IFCA will be hosting a webinar to provideour members an update oneverything that happened this spring session at the Illinois State Capitol.
Topics that would be covered:
The Budget
Pesticide Issues
Fertilizer Issues
Transportation Issues
Click Here to register for the webinar.Thiswill be held on Monday, Jun 2nd, 2025 9:00 AM CDT.
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Yesterday morning, the Illinois House Ag Committee passed SB 783on a 9 to 0 vote.SB 783 is an initiative of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association to amend current procedures for pesticide licensing for applicators.
SB 783 would adopt a continuing education credits (CECs) program, allowing holders of a current valid pesticide license to renew their license by seeking continual ... more. |
This morning, the Illinois House Ag Committee passed SB 783on a 9 to 0 vote.SB 783 is an initiative of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association to amend current procedures for pesticide licensing for applicators.
SB 783 would adopt a continuing education credits (CECs) program, allowing holders of a current valid pesticide license to renew their license by seeking continual educ ... more. |
The weed science program at the University of Illinois invites all weed management practitioners to their annual weed science field tour on Wednesday, June 25 at the Department of Crop Sciences field research location known as the Clem Farm, located at 1114 County Road 1200 East, Champaign. Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. and the tour will start at 9:00 a.m. Preregistration is not required, but please let Dr. Aaro ... more. |
IFCA will be hosting a webinar to provideour members an update oneverything that happened this spring session at the Illinois State Capitol.
Topics that would be covered:
The Budget
Pesticide Issues
Fertilizer Issues
Transportation Issues
Click Here to register for the webinar.Thiswill be held onJun 2, 2025 9:00 AM CDT.
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Monday is Memorial Day—a time to honor and reflect on the immeasurable sacrifices made by the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country and the freedoms we hold dear. In observance of this important day,IFCAwill be closedMonday, May 26. We encourage everyone to take a moment to remember and honor those who servedand sacrificed for this country.
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This week IFCA’s KJ Johnson was on the ILSoy Field Advisor Podcast.Host Kelsey Litchfield chats with KJ and Corey Lacey from the Illinois Soybean Association, where they break down what ag retailers and farmers need to know about the latest fertilizer and chemical trends, the EPA’s final herbicide and insecticide strategies, Illinois applicator licensing updates, and potential Illinois laws that c ... more. |
The Trump Administration today released the highly anticipated report from its Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission, outlining several potential causes of chronic disease among children. The report addresses what it refers to as ultra processed foods, seed oils, and pesticides, among other aspects of the U.S. food system.
Some highlights of what was said in the report can be found below:
... more. |
Yesterday, the Illinois Senate passed SB 783 (Sen. Koelher)on a 50 to 4 vote.SB 783 is an initiative of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association to amend current procedures for pesticide licensing for applicators.
At the present time, applicators are required to meet certification and licensing standards in order to legally handle and supervise the use of pesticides. In Illinois, ... more. |
With just one weekof session left this spring, lawmakers continue to have large, looming issues over their heads as they come back to Springfield. Passing a balanced budget with revenue shortfalls, revamping the Chicagoland mass transit system that has been plagued with operation and funding problems for years, and advancing an omnibus energy bill to advance clean energy while being mindful of rates and a g ... more. |
With pesticide application season still underway in terms of herbicide, fungicide and insecticide treatments, IFCA would like to remind everyone that cleaning your spray equipment must be done over operational area containment. It is a violation of the Part 255 Containment Rules to wash application equipment over gravel or any other area of your facility. The rules state:
Cleaning and washing of ag ... more. |
Yesterday, the Illinois Senate passed SB 783 on a 50 to 4 vote.SB 783 is an initiative of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association to amend current procedures for pesticide licensing for applicators.
At the present time, applicators are required to meet certification and licensing standards in order to legally handle and supervise the use of pesticides. In Illinois, the current proces ... more. |
The president of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA) says proposed legislation in the state legislature would ban some important herbicides.
K.J. Johnson tells Brownfield, “This would be an all-out ban on 2, 4-D ester.” He says, “This is some of your older formalizations of 2, 4-D, but we still use a lot in burn downs. If you use a 2, 4-D as a burn down in ... more. |
House Republicans are holding hearings this week about President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.” The bill could benefit agriculture, including positive tax provisions for farmers, an extension for 45Z and an increase in farm bill reference prices. However, potential changes to SNAP and putting more of the burden on states are also raising concerns.
Pieces of the overall bill p ... more. |
The ongoing U.S.-China trade discussions and decisions are important to Matt Splitter, but the central Kansas farmer says they can be a challenge to stay current on day-to-day. “You know, I can’t keep up. Everything’s kind of flipping and flopping all day, every day,” says Splitter, who farms near Lorraine.
At the end of the day, Splitter, like a lot of farmers, says he ... more. |
In April during one of the Lunch and Learn sessions regularly held by theMid America CropLife Association, Steve Taylor, Executive Director of theMissouri Agribusiness Association, told attendees that his state has beentrying to pass a billto protect crop protection product producers from unnecessary lawsuits. This was needed, he argued, to safeguard the future of certain brands important ... more. |
The fertilizer market is currently navigating a complex landscape shaped by new tariffs, trade actions, and emerging policy initiatives. Farm Director KC Sheperd recently spoke with Corey Rosenbusch, President and CEO of The Fertilizer Institute, gaining valuable insights into these dynamic forces.
Rosenbusch immediately painted a picture of Washington’s fast-paced and often unpredictable envir ... more. |
Trade is a hot topic with a lot of uncertainty. Trade-policy decisions made in Washington, D.C., will impact farmers and ranchers in the countryside. This Market Intel is part of a series exploring agricultural trade, including the potential impacts of trade-policy changes and Agricultural Exports 101.
The U.S. agricultural trade deficit has garnered significant attention because the value of importe ... more. |
An overlap of global factors has led to unprecedented volatility in the fertilizer market. “These events that we’re living through we’ve never seen before,” Josh Linville, vice president of fertilizer at StoneX, told FarmWeek.
“The tariff situation the U.S. is waging against the world, have we ever seen this? No. Have we ever seen the U.S. impose duties on three of ... more. |
It's budget season at the statehouse, which means lawmakers are continuing to debate both the state budget and ways to potentially boost revenue. One of those is a new resolution that poses a solution to save Illinois billions of dollars by introducing taxes intended for the ultra-wealthy...
But as we previously reported, it's one some lawmakers are already urging Pritzker to put a stop ... more. |
With just eleven scheduled session days left in the spring session, legislators have just two weeks to complete their business ahead of the May 31, 2025, adjournment date. While relatively few bills have advanced this year (only a few hundred bills have advanced through committees in both chambers, out of over 6,700 bills filed) there are still large issues looming over the final days when issues are known to advan ... more. |
Both the House Ways and Means Committee and the US House Agriculture Committee are actively engaged in marking up their respective portions of the budget reconciliation legislation under HR14. The Ways and Means Committee began its markup session Wednesday. The committee has released text of the tax provisions, which aim to extend and make permanent several elements of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
... more. |
Agricultural and Pesticide groups are watching very closley as the US Senate considers Trump’s nomination of Casey Means to become surgeon general.
Means wrote in her online newsletter that “the single most effective strategy that I believe can solve the pressing human health and environmental issues facing our globe” is “restoring sustainable agriculture practices that contribu ... more. |
Join IFCA's national partner, CropLife America(CLA) for it'supcoming monthly webinar on May 21 at 11:00 am, where CLAwill explore the EPA’s newly releasedFinal Insecticide Strategy.
Webinar Highlights:
An overview of the EPA’s final strategy
Insight into how the strategy may affect the pesticide regulatory landscape
Live Q&A with CLA’s science and legal e ... more. |
Twelveag industry groups filed an amicus brief backing Bayer’s call for the U.S. Supreme Court to declare that federal pesticide law preempts state-based failure-to-warn claims.
“Glyphosate is the single most widely used herbicide for weed management in the United States and is essential to sustaining American farming in the 21st century,” the groups say. “It’s regis ... more. |
On Thursday, IFCA had its quarterly Regulatory Group meeting at Marco NPK in Clinton, IL. We had a great turnout and want to thank Marco NPK for hostingthe meeting at their facility. Wes and his team gave the group a tour of their plant and provided a get lunch. There was great discussion with important topics covered at thismeeting. Much of the conversationwas on worker protection sta ... more. |
If you have someone that you would like to nominate for the 2025 Illinois Custom Applicator of the Year award, don’t hesitate to submit your application. The deadline for nominees is next Thursday, May 22nd. IFCA initiated this award to honor and recognize those individuals who go above and beyond with the work they do in and out of the fields and put forth a positive attitude in caring for the crops and cu ... more. |
I spent some time talking with a top legislative budget negotiator last week who said rank-and-file legislators will very soon have to come to terms with a state budget environment unlike anything many have ever seen before.
The “budgeteer” didn’t know yet how things would shake out, but the person was adamant that weak revenues combined with total uncertainty from both the federal ... more. |
China’s grain supply won’t be affected by a loss of U.S. feed grain and oilseed imports, thanks to abundantly available substitutes on the global market and sufficient reserves at home, a top official from the country’s state plannertoldreporters on Monday.
The world’s top buyer of soybeans is set to receive a mammoth amount of the oilseed from South America ... more. |
The EPA on Monday announced a series of “major actions” to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance contamination, including an initiative to work with Congress to ensure that liability adheres to the “polluter pays” principle.
The actions include designating an agency lead for the chemicals, commonly known as PFAS, developing wastewater guidelines for PFAS manufacturers and ... more. |
The vice president of fertilizer with Stone X Group says the Trump administration’s tariffs are impacting fertilizer markets.
Josh Linville tells Brownfield, “A lot of confusion.” He says, “Are they going to be in place? Are they not going to be in place? What’s the tariff rate going to be? Is it going to include fertilizer? Is it just this fertilizer, or that fert ... more. |
The backlash to President Donald Trump’s newsurgeon generalnominee, an ally of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has exposed divisions in the nascent “Make America Healthy Again” movement as it gains political power.
Casey Means, the nominee, has been a central figure in the movement and key Kennedy ally. She promotes diet as a root cause of illn ... more. |
TheCouncil of Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology (CPDA)applauds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its continued commitment to science-based mitigation strategies in thefinal 2025 Insecticide Strategy.
We are especially encouraged by the Agency’s recognition of drift reduction adjuvants (DRAs) as it evaluates additional tools to reduce off-target move ... more. |
Accounting for about 15% of USDA’s total workforce and representing FSA, NRCS, FSIS, APHIS and other departments, 3,877 staff signed contracts in February for the first deferred resignation program and 11,305 in the second round in April.
More than 15,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture employees have taken one of the Trump administration’s two financial incentive offers to leave the agenc ... more. |
The fertilizer market is bringing forward supply chain issues, pricing levels, and other dynamics in an unprecedented fashion.
“We came into 2025, thinking things might calm down–feel a little more steady, a little less volatile–and it’s been anything but,” says Josh Linville, vice president of fertilizer at StoneX. “Let’s just put this way, things are happen ... more. |
This week legislators were busy moving bills off the Senate and House floor with the adjournment coming at the end of May.Most of the conversation is starting to turn to the budget that must constitutionally pass by May 31st.Many of the large pieces of legislation are not moving this springdue to huge budget restraints that the General Assembly is facing. Currently, Gov. Pritzker is trying to fill ... more. |
Join IFCA national partner, CropLife America, for an upcoming webinar where we will explore the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) newly released Final Insecticide Strategy. This strategy outlines mitigation measures designed to protect over 900 species listed under the Endangered Species Act, which the EPA considers during the registration and review of insecticides.
Webinar Highlights:
An ... more. |
If you didn't see it last week, EPA released its final Insecticide Strategy, the next step in the agency's plan to meet its obligations under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).The strategy identifies mitigations for spray drift and runoff/erosion reductions aimed at protecting more than 900 listed species.EPA says the new strategy willproviding flexibility for pesticide users and growers.&n ... more. |
Last week, Corteva received a vote from the International Trade Commission in its favor relating to its petition filed on April 24, 2024, with the U.S. Department of Commerce calling for antidumping and countervailing duties on 2,4-D imports from India and China.
The Department of Commerce will now issue and announce the final duty rates on the imported products. More than 1,500 herbicide products cont ... more. |
President Donald Trump is proposing to slash non-defense spending by nearly 23% in a fiscal 2026 budget that recommends a $5 billion cut to USDA programs, including agricultural research, international food aid, conservation technical assistance to farmers, and rural development.
USDA’s budget would be reduced by more than 18% from existing levels. The budget proposal, released late last week, doesn& ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture annually partners with several segmentsof the agrichemical industry to operate a plastic pesticide container-recycling program. The 2025 recycling program will host single-day collection sites at ag retail facilities throughout the state. At these collection sites, they will only accept high-density polyethylene (HDPE) #2 plastic agrichemical containers that are clean ... more. |
The 2025 IFCA 4R Field Day will be held on September 4th, 2025, at Eric Miller's Research Farm in Hammond, IL.
Event details to come.
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IFCA is pleased to announce the return of the Illinois Custom Applicator of the Year for the fourth year. Thanks to the overwhelming response from our retail members who submitted nomination forms last year, we knew we had to continue the program to recognize even more outstanding applicators across Illinois. The nomination forms were narrowed down to 4 finalists for 2024 with the winner being announced at the MA ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture annually partners with several segmentsof the agrichemical industry to operate a plastic pesticide container-recycling program. The 2025 recycling program will host single-day collection sites at ag retail facilities throughout the state. At these collection sites, they will only accept high-density polyethylene (HDPE) #2 plastic agrichemical containers that are clean ... more. |
Looking for a great summer event for a cause? Don't miss out on the 2025 IFCA Golf for Scholarships outing! This year we are only having one outing which will be in Bloomington, IL at The Den on July 24th. This outing is a great opportunity to network with peers while supporting the next generation of agriculturalists.
Cost:$125 per person; $500 for a foursome
Location:The Den; 3002 Fox Cree ... more. |
Schedule of Events
Wednesday, August 20
8:00 am – 5:00 pm MAGIE Show
9:00 am – 3:00 pm HAZWOPER Refresher Training @ MAGIE Grounds Expo A
3:45 pm – 4:30 pmMAGIE Tailgate Party @ the MAGIE Food Tent
(Stay for Chicken Wings, Refreshments & Prizes!) Sponsored by IFCA & Agri-Cover, ... more. |
As new insecticides are registered and existing products are re-registered via the FIFRA process, they will need to comply with the new rule. In the trio of Endangered Species Act (ESA) enforcement regulations — herbicide, insecticide and fungicide — the industry now has two of the three to consider.
The final herbicide rule was released in 2024, and just yesterday EPA released itsfinal ... more. |
As the Make America Healthy Again Commission (MAHA) approaches its May 24 report release deadline, the importance of sound science in its evaluations, particularly concerning agricultural inputs, has been emphasized by several key stakeholders.
