R.F.D. NEWS & VIEWS: For Illinois Farmers and Rural Dwellers

By Tim Alexander for Chronicle Media

Gov. Bruce Rauner, speaking on the state fairgrounds Aug. 12, signed into law two ag-related bills during the just-concluded Illinois State Fair in Springfield. (Photo by Tim Alexander)

Gov. Bruce Rauner, speaking on the state fairgrounds Aug. 12, signed into law two ag-related bills during the just-concluded Illinois State Fair in Springfield. (Photo by Tim Alexander)

In this week’s ag news roundup, Gov. Bruce Rauner signed two ag-centric bills into law last week during the Illinois State Fair; we’ll take a look at them. In the meantime, Illinois Corn has come forward with a large donation to Ag in the Classroom. Also: farmers share key takeaways from recent soybean field days. For these and more ag and rural happenings, please read on …

Rauner signs ag education, fairground bills

SPRINGFIELD — Gov. Bruce Rauner signed into law two agriculture-related bills last week, with the 2016 Illinois State Fair serving as the backdrop. The first legislation established a nonprofit foundation to raise and distribute funding for some $180 million in repairs and upkeep slated for the state fairgrounds in both Springfield and DuQuoin. The second law, Illinois SB 2975, creates a grant to fund up to 50 percent of the personnel costs for agriculture education teachers. SB 2975 was sponsored by State Sen. Scott Bennett (D-52nd), who was recently named vice-chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture.

“We need to do what we can to train our future farmers and prioritize agriculture curriculum in schools across our communities,” Bennett said in an Illinois Senate press release Aug. 16, which was Agriculture Day at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield.

Under the bill, a school district setting up a new ag education program could receive a grant to fund 100 percent of personnel costs in the first two years, and 80 percent in the third and fourth years of the program. Existing programs can qualify for 50 percent funding.

“Education is essential. When students are exploring different career paths, they need to know agricultural sciences is a possibility,” said Bennett. “Programs like this are essential to keeping Illinois’ agribusiness growing.” School district administrators will be able to apply for the program very soon, Bennett said in a phone call.

Illinois corn gives $90K to ag ed program

BLOOMINGTON — When Gov. Bruce Rauner announced last year, and later reiterated, that funding for agricultural education in Illinois would be zeroed out of his state budget proposal, Illinois farm commodity groups began deliberating how they could augment education funding for the state’s No. 1 industry. Thanks in part to Illinois Corn, the Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom (IAITC) program will continue to provide free education resources to teachers through a $90,000 donation to the program. The funding comes from the Illinois Corn Checkoff, administered by the Illinois Corn Marketing Board (ICMB).

The ICMB contribution will help IAITC fund its upcoming program year while maintaining ICMB’s long-standing position as the top commodity contributor to the ag literacy program. The donation directly helps 70 Illinois county ag literacy coalitions engage local educators and students through lessons and materials based in math, language arts, science and social studies. IAITC reached more than 550,000 students through 37,000 instructors across the state in 2015.

“The (ICMB) is proud to continue our support of agricultural education efforts,” stated Tom Mueller, ICMB chairman. “As there are fewer and fewer of us actively engaging in farming, it becomes even more important to provide quality, science-based education resources to youth so that they might grow up with a more robust understanding of how their food gets to their table.”

The IAITC program will utilize new Soil and Water “Ag Mags” to showcase lessons related to watersheds, cover crops and bioreactors, added Kevin Daugherty, IAITC education director. (Illinois Corn Daily Update)

Illinois Farm Fact:

G & D Integrated’s trucking fleet running on B20 clean diesel has resulted in an annual  reduction of 2,834 pounds of particulates and 2,250 tons of carbon dioxide– a key contributor to climate change. (G&D, Ill. Soybean Assoc.)

Takeaways from soybean field days shared

BLOOMINGTON — Farmers and farmer leaders involved with the recentlyconcluded “ILSoy Advisor.com Regional Field Days,” sponsored by the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) checkoff program shared their key takeaways from the sessions, which occurred Aug. 2-4 in Hinckley, Seymour and Benton. The tips relate to production practices designed to improve soybean yield and profitability.

Key takeaways included:

  • Poor management practices are often the culprit behind lackluster yield, and soybeans respond best to intense, timely management decisions focusing on fertility and plant protection.
  • 60 percent of soybean yield comes from nodes 6 to 13, making it essential to protect leaves and maximize pod production at these nodes through proactive management practices.
  • Growers can optimize strategies for combating herbicide-resistant waterhemp by starting with clean fields in the spring, using residual herbicides for weed control and attacking weeds in the 2- to 4-inch range. In addition:
  • For higher yields, focus on good soil conditions, appropriate planting procedures, adequate plant nutrition, and proactive disease and weed control prevention and strategies.
  • Align planting date with maturity group and populations. These variables must match up based on planting date to see higher yields.
  • Test soils for potassium and phosphorous levels frequently and adjust application strategy to meet crop nutrient needs while minimizing risk of loss.

More detailed coverage of all 2016 field day breakout sessions will be posted on ILSoyAdvisor.com. (ISA news)

Farmers granted a moist August

URBANA — Farmers in parts of Illinois who had hoped for a wet August to help propel their corn harvests via greater nitrogen uptake and ear development may have gotten their wish. August 2016 is shaping up as one of the ten-wettest Augusts on record for the state, according to Jim Angel, Illinois State Climatologist with the Illinois Water Survey.

“As of yesterday, the statewide average rainfall was 4.47 inches,” Angel noted in his Aug. 19 weather blog. “That is already 0.9 inches above normal for the month and the 27th wettest August on record (since 1895). The wettest August on record was 1977 was 6.86 inches. The latest NWS forecast is showing the potential for another inch of rain to fall in the next seven days. That would put us in the top 10 wettest Augusts on record.”

–R.F.D. NEWS & VIEWS: For Illinois Farmers and Rural Dwellers–