Illinois Sustainable Agriculture Partnership to host a free 3-part online webinar series
ISAP’s mission is to create a network to support a systems approach to improve Illinois soil health and reduce nutrient loss.
DEKALB, Ill. – The Illinois Sustainable Agriculture Partnership, ISAP, will be holding a free 3-part webinar series exploring the use of land stewardship and soil health management as tools to mitigate production and financial risks. Farmers utilizing soil health practices are finding benefits beyond the farmgate: from buffering extreme weather, to increasing working capital, to meeting changing consumer demand. This 3-week series will be held on June 18th, 25th, and July 2nd from 11AM-Noon, and continuing education credits, CEU’s, will be offered.
“In this time of uncertainty in the farm economy and broader world, we think it’s critical to shed a light on management decisions that can bolster farm resilience while also contributing to Illinois water quality goals,” notes Jill Kostel, Senior Environmental Engineer & Project Manager for The Wetlands Initiative, and chair of ISAP. “This webinar series is an exciting opportunity to highlight growers and industry partners who include land management decisions as a critical tool in their risk management toolbox.”
The first webinar will feature Eric Snodgrass, Principal Atmospheric Scientist at Nutrien Ag Solutions, as he breaks down what climate changes are coming for Midwest agriculture over the next 30 years and how these changes will influence new risk management decisions.
Eric mentions, “Weather risk in production agriculture is ubiquitous. Understanding how this risk is changing due to observed and predicted shifts in our climate is key to successful, resilient farming in the 21st century.”
The second webinar will showcase how soil health management systems improve working capital. LaSalle County farmer Carl Zimmerman will share his perspective, and his budget sheets! The third and final webinar will feature Jonathan Coppess, exploring how companies across the ag supply chain are responding to consumer and market demand for sustainably produced products.
The Risk Management Webinar series aims to increase the knowledge of farmers, landowners, and advisors, bringing the agriculture industry together to highlight how conservation practices bridge the gaps and build resiliency for Illinois farms.
The full agenda can be found online at https://ilsustainableag.org/, along with registration information and additional event details. If you have questions or need assistance with registering, please send email inquiries to ilsustainableag@gmail.com.
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As a coordinated and consistent group, ISAP focuses on messaging, outreach, training and education for farmers and their trusted advisors to bring together and disseminate new information and lessons learned in plain, practical language. Members work collaboratively to amplify the programs of each organization, share resources to gain efficiencies and identify synergies in achieving soil health and nutrient goals. ISAP’s mission is to create a network to support a systems approach on agriculture lands to improve soil health and reduce nutrient loss. ISAP’s members include: The Nature Conservancy, American Farmland Trust, Precision Conservation Management, Illinois Corn, Illinois Central College, The Wetlands Initiative, The Zea Mays Foundation, Soil Health Partnership, Illinois Land Improvement Contractors Association, Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Illinois Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, and University of Illinois Extension
