Written by: Lisa Martin, Program Coordinator of the Illinois Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) Program
Cookies and milk were the perfect afternoon snack for everyone who attended ISAP’s roundtable discussion on the Director’s Lawn of the Illinois State Fairgrounds August 14 in Springfield. The annual event, sponsored by Midwest Dairy, gave members and guests of the Illinois Sustainable Agriculture Partnership an opportunity to get together and network during Ag Day at the Illinois State Fair.
Kaitie Adams of the Savannah Institute welcomed everyone to the gathering, which was planned to celebrate the theme of the International Year of the Woman Farmer. She introduced Christine Johnson, the South Central and South East Region Coordinator for the Wisconsin Women in Conservation, who led the learning circle and invited everyone who attended to brainstorm about conservation.
Christine Johnson of the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute leads a learning circle for participants.
Johnson is a first-generation farmer from the Chicago area who farms on the Illinois-Wisconsin border. She operates Wild Trillium Farm, a diversified vegetable, cut flower and grain operation. She is also the Farmer Education Coordinator at the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute.
Johnson shared that Wisconsin Women in Conservation was founded in 2020 and is made up of women engaging and helping each other with conservation practices, including applying for NRCS programs. She would like to form a similar group in Illinois and encouraged anyone interested to contact her.
“How do we move conservation from being a label to being a part of doing business?” was her thought-provoking question for all of those in attendance. There were many varied responses, many of which focused on the fact that practicing conservation means looking at years ahead, generations ahead. All agreed that a long-term goal is to set up opportunities where conservation and farming are viable for future generations.
Many of the ISAP member organizations and a few guests were in attendance, including American Farmland Trust, Trees Forever, the Savannah Institute, University of Illinois Extension, Precision Conservation Management, SARE, Illinois Corn Growers, Illinois Soybean Association, the Wetlands Initiative, and the Illinois Certified Crop Adviser Program.
As part of ISAP’s Alphabet Soup branch of the Network of Practitioners program pillar, ISAP’s Alphabet Soup program provides training and networking opportunities for agronomists, researchers, educators, conservation practitioners, and industry partners. Events include workshops, webinars, and happy hours where members explore issues, discuss strategies and program needs, and share resources related to nutrient loss reduction and conservation practices. If you are interested in joining the next Alphabet Soup gathering, please fill out the request form to stay up to date on upcoming Alphabet Soup events.
