A big thank you to WILL-TV for broadcasting the documentary Troubled Waters: A Mississippi River Story. This one-hour program airs at 9pm on Monday, August 5. Troubled Waters tells the story of the unintended consequences of farming on the health of the Mississippi River. Fertilizers and pesticides leave farm fields during storms and make their way […]
Agriculture
2013 Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone the Size of Connecticut
Today, Prairie Rivers Network and other members of the Mississippi River Collaborative issued news releases about the size of the 2013 Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone. Please see our news release below and contact Stacy James (217-344-2371) if you have any questions. Connecticut-Sized 2013 Gulf “Dead Zone” Signifies the Need for Cleaner Water in Illinois CHAMPAIGN, IL […]
Sangamon Watershed Celebration!
Join Prairie Rivers Network at the 9th annual Sangamon Watershed Celebration in Decatur. This is a fun event sponsored by our friends at the Agricultural Watershed Institute. Come out for music, food, and learning! This year’s celebration focuses on creating a vision for agricultural landscapes. Prairie Rivers Network will be part of the professional panel on […]
Rantoul Hog Sludge Poses Pollution Problem
Rantoul Foods is a hog slaughterhouse located just west of Rantoul, Illinois. They slaughter almost 4,000 hogs a day and produce about 1 million gallons of sludge annually during the processing. This sludge is causing a problem for neighbors and the environment because the sludge is being stockpiled in nearby agricultural fields. Thanks to WICD Channel 15 and The […]
Tell Congress to put conservation compliance in the farm bill
UPDATE: On Wednesday, June 19, Congressman Fortenberry introduced his amendment on the House floor, and then withdrew it. It is likely that he felt there was not enough support for passage. Unfortunately, this means the House farm bill will not link conservation compliance to crop insurance subsidies. However, the Senate farm bill does establish this linkage. Once the House passes […]
