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University of Illinois celebrates food, agriculture

Slideshow: Annual Celebrate Food & Ag Day tailgate brought together alumni and friends — and several farm animals.

Holly Spangler, Prairie Farmer Senior Editor

October 10, 2023

17 Slides
Olivia Shike holding a small pig as the Illini prepared for kickoff in Memorial Stadium
Photo by Holly Spangler

The University of Illinois College of ACES celebrated its annual Celebrate Food & Ag Day with a tailgate before the Oct. 6 football game against Nebraska. The annual event typically draws a crowd of alumni, faculty, staff and friends under a big tent, with visits from coaches, the Marching Illini, several state fair champions and more. This year the event expanded to include a mini petting zoo in Grange Grove, staffed by members of the Unity FFA chapter. 

Check out these photos for more.  

About the Author

Holly Spangler

Prairie Farmer Senior Editor, Farm Progress

Holly Spangler has covered Illinois agriculture for more than two decades, bringing meaningful production agriculture experience to the magazine’s coverage. She currently serves as editor of Prairie Farmer magazine and Executive Editor for Farm Progress, managing editorial staff at six magazines throughout the eastern Corn Belt. She began her career with Prairie Farmer just before graduating from the University of Illinois in agricultural communications.

An award-winning writer and photographer, Holly is past president of the American Agricultural Editors Association. In 2015, she became only the 10th U.S. agricultural journalist to earn the Writer of Merit designation and is a five-time winner of the top writing award for editorial opinion in U.S. agriculture. She was named an AAEA Master Writer in 2005. In 2011, Holly was one of 10 recipients worldwide to receive the IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Ag Journalism award. She currently serves on the Illinois Fairgrounds Foundation, the U of I Agricultural Communications Advisory committee, and is an advisory board member for the U of I College of ACES Research Station at Monmouth. Her work in agricultural media has been recognized by the Illinois Soybean Association, Illinois Corn, Illinois Council on Agricultural Education and MidAmerica Croplife Association.

Holly and her husband, John, farm in western Illinois where they raise corn, soybeans and beef cattle on 2,500 acres. Their operation includes 125 head of commercial cows in a cow/calf operation. The family farm includes John’s parents and their three children.

Holly frequently speaks to a variety of groups and organizations, sharing the heart, soul and science of agriculture. She and her husband are active in state and local farm organizations. They serve with their local 4-H and FFA programs, their school district, and are active in their church's youth and music ministries.

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