Illinois farmers wanted for Iowa farm tour

Tour will revolve around water-quality efforts

By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com

The Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) is looking for members to participate in a tour of Iowa farms to better understand some of the state’s water quality initiatives.

The Nutrient Issues Tour to Iowa is scheduled for Aug. 8-10 and will include demonstration farms, traditional and unique nutrient loss management strategies, additional funding for farmers, and meet with mayors to discuss partnerships farmers have with other communities concerning drinking water.

Illinois is two years behind Iowa when it comes to implementing its Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy and the tour is designed for Illinoisan farmers to bring what they learn back to their own farms.

“By visiting Iowa, we hope to learn where collaboration between ag and non-ag partners is working, in the case of great watershed projects – and where it is not working, in the case of lawsuits,” IFB said. “Our goal is that trip participants will see firsthand what is working in Iowa and return to Illinois as experts on the nutrient loss issue.”

Any member of the Illinois Farm Bureau in good standing is eligible to attend the tour.

Applications must be completed by Wednesday, June 15, and final selections will be made on Tuesday, July 5.