By DEBORAH BEHRENDS
Illinois Correspondent

URBANA, Ill. — The latest information on commodities, market prices, dairy issues and pets can be found on University of Illinois Extension podcasts.

“The podcasts include ‘Commodity Week,’ which offers weekly news analysis, prices and weather; the ‘Illini Farm Report,’ that discusses issues of concern to Illinois farmers; and ‘Dairy Podcast,’ focusing on issues of interest to dairy producers and consumers,” said Jane Scherer, UoI extension urban programs specialist and director of the extension’s website.

The commodity-related podcasts are hosted by Todd Gleason, an extension media communications specialist. Mike Hutjens, UoI extension dairy specialist, conducts the dairy podcast.

“Pet Pod” is hosted by Amy Fischer, a UoI extension specialist in companion animal biology and humane education. “In each episode, we discuss the scientific and society issues that affect our animal companions,” Fischer explained.

Some of the information in “Pet Pod” is taken from the UoI College of Veterinary Medicine’s “Pet Talk” columns.

Although the podcasts have been available individually through UoI department websites for about a year, Scherer said extension specialists wanted an additional avenue with which to disseminate information.

“We wanted our information to be available in one more way so more people would have the information through their iPods, or via the Web,” Scherer said.

Depending on the podcast, she said some are updated weekly, some daily and some biweekly.

She added it’s impossible to know how many people are making use of the free podcasts.

All can be found online at http://web.extension.uiuc.edu