellow for her contributions to social and economic sciences. Her work at AIFARMS advances understanding of how policy and economics shape adoption of sustainable, AI-driven agricultural technologies.
ChatGPT for farmers? Illinois research project centers around CropWizard
CDA Science Co-Director and AIFARMS PI Vikram Adve sits down with Our Quad Cities to discuss CropWizard, the research project exploring generative AI for agricultural decision making and optimization.
CropGPT?: Farmers now have their own AI chatbot
KWQC interviews AIFARMS PI Vikram Adve about CropWizard and how farmers can ask the chatbot questions about pests, diseases, or crop management and receive research-based answers.
From Dirt to Data: Precision Agriculture at the Data-Intensive Farm Management Project
As a professor of agricultural economics and CDA faculty affiliate at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the program leader of the Data-Intensive Farm Management (DIFM) project, Dr. David Bullock has spent years leveraging precision agriculture to develop the DIFM initiative. In this article by ODSR, Bullock shares how his work combines on-farm experiments, data science, and multi-disciplinary collaboration to help farmers make better farm management decisions.
The University of Illinois Just Released a Popcorn So Good It Doesn’t Need Butter
CDA Affiliate and Illinois Prof. Anthony Studer collaborated with Riggs Beer Company to create Illini SuperPop, a naturally savory popcorn with subtle nutty notes and a crisp crunch.
Comprehensive genetic library for soybean cyst nematode could renew resistance, profitability for soybean growers
CDA Co-Scientific Director and Illinois Crop Sciences Prof. Matt Hudson is the senior author in this study that developed the first pangenome for soybean cyst nematode (SCN). SCN are the biggest pest and threat to soybeans. Learn more about this multi-institutional effort.
Against the Grain: Dr. Salah Issa on Innovating Ag Safety
As a researcher in the Agricultural Engineering department, Extension specialist, and CDA faculty affiliate at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Dr. Salah Issa has spent over a decade advancing agricultural safety. In this article by ODSR, Salah shares how his work blends research, hands-on training, and emerging technologies like machine learning (ML) to prevent injuries on farms.
Programmable Plant Sprint Hits the Ground Running
CROPPS showcases closed loop fertigation system controlled by the plants themselves. Read more about this week-long sprint from Cornell Research & Innovation.
When Robots Meet Horseradish: A Ph.D. Student’s Mission Toward Sustainable Solutions for Small-Scale Farming
Under the mentorship of his advisor, CDA Affiliate Dr. Sunoj Shajahan, PhD student Sandesh Poudel is working to develop an autonomous robotic system for in-field sustainable farming solutions. In this article, Poudel and Shajahan discuss the gaps in technological innovation for specialty crops and the approach they are taking to address them.