2023 Spring Farm Outlook

Page 14 2023 Logan County Spring Farm Outlook LINCOLN DAILY NEWS March 2023 By Derek Hurley One of the groups that focuses on environmental concerns in Illinois is the Illinois Environmental Council (IEC). In January of this year, the IEC released their annual platform report to the public. The IEC platform contains several sections covering clean water; energy; sustainable transportation; open space & conservation; sustainable agriculture and food systems, waste reduction, and ally-ship and power building. The IEC elaborates on one of these goals concerning sustainable agriculture and food systems: “Agricultural production has negatively impacted our environment in many ways. From degraded water quality, the harming of native species and ecosystems, and contributing to climate change, the industrial- scale agricultural system in our state must change.” In other words, current agricultural IEC supports Illinois Clean Water initiatives practices can lead to damages to waterways, reduce the quality of life for local species, and act as an influence on climate change. Under this portion of the IEC platform, there are several priorities listed to help reduce agricultural pollution. There are two in particular that stand out for their potential importance. One of these priorities reads: “supports giving the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy [NLRS] the ability to make concrete policy recommendations to the General Assembly and state agencies.” The Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy is not just one strategy, but it’s really a series of strategies and efforts to improve water quality. Most of these efforts focus on reducing nitrogen and phosphorus levels in various bodies of water throughout and around the state. Continued --