IFCA joined a coalition of organizations in sending a letter to the Commission in March, urging them to prioritize sound science. The letter highlighted the critica ... more. |
On Wednesday, the US House of Representatives passed two key resolutions that will undo damaging emissions regulations set by California and prevent the Golden State from setting de facto national emissions policies in the future.
HR87, which was introduced by Rep. John James (R-Michigan) and approved by a vote of 231-191, would revoke the waiver allowing California and other states to enforce its Advanced ... more. |
As new insecticides are registered and existing products are re-registered via the FIFRA process, they will need to comply with the new rule. In the trio of Endangered Species Act (ESA) enforcement regulations — herbicide, insecticide and fungicide — the industry now has two of the three to consider.
The final herbicide rule was released in 2024, and just yesterday EPA released itsfinal ... more. |
IFCA and Chemical Industry Council of Illinois are holding a joint legislative/regulatory reception this Tuesday, May 6th from 5:30 to 7:30pm at the Illinois State Library across from the Capitol. The address of the Illinois State Library is 300 S. 2nd St., Springfield, IL.
This event is an excellent opportunity to meet the members of the Illinois General Assembly, Constitutional Officers, IEPA off ... more. |
As the Make America Healthy Again Commission (MAHA) approaches its May 24 report release deadline, the importance of sound science in its evaluations, particularly concerning agricultural inputs, has been emphasized by several key stakeholders.
IFCA joined a coalition of organizations in sending a letter to the Commission in March, urging them to prioritize sound science. The letter highlighted the critica ... more. |
IFCA is pleased to announce the return of the Illinois Custom Applicator of the Year for the fourth year. Thanks to the overwhelming response from our retail members who submitted nomination forms last year, we knew we had to continue the program to recognize even more outstanding applicators across Illinois. The nomination forms were narrowed down to 4 finalists for 2024 with the winner being announced at the MA ... more. |
With one week remaining until the May 9 deadline for the Senate to take action on House bills in committee and the House to do the same with Senate bills, legislators spent much of this week in committees and involved in behind-the-scenes negotiations on legislation. With only seventeen session days remaining for the spring legislative session, each passing day brings each bill either closer to passing both chamber ... more. |
The spirit of friendly industry competition will be on full display as IFCA hosts its annual golf outing on Wednesday, July 24, at The Den at Fox Creek in Bloomington, Illinois. This much-anticipated event brings our membership together for a day of golf, networking, and giving back.
More than just a day on the greens, the outing plays a vital role in supporting a way to invest in the future of agric ... more. |
North Dakota became the first state to enact a law intended to shield pesticide manufacturers from state liability lawsuits, with the signing of a bill by Gov. Kelly Armstrong last week. Farm groups and Bayer praised enactment of HB 1318, which recognizes that a state pesticide label “consistent with” EPA’s carcinogenicity classification “is a sufficient warning label” for the purposes ... more. |
Looking for a great summer event for a cause? Don't miss out on the 2025 IFCA Golf for Scholarships outing! This year we are only having one outing which will be in Bloomington, IL at The Den on July 24th. This outing is a great opportunity to network with peers while supporting the next generation of agriculturalists.
We will be limited to the number of golfers and we don’t want you to miss ou ... more. |
We’ve received questions recently at the IFCA office regarding paraquat training. To understand more about this training requirement, please click this following link: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety/paraquat-dichloride-training-certified-applicators.
There is no charge for the training, and it is open to everyone.
There is a one-time registration form requiring name, email address, stat ... more. |
Members of the Illinois House of Representatives returned to Springfield this week for three days of session, while the members of the Senate remained in their districts this week, focusing only on a handful of appropriation committees out of Chicago. The House began hearing Senate bills in House Committees this week as the final stretch of the spring session comes into view. The next major legislative deadline is ... more. |
With the increased regulatory burden over the last several years, IFCA has created a regulatory group to network, share insight on regulatory experiences or voice concerns related to state or federal regulations that impact our ag industry.The next Regulatory Group meeting will be May 15thin Clinton at Marco NPK, Inc.If you would like to participate, please contact John Rebholzjohn@ifca.co ... more. |
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett revealed that the U.S. has received “more than 10” substantial trade offers from foreign governments seeking new agreements with Washington. After the announcement of a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs, Hassett and other administration officials stated that 130 countries are now actively negotiating potential trade deals or tariff arrangements with the ... more. |
Utilization of soil-applied herbicides in corn and soybean production systems continues to be a common method to achieve weed control. Early preplant, preplant incorporated, and preemergence surface are the most common types of herbicide applications to soil. Regardless of when the herbicide was applied to the soil, the effectiveness of soil-applied herbicides is governed by several factors.
The primary factor ... more. |
A longtime friend of ag retailers and farmers, Chuck Hartke, has sadly passed away this week.Chuck was a former State Representative and the Illinois Director of Agriculture.He served as the Director of Agriculture from May 2003 to February 2008. For many years, Chuck sponsored several ag related bills and was a devoted friend of the industry.Please click here to view Chuck’s obituary. ... more. |
Legislators in both chambers spent last week on their respective chamber floors voting on bills and moving legislation from one chamber to the other. The House, who typically takes a more aggressive approach to passing legislation, advanced 380 bills over to the Senate last week. For their part, the Senate advanced only 160 bills over to the House last week. Including the bills that passed each chamber last week, ... more. |
Every other month, Illinois Extension provides a newIllinois Pesticide Review Newsletter. Here you will find information on legislation, regulations and other developments directly impacting pesticide use in Illinois. The latestedition includes stories on:
Spring cleaning of pesticide storage areas
Misuse case summary for 2024 and tips to prevent misuse in 2025
Protecting pollinators from pe ... more. |
IFCA understands the pressure our industry faces this spring when planters start rolling and weather conditions are not ideal. It is important that we remain focused on implementing good stewardship practices while preventing legislative proposals and additional regulations. The public is watching us very closely!
These recommendations for spraying should be practiced to accomplish effective spray ap ... more. |
As spring is upon us, a few reminders for record keeping when applying or selling pesticides to your customers.
Pesticide dealers shall retain a record of all sales of restricted use pesticides or pesticides that the Director has declared to be a pesticide requiring a permit for two (2) years. The record shall include, but is not limited to, the following for each individual sale of such a pesticide: ... more. |
Third Reading Deadline Week at the Capitol
For the first time this session, members of the Illinois House and Senate spent significant time on the floor of their chamber attempting to move bills ahead of today’s Third Reading Deadline. All House bills must be sent to the Senate, and all Senate bills must be sent to the House in order to continue through the legislative process. Deadline extensi ... more. |
Commodity groups are askingthe U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) to reject Corteva Agriscience's bid for new antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) on imports of 2,4-D herbicide from China and India. In 2023, nearly 80% of 2,4-D sold in the US was sourced from India and China—meaning new duties would have a major effect on prices for the popular herbicide.
USITC held ... more. |
Lawmakers are urging Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in a letter to restore potash and add phosphate to the department’s critical minerals list. Their letter comes weeks after the White House issued an executive order to boost phosphate and domestic mineral production. Items included on the list receive increased research funding and streamlined permitting procedures, which could support U.S. production of fer ... more. |
As the spring fertilizer and planting season remains on hold for much of the state, we havereceived questions at IFCA about the storage of UAN in light of growers determining whether to switch from NH3 to UAN this spring.Here is a summary of the rules for UAN storage in Illinois, as per the Illinois Department of Agriculture regulations:
1.At agrichemical facilities, UAN storage is requ ... more. |
We have had several inquiries on whether a driver with a restricted class B CDL is subject to random drug and alcohol testing. All CDL drivers operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) (greater than 26,000 GVWR, or transporting more than sixteenpassengers, including the driver, or placarded hazardous materials) on public roadways must be DOT drug and alcohol tested. This applies to any driver required ... more. |
The Senate was in session this week while the House took the week off, a reversal from last week. Members of the Senate focused on moving a handful of bills that received deadline extensions through committees and address issues on the Senate floor. Most of the action took place on Wednesday and Thursday of this week while both chambers are expected to work a full week next week, ahead of next Friday's Third Re ... more. |
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order regarding reciprocal tariffs.In summary, the Order imposes a 10% across-the-board tariff on all imports to the United States from all trading partners, plus higher reciprocal tariff rates for a select group of other countries that the White House determined had placed higher trade barriers on goods from the United States.
Canada and Mexic ... more. |
IFCA is urging our ag retail members to submit comments in support of protecting Atrazine. While the EPA has made some positive changes, flawed studies and modeling still threaten to impose costly mitigation requirements on 68% of U.S. corn acres. If the EPA used more realistic studies, only 13% of acres would need these costly actions.
Ag retailers and growers have the opportunity to make their vo ... more. |
As we transition out of winter and start focusing on the upcoming cropyear, IFCA wants to remind members of fifteen key safety reminders to keep foremost in your mind when handling anhydrous ammonia. If you have any questions related to ammonia safety, training, equipment requirements, or ammonia regulations, please contact John Rebholz at john@ifca.com.
1. Remember to always utilize your ... more. |
This is a reminder that the only two labeled formulations of 2,4-D that can be applied postemergence in 2,4-D-resistant soybean varieties are Enlist One and Enlist Duo. No other salt formulations and no ester formulations can be applied postemergence to these varieties. Ester formulations are more volatile than salt formulations and volatility can increase with the warmer air and soil temperatures that typically oc ... more. |
Illinois Agriculture Legislative Day (IALD) brings together representatives from nearly 50 diverse agricultural organizations to meet with state lawmakers. This day provides an opportunity to strengthen and build relationships among various entities affecting Illinois agriculture. IFCA will be present this coming Wednesdayat the 55th IALD and encourage members who would also liketo attend to join us at ... more. |
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order regarding reciprocal tariffs.In summary, the Order imposes a 10% across-the-board tariff on all imports to the United States from all trading partners, plus higher reciprocal tariff rates for a select group of other countries that the White House determined had placed higher trade barriers on goods from the United States.
Canada and Mexic ... more. |
Exhibitor Rules
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Exhibitor Prospectus
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Vendor Contacts
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Become an Exhibitor
You are invited to exhibit at the Annual Midwest Ag-Industries Exposition…MAGIE 2025! MAGIE is the most successful outdoor trade show in agribusiness and provides you with big returns for your exhibition dollar. In just two days you can meet with some of the top agribusiness professionals in the nation and display your products and services to the best dealers in the bu ... more. |
The White House issued an executive order to boost domestic production of a slate of minerals – including potash, most of which is imported now.In the executive order issued Thursday evening, the president directed departments and agencies to work with the newly created National Energy Dominance Council led by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to identify mining projects for expedited permitting, gather in ... more. |
IFCA is urging our ag retail members to submit comments in support of protecting Atrazine. While the EPA has made some positive changes, flawed studies and modeling still threaten to impose costly mitigation requirements on 68% of U.S. corn acres. If the EPA used more realistic studies, only 13% of acres would need these costly actions.
Ag retailers and growers have the opportunity to make their voices hea ... more. |
Last week, legislators moved over 1,400 bills out of their respective committees due to last Friday's committee deadline. IFCA testified on pieces of legislation last week in committee. Despite the committee deadline being last Friday, the House still considered making amendments in committees this week before shifting their focus to advancing bills on the House floor. The Senate was off this week but&nbs ... more. |
On Monday, March 24th, IFCA held a recorded discussion with Dr. John Jones of the University of Illinois to discuss Spring 2025 Nutrient Management Considerations. Dr. Jones provided a breakdown of several important topics, including determination of 2025 recommended corn nitrogen fertilizer rates, spring nitrogen timing, and strategies to consider for P & K management.
Click here to view the rec ... more. |
With the 2025 spring application season right around the corner, the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA) wanted to remind our members about Illinois Department of Labors One Day Rests In 7 Act. In the past, IFCA have applied to the Illinois Department of Labor for an industry exemption to the One Day In Seven Act, and those permits have been granted. In the past, the grain industry has ... more. |
With the 2025 spring application season right around the corner, the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA) wanted to remind our members about Illinois Department of Labors One Day Rests In 7 Act. In the past, IFCA have applied to the Illinois Department of Labor for an industry exemption to the One Day In Seven Act, and those permits have been granted. In the past, the grain industry has ... more. |
This week The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) informed IFCA and other state members that there is no end date for modified tariffs on Canadian and Mexican fertilizers.
The exclusions and modified tariff rates will be in effect indefinitely unless President Donald Trump decides otherwise, since no expiration date was outlined in the executive order.
IFCA has heard from many members on the speculation th ... more. |
As we transition out of winter and start focusing on the upcoming crop year, IFCA wants to remind members of fifteen key safety reminders to keep foremost in your mind when handling anhydrous ammonia. If you have any questions related to ammonia safety, training, equipment requirements, or ammonia regulations, please contact John Rebholz at john@ifca.com
1. Remember to always utilize your ammonia glo ... more. |
EPA told a federal appeals court that a request by environmentalist groups to set a June 30 deadline for the agency to complete its review of the herbicide atrazine is “not reasonable under the circumstances.” EPA also anticipates “substantial public comment” on the updated mitigation proposal due and says it will need at least six to nine months to review comments and conduct any necessar ... more. |
Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., and Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman John Hoeven, R-N.D., reintroduced the Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security (PASS) Act, legislation to ban individuals and entities controlled by China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from purchasing agricultural land and businesses located near U.S. military installations or sensitive sites.
Specifically, the PASS ... more. |
Lawmakers returned to Springfield for a busy week of session before today's committee deadline. Today, all bills are required to make it out of their respective committees in order to continue through the legislative process. Of course, as is custom in the Illinois General Assembly, committee deadline extensions can be granted. After this week, legislators will turn their focus on moving bills from one chambe ... more. |
This is a reminder that the only two labeled formulations of 2,4-D that can be applied postemergence in 2,4-D-resistant soybean varieties are Enlist One and Enlist Duo. No other salt formulations and no ester formulations can be applied postemergence to these varieties. Ester formulations are more volatile than salt formulations and volatility can increase with the warmer air and soil temperatures that typically oc ... more. |
On Thursday, March 12th,EPA Administrator Zeldin announcedthat the EPA would begin the process of reconsidering the Biden Administration's emissions regulations governing light, medium, and heavy-duty vehicles. This reconsideration action includes the “GHG3” rule for trucks that would have impacted model year 2027-2032 vehicles. The regulation would have required an annualincrease& ... more. |
IFCA joined more than300 organizations in sendinga letter to health, agriculture and environmental leaders in D.C. calling for sound science and data to be used by the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission in upcoming evaluations for products essential to food and agriculture. The letter specifically focuses on the importance of pesticides, biotechnology, and food and feed ingredients for farme ... more. |
As we transition out of winter and start focusing on the upcoming cropyear, IFCA wants to remind members of fifteen key safety reminders to keep foremost in your mind when handling anhydrous ammonia. If you have any questions related to ammonia safety, training, equipment requirements, or ammonia regulations, please contact John Rebholz at john@ifca.com
1. Remember to always utilize your ... more. |
In case you missed it, click here to catch up on legislation IFCA is currently monitoring down at the State Capitol.
