When an infinite amount of information is available at our fingertips, how can we distinguish trustworthy, unbiased sources from the rest that try and capture our attention? Especially when it comes to making decisions that may impact your farming operation, it is important to sort facts from opinions.

Enter Stephanie Porter, Outreach Agronomist, and Kelsey Litchfield, Agronomic Outreach Coordinator here at the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA). Stephanie and Kelsey act as the gatekeepers of ILSoyAdvisor.com, which serves as ISA’s online agronomic house of information.

Growers, landowners, Certified Crop Advisers (CCAs), and other agricultural professionals can find information pertaining to every aspect of soybean agronomy on ILSoyAdvisor, from the most recent checkoff-funded research findings to in-field observations and recommendations. A diverse array of contributors share information on ILSoyAdvisor, including members of the ISA Agronomy team, researchers from universities around the state and region, CCAs, our Soy Envoys (see the cover story to learn more about this year’s roster of Soy Envoys), climatologists, reporters, and more.

Each educational piece that is shared through ILSoyAdvisor first undergoes a review process established by Stephanie and Kelsey to ensure the information is high quality and will bring value to a grower’s operation directly or provide education as they try and navigate the many opportunities available in spaces like conservation cost-share, for example.

Two words that I hear often from Kelsey and Stephanie are “timely” and “relevant”. As a team, we see great importance in providing farmers with up-to-date information that can make an immediate impact on their decision making. Resources like blogs, short videos, and longer recordings of webinars or live events can all be found on ILSoyAdvisor – there is truly something for every learning style.

How can I learn when new resources are available, you ask? Make sure to follow ILSoyAdvisor on Twitter and Facebook where the newest information is highlighted. Additionally, I would encourage you to sign up for the ILSoyAdvisor newsletter, which will come to your email inbox every other week with a roundup of upcoming events and opportunities, news, and agronomic recommendations.

“Our ISA agronomy team has a lot of agronomic information waiting to be shared with our farmers and other agricultural audiences. Stephanie and I see a need to report and distribute this knowledge daily through ILSoyAdvisor.com as well as through our e-newsletter and social media platforms,” says Kelsey. “We continue to brainstorm more ways to report timely and relevant agronomic information to soybean farmers across the state and plan on launching new media projects in the upcoming months, so stay tuned!”

Since Stephanie and Kelsey have joined the team, the amount of information shared on ILSoyAdvisor has dramatically increased, to the point where a new blog, or two, is posted nearly every workday of the month. What has helped contribute to this growth? Utilizing the people behind Illinois agriculture. The power of multiple contributors providing content for ILSoyAdvisor brings a unique breadth and depth to the information shared.

From Stu Ellis, whose video interviews touch on every aspect of agriculture, to the researchers around the state studying soybeans and the corn-soybean system from all angles to our Soy Envoys who work in industry, consulting, research and education, and more, ILSoyAdvisor brings them all together in one, readily available place, right at your fingertips.

With these experts on your side, you can be sure that the information you receive from ILSoyAdvisor is relevant, up-to-date and if utilized on one’s own farm, will ensure it remains productive, profitable and sustained for years to come.

You are just a few clicks away from the engaging content that matters most for your operation; navigate to ILSoyAdvisor.com now or, follow @ILSoyAdvisor on Twitter and Facebook!