LAWRENCEVILLE, Ill. — When it comes to farming, there is no substitute for experience. This March, producers and landowners can connect with local Illinois farmers and learn from others’ hands-on knowledge on preventing soil loss in their fields at the Cultivating Conversations: Preventing Soil Loss on Your Farm panel discussion for east-central Illinois.
Three local producers — Adam Buchanan, Jon Buchanan, and Terry Dahmer — will share their experiences with soil loss on their farms and share insights through their years of experience before answering questions in this free event. Network with other producers, learn how soil conservation practices work, and explore cost-share opportunities. The program will also include a discussion about the Illinois Nutrient Loss Strategy.
The program is from 9 a.m. to noon on March 26 at the Lawrence County Extension Office, 10722 Cherry Blvd., Lawrenceville. Sign up at go.illinois.edu/PreventSoilLoss. A light breakfast will be provided.
For more information, contact Katie Bell at klbell@illinois.edu or call (618) 943-5018. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact Amanda at achriste@illinois.edu. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet access needs.
This program is provided in partnership with the Illinois Soybean Association, Illinois Corn Growers Association, and the Lawrence County Soil and Water Conservation District.
Across Illinois, farmers are working together to reduce nutrient loss from their fields, which can reduce the return on investment, impact local waterways and drinking water, decrease property values, hinder recreational opportunities, and harm local businesses and tourism. Local water quality also has an impact downstream from the Mississippi River to the gulf, where a hypoxic zone the size of New Jersey threatens the fishing industry. Explore more about preventing nutrient loss in Illinois with Illinois Extension and the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.