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Click here to read a recent articleon University of Illinois' homepage detailing an NREC funded project researching tile nitrate loss. IFCA's Dan Schaefer was a key collaborator throughout the the project, led by Lowell Gentry, former UI Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences Researcher, studying how an intensive three-year crop rotation system reduced nitrate pollution runoff by 50% without com ... more. |
While legislators have introduced thousands of substantive bills this sessions, with less than two weeks left until the March 21 committee deadline in both chambers, very few bills have advanced out of committees. Some have speculated that the sheer number of bills has led to a slow start that will then give way to a sharp rise in bill action the next couple of weeks, while others believe leadership in both chamb ... more. |
The House and Senate were in session Tuesday through Thursday this week. For the month of March, the House is scheduled to be in session every week, while the Senate will only be in session this week, and the week of March 17, which is also committee deadline week. As we slowly approach the March 21 committee deadline, committee action is expected to heat up in both chambers. Last week, legislators advanced only ... more. |
Yesterday the IFCA and the Illinois Department of Agriculture wrapped up two weeks of competent ammonia trainings around the State of Illinois. There was record attendance at several of the venues over the last two weeks.
For any ag retail facilities who have had recent hires or had employees who need to recertify to work with anhydrous ammonia and were unable to attend one of the competent trainings ... more. |
Attorneygenerals from Iowa, Nebraska and fifteenother states are asking the EPA to enact a rule that would create uniform labeling requirements across the country and preempt California’s Prop 65. Last summer, a coalition of States led by Nebraska and Iowa proposed the very uniform labeling rule that the EPA is now considering.
Currently, states can require manufacturers to label prod ... more. |
Every year, the Illinois Department of Agriculture organizes an"Illinois Agriculture Legislative Day"in Springfield.IFCA will be part ofthe55th Annual IL Ag Legislative Day coming up on April 9th. This day represents a great opportunity for our associationto connect with other ag partners and Springfield policy makers. Click here to view the agenda.If you wo ... more. |
Yesterday, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) delaying 25 percent tariffs on any goods that comply with the USMCA. Additionally, the EO lowered the tariff from 25 percent to 10 percent on any potash that enters the US from Canada and Mexico that does not comply with the USMCA.
IFCA applauds President Trump on this action.This positive first step forward in our ongoing efforts to en ... more. |
McLean County Farm Bureau will be hosting an event next Tuesday, March 4th, covering both CDL & Trucking Regulationsand how the Endangered Species Act will impact pesticide application and use moving into the future. For membersor member customers who would like to attend this event, please click here to register.
Tuesday, March 4 at the McLean County Fairgrounds
8:30 a.m. – ... more. |
This Week in the Senate and House
Legislators returned to Springfield this week for a busy week of behind the scenes bill negotiations. This week represents the second of eight straight weeks of session until the legislature breaks in mid-April. Members of the House and Senate have until March 21st to pass their bills out of committees and until April 11th to pass their bills out of their respective cham ... more. |
EPA requires alabel accompany every pesticide to the end user. This can be a challenge for retailers that provide custom application services. To help remedy this issue, the Applicator Manual was created and is designed to be placed in each piece of application, nurse or tender equipment, to provide operators and handlers access to label information.
These handy 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" manuals ha ... more. |
Multiple news sources are reporting that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told employees of his new department that "nothing is going to be off limits" from review, including pesticides.
During his first address to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Kennedy statedthe template for the department will be “unbiased science,” and t ... more. |
IFCA was on Capitol Hill this week forAgricultural Retailers Association's (ARA) winter legislative fly-in.Leaders in the ag input industry from Illinois met with the Illinois congressional delegation to discuss key issues affecting the ag input industry.Issues discussed includedthe Farm Bill, tax policy, tariffs and other policies that will shape the future of agriculture.
&n ... more. |
Yesterday, President Trump announced on Truth Social that he will proceed with imposing tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, effective March 4th. Below is a photo of his statement. While he does not note the rate, the previous discussions involved tariffs at 25%.He stated he will also impose additional tariffs on Chinese imports on the same date, bringing that rate up to 20%.
IFCA was in Wa ... more. |
Today, President Trump announced on Truth Social that he will proceed with imposing tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, effective March 4th. Below is a photo of his statement. While he does not note the rate, the previous discussions involved tariffs at 25%.He stated he will also impose additional tariffs on Chinese imports on the same date, bringing that rate up to 20%.
IFCA was in Washin ... more. |
It has been just over three years since anhydrous ammonia certified grower training was implemented in Illinois. This means that thousands of growers will be up for recertification ahead of the spring season. If you receive questions regarding ammonia training for growers, below are resources you can sharefor both in person and online training.
It is important to clarify that anyone involved in ... more. |
EPA currently has open a public comment period ona petitionfiled by several state attorneys general (AG) requesting EPA to initiate rulemaking to clarify that statements on pesticide labels regarding health claims that are inconsistent with EPA’s finding would be false and misleading under federal pesticide law (comments on the petition are due February 20). This petition if very well in alignme ... more. |
It has been just over three years since anhydrous ammonia certified grower training was implemented in Illinois. This means that thousands of growers will be up for recertification ahead of the spring season. If you receive questions regarding ammonia training for growers, below are resources you can sharefor both in person and online training.
It is important to clarify that anyone involved in t ... more. |
On Wednesday , Governor JB Pritzker addressed a joint gathering of the Illinois General Assembly to provide the constitutionally-required State of the State Address that also includes his FY26 budget proposal.
After months of budget forecasts showing a $3.2 billion budget deficit, the Governor’s proposed budget reflects a significant change in anticipated revenue. According to the budget, the current ... more. |
IFCA's national partner, the AG Retailers Association (ARA) is hosting a webinar why adjuvants are essential on March 11th. Click here to register.
Certified Crop Advisers will earn one Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) program IPM CEU for attending this webinar.
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EPA currently has open a public comment period ona petitionfiled by several state attorneys general (AG) requesting EPA to initiate rulemaking to clarify that statements on pesticide labels regarding health claims that are inconsistent with EPA’s finding would be false and misleading under federal pesticide law (comments on the petition are due February 20). This petition if very well in alignment ... more. |
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IFCA will be traveling across the state, beginning next week, to host competent attendanttraining ahead of the spring season. Please click hereto register any new employees who will be working with anhydrous ammonia or employees who need to recertify. Upcoming training courses will run from February 24ththrough March 18th. Below you will find the list of
February 24th, Bloomin ... more. |
Click hereto read IFCA's latest "News Under the Dome". IFCA has been tracking several important pieces of legislation covering fertilizer, pesticides, foreign land ownership, PFAS, as well as other relevant legislation.
If you have anyquestions regarding any legislation in Springfield this spring, please contact KJ Johnson at the IFCA office.
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IFCA will be traveling across the state, beginning next week, to host competent attendanttraining ahead of the spring season. Please click hereto register any new employees who will be working with anhydrous ammonia or employees who need to recertify. Upcoming training courses will run from February 24ththrough March 18th. Below you will find the list of
February 24th, Bloomingt ... more. |
Click hereto read IFCA's latest "News Under the Dome".A total of 6,386 pieces of legislation were introduced in both theHouse and Senate this spring.IFCA has been tracking several important pieces of legislation covering fertilizer, pesticides, foreign land ownership, PFAS, as well as other relevant legislation.
If you have anyquestions regardin ... more. |
The Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly confirmed Brooke Rollins to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Senators voted 72-28 on her bid to lead the USDA.
She was voted unanimously out of the Senate Committee on Agriculture.
Although she does not have a background in agriculture, Rollins headed the Domestic Policy Council under Trump’s first term and was part of the Office of ... more. |
IFCA and our national partner CropLife America are responding to a recent petition received from the Attorneys General of the States of Nebraska, Iowa, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Montana, North Dakota, South Carolina, and South Dakota seeking EPA rulemaking to modify labeling requirements for pesticides, CropLife has established a grassroots action center for individuals to act now and let EPA ... more. |
Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) requirements for new CDL Class A/B or HAZMAT drivers have increased operating costs by nearly $8,000 per driver and are a barrier to entry for many.
Get ahead of driver training challenges before the busy planting season with ARA's newELDT member service that helps ag retailers cut through the regulatory red tape of driver training. ARA members leveraging this service ... more. |
IFCA has been working closely with University of Illinois researchers for over a decade now, studying many of the practices listed in the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. One of these projects, A diverse rotation of corn-soybean-winter wheat/double crop soybean with cereal rye after corn reduces tile nitrate loss, measured tile flow and tile nitrate concentrations from 2015 through 2023. This nine-year ... more. |
Every other month, Illinois Extension provides a newIllinois Pesticide Review Newsletter. Here you will find information on legislation, regulations and other developments directly impacting pesticide use in Illinois. The latestedition includes stories on:
IDOA issues guidance on new law concerning pesticide application in rights-of-way
Public comment opens on monarch butterfly's threatene ... more. |
When a species is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, it receives various protections — what impact could those protections have on agriculture?
That’s the question following the December 2024 proposal from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the monarch butterfly as threatened under the ESA.Among other factors in its declining numbers, agricultural productio ... more. |
IFCA is saddened to learn of the passing of IFCA member Dick Williamson. Richard B. “Dick” Williamson, formerly of Ransom, passed away Friday, February 7th at the age of eighty-three. Dick was a true pioneer of the Ag retail industry and was very active in the Ransom community. Dick owned and operated Ransom Fertilizer since 1978.IFCA sends our heartfelt condolences to his brother Donald a ... more. |
Classroom Full
Please select a different location
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, an ... more. |
Illinois legislators were in session Tuesday through Thursday of this week. While the Senate has scheduled a handful of committees, most of the action will continue to be behind the scenes as legislators negotiate and file their bills ahead of the Feb 7th bill filing deadline. After this week, the General Assembly will take a week off before returning to Springfield the third week of February. That week Governor JB ... more. |
As IFCA and fertilizer advocates continue to work through the effort to add phosphate and potash to the USGS Critical Minerals list, Many in the fertilizer industry clearly took note of Trump’s executive order entitled Unleashing American Energy, which includes
Section 9 excerpted below:
Sec. 9.Restoring America’s Mineral Dominance.
(a) The Secretary of the Interio ... more. |
As we approach the spring season, all growers or grower farm operators who transport or apply anhydrous ammonia, or otherwise maintain anhydrous ammonia equipment, shall be certified. This rule went into effect April 1, 2022. Growers and grower farm operators handling anhydrous ammonia must participate in refresher training every three years. IFCA has prepared a Frequently Asked Questions document you can review an ... more. |
Below shows the daily maximumtemperature of4 inch bare soil fromthe previous day.
Source: Illinois State Water Survey
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China imposed targeted tariffs on American imports on started Tuesday. President Trump’s imposition of a 10% tariff on all Chinese imports underscored the attempt by Chinese policymakers to engage Trump in talks to avert an outright trade war between the world’s two largest economies. China’s additional tariffs would apply to about $20 billion of annual imports, compared with the $450 billio ... more. |
EPA requires a label accompany every pesticide to the end user. This can be a challenge for retailers that provide custom application services. To help remedy this issue, the Applicator Manual was created and is designed to be placed in each piece of application, nurse or tender equipment, to provide operators and handlers access to label information.
These handy 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" manuals have over ... more. |
As a reminder as we approach fall application season, all growers or grower farm operators who transport or apply anhydrous ammonia, or otherwise maintain anhydrous ammonia equipment, shall be certified. This rule went into effect April 1, 2022. Growers and grower farm operators handling anhydrous ammonia must participate in refresher training every three years.IFCA has prepared a Frequently Asked Questions d ... more. |
President Donald Trump has agreed to pause new tariffs on Canadian goods for at least 30 days after a call with him and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday.
In order to pause Trump’s tariff order, Canada agreed to take a number of steps towards addressing US border security and drug trafficking concerns. These steps were outlined in a post from Trudeau on X.
Earlier today, Trump ... more. |
Saturday the Trump Administration announced the imposition of tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China through three separate Executive Orders (EOs) using the President’s authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Those EOs have been publicly released, and this alert provides a summary of the Canadian tariff Order.
25% tariffs on goods from Canada: All imports f ... more. |
Many news sources are reporting that President Trump plans to follow through on Saturday on his threat to impose 25 percent tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada.
“‘We’ll be announcing the tariffs on Canada and Mexico for a number of reasons,’ Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. He cited the influx of migrants at the southern border, the flow of fentanyl into the United State ... more. |
Several pieces of legislation aimed at PFAS have been filed in the first two weeks of the 104th Illinois General Assembly. PFAS represent a complex family of thousands of human-made chemicals used in a wide range of consumer and industrial products. Similar to previous years, several bills have been filed on the issue of PFAS, including:
HB 1295 (Kelly-D) - Requires, on or before January 1, 2027, a manuf ... more. |
In case you missed the announcement during the annual meeting, we’re thrilled to let you know that our office has officially moved to a new location! This exciting change marks a new chapter for the IFCA staff. The transition to the new space is already underway, and we’re excited about what the future holds in our new home. Starting immediately please send all correspondences to:
1 ... more. |
Reminder to CCA’s to explore this newopportunity to become a Technical Service Provider (TSP) and be eligible to provide this service to your customers and clients. Illinois has numerous RCPP projects in the state and is in need of additional TSP’s. As a Certified Crop Adviser or Certified Professional Soil Scientist, you now have the ability to become a Technical Services Provider, or ... more. |
Last week, Brooke Rollins answered questions from members of the Senate Committee on Agricultureat her confirmation hearing for USDA Secretary. Trade was a major theme during the hearing; Ms. Rollins also expressed her eagerness to work with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other agencies to support agriculture. IFCAlooks forward to working with Ms. Rollins once confirmed to the Secretary r ... more. |
EPA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) signed a Joint Statement of Cooperation to better align EPA’s strategies for protecting endangered species from exposure to pesticides with FWS’s consultation processes. This coordination will help EPA meet its obligations under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and allows both agencies to increase the efficiency of consultations which are required when pe ... more. |
On Jan. 15, the maximum OSHA penalties for serious and other-than-serious violations will increase from $16,131 to $16,550 per violation. The maximum penalty for willful or repeated violations will increase from $161,323 to $165,514 per violation. For additional details, visit OSHA’s penalties page.
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Legislators returned to Springfield this week for the first full week of session since the inauguration. With committees still being filled and bills being filed at a quick pace, most of the work this week will take place behind the scenes as legislators, advocates and lobbyists begin negotiations on items that have been or will be filed.
The primary issue that will shape this year's session is the sta ... more. |
The 2025 IFCA Convention wrapped up last week in Peoria, IL. We would like to thank all our exhibitors, attendees and speakers for participating and making this year's show another memorable event. Here are just a few snippets of last week’s convention. Mark your calendar for next year’s convention, which will be held January 20th-22nd, 2026, in Peoria, IL.
... more. |
EPA released a draft scientific report last that found that people living near farms and other sites where sewage sludge is spread as fertilizer can exceed EPA's safety thresholds for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Known as “forever chemicals,” these products were used in consumer products for decades and are now found in soil, drinking water, and wastewater across the world.
