Illinois Stewardship
Alliance
  
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Newsletter -- April 2008
ISA News: Rolling on the River Ride and
Workshops  ISA News: Rolling on the River Ride and Workshops Registration
Opens for ISA’s Third Join ISA
at Rolling on the River,
ISA Hosts Workshop on Cooperative Marketing and Forming a Limited Liability Corporation Please
join ISA on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 for an informative presentation and
discussion on cooperative marketing and details of forming a LLC
by Marty and Kris Travis at the
Soap Making Workshop On April
26, 2008 in
Funding Crisis for Extension, SWDCs, and C-FAR Despite
having allocated funds for Illinois Extension, Soil and Water
Conservation Districts, and the Council on Food and Agricultural
Research, the Governor has not released critical funding for
these programs. Legislators held a hearing in the capitol last
week on the implications of losing Extension programs, SWDC
offices having to close their doors, and research projects
losing funding midstream. Following this hearing the House
Agriculture Committee unanimously passed a resolution calling on the Governor to
release these funds now. Much of
this funding supports direct work with farmers, local food
projects and research for sustainable agriculture. To contact
Gov. Rod Blagojevich to share your opinion, call
217-782-0244 or 312-814-2121 (TTY: 888-261-3336).
National Animal ID System in
A bill
against National Animal ID System has unanimously passed the
House. This bill would to remove the Illinois Department of
Agriculture’s ability to require farmers register with NAIS
unless required by federal law, and would allow farmers who have
already registered to withdraw from the program. NAIS, if
carried out, would require every farm ranch, and animal be
tagged. While the stated goal of NAIS is to quickly contain
disease outbreaks, this program has not been proven that it will
be effective, threatens to put a large burden on smaller
livestock producers, and ignores other methods such as testing
to control disease outbreaks. Since this bill has been introduced, the Illinois Department of Agriculture has dropped the requirement for livestock producers to register their premises, including for 4-H, at least for the rest of the year. The bill now moves to the Senate. For more information on NAIS, visit the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance.
Farmland Protection Farmers in
Farm Bill Threats
were flying around extending the farm bill for one year or
letting it expire altogether, so a huge thank you goes out to
everyone who called and said that we need a farm bill now. Your
calls made a difference and our lawmakers are taking positive,
albeit shaky, steps towards creating a farm bill. They also gave
themselves a one-week extension on the deadline for the farm
bill from last Friday to this Friday, but hey, after pushing
back the deadline again and again from the original deadline of
October of last year, what’s another week? Many
important issues for sustainable agriculture are still on the
table, including the Conservation Security Program, the
Livestock Competition Title, and Commodity Payment Limitation.
If you haven’t weighed in on why these programs are critical for
the next five years, now is the time. Contact Speaker of the
House Nancy
Pelosi’s office at (202) 225-4965. More
information:
Students: State Treasurer’s Excellence in Agriculture
Scholarship Program Ten $2500
scholarships are available for high school seniors interested in
pursuing an agriculture or ag-related major, provided by the
Illinois State Treasurer. ISA credits the State Treasurer with
recognizing the importance of educating our future farmers and ag leaders. Application are due May 15th, and more information
can be found
here.
Farmers: Mini-Grant Program for Perennial Weeds John
Masiunas and Dan Anderson announce a mini-grant program (up to
$500 per applicant) for farmers who want to try organic or
sustainable methods to manage problem perennial weeds. Their
goal is to develop integrated management approaches and increase
your knowledge of and skill in managing perennial weeds.
Perennial weeds persist several years and spread by seed
and structures such as roots, tubers, and rhizomes. They are
some of the most difficult challenges for many farmers. Examples
of perennial weeds are Canada thistle, quackgrass, Johnsongrass,
and yellow nutsedge.
Approaches might include cover crops, suppressive crop
rotations, scouting and early removal, tillage, biological
control, mowing, and livestock grazing. Everyone applying for
mini-grants will be sent a packet of information on perennial
weed identification, biology, and integrated management
approaches for their control. To apply,
fill out the online form
here,
call (217) 333-1588 for a paper application or write John
Masiunas, 260 ERML,
Farmers in the Lower Cache Watershed can apply for the
Conservation Security Program now through May 17. CSP is a working-lands
conservation program that rewards farmers for conservation practices they are
already using and provides funding to do more. Farmers who are interested in
joining the program should attend one of the four NRCS workshops: April 22 in
Mounds, April 24 in Tamms, April 28 in Although CSP is only open in the Lower Cache Watershed this year, all conservation-minded farmers should keep an eye on this program. Depending on the outcome of the farm bill, there could be a statewide signup for CSP as early as next year. For more information please contact ISA.
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