by Tim Alexander

Barge Tax Passes House, On to Senate

BLOOMINGTON – Agriculture groups lauded the U.S. House passage of the Able Act (HR 674), which includes a provision to increase the use fee barge and towing companies pay into the Inland Waterways Trust Fund, last week. The bipartisan bill passed by a vote of 404-17 and is now in front of the Senate. Inland waterway users and customers, including the Illinois agricultural industry, have promoted an increase in the Inland Waterways Tax for many years.

According to the Ill. Corn Growers Assoc., the increase is something the state’s corn farmers are in support of, along with barge and towing companies, as a means for funding construction repairs to the nation’s crumbling lock and dam system. An increase in the user fee from .20 to .29 cents would better allow the U.S. to remain a competitor in the global ag marketplace, according to Ill. Corn.

“The Able Act is a bipartisan bill that our entire Illinois delegation can feel good about supporting,” said Lindsay Mitchell, special project coordinator for Ill. Corn, in a Dec. 6 Daily Update to members.”Not only do farmers need a ‘yes’ vote to get their grain to export markets more efficiently, but all Illinoisans need a ‘yes’ vote to ensure that the goods we rely on– like rock salt for the Chicago roads in the winter– will get delivered in a timely fashion.”

The additional funds generated by the increase would also boost the general economy by putting skilled tradespersons to work constructing new locks and dams and improving river infrastructure.

CBMP Welcomes First Executive Director

SPRINGFIELD – Agriculturists’ efforts in keeping farm chemicals on farm fields and out of Illinois’ waterways is big news these days, with the brunt of the Gulf of Mexico hypoxia blame placed on the doorstep of Midwest farmers. On November 25, the Illinois EPA unveiled its proposed Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS), a collaborative effort between the Ill. EPA, Ill. Dept. of Agriculture (IDA) and the Ill. Council on Best Management Practices (CBMP). To help implement the NLRS and promote its benefits to farmers, the Bloomington-based CBMP recently hired Jennifer Tirey as its first executive director.

”I’m here to help with the vision of the Council. We would like to empower the agricultural community and let them know that CBMP is a central location for resources on best management practices,” said Tirey, who was formerly employed by the IDA as bureau chief of marketing and promotions, during a phone call from her Springfield office. “One of my duties is to help communicate these practices. My marketing and communications background is one of the reasons the CBMP board selected me for this role.”

Tirey, who began her career as CBMP executive director in mid-October, welcomes producers who are interested in learning more about the state’s NLRS to visit the CBMP website (www.illinoiscbmp.org) or call their office at (217)-971-3842. “We’re also reaching out to farmers who are willing to share their success stories. We’re going to use our website as resource for farmers to learn about what’s working from their peers,” added Tirey.

The IEPA’s proposed NLRS can be accessed at www.epa.state.il.us/water/nutrient/.

Corn & Soy Classic Coming to Peoria

URBANA – Registration is still available for the 2015 Ill. Corn and Soybean Classics, to be held Jan. 7-14, at www.cropsciconferences.com/. The dates and meeting locations for the Classics have been announced: Wed., Jan 7: Peoria, Thurs., Jan. 8: Moline, Fri., Jan. 9: Malta, Mon., Jan. 12: Springfield, Tues., Jan. 13: Champaign and Wed., Jan. 14: Mt. Vernon.

“We look forward to welcoming back many who have attended one or more of our previous meetings and extend a warm welcome to those who will attend for the first time,” said Aaron Hager, weed specialist with the U of I and a conference presenter. “The program will feature eight presentations that emphasize crop production, pest management, economics, and the interactions among them. Market updates will be provided throughout the day, and communications between speakers and participants is encouraged.”

“Q and A” sessions are scheduled for morning and afternoon sessions, which are divided by a noon lunch. Presenters include Hager, Ill. state climatologist Jim Angel, U of I farmdoc educators Schnitkey, Richard Cooke, Mike Gray, Carl Bradley, Emerson Nafziger and Scott Brethauer.

2015 Ill. Corn and Soybean Classic programs will begin at 8:30 am and conclude between 3:00 and 3:30 pm.

Advanced registration for the Classics ended Dec. 5, but registration continues through Dec. 19 and tickets will be available at the door. Questions about the Classics can be directed to sasosterb@illinois.edu.

Corn Growers Honor Innovators, Pacesetters

NORMAL – Illinois’ brightest agricultural innovators and pacesetters were honored by the Illinois Corn Growers Association during their annual meeting held November 25 in downtown Normal. Honored for making significant contributions to Ill. corn farmers and their industries were:

Rollie Main, Altona: Main earned the ICGA’s distinguished World of Corn Award, which goes to individual, organizational or business innovators who have contributed to the Illinois corn industry. Main had been an ICGA leader since the early days of the organization, often funding activities and promotions with his own money. He was heavily involved in early recruitment.

Terry Taylor, Geff: Taylor, a cover crop expert who currently farms 300 acres of continuous no-till corn with cover crops, 1,500 acres of continuous no-till corn-corn-soybeans with cover crops whenever possible, 600 acres of bottom ground no-till on ridges, and 320 acres of CRP and filter strips, was presented with the ICGA Environmental Award.

Ray Defenbaugh, Biog River Resources LLC: ICGA Ethanol Award.

Vanessa Wetterling, Prairie Radio Communications: ICGA Communications Award. (ICGA news)

Illinois Farm Fact: 

Horses in Illinois consume 500,000 tons of hay and grain each year. (Ill. Ag in the Classroom)

(Tim Alexander is a freelance reporter who writes agriculture, news and feature articles for Chronicle Media, Farm World, Prairie Farmer and many other publications. He resides in rural Peoria County with his family.)