T ... more. |
The EPAreleased a proposed registration decision for three products with florylpicoxamid, a new active ingredient targeting fungi that causes damage and financial loss. The EPA released its human health risk assessment, ecological risk assessments and draft biological evaluation (BE), with the latter including EPA’s Likely to Adversely Affect (LAA) determination under the Endangered Species Ac ... more. |
As the labor landscape continues to pose challenges, more businesses are turning to H-2 visas to solve their shortages—ensure you have the tools to be successful with these highly regulated programs.
Learn the in's and out's of both the H-2A and H-2B programs for employers in the live webinar hosted by IFCA's national partner,The Ag Retailers Association (ARA) and másLabor on Feb. ... more. |
President Donald Trump took office for the second time Monday, declaring that the “golden age of America begins right now,” and laying out top policy priorities that include raising tariffs, reclaiming the Panama Canal, securing the southern border and ending the “Green New Deal.” Following his 30-minute address, Trump began issuing executive orders well into the evening. Many of those could ... more. |
AG-SOLVE PAC is hosting its annual live and silent auction. Contributions to AG-SOLVE allow IFCA to lobby effectively by making it possible to attend legislative fundraisers to support lawmakers who in turn support the agricultural input industry. AG-SOLVE also attends events to get to know urban legislators who are not familiar with the agribusiness industry. These events give IFCA direct access to legislators ... more. |
IFCA national partner, the Ag Retailers Association is hosting a webinar onStorage & Handling Pesticide. The webinar will beheld February 11th. This webinaris geared to applicator personnel. Learn how to deal with compatibility, mixing, cold water, pumps, hoses, and issues. Click Here to register.
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There many issues facing the ag input industry going into 2025. Register for the IFCA Convention next week in Peoria and find out what those issues are and how the industry is taking them head on. The IFCA Conventiongivesopportunities to network with industry peers and grow your business. This show is where ag input industry meets!
IFCA Convention and Trade is next w ... more. |
This week, U.S. Senateleaders received a letter of support for U.S. Secretary of Agriculture nominee Brooke Rollins from more than 420 industry groups, including the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association. The letter urges a speedy confirmation process to allow the new Ag Secretary to address the Farm Bill and many other pressing issues in agriculture and food production. Click Here to view the ... more. |
IFCA is seeking members that have interest in the political policy process to serve on IFCA’s legislative committee. The IFCA legislative committee not only tracks legislative updates within Washington DC and Springfieldbut also helps craft legislative ideas that will help the ag input industry.
Responsibilities of the committee include:
Identify the association’s ... more. |
On Feb.19, NALC The National Ag Law Centerwill cover what is in the proposed ESA listing decision for the monarch butterfly and go over which aspects of the proposal are expected to impact agriculture.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has officially proposed to list the monarch butterfly as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). When a species is listed under the ESA ... more. |
Brian Lutz leads the Farming Solutions & Digital sub-function within the Research & Development organization for Corteva Agriscience. In his role, Brian is responsible for the development of digital solutions that support the R&D pipeline and enable Corteva’s business. He also serves as a member of the R&D Leadership team. Brian joined Corteva in 2021 in the Portfolio Strategy Prog ... more. |
Join us Wednesday, January 22nd,where Harrison Pittman, Director of the National Agricultural Law Center, and Brian Lutz, who leads the Farming Solutions & Digital sub-function within the R&D organization for Corteva Agriscience, will kick off the IFCA General Session.
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We look forward to seeing everyone Thursday for the Applicator Training Session and Educational/Regulatory Session.
Click here to see the entire convention schedule, orhere to register!
Thursday, January 23 – Applicator Training, 9:00am – 12:00pm in Room 400
Moderated by KJ Johnson
9:00 Avoiding Sprayer Contamination (Dr Bryan Young, Pur ... more. |
Harrison Pittman serves as Director of the National Agricultural Law Center, the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law, after attending Mississippi State University and graduating from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He then earned an LL.M. in Agricultural Law from th ... more. |
We are excited to highlight the afternoon speakers for what will be an excellent CCA Session on Tuesday, January 21st, at the 2025 IFCA Convention.
Make sure you register today!
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John Pike lives in Marion, IL and operates Pike Ag, LLC, providing agronomic consulting and contract research services for the ag industry. He is the Southern IL Coordinator for Nutrient Research Education Council (NREC) nitrogen management research conducted by the IL Fertilizer and Chemical Association and also involved in various cover crop research projects and educational efforts. He was former ... more. |
Dr. Aaron Hager is a professor of weed science in the Department of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois. He has more than 30 years of weed science experience and assists agronomic crop producers manage weeds by implementing sustainable practices. The focus of Dr. Hager’s research program is to develop innovative weed management approaches with an emphasis on addressing contemporary weed species in ... more. |
We have an exceptional group of speakers scheduled for the CCA Session on Tuesday at the IFCA Convention.We have listed the morning session speakers below for your reference.
Still plenty of time to register for next week’sIFCA Convention.
We are excited to see everyone next weekand have an all-star lineup of speakers!
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Dr. Margenot is an Associate Professor at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he has since 2017 worked on soil fertility and nutrient management. His team takes a biogeochemical approach to understanding and managing the mechanisms that underpin soil functions in cropping systems. A large emphasis of this work is on soil organic matter, nutrient mineralization, and nitrogen and phosphorus use efficie ... more. |
Dr. Yu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research interest is at the intersection of watershed hydrology, nitrogen biogeochemistry, and agricultural sciences. He is also interested in developing and applying novel stable isotope techniques to trace coupled water and nitrogen transport in agricultural ... more. |
KJ is the President of the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association. He has been with IFCA since 2013 and has served as President since 2021. He is involved in the management of the IFCA including oversight of regulatory and legislative issues and the development of programs that promote stewardship and safety for the nutrient and agrichemical industry. Before coming to IFCA, he worked o ... more. |
Connor Sible is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois.He received his BS, MS, and PhD degrees in Crop Sciences from the University of Illinois. His research has focused on categorizing biological/biostimulant products and in understanding where, how, and why they work to improve fertilizer use efficiency and increase crop yields.He also uses ... more. |
Leanna Leverich Nigon is the Director of Agronomy & Research at The Fertilizer Institute, where she leads the Science and Research Program focused on 4R nutrient stewardship. She works to align research with industry needs, creating tools and resources to support farmers and the fertilizer sector. Leanna holds a BS in Agronomy and Communications from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and an MS and ... more. |
Dr. John Jones is an Assistant Professor of Agronomy and Soil Fertility Extension Specialist at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. His emphasis is on fertilizer and soil management, soil and plant analysis, precision agriculture technologies, and minimizing nitrogen and phosphorus management impacts on water quality. He is an alumnus of Kansas State Univ. (BSc) and Iowa State University (MSc & PhD ... more. |
Yikes! Only nine more days until the opening session of the 2025 IFCA Convention and Tradeshow. Do you still need a room at the Pere Marquette at the block rate of $179? Good news, I have rooms that I can assign to our attendees. However, the number of rooms is limited, and they are filling up quickly. If you still need a room, please contact Leslie Forrest (309.660.1971 or leslief@i ... more. |
Do you have any employees who need to acquire or renew their competent ammonia certification ahead of the spring season? If so, IFCA will be hosting a NH3 safety school at the IFCA Convention at the Peoria Civic Center on Wednesday, January 22nd from 9am – noon.
Please click here to register for the training.
For those who are interested in becoming a certified trainer for anhydrou ... more. |
Andrew is an award-winning weather risk communicator and operational meteorologist at Nutrien. He specializes in forecasting high-impact weather events, mitigating exposure to weather risks, and ensuring the critical safety of our human and physical assets during severe weather events. He collaborates with theSafety Health & Environment team to provide critical weather safety training, pro ... more. |
Another facet of IFCA's advocacy focuses on the regulatory landscape, facilitating constructive dialogue with EPA and Illinois Department of AG. IFCA monitors and engages in regulatory issues as they arise in D.C. and Springfield. IFCA continues to promote transparency around all regulatory decisions, fostering a sound regulatory process.Below is one of the issues IFCA is watching closely in 2025 related ... more. |
On Wednesday night, the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the US Maritime Alliance (USMX), representing dockworkers and port operating companies respectively, announced they had reached a full tentative agreement on a new six-year contract. This avoids a January 15 strike that would have seen the shutdown of public port terminals across the East and Gulf coasts.
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The U.S. will consider whether to restrict drones made with Chinese and Russian parts over national security and espionage concerns, the Commerce Department said on last week. The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is examining the threats posed by foreign adversaries in drone supply chains and weighing new rules to limit imports, according to a statement soliciting public feedback to shape any future regulation ... more. |
The new year brings opportunities to network with industry peers and grow your business. There is no better way to do this than by attending the IFCA Convention and Trade Show.This show is where the ag input industry meets!
The IFCA Convention and Trade Showis just under two weeks away and now is the time to register! Find out everything you need to know about the show here.
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If you have not yet pre-registered to attend the IFCA convention, you still have time. Click here to be directed to the IFCA website.Click on the "Convention" tab where we have the schedule of events and online registration available.We recommend pre-registering to avoid lines at the on-site registration booth.
We have a great trade show, combined with anhydrous ammonia training ... more. |
We are officially two weeks away from the IFCA Convention and Trade Show in Peoria! We wanted to provide you with some important information about the upcoming event.
Registration will open at 7:30am on Tuesday morning (Jan 21st ) with the CCA session beginning at 8:30am. You can pick up your name badges and program schedule at the registration desk on the main floor.This year the annual meeting will ... more. |
When you add it all up, hundreds of hours of planning go into IFCA's Convention and Trade show (January 21-23, 2025). Putting it all together is definitely a lot of work. But the payoff is to see all the IFCAmembers and friends come to Peoria, participate in many of the sessions, discussions, and enjoying the hospitality. That's probably what makes IFCA's Convention andTrade Show ... more. |
IFCA wishes our members a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Thank you for supporting your Association throughout the year and in the years to come.
We look forward to seeing you in January at the IFCA Convention, January 21-23, 2025at the Peoria Civic Center. Click on our Convention link atwww.ifca.comto see the program and to register.
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IFCA national partner, Th Ag Retailers Association is having an Adjuvants and Herbicides webinar, to be held Jan. 7, 2025 It will explain how to optimize performance while minimizing crop response. Certified Crop Advisers will earn one Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) program IPM CEU for attending this webinar.
Register now for the third webinar in the newAdjuvant Advantage for the Sales Agronomist ... more. |
CropLife magazine has published the annual CropLife 100 Ag Retailers for 2024. The listings are of the largest US ag retailers ranked by sales.
This year, there was significant movement within the top-ranking companies due to the merger of two large Indiana-based Cooperatives. Co-Alliance and Ceres Solutions merged to create Keystone Cooperative, now No. 8 in the Top 10.
1. Nutrien ... more. |
Start the new year off right by attending the2025 IFCA Winter ConventionJanuary 21-23 in Peoria, IL! The show will host several events for all members of the industry. Visit theprogram pageon the IFCA website, where you can find information on exhibitors that will be attending, CCA Session, Regulatory Session, Ammonia Training, Pesticide Training and Testing, Keynote Address, Ag-Solve Auctio ... more. |
To access the IFCA Fall/Winter 2024 Newsletter click here. We have transitioned to a new digital format for the most recent Fall/Winter 2024 newsletter. When you first click on the newsletter, it offers a quick tutorial, which you can skip and access through the help menu at a later point. The new menu feature provides page view, content view, article narration along with direct links to the IFCA homepage, YouTube, ... more. |
IFCA has partnered with the Asmark Institute to offernew Safety Data Sheet manuals available to our members.Thismanual is designed for use at agrichemical facilities. It contains Safety Data Sheets for agricultural chemicals, fertilizers, fuels, paints and shop materials.The Asmark Institute publishes this manual annually and theinformation is created specifically for AG Retailers.&n ... more. |
IFCA will be offering four scholarships for the 2024-2025 school year to 4-year or Junior College students who are pursuing an education and a career in the crop input and protection industry.Scholarship applications can be accessed and completed by using the link below:
IFCA Scholarship Application Link:https://form.jotform.com/243013866770155
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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) this week announced a proposed rule to revoke tolerances for chlorpyrifos, which establish the amount of a pesticide that is allowed on food.
This rule revokes all tolerances for chlorpyrifos, except for those tolerances associated with the eleven food and feed crops that remain registered which includes alfalfa, apple, asparagus, cherry (tart), citrus, cotton, pea ... more. |
U.S. wildlife officials announced a decision Tuesday to extend federal protections to monarch butterflies.The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to add the butterfly to the threatened species list by the end of next year following an extensive public comment period.
The Endangered Species Act affords extensive protections to species the wildlife service lists as endangered or threatened. Unde ... more. |
EPA is proposing updated mitigation measures for the pesticide atrazine. This proposal contains mitigation measures to reduce exposure to non-target species and minimize impacts to federally endangered and threatened (listed) species and their designated critical habitats. The updated mitigation proposal also incorporates the revised level at which atrazine is expected to adversely affect aquatic plant communitie ... more. |
Start the new year off right by attending the 2025 IFCA Winter Convention January 21-23 in Peoria, IL! The show will host several events for all members of the industry. Visit the program page on the IFCA website, where you can find information on exhibitors that will be attending, CCA Session, Regulatory Session, Ammonia Training, Pesticide Training and Testing, Keynote Address, Ag-Solve Auction and Educational Se ... more. |
To access the IFCA Fall/Winter 2024 Newsletter click here. We have transitioned to a new digital format for the most recent Fall/Winter 2024 newsletter. The digital format is more user friendly and can be accessed from a desktop, tablet, or smartphone.When you first click on the newsletter link, it will give you the option of going througha quick tutorial. You can skip the tutorial and direclty access t ... more. |
IFCA regrets to inform you of the passing of Bob Jackson, who left this world on December 3, 2024. A tribute to his life and legacy can be viewed in the obituary available here. We invite you to take a moment to honor and remember his remarkable journey. Visitation will be Saturday, December 7 from 11:00 - 12:45 with a funeral mass to follow. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ... more. |
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing updated mitigation measures for the pesticide atrazine. This proposal contains mitigation measures to reduce exposure to non-target species and minimize impacts to federally endangered and threatened (listed) species and their designated critical habitats. The updated mitigation proposal also incorporates the revised level at which a ... more. |
Are you planning on attending the Annual Convention and Tradeshow January 21 – 23? Registration is now open.IFCA has put together a program that you won’t want to miss.Click on the convention tab on our website to find who is on the 2025 program.One major change to our program is that the annual meeting has been moved to Tuesday, January 21 at 4:00 pm.As a member of IFCA ... more. |
IFCA will be offering four scholarships for the 2024-2025 school year to 4-year or Junior College students who are pursuing an education and a career in the crop input and protection industry.Scholarship applications can be accessed and filled out by using the link below:
IFCA Scholarship Application Link:https://form.jotform.com/243013866770155
The scholarship application ... more. |
Every other month, Illinois Extension provides a newIllinois Pesticide Review Newsletter. Here you will find information on legislation, regulations and other developments directly impacting pesticide use in Illinois. The latestedition includes stories on:
Revised Pesticide Safety Education publications for 2024-2025
Pesticide applicator in-person training and testing locations and dates set f ... more. |
President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday nominated former White House aide Brooke Rollins to lead USDA.Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as his former domestic policy chief. She is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute.
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Seeds treated with neonicotinoids do not have to go through their own registration process, according to a ruling from a federal judge in California.The decision, issued last week, was a win for EPA and ag groups that intervened to defend its decision, and a defeat for environmental groups that had challenged the “treated article” exemption in federal pesticide law.
U.S. District Ju ... more. |
The IFCA staff and Board of Directors wish all our members along with your families a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.We appreciate your membership and continued support for IFCA. Be sure to keep visiting our website at www.ifca.com for updates on the 2025convention, pesticide training/testing, ammonia training along with information on legislative and regulatory issues.Contact our office at any tim ... more. |
Late last week, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced adoption of several changes to its Safety Measurement System (SMS), which is the methodology used to identify and prioritize motor carriers for roadside inspections and other interventions. These changes, which were initially proposed in February 2023, will be rolled out and implemented in the coming months.
The agency has de ... more. |
Please keep in mind, if you hire part time employees or growers to custom apply anhydrous ammonia on behalf of your business, they are required to complete anhydrous ammonia safety training. IFCA offers a 90-day training certificate that would satisfy the requirement of a competent attendant, at least temporarily. You can access this training by clicking on thislink.
If you are planning c ... more. |
For months now, statehouse insiders have been discussing whether there’s a need for a fall veto session this year.
As one person put it, veto sessions are for things that the governor and legislators “have to do.” But with no gubernatorial vetoes to deal with, is there anything that absolutely has to be done before the end of the year?
Gov. JB Pritzker said early in veto session, ... more. |
IFCA is offering four scholarships this school year for students pursuing a career in the crop production or protection industry. Four scholarships will be awarded: Three $1,500 scholarships and one $2,500 scholarship for the overall application selected. The scholarship application can be accessed and filled out online by clicking the link below. Please share this information with any students you know who would ... more. |
Registration is now open for the IFCA Winter Convention, go online to register and then mark your calendars for January 21-23, 2025.We have moved the annual meeting to Tuesday at 4:00 this year so be sure to attend and then head to the tradeshow for the Welcome Reception.Visit www.ifca.com and click on the drop-down menu under the ‘Convention’ tab.There you will find the program, inf ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing interim guidance to help in implementing the Agricultural Worker Protection Standard (WPS) Application Exclusion Zone (AEZ) final rule requirements.
The interim guidance addresses compliance with AEZs that extend off-establishment, determining the size of the AEZ using the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers standards for dro ... more. |
The Drift Reduction Adjuvants webinar, to be held Dec. 10, will demonstrate why drift reduction adjuvants (DRA's) should be included in every tank to save growers money and reduce complaints.Certified Crop Advisers will earn one Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) program IPM CEU for attending this webinar. Click Here to register.
Register now for the second webinar in the newAdjuvant Advantage fo ... more. |
EPA has indicated to the PRIA Coalition (Coalition) its intention to release an updated version of itsSpanish Translation Guide for Pesticide Labels(STGPL). The updated guide is expected to outline the Spanish labeling requirementsin PRIA 5, expand on the existing translations, and add new sections to the guide including Engineering Controls, Environmental Hazards, and Physical or Chemical Hazards ... more. |
State lawmakers convene for two separate legislative sessions during the year. The first is the spring (or regular) session, which spans from January through the end of May and adjourns once the state budget has been passed. In the fall, lawmakers return to the Capitol for a veto session that lasts two weeks.The 2024 fall veto session takes place from Nov. 12-14 and Nov. 19-21. While Gov. JB Pritzker did not ... more. |
IFCA will be offering four scholarships for the 2024-2025 school year to 4-year or Junior College students who are pursuing an education and a career in the crop input and protection industry.Scholarship applications can be accessed and filled out by using the link below:
IFCA Scholarship Application Link:https://form.jotform.com/243013866770155
The scholarship application&nb ... more. |
Check your inbox for an email that IFCA sent November 5th regarding nominations for our board of directors. Once again, we are utilizing an online nomination and election system for board seats. If you are a voting member an email from "noreply@electionrunner.com" that has a link to the online platform was emailed to you. With several board seats up for election this year, make sure to check your email ... more. |
On several occasions IFCA receives phone calls from our members seeking companies that offer pesticide or hazardous waste disposal.We have updated a list of those companies that offer fee-based pesticide disposal.To access the list, please click here.
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The Directions Grouphas announced the release of a new report, "Farm Bill Programs and the Role of Crop Protection Tools,"which identifies significant impacts on the farm bill and federal agricultural policy if U.S. farmers lost access to glyphosate, the most commonly used herbicide. The commodities, conservation, nutrition, and crop insurance titles are among the key farm bill provisions pote ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute's Senior Economist Veronica Nigh launches a new series exploring the economic overviews of different fertilizer products.This week's focus is on Ammonia.Click Here to watch the video.
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USDA published its Pesticide Data Program (PDP) Annual Summary, which showed that more than 99 percent of the samples tested had pesticide residues below benchmark levels established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
In 2023, tests were conducted on 9,832 samples from 21 commodities of fresh and processed fruits and vegetables, and nuts. The annual pesticide residue results are reported to the ... more. |
AG-SOLVE PAC is hosting its fifth annual live and silent auction. Contributions to AG-SOLVE allow IFCA to lobby effectively by making it possible to attend legislative fundraisers to support lawmakers who in turn support the agriculture input industry.
AG-SOLVE also attends events to get to know urban legislators who are not familiar with the agribusiness industry. These events give IFCA direct access to leg ... more. |
The Illinois Fertilizer and ChemicalAssociation is proud to recognize and honor the courageous men and women who have served our great country. We are grateful for sacrifices made by our veterans, who have dedicated their lives to protecting the freedoms we hold. Today, we reflect on their courage, resilience, and commitment to our nation.To all those who have served, thank you. Your service and sacrifi ... more. |
VisitIFCA's homepage to view the 4-inch bare soil daily maximum temperature from the previous day.
This information is provided by the Illinois State Water Survey.
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Click the links below to view videos coveringresearchthat was funded in part by the Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council and conducted in collaboration with the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association. Thesevideos wereproduced with support from the Illinois Soybean Association checkoff program and the Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council.
Tracking ... more. |
IFCA will be offering four scholarships for the 2024-2025 school year to 4-year or Junior College students who are pursuing an education and a career in the crop input and protection industry.Scholarship applications can be accessed and filled out by using the link below:
IFCA Scholarship Application Link:https://form.jotform.com/243013866770155
The scholarship application&nb ... more. |
Check your inbox for an email that IFCA sent November 5th regarding nominations for our board of directors. Once again, we are utilizing an online nomination and election system for board seats. If you are a voting member an email from "noreply@electionrunner.com" that has a link to the online platform was emailed to you. With several board seats up for election this year, make sure to check your email ... more. |
Illinois House R’s Out Pace Expectations
This fall, Speaker Chris Welch spoke of the possibility of House Democrats picking up 4-5 seats on Tuesday.The House Republicans’ determination in these precincts paid off, despite being vastly outspent. There is a real possibility that the House Democrats might not pick up any new seats this cycle.As of this writing, without a full count and ... more. |
As of this morning, there will be no major changes in Illinois on US House seats.Democrats will hold 14 of the 17 seats in Illinois. The three Republicans will be Mike Bost, Mary Miller and Darin LaHood.
In the 2018 midterm election, Democrats took wide control of the US House picking up forty-one seats. Republicans responded by picking up a handful of seats in the 2020 General Election b ... more. |
Former President Donald Trump will return to the White House.Trump won the key states of Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, with a combined 29 electoral votes to clinch the 270 necessary to win the presidency. As of early this morning, Trump had 277 electoral votes total.
This morning, Donald Trump was up 71,681,676 to Kamala Harris’s 66,770,049 in the popular vote.
In Illinois, Donald Trump ... more. |
This fall, Speaker Chris Welch spoke of the possibility of House Democrats picking up 4-5 seats on Tuesday.The House Republicans’ determination in these precincts paid off, despite being vastly outspent. There is a real possibility that the House Democrats might not pick up any new seats this cycle.As of this writing, without a full count and late-arriving mail-in ballots yet to be tallied, House ... more. |
Today is the day! Take a few minutes and vote because voting is just as important as ever before! Avoid the regret of not taking the time to cast your ballot. Whether focused on the Office of President of the United States or individual state races, the outcome of tomorrow's election will impact the ag input industry, so it is important that our industry supports pro-agricultural candidates and legislators who ... more. |
On Friday, November 15, 2024 CropLife Media will have anexpert panel for an interactive discussion on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) final Herbicide Strategy and its impact on farmers, ag retailers, and suppliers.
Learn about mitigation measures to reduce pesticide movement from treated fields, compliance and enforcement of the Herbicide Strategy, and the roles ag retailers ... more. |
IF you missed it last week, IFCA and Dr. Emerson Nafziger recorded a webinar focusing on fall nitrogen applications. The recording can be found on the IFCA homepage,www.ifca.com, or onIFCA's youtube page.
Earlier this week, Giovani Preza Fontes, John Jones and Emerson Nafziger wrote a farmdoc Bulletin, “Considerations for Fall Application of Anhydrous Ammonia”, addressing fall ammon ... more. |
This week, IFCA and Dr. Emerson Nafziger recorded a webinar focusing on fall nitrogen applications. The recording can be found on the IFCA homepage, www.ifca.com, or on IFCA's youtube page.
Earlier this week, Giovani Preza Fontes, John Jones and Emerson Nafziger wrote a farmdoc Bulletin, “Considerations for Fall Application of Anhydrous Ammonia”, addressing fall ammonia application timi ... more. |
A judge in Massachusetts has dismissed portions of a lawsuit filed by a plaintiff who claimed that use of Roundup caused her to develop non-Hodgkin's lymphoma after determining that the failure-to-warn claims included in the complaint were preempted by federal law. The question of whether state law failure-to-warn claims are preempted by provisions of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIF ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
Who Attends
The IFCA convention is attended by over 1,000 members of the Association including the management and staff from ag retail organizations, agrichemical and nutrient manufacturers and distributors, equipment suppliers and other industry service providers. It is the premier industry event for the ag input supply and service industry in Illinois.
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A new online dashboard brings together a variety of regularly updated fertilizer transportation data. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service recently launched theFertilizer Transportation Dashboardto help build resilience in the agrifood supply chain by providing needed visibility into transportation markets through publicly available data.
The dashboard offers indicators inclu ... more. |
Bergschneider waselectedon October 25 at the97th National FFA Convention & Expoin Indianapolis, where he was selected from a pool of 37 candidates. As National FFA President, he will represent and lead more than a million FFA members across the country, working alongside a dedicated team of five other officers to drive the organization’s mission of developing future leaders throu ... more. |
A Red Flag Warning has been issued for parts of Illinois and Indiana for today and tomorrow by the National Weather Service. Farmers are urged to be careful with machinery and prepare for the increased possibility of field fires.
Red Flag Warnings are issued when the following conditions exist. Ten-hour fuels of 8% or less. This parameter describes how much water is held by small vegetation suc ... more. |
The Mosaic Company says it’s phosphate mining and production in Florida has resumed at most sites after being struck by hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Josh Linville with Stone X says getting that production back is important. “Not only from the location perspective, but the calendar timing perspective.”
Click Here to read more.
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The USDA says continued dry weather is pushing Illinois harvest progress. DeWitt County farmer Andrew Newberg says he’ll finish this week.
“Very, very confident going in that we were probably gonna set records on the soybean side.” He says, “I ended up having my second-best soybean crop, which isn’t bad by any means, but it actually was a bushel and a half le ... more. |
When Hiro Iwanaga co-founded TalusAg, a company to develop local production of green ammonia for fertilisers, food security in sub-Saharan Africa was top of mind. There, almost all fertiliser is imported so it’s highly vulnerable to any disruption in supply chains and can cost twice as much as it does in the U.S, where his company is based. Hardly surprising, then, that farmers apply a fraction of what’ ... more. |
Recently,CropLife®checked in with Scott Rawlins, Director of Government Relations for theCouncil of Producers and Distributors of Agrochemicals(CPDA), on the EPA’s final Herbicide Strategy.
CL: In August, the EPA released its final Herbicide Strategy in response to its obligations to theEndangered Species Act. How significant is this for our industry?
... more. |
Liberty Ultra herbicide, powered by Glu-L Technology has received U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registration and is now approved for use, subject to state approvals.
Liberty Ultra herbicide, containing the active ingredient glufosinate-P-ammonium, also referred to as L-glufosinate ammonium, is the next generation of Liberty herbicide from BASF.
Click Here to read more.
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Following the nurse tank safety advisory issued earlier this year by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), you may find yourself needing to perform additional testing and repairs on a nurse tank. Here are three things to know:
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Become an Exhibitor
Thank you for your interest in exhibiting at the IFCA Convention and Trade Show. It’s a great place to start off the year learning about industry trends, picking up educational credits and networking with your peers. We look forward to working with you! Please consider participating in one of the most consistently successful shows for the fertilizer and a ... more. |
Listen to IFCA's national partner, The Fertilizer Institute's Veronica Nigh and Ryan Bowley discuss the aftermath of Hurricane Milton and what it means for the fertilizer industry through the lenses of transportation and economics. Watch the discussion here.
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For the third consecutive year, historically low water levels on the lower Mississippi River are impacting the supply chain. While it isn’t translating into lost export business for the U.S., it’s having a negative impact on basis levels as higher transportation costs are passed on.
A lack of rain has led to reduced barge draft and tow sizes along the Mississippi river system, causing delays an ... more. |
Fertilizer producer Mosaic estimates 200,000 to 250,000 tons of production were lost due to facility closures from Hurricane Milton, reports Agri-Pulse. Mosaic accounts for 73% of North American phosphate production and 40% of potash production annually.
But all Mosaic phosphate production sites except the Riverside location have resumed normal operations. Two potash mine sites at South Fort Meade an ... more. |
A federal judge in the Southern District of Florida has recommended that an on-going Clean Water Act (CWA) case be resolved in favor of the defendant landowner in one of the first court opinions to interpret and apply the 2023 Supreme Court decisionSackett v. EPA.
According to the judge’s Report and Recommendation, a legal action initiated by the federal government against a landowner acc ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is registering a new active ingredientglufosinate-Pto control weeds in conventional and glufosinate-resistant field corn, sweet corn, soybean, cotton and canola. EPA is also releasing its final biological evaluation for the active ingredient under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to further goals outlined in theApril 2022 ESA Workplan.Gluf ... more. |
IFCA's national partner, the Ag Retailers Association, and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) held a webinar on NH3 nurse tank saftey. The webinar specifically covered the recent Nurse Tank Safety Advisory issued by U.S. DOT's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Click here to view the webinar where you can fin ... more. |
This week the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association and the Illinois Corn Growers put out a joint statement regarding fall anhydrous ammonia application with abnormally dry conditions in most of the state of Illinois. Click here to read the statement. We arealsoasking members to be vigilant of what soil temperatures are in the coming weeks.If you have any questions regarding fall anhydrou ... more. |
Last week IFCA's national partner, the Ag Retailers Association, and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) held a webinar on NH3 nurse tank saftey. The webinar specifically covered the recent Nurse Tank Safety Advisory issued by U.S. DOT's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Click here to view the webinar where you ... more. |
A new online dashboard brings together a variety of regularly updated fertilizer transportation data.
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service recently launched theFertilizer Transportation Dashboardto help build resilience in the agrifood supply chain by providing needed visibility into transportation markets through publicly available data.
The dashboard offers indicator ... more. |
The EPA updated its mitigation menu website to include all current measures to reduce exposure to nontarget species from pesticide runoff from ag uses, providing options to growers as part of future pesticide labels that implement EPA’s finalAugust 2024 Herbicide Strategy.
The website currently includes runoff/erosion mitigation options; EPA will update the website in the future with spray drif ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is registering a new active ingredientglufosinate-Pto control weeds in conventional and glufosinate-resistant field corn, sweet corn, soybean, cotton and canola. EPA is also releasing its final biological evaluation for the active ingredient under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to further goals outlined in theApril 2022 ESA Workplan.Gluf ... more. |
Dr. Aaron Hager at the University of Illinois released this week an article titled “EPA's Final Herbicide Strategy for ESA: What Could Change”, describingwhat is listed in the final herbicide strategy and how this will affect pesticide use moving forward.
Last week, Dr. Hager spoke at the IFCA Board of Directors fall board meeting to go in great detail onwhat this means for ag&n ... more. |
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) recently released a proposed rule aimed at “modernizing and simplifying hazardous material transportation regulations.” The proposal includes numerous changes to the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMRs) covering transportation by rail, highway, and vessel. Many of these changes are based upon recommendations from federal-private sector ... more. |
USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) announced several key outcomes from a workshop to develop a research roadmap that would lead to short and long-term science-based solutions to meet the emerging challenges posed by the discovery of Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in agricultural soils and waters.
The suggested long-term roadmap solutions for improving these circumstances incl ... more. |
As we begin the transition into cooler soil temperatures and hopefully receiving some much-needed moisture prior to fall ammonia season, here are fifteen key safety reminders to keep foremost in your mind when handling anhydrous ammonia. If you have any questions related to ammonia safety, training, equipment requirements, or ammonia regulations, please contact John Rebholz at john@ifca.com
1. ... more. |
Hotel Reservations
Peoria Marriott Pere Marquette
Room Rate: $179 + Tax
Discover historic elegance with a modern edge at Peoria's premier hotel. Room rates for a Non-smoking Single King or Double/Double room are $179 + tax. You may reserve your room online at the Pere Marquette by clicking the link below or call (309) 637-6500 and reference the room block for the "Illinois Fertilizer ... more. |
IFCA's nation partner, the Ag Retailers Association is doing a webinar regarding the recent Nurse Tank Safety Advisory issued by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).Register to attend this webinar on October 15 at 2:00 pm to ask questions in real time with subject matter experts at the Department of Transportation ( ... more. |
IFCA's national partners, CropLife America andAgricultural Retailers Associationfiled a motion on October 1 to strike one of plaintiffs’ declarations in the federal treated seed litigation.Plaintiffs use that declaration to support their argument that the treated article exemption under FIFRA should not apply to treated seeds. The motion seeks to strike the declaration because it relies ... more. |
On Wednesday this week, the IFCA Board of Directors met at the IFCA Office in Bloomington for one of their quarterly meetings. Topics discussed included the upcoming 2025 IFCA Winter Convention, ongoing 4R research, as well as running legislation next spring session to approve CEU credits for pesticide licensing. Dr. Aaron Hager also presented to the Boardthe current state of the herbicide strategy.
... more. |
EPA has issued new mitigation requirements for chlorpyrifos, including restrictions on when, where and how to apply the insecticide, in an effort to “protect endangered species.”
The agency will issue a proposed rule soon to revoke chlorpyrifos tolerances associated with all food uses, except for 11 food and feed crops. A federal appeals court ordered the agency in 2022 to re-examine its ... more. |
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are releasing a new web-based tool on the Unified Website for Biotechnology Regulation for companies that develop microbial biotechnology products.
The tool provides users, through a series of prompts, with information on regulatory requirements for biotechnology ... more. |
Every other month, Illinois Extension provides a newIllinois Pesticide Review Newsletter. Here you will find information on legislation, regulations and other developments directly impacting pesticide use in Illinois. The latestedition includes stories on:
Draft Insecticide Strategy Released by EPA
DIY Spray and Aerosol Products Like to Fail in German Cockroach Control
Emergence of a New Ill ... more. |
This week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is announcing a final rule to restore the pesticide Application Exclusion Zone (AEZ) requirements under the 2015 Agricultural Worker Protection Standard (WPS). The AEZ is an area surrounding outdoor pesticide application equipment where people are prohibited while pesticides are applied. This rule finalizes the agency’s 2023 proposed rule without change and a ... more. |
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signedAB 1042, which introduces new state requirements for the sale and use of seeds that have been coated with pesticides.This reporting program is the first of its kind in the United States.
Under the new requirements, starting January 1, 2026, it will be a violation of California law to sell or use seeds that have been treated with a pesticide that ... more. |
A major union for U.S. dockworkers and the United States Maritime Alliance agreed late on Thursday to a tentative deal on wages and have extended their existing contract through Jan. 15 to provide time to negotiate a new contract.
The move ends a strike that had snarled East Coast and Gulf Coast ports since the beginning of the week and threatened U.S. supply of fruits, automobiles and other goods.Th ... more. |
A new NTSB report on an ammonia tanker-truck crash that occurred a year ago in Teutopolis included an interview with a 17-year-old Ohio girl who concedes that the semi-truck was forced off the road when she passed it with the minivan she was driving.
The tanker slowed and pulled to the right to allow the minivan to get back in the right-hand lane and avoid a head-on collision with oncoming traffic on the t ... more. |
This week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to add 16 individual per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and 15 PFAS categories representing more than 100 individual PFAS to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). It would also designate them as chemicals of special concern so they must meet more robust reporting requirements, including reporting even for small concentrations. This propose ... more. |
The Grain and Feed Association of Illinois (GFAI) and the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA) have been in talks with the Illinois Department of Labor regarding granting permits for exemptions to the One Day Rest In Seven Act for each of our respective industries. In the past, GFAI and IFCA have applied to the Illinois Department of Labor for an industry exemption to the One Day In Seven Act ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing its Vulnerable Species Action Plan (VSAP), finalizing its transition from its June 2023 Vulnerable Species Pilot (VSP) in order to help conserve federally threatened and endangered (listed) species from pesticides. As part of implementing EPA’s Endangered Species Act Workplan, the VSAP is intended to provide a framework for EPA to adopt ea ... more. |
The Equity hosted the latest IFCA Regulatory Group Meeting yesterday in Effingham, IL. We had a great turnout and want to thank The Equity for having the meeting at their facility. The next meeting will take place in January at the IFCA Winter Convention, where all members are welcome to attend and participate.
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IFCA was in Washington DC this week meeting with the Illinois congressional delegation, USDA, and EPA. IFCA also met with the Illinois delegation pertaining to ongoing conversations surrounding moving the farm bill to the end of November and December. Click here to view some of the top priorities that IFCA is asking for in the farm bill. IFCA also spoke about labor and transportation struggles going on inside the ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing an amendment to the existing stocks provisions for the Kaizen Technologies LLC (Kaizen) chlorpyrifos end-use product “Bifenchlor” to allow for sale, distribution, and use for a limited time. The 2023 court decision vacating the 2021 chlorpyrifos tolerance revocation rule reinstated tolerances for products that registrants had previously voluntari ... more. |
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The Grain and Feed Association of Illinois (GFAI) and the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA) have been in talks with the Illinois Department of Labor regarding granting permits for exemptions to the One Day Rest In Seven Act for each of our respective industries. In the past, GFAI and IFCA have applied to the Illinois Department of Labor for an industry exemption to the One Day In Seven Act ... more. |
IFCA is saddened to learn of the passing of our friend Mark Killian. Mark A Killian of Towanda formerly of Melvin passed away Sunday, September 15 at the age of seventy-nine. Mark had a true passion for Agriculture and the Ag Retail Industry. Mark owned and operated Ag Service II in Melvin before semi-retiring in 1998. Mark then started Johnny on the Spot and in 2014 passed down the business to his son Steve.&nbs ... more. |
The Illinois Secretary of State has released an updated section to the CDL Study Guide. This insert containsinformation for a CDL applicant to successfully complete a pre-trip inspection and basic control skills exam on or after September 1st, 2024. This updated insert replaces pages 140-152 in the current CDL Study Guide. IFCAis pleasedto report that Illinois SOS has removed the parallel parkin ... more. |
IFCA is calling on our members to send a message to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to underscore the negative impact that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) waiver request for its Advanced Clean Fleets regulations would have on agricultural retailers and other industries operating heavy-duty diesel trucks.
Why? Because it would mandate them to replace their entire fleet with zer ... more. |
IFCA, Illinois Soybean Association and the 4R Field Day Alliance hosted a great field dayat the Farm Progress showgrounds in Decatur, IL, last Thursday. Recent research on practices outlinedin the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategywas shared with attendees, along withnumerous demonstrations highlightingcover crops and cover crop applications. IFCA would like to thank everyone wh ... more. |
IFCA had a great week traveling across the state conducting NH3 competent attendant training to members. If anyone at your facility is still in need of trainingahead of thefall season, make sure to sign up for the last in-person training October 8th in Bloomington, IL, at the Asmark Agricenter.
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IFCA's President KJ Johnson met with Ag Director Jerry Costello and his leadership team on Tuesday. IFCA and IDOA hold regular meetings together, where the focus surrounds keeping ahead of potential issues in the ag input industry.
Much of the discussion in recent meetings has surrounded building a continuous education program for pesticide licensing, fertilizer prices, ammonia safety, and the general ... more. |
Bayer may get a date before the Supreme Court where it can argue that the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) preempts state laws that have allowed plaintiffs who claim Roundup caused their cancer to prevail in court.The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia recently ruled that since Pennsylvania’s state law requiring companies to warn consumers about their products is ... more. |
IFCA’s national partner, The Ag Retailer Association and USDOT will be having a nurse tank safety discussion webinar. It will include information regarding the recent Nurse Tank Safety Advisory issued by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
Presenters will discuss the safety advisory in detail, focu ... more. |
MAGIE 2024
August 21-22, 2024
McLean County Fairgrounds
1106 Interstate Drive
Bloomington, IL
Register Today!
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In last week’s Items we had a typo fornext year's MAGIE dates. We look forward to seeing everyone August 20th and 21st out at the McLean County Fairgrounds.
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Join us September 5th for a 4R Field Day at the Farm Progress Show Site in Decatur, IL (address seen below).
The event runs from 9:00am – 12:30pm and will include a great list of speakers and topics covering 4R Management, Cover Crop Management and Seeding Application, Corn Nutrient Placement, and more. Attached is an agenda for the event.
Please click here to preregi ... more. |
Learn what to do if a nurse tank fails one of the recommended safety tests and how to repair it (if authorized) in the Nurse Tank Safety Advisory Discussion webinar hosted by IFCA’s national partner, ARA, and the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The webinar speakers with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) wi ... more. |
Reuters reported this week that “a federal judge in Georgia has blocked the Biden administration from enforcing a rule that bars employers from retaliating against farmworkers who are in the U.S. on temporary H-2A visas and trying to form unions in 17 Republican-led states.”
“U.S. District Judge Lisa Wood in Brunswick, Georgia, said on Monday that the U.S. Department of Labor rule is inva ... more. |
Late last week, the Canadian government intervened in the railroad shutdown by ordering binding arbitration to end the labor dispute and the Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City to return to operations.
The shutdown would cause severe disruptions to the agricultural industry. We also thank IFCA members who weighed in with their members of Congress about the importance of preventing a ... more. |
IFCA would like to thank everyone who attended the 2024 MAGIE Show!We could nothave asked for better weather and better attendance for the show. MAGIE requires a lot of effort by IFCAstaff, exhibitors and volunteers, and we are extremely gratefulforthe turnout and overall success of the show. Thank you to all our exhibitors and to those who attended this year's event.
... more. |
This week, IFCA joined a coalition letter to EPA requesting an extension to the Draft Insecticide Strategy comment period by 90 days to give stakeholders an appropriate amount of time to review the extensive strategy, which would "profoundly and fundamentally alter thecontinued ability to access and use insecticides."
EPA responded in record time (3 days) with a rejection of the request by IFCA ... more. |
Attorneygenerals in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Carolina, and South Dakota petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to enact a rule that would create uniform labeling requirements across the U.S.
California’s Prop 65 currentlyrequires manufacturers to label products containing glyphosate as likely carcinogenic ... more. |
Agri-Pulse reports that the head of USDA’s Office of Pest Management Policy does notbelieveEPA can reapprove over-the-top uses of dicamba in time for the 2025 growing season. “I cannot envision a path by which EPA would actually be able to do it,” Kimberly Nesci said at the Sweetener Symposium.
EPA has statedthat under its timeline for approving “new uses&rdq ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold a public webinar on September 5, 2024, from 1-2 PM ET to provide an overview of its draft Insecticide Strategy. Released on July 25, 2024. Click here to register.
EPA believes the draft strategy identifies protections earlier in the pesticide review process, thus creating a far more efficient approach to evaluate and protect the species that live n ... more. |
IFCA isgearing up for the 4R Field Talk that will be held from 9am – 12:30pm on September 5th, at Richland Community College (Farm Progress Show Site) in Decatur, IL, with a meal provided. CEU’s will also be available. You can find more information on the event and the registration here.We encourageanyone wanting to attend to please register today.
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Partly cloudy and 79 degrees, that’s what the MAGIE show is going to feel like next week. Don’t be the one that doesn’t take advantage of a beautiful day and miss out on seeing the latest and greatest equipment and technology in the custom application industry. The last day to take advantage of the $12 admission price ends Monday, August 19th, and after that it will go up to $15 per person ... more. |
IFCA is proud to announce the finalists for the 2024 Custom Applicator of the Year Award. This award was created to recognize applicators that go above and beyond in their line of work to ensure thousands of acres are protected for their customers. Each week leading up to MAGIE we will feature one of the four finalists. We will be announcing the winner of the 2024 Custom Applicator of the Year award during the tail ... more. |
EPA is issuing a final order terminating food processing plant (food and non-food area) uses for Chemstarr’s “Chlorpyrifos 61.5% MUP” and food uses for Tide International’s “Chlorpyrifos 4 EC.”
EPA is also cancellingtwo Central Garden & Pet chlorpyrifos products “Equil Chlorpyrifos ULV 1” and “Equil Chlorpyrifos ULV 2.” EPA published the Notic ... more. |
Eighteen members of Congress are urging Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo “to carefully review the facts” before deciding whether to impose preliminary duties on 2,4-D imports from China and India, News outlets are reporting. The letter was led by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Reps. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., and Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif.
The International Trade Commission agreed in May to move ... more. |
Don't miss out on the upcoming 4R Field Day sponsored by the 4R Field Day Alliance, IFCA and the Illinois Soybean Association on September 5th at the Farm Progress Site in Decatur, Illinois. The event will showcase multiple demonstrations of cover crop application methods and research findings from several management practices listed within the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy tha ... more. |
It are only 12 days away from MAGIE Show! Click Here to register for the 2024 MAGIE Show, August 21st & 22nd, where you can take part in the "ride and drive" and visit with exhibitors to learn more about the latest innovations in building, blending, measuring, transporting and applying agrichemicals.
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IFCA is proud to announce the finalists for the 2024 Custom Applicator of the Year Award. This award was created to recognize applicators who go above and beyond in their line of work to ensure thousands of acres are protected for their customers. Each week leading up to MAGIE we will feature one of the four finalists. We will be announcing the winner of the 2024 Custom Applicator of the Year award ... more. |
Hundreds of full-rate N trials like the one shown in the photo above have been used to develop the N rate calculator that generates Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) N rates using current corn and N fertilizer prices. Whether we use N rates in the MRTN range or amounts higher than that, canopy color almost never tells us whether that the amount of N was less than, about equal to, or more than the ... more. |
Click below to learn more about nitrogen rate strip validation trials. These nitrogen strip trials are utilized to help validate the MRTN and compare a farmers normal N rate with either a higher 40 lb N rate or lower 40 lb N rate depending on the typical N rate used. If you are interested in participating, please fill out the online form on the following page.
LEARN MORE
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Our members received good news in early July when EPA proposed an increase in the atrazine aquatic level of concern (CE-LOC) from the ultra-low 3.4 parts per billion (ppb) level to a new level of 9.7 ppb. This announcement came on the heels of a Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) for atrazine held last August.
Now for the bad news. While the CE-LOC moved from 3.4 ppb to 9.7 ppb - nearly three times higher - the m ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency opened a public comment docket today for its Draft Insecticide Strategy to Reduce Exposures of Federally Listed Endangered and Threatened Species and Designated Critical Habitats from the Use of Conventional Agricultural Insecticides (IS). This is one of a series of strategies EPA is developing to group mitigations by pesticide type, use site, location, or other consideration t ... more. |
Faced with continued pressure from Congress, the Federal Motor Carier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has again delayed a proposal to mandate speed limiters on commercial vehicles. Two bills had been introduced to prohibit FMCSA from moving forward with their often-discussed plan, and preliminary language for the federal FY 2025 budget included language to strip any funding to FMCSA for work on speed limiters. A fede ... more. |
Clik here to read the latest UI Extension Pesticide Review Newsletter. This edition covers topics concerning pesticide misapplication and information on handling pesticide drift complaints.
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We have another great MAGIE show planned, so check out the exhibitors who will be in attendance and the layout of the grounds by clickinghere. You can also still register on-line for the show, and we will have a name badge waiting for you. Go to www.ifca.com and click on the link to the on-line MAGIE registration. We look forward to seeing everyone on August 21st – 22nd at MAGIE. Several exhibitors wi ... more. |
IFCA is proud to announce the finalists for the 2024 Custom Applicator of the Year Award. This award was created to recognize applicators that go above and beyond in their line of work to ensure thousands of acres are protected for their customers. Each week leading up to MAGIE we will feature one of the four finalists. We will be announcing the winner of the 2024 Custom Applicator of the Year award during the tail ... more. |
EPA proposed a strategy Thursday, July 25th, to reduce insecticide exposure to hundreds of federally listed endangered species that includes a wide range of mitigation measures addressing spray drift and erosion.Click Here to read more about the Insecticide strategy.
The herbicide and insecticide strategies are similar, proposing menus of mitigation options growers can choose from to achieve the requ ... more. |
This spring session, HB 1634 was introduced at the Illinois State Capitol.HB1634 would require Illinois to adopt CARB (California Air Resource Board) environmental regulations, subjecting Illinois citizens to the extreme policies of the California bureaucracy. This proposal is extremely detrimental to anyone that owns a semi.After facing roadblocks in the General Assembly from an entire range of groups, ... more. |
Register now for the 2024 MAGIE Show.From the interactive “ride and drive” venue to the exhibits that display our exhibitor’s innovations in building, blending, measuring and applying agrichemicals, it’s all here at MAGIE.
The MAGIE show supports the best equipment offerings in our industry and brings together the best companies and employees in the crop production suppl ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced last week it plans to step up the timing of when it assesses farmworker and other human exposure to pesticide spray drift. Historically, the agency assesses human exposure to spray drift at the time of a chemicals registration review, or every 15 years.
EPA will now assess the potential for people to be exposed to a pesticide when it drifts away from where ... more. |
IFCA would like to thank our fantastic members and industry counterparts for attending the 2024 IFCA Golf Outing that was held yesterday at the Den at Fox Creek in Bloomington, IL. We had twenty-eight teams attend the event and could not have asked for better weather. This event not only allows for a day away from the office to mingle with fellow industry personnel but funds the scholarships we award each year to c ... more. |
IFCA is proud to announce the finalists for the 2024 Custom Applicator of the Year Award. This award was created to recognize applicators that go above and beyond in their line of work to ensure thousands of acres are protected for their customers. Each week leading up to MAGIE we will feature one of the four finalists. We will be announcing the winner of the 2024 Custom Applicator of the Year award during the tail ... more. |
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This week IFCA's KJ Johnson was busy on the road providing ag retailers and farmers with an update of what is currently happening at IFCA, with a deeper discussion regarding EPA's herbicide strategy and how the spring legislative session went in Springfield.
On Tuesday, KJ was invited by the Illinois Soybean Association to speak on a panel discussion EPA’s herbicide strategy and how it ... more. |
EPA proposed a strategy Thursday to reduce insecticide exposure to hundreds of federally listed endangered species that includes a wide range of mitigation measures addressing spray drift and erosion.Click Here to read more about the Insecticide strategy.
The herbicide and insecticide strategies are similar, proposing menus of mitigation options growers can choose from to achieve the required species ... more. |
EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs announced a new concentration equivalent level of concern, or CE-LOC, which is “the level at which atrazine is expected to adversely affect aquatic plants,” The CE-LOC is also important because it is the level "that triggers required monitoring and/or mitigation to protect aquatic plant communities.”
The previous CE-LOC of 3.4 parts per bi ... more. |
Each spring and fall, IFCA partners with the IL Dept. of Ag to offer ammonia safety courses throughout the state. Those who attend the training program and pass the exam receive a 3-year certificate from IDA as a “Competent Attendant” to handle anhydrous ammonia.
The dates for fall ammonia courses are set; you can register for any of these upcoming classes on the IFCA website
There are ... more. |
The U.S. Department of Labor has released a proposed rule that would require employers to develop an injury and illness prevention plan to control heat hazards in workplaces affected by excessive heat.
Among other things, the plan would require employers to evaluate heat risks and — when heat increases risks to workers — implement requirements for drinking water, rest breaks and control of indo ... more. |
Want to spend the day playing golf and interacting with fellow IFCA members? You're in luck, as there is still time to sign up for next week'sIFCA Golf Outings. Mark your calendar for Thursday, July 25th at Then Den in Bloomington. Click Here for the registration form. We look forward to seeing you on the course next week in Bloomington!
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The Illinois Department of Agriculture reports that as of this week, there have been one hundred and sixty-eight complaints filed with IDA for alleged pesticide misuse. Of those, one hundred and thirty-nine are ag related with thirty-one being specifically dicamba related. For 2022, the number of complaints totaled three hundred and eighty-four cases. Three hundred and forty-three of these were ag related, with one ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture (ID0A) is again coordinating the annual pesticide container recycling program for 2024. Between July 17th and August 7th,) IDOA will accept clean, triple rinsed containers and will also accept clean, cut-up mini-bulk containers. If you have several mini-bulk containers to recycle, you can contact G. Phillips & Sons L.L.C. directly to inquire about their protocol and requir ... more. |
IFCA Board Members met at the IFCA office July 2nd in Bloomington for one of the four meetings held annually. We appreciate the commitment our Board Members continue to show for the industry.
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IFCA applauds the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee for moving forward a bipartisan Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA), which Congress has reauthorized every 2 years since 2014.
House Committee action follows approval in May by the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee of its version of the legislation. Included in the Senate bill are provisions that increase the fed ... more. |
The U.S. Supreme Court gave U.S. agriculture a big win last week when it struck down the Chevron deference on a 6-3 vote, restoring a balance of power at the federal level.
The 1984 Chevron doctrine required the courts to defer to federal agencies’ interpretation of ambiguous laws, allowing the federal agencies to expand their regulations beyond the intent of Congress.
Agricultural Retailers ... more. |
This spring session, HB 1634 was introduced at the Illinois State Capitol.HB1634 would require Illinois to adopt CARB (California Air Resource Board) environmental regulations, subjecting Illinois citizens to the extreme policies of the California bureaucracy. This proposal is extremely detrimental to anyone that owns a semi.After facing roadblocks in the General Assembly from an entire range of groups, ... more. |
The House Agriculture Committee delivered on their promise to get a bipartisan Farm Bill out of committee in 2024. Now we need the Senate to move as well.
IFCA asks that you please alert Senator Durbin and Senator Duckworthto take action to pass a 2024 Farm Bill.
Specifically, IFCAwould like to recognize the work done to address key issues on behalf of you, our members. H ... more. |
IFCA does not believe the USEPA will make any decisions on the Herbicide Strategy (Endangered Species Act) until late August or September but the proposed Herbicide Strategy will have great impact on ag retailers and farmers and how they manage crops. The National Agricultural Law Center has compiled an in-depth look at the ESA, how it works, notable court cases regarding the ESA, the impact of the ESA, and more. T ... more. |
The Illinois Certified Crop Adviser Program will host a CCA Exam Training Session on July 12 at the Illinois Soybean Association in Bloomington. The four main performance objective areas of the CCA Program – Nutrient Management, Soil and Water Management, Pest Management and Crop Management – will be covered during this day long training session, which also provides basic agronomy information that cou ... more. |
Don't forget to register your foursome for the IFCA golf outing. There will only be one outing this year, so make sure you don't miss out. Wwill beplaying July 25th at The Den, an Arnold Palmer Signature Course. We look forward to seeing you out there!
Cost:$125 per person; $500 for a foursome
Location:The Den; 3002 Fox Creek Road; Bloomington, IL
Time:Chec ... more. |
In case you missed it, click here to read IFCA's 2024 Summer Newsletter.
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Click here to view a recent article from Illinois Extension's Department of Crop Sciences, where Educators provide crop updates on soil conditions in LaSalle, Grundy, Logan and Douglas County.
UI also posted a recent article from Dr. Emerson Nafziger and Dr. Giovani Preza Fontes covering 'Stress and the 2024 Corn and Soybean Crops'. Click here to read about the status of early and late-plan ... more. |
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Click here to read IFCA’s 2024 Summer Newsletter. Within the newsletter, you will find information on:
MAGIE
IFCA Golf Outing
IL Ag Retail Survey
IDOA Pesticide Programs
Custom Applicator of the Year Finalists
Anhydrous Ammonia Updates
IFCA Member Spotlight: Kieth Boyd
Legislative Updates
President’s Address and Chairman’s Report
Glen Turner Joins IFCA Board
4R Field Da ... more. |
A new bill, H.R.6572 Countering CCP Drones Act, was introduced recently as an amendment to a military funding bill and passed the House of Representatives. The bill bans the procurement and use of DJI drones anddue to proclaimed national security risks of data on critical infrastructure in the United States being shared from DJI, a Chinese owned company, to the Chinese Communist Party. The bill now moves to ... more. |
If your company transports, or offers for transport, hazardous materials that require placarding by DOT, you must be registered with DOT. If your company registers with DOT annually, then registration for the 2024-2025 period must be completed by July 1, 2024. Since PHMSA allows multiyear registration, not all registration certificates are up for renewal in 2024.
The annual fee for small businesses and n ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) is offering complimentary registration for qualified crop consultants and agronomists to the Agronomy Conference & Expo, August 12-14, 2024, in St. Louis.Early Bird pricing ends July 1st - Register Today!
TFI is committed to uniting the agronomy industry to address business challenges and explore key topics including soil fertility, nutrient stewardship, new c ... more. |
The Department of Labor announced the final rule from its OSHA Agency that will update the current Hazard Communication Standard to better protect workers by improving the amount and quality of information on labels and safety data sheets and allow workers and first responders to react more quickly in an emergency. Specifically, the updated standard will require labels on small packaging to be more comprehensive an ... more. |
A new bill, H.R.6572 Countering CCP Drones Act, was introduced recently as an amendment to a military funding bill and passed the House of Representatives. The bill bans the procurement and use of DJI drones anddue to proclaimed national security risks of data on critical infrastructure in the United States being shared from DJI, a Chinese owned company, to the Chinese Communist Party. The bill now moves to t ... more. |
Don’t forget to get your foursome registered for the upcomingIFCA Golf Outing. We’ll be at The Den this year in Bloomington, IL, on July 25th. Come out and have a great time with industry peers and support a great cause. All money raised from the golf outing will go towards supporting scholarships for college students who plan on entering the industry post-school. Look forward to seeing you on Jul ... more. |
FMCSA removed both BLUE STARELD and ELD MANDATE PLUSfrom the list of registered ELD's due to failure to meeting the minimum requirements established in 49 CFR part 395, subpart B, appendix A. BLUE STARELD has since been reinstated and can continue to be used to record and transfer HOS data, but ELD MANDATE PLUS will remain off of the list of registered ELD's and must be replaced with a reg ... more. |
Are you interested in training growers and have at least five years of experience in the anhydrous ammonia industry?IFCA & IDOA are offering a Train the Trainer Class July 8th at the Agricenter in Bloomington, IL from 10:00 am until 2:30 pm. This classroom course is for individuals experienced with ammonia who want to train farmers under the regulations for grower training. For a list of trainer q ... more. |
Did you know only one in 10,00 pesticide discoveries will make the more than 12-year journey from the lab to the farmer’s field? Similar to the process for approving vaccines, and medicines, EPA reviews hundreds of studies conducted for each pesticide by manufacturers and third parties in the U.S. and around the world…but what does the that mean? Take a look at IFCA’s national partner ... more. |
Year
Winner
Affiliation
Nominees
2023
Jamie Pennock
Logan Agri-Service
Alex Tarr, Jake Conrad, and Travis Tedlock
2022
John Ehler
Ehler Brothers Fertilizer
Scott Giles, Terry O'Brien, Tyler Wells
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The nation’s top ag retailers responded to a CropLife100 Mid-Year Report survey. The survey asked retailers about their overall outlook on the 2024 growing season based on market performance through spring fieldwork and planting time. Using a scale from one to ten, with ten being “better than expected,” results showed that retailers have been positive with the 2024 season so far.
A li ... more. |
BASF is seeking EPA approval of its dicamba herbicide product, Engenia, for use in soybean and cotton, according to a Federal Register notice. The agency is accepting comments on the proposed label for 30 days. Bayer already has submitted a proposed label for XtendiMax, its dicamba product.By yesterday’s deadline, there were 232 comments in the docket.
The companies must apply because&nbs ... more. |
IFCA recently learned of the passing of Brian Naber.Although Brian has been retired from the industry for a while, many of you may have known him as "Moose" or Captain Buctril, the Weed Warrior.If you take a look at his obituary, there is a picture of him on a wanted sign that dates back decades ago. The IFCA staff extends our deepest condolences to his family, which hewas surrounded by ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold a public webinar on June 18, 2024, from 1-2 PM ET to provide an overview of its mitigation menu website that will describe mitigation options for reducing pesticide exposure to nontarget species from agricultural crop uses.
In November 2022, EPA issued an update to its Endangered Species Act (ESA) Workplan. The update included a plan to develop a men ... more. |
Sen. John Boozman (R-AR), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Ag, released the Senate Republican-drafted framework for the 2024 Farm Bill this week. The framework includes several IFCA priorities, including pesticide labeling (restating and reaffirming the Environmental Protection Agency’s role in both the federal and state registration process, and including text similar to that included in the House C ... more. |
Every other month, Illinois Extension provides a new Illinois Pesticide Review Newsletter. Here you will find information on legislation, regulations and other developments directly impacting pesticide use in Illinois. The latestedition includes stories on:
Maintaining personal protective equipment
Welcoming John Schepis to PSEP
New pesticide laws around schools
Recognzing heat-related warning s ... more. |
The June 12th application cutoff date for dicamba use over-the-top of soybeans is tomorrow. The projected forecast for much of the state shows elevated temperatures for the week. IFCA understands the pressure our ag retailer members are under to control weeds with the crop protection products available.Know that a violation of either the cut-off date, temperature restriction or lack of recordkeeping will be ... more. |
Join us, July 25th, at The Den in Bloomington, IL – one of Arnold Palmer’s signature courses – for an entertaining roundof golf and for a great cause. The purpose of the IFCA golf outing is not only to get industry members together and enjoy a day at the golf course, but also to raise money for the IFCA Scholarships that are awarded every year at the IFCA Convention.
The outin ... more. |
Every other month, Illinois Extension provides a new Illinois Pesticide Review Newsletter. Here you will find information on legislation, regulations and other developments directly impacting pesticide use in Illinois. The latestedition includes stories on:
Maintaining personal protective equipment
Welcoming John Schepis to PSEP
New pesticide laws around schools
Recognzing heat-related warning s ... more. |
Many IFCA members have been dealing with processing delays at the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office with renewals. IFCA is asking our members to get your renewals in ASAP for mileage plates.The June 30 deadline may seem to be a long way out, but after experiencing 6-week delays or more with other renewals, things may not be much better this time around.
Pleaseclick hereto vie ... more. |
The Illinois General Assembly’s spring legislative session ended in last-minute drama as Democrats barely eked out enough votes to pass a package of tax hikes that mostly affect gambling operations and corporations. But lawmakers in the final days also sent a number of other bills to Gov. J.B. Pritzker that will directly affect the state’s residents and communities. And, during the course of the ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
Tomorrow, June 7th at 8 a.m., IFCA President, KJ Johnson, will host a webinar on the wrap up of the end of session down at the Illinois State Capitol. Topics covered in the webinar include the new $53.3billion state budget and other topics that affect the AG input industry (pesticides, trucking, carbon sequestration and PFAS legislation).Click hereto register for this event.
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Looking for a great summer event for a cause? Don't miss out on the 2024 IFCA Golf for Scholarships outing! This year we are only having one outing which will be in Bloomington, IL at The Den on July 25th. This outing is a great opportunity to network with peers while supporting the next generation of agriculturalists.
We will be limited to the number of golfers and we don’t want you to miss out on ... more. |
Ag groups are split over a new carbon capture bill passed by the Illinois General Assembly.
Andrew Larson, director of government relations and strategy with the Illinois Soybean Association, says the SAFE Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) Act brings many questions.
Click Here to read more.
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A fuel economist says the diesel market has significantly recovered from a record spike in prices that developed during the summer of 2022.
GasBuddy’s Patrick De Haan says consumer demand has slowed. “Interest rates are elevated, which is cooling the economy off,” he said. “That’s helping to cool off diesel prices as well. In addition, Russia’s war in Ukraine has faded i ... more. |
Significant federal dollars are going toward fertilizer as grants are being awarded through USDA’s Fertilizer Production and Expansion Program (FPAP). According to USDA, the grants are intended to boost domestic fertilizer production, strengthen competition and lower costs for U.S. farmers.
“The Biden-Harris Administration and USDA are committed to bolstering the economy and increasing competit ... more. |
On Friday, June 7th at 8 a.m., IFCA President, KJ Johnson, will host a webinar on the wrap up of the end of session down at the Illinois State Capitol. Topics covered in the webinar include the new $53.3billion state budget and other topics that affect the AG input industry (pesticides, trucking, carbon sequestration and PFAS legislation).Click hereto register for this event.
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Veronica Nigh, senior economist at The Fertilizer Institute (TFI), shares the indexes she’s watching to gauge the direction of the global fertilizer markets. TFI represents more than 200 companies across the fertilizer industry.
While TFI does not collect pricing information from members, she watches the industry via the indexes and industry reports to discuss a short-term outlook for products as w ... more. |
Commodity prices have seen a bit of a rebound over the past month, but even with optimism beginning to surface with prices, agricultural economists think net farm income could fall more than expected, and the fallout could be felt with just how much farmers scale back what they purchase over the next year.
The May Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor, a joint survey of nearly 70 ag economists conducted by ... more. |
Glyphosate is facing significant challenges throughout the global market. Concerns about its efficacy, regulatory acceptance, and oversupply continue to mount, writes Michele Katsaris at AgriBusiness Global. The glyphosate market finds itself at a crossroads, prompting industry leaders to navigate these top three challenges. We recently caught up with Nufarm’s Ken Barham, VP Sales – Crop Protection, to ... more. |
In early February, a federal court in Arizona vacated EPA’s 2020 registrations for dicamba products to be used in over-the-top applications. In reviewing the case, the court found that EPA to be in violation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act when it re-authorized dicamba back in 2020. “Being aware of the practical effects’ of vacatur and difficulties these growers may have ... more. |
The 103rd General Assembly concluded their work this week. Lawmakers are now home for the summer with many facing elections in November. IFCA had another successful year at the Illinois state capitol this spring session. We were able to hold off any harmful legislation that might directly affect the industry negatively. Below are some of the most important bills that IFCA was monitoring this spr ... more. |
The one-day NTIP "CT" Course and two-day Ammonia Technician Course are led by IFCA’s John Rebholz, and both offer in-depth hands-on learning experiences. Many folks who register for the NTIP Course are also interested in participating in the Ammonia Technician Course. To help make time and travel most efficient for those who need to attend both courses, we have scheduled the Ammonia Technician ... more. |
Application Record-Keeping Forms:
Engenia Xtendimax Tavium
IDOA Dicamba FAQ
EPA Bulletins Live! Twoto viewwhich counties have endangered species.
Fieldwatch Sensitive Crop Registry
Illinois Nature Preserves Commission Sites
Current Tank Mix Approvals for:
&nb ... more. |
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The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has shared this information with the ag community to raise awareness of the location of DNR Nature Preserve Commission Sites. These sites are considered sensitive areas for the purposes of dicamba applicaton to soybean.
Click hereto be redirected to IDNR's webpage, which displays the nature preserves commission sites. Applications ... more. |
Click here to read Illinois Extension's latest Illinois pesticide Review Newsletter.
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On Friday, June 7th at 8 a.m., IFCA President, KJ Johnson, will host a webinar on the wrap up of the end of session down at the Illinois State Capitol. Topics covered in the webinar include the new $53.3billion state budget and other topics that affect the AG input industry (pesticides, trucking, carbon sequestration and PFAS legislation).Click hereto register for this event.
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To help our members avoid common recordkeeping mistakes and better understand what IDA expects when reviewing your records, we have updated our dicamba guidance document tohighlight some critical items required when applying dicamba to soybeans.Click hereto see the IFCA guidance document.
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The 103rd General Assembly concluded their work this week. Lawmakers are now home for the summer with many facing elections in November. IFCA had another successful year at the Illinois state capitol this spring session. We were able to hold off any harmful legislation that might directly affect the industry negatively. Below are some of the most important bills that IFCA was monitoring this sprin ... more. |
To help our members avoid common recordkeeping mistakes and better understand what IDA expects when reviewing your records, we have updated our dicamba guidance document tohighlight some critical items required when applying dicamba to soybeans. Click here to see the IFCA guidance document.
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As you know by now, the House Agriculture Committee passed H.R.8467 - Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 out of committee early Friday morning, May 24 with bipartisan support. This legislation, as amended in the committee markup, included all of IFCA’s priorities.
It is highly important that IFCA members share these communications within your companies to help bolster active engagement wit ... more. |
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA is awarding $83 million in 12 states for projects through the Fertilizer Production Expansion Program (FPEP). This program provides grants to independent business owners to help them modernize equipment, adopt new technologies, build production plants and more.
USDA is making awards to facilities in California, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, ... more. |
The International Trade Commission (ITC) has advanced an investigation into whether low-priced imports of 2,4-D from China and India have harmed Corteva Agriscience.
The ITC has concluded “there is a reasonable indication that an industry in the United States is materially injured” by the imports, the commission says in a Federal Register notice published on late last week.
As a result ... more. |
The 103rd General Assembly concluded their work this week. Lawmakers are now home for the summer with many facing elections in November. IFCA had another successful year at the Illinois state capitol this spring session. We were able to hold off any harmful legislation that might directly affect the industry negatively. Below are some of the most important bills that IFCA was monitoring this sprin ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) announced that they will host again thepesticide clean sweep program this summer. The program, funded by a grant obtained from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is free and designed to collect unwanted agricultural pesticides.
This year collections will take place in Bureau, Carroll, Henry, JoDaviess, Lasalle, Lee, Ogle, Rock Island, Stephen ... more. |
The House AG Committee worked into the early hours this morning to passThe Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 (Farm Bill)on a 33 to 21 vote.
IFCA would like to thank all our members that reached out directly to their members of Congress to support this piece of legislation. This important legislation will now be considered for a vote by the full House of Representatives.
... more. |
With only a few days remaining before the pre-scheduled spring session adjournment date of May24, it has become increasingly clear that legislators will miss the adjournment date and continue totackle bills and negotiate a budget through the end of May. Deadlines for this week have been moved tonext week and budget discussions are still ongoing and have been reported contentious as various ... more. |
Shortly after midnight this morning, the House AG Committee passedThe Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 (Farm Bill)on a 33 to 21 vote.
IFCA would like to thank all our members that reached out directly to their members of Congress to support this piece of legislation. This important legislation will now be considered for a vote by the full House of Representatives.
Specif ... more. |
Farmers, advisors and conservation professionals looking to sharpen their skills and further Illinois’ stewardship practices are encouraged to apply for the Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership’s (ISAP) Soil Health Leadership Program. The program, which brings together diverse participants working together to improve agricultural environmental stewardship, is now looking to fill its sixth graduating cl ... more. |
Shortly after midnight this morning, the House AG Committee passedThe Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 (Farm Bill)on a 33 to 21 vote.
IFCA would like to thank all our members that reached out directly to their members of Congress to support this piece of legislation. This important legislation will now be considered for a vote by the full House of Representatives.
Specif ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) announced that they will host again thepesticide clean sweep program this summer. The program, funded by a grant obtained from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is free and designed to collect unwanted agricultural pesticides.
This year collections will take place in Bureau, Carroll, Henry, JoDaviess, Lasalle, Lee, Ogle, Rock Island, Stephen ... more. |
IFCA is asking you to send a message to your Member of Congress urging them to vote "Yes" on the House Farm Bill, which includes several critical reforms help the ag input industry.Because passage of the House Farm Bill text will require multiple rounds of votes and amendments, your voice of support is important. When IFCA members unite and speak up in a unified voice, lawmakers on Capitol Hill list ... more. |
During his Feb. 21 budget address, Gov. J.B. Pritzker introduced a $52.7 billion state budget – up from his first $40 billion budget in 2019. From his address:
“One of my missions as governor is to make life easier for working families. … And even though inflation continues to cool off, folks are still feeling the squeeze every week at the grocery store. So, there’s one more thing ... more. |
SB2979 has passed Illinois’ House of Representatives, clearing the way for it to be signed into law. The bill is designed to significantly reduce certain liabilities under the state’s Biometric Information Privacy Act, aiming to alleviate what many business owners have regarded as an unnecessarily wide-ranging and burdensome piece of legislation.
Essentially, the bill would remove BIPA’s ... more. |
While he says it’s still too early to get a clear picture of the upcoming elections, Capitol Hill veteran analyst Jim Wiesemeyer foresees the possibility of a Republican sweep of the White House, Senate and House of Representatives. He cites polling by his friend David Wasserman of the Cook Political Report and other sources that suggest a very close race for president but adds, “Law and order will prev ... more. |
U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) pushed back on the major new tariffs President Joe Biden placed on a variety of Chinese goods on Tuesday.
“I'm for free trade, because Iowa manufactures and does services, and does agriculture way beyond what we consume domestically, and we must be exporting,” Grassley told AgriTalk Host Chip Flory.
Click Here to read more.
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For retailers wanting to sell dicamba-based products and for crop producers who want to use them, 2024 final sale and use dates are quickly approaching.
In some states, key dates have already passed.
May 13 was the last day for sales and distribution of existing stocks of over-the-top dicamba products for Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota. More insights available here: Monday Is Last Day To Bu ... more. |
While the governor’s office instructed its agency directors to prepare for $800 million in potential budget cuts last week, all facets of his plan to raise $1.1 billion in revenue to avoid those cuts remain under consideration.
Deputy Gov. Andy Manar relayed that point on the latest episode of “Illinois Lawmakers” this week, adding that the administration is also open to ideas from lawmak ... more. |
CropLife America (CLA) applauds the introduction of the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB) sponsored by House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Chair, Representative Adrian Smith (R-NE-03). The bill supports manufacturers, farmers, consumers, and communities by reducing or eliminating tariffs, on a temporary basis, on products that are not available in the U.S. The previous MTB expired in December 2020, resulting in b ... more. |
Politico’s Meredith Lee Hill reported this past Friday that “House Agriculture Chair G.T. Thompson’s long-awaited farm bill significantly boosts farm safety net programs