May 26, 2021
Rows of police officers stood at parade rest waiting for the casket containing the earthly remains of Officer Chris Oberheim on Wednesday, patient and so silent that you could hear birds chirping in the trees surrounding Maranatha Assembly of God.
KRIS REYNOLDS
Midwest regional director, American Farmland Trust
Illinois is blessed with the black gold that feeds America: rich, deep soils that make it one of the highest producing regions in the world. Agriculture is the largest economic sector in the state, and Illinois is among the top producers of corn and soybeans in the nation. My family has been part of this proud farming tradition for five generations.
Unfortunately, despite the stewardship of dedicated farmers, erosion is steadily taking its toll on this irreplaceable resource. Weâve lost about half of the organic matter that we had when we started plowing.
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IMAGE: Illinois residents are willing to pay for improved water quality in the Sangamon River and beyond, a new University of Illinois study shows. view more
Credit: College of ACES, University of Illinois.
URBANA, Ill. ¬- Illinois residents value efforts to reduce watershed pollution, and they are willing to pay for environmental improvements, according to a new study from agricultural economists at the University of Illinois.
Nutrient runoff from agricultural production is a major cause of pollution in the Mississippi River Basin and contributes to hypoxia - limited oxygen to support sea life in the Gulf of Mexico. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set up action plans to reduce pollution in 12 midwestern states and reduce transmissions of nitrate-nitrogen and phosphorus by 45% in 2040.