The collaboration between agriculture, point sources, environmental groups and the Illinois EPA and Dept of Ag continues in earnest six months after the official release of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy.  IFCA sits on several of the strategy workgroups including the policy workgroup, the ag water quality workgroup, a metrics workgroup and more recently a workgroup that selected a science advisory panel to study the issue of whether numeric standards for nitrogen and phosphorus in streams, lakes and rivers can be established and/or justified in terms of nutrient impact on aquatic life.  The collaboration between all the partners has been extremely positive with no finger pointing.  The expectation is that each sector will do its part to reduce nutrient losses.  For agriculture that means we have to make measured progress by 2025 to reduce N and P losses from agricultural fields.  IFCA shares our 4R progress reports with all the stakeholders and thanks to our members and your commitment to stewardship, we always have plenty of progress to report.  To see the Fall 2015 4R newsletter go to www.Keepit4Rcrop.org.  Click on the icon or menu bar to see the newsletters, retailers in action, the 4R Code of Practice and those who have taken the 4R Pledge.  All of this shows our commitment to work with our customers to improve nutrient utilization in order to protect water quality.  Keep up the good work everyone and we can avoid onerous regulation.  It's all about reducing losses, not reducing nutrient use.