On February 23rd, 2010, at 6:30pm in the Carnegie Room of the Lincoln Library Main Branch in Springfield, Illinois Stewardship Alliance will be co-sponsoring with the Sierra Club Sangamon Valley Group a showing of the new short film Big River: A King Corn Companion.

Following the film Stacey James, Water Resource Scientist with Prairie Rivers Network will be on hand to discuss the impacts of agriculture run-off to water quality in Illinois.

Big River is a follow-up to the Peabody Award-winning documentary King Corn. King Corn told the story of two friends, one acre of corn, and the subsidized crop that enabled a fast-food nation. Big River picks-up where King Corn left off. Big River investigates and explores the environmental impact that the one acre of corn from King Corn has on the people and places located downstream. Big River documents and explores the impact chemical-intensive agriculture has on the water quality from the heartland to the Gulf of Mexico.

Agribusiness… It’s in the Water

Is your Illinois-based organization interested in hosting a showing of Big River in your community?  Contact Wes King, 217-528-1563, wes@ilstewards.org.

Senate Agriculture & Conservation Committee Creates Subcommittee to Study Solutions to Chemical Drift Problem in Illinois

Following 4 1/2 hours of testimony Wednesday, the state Senate Committee on Agriculture and Conservation found enough credible concern with farm chemical drift to create a subcommittee on the topic—the Agriculture and Conservation Subcommittee on Fertilizers and Chemicals.

Sen. David Koehler, D-Peoria, was named chairman of the new committee. Koehler said his committee will research Maine's new mandatory registration and notification law regarding aerial application of farm chemicals

The hearing attracted nearly 100 people from both organic, sustainable and conventional farming and chemical manufacturers and lobbyists. In addition to oral testimony, volumes of written testimony were submitted.  Illinois Stewardship Alliance’s new policy coordinator attended the hearing and presented oral testimony on the need to protect the rights of a growing sector of small business in Illinois, organic and diversified farmers.

ISA plans to remain involved with the legislative process as the Agriculture and Conservation Subcommittee on Fertilizers and Chemicals explores various solutions to the chemical drift problem in Illinois. ISA looks forward to working with all stakeholders in order reach a solution that is acceptable to all parties while protecting the rights of organic and small diversified farmers to have chemical free farms or to control the application of agriculture chemicals to their farms.

For more information on the hearing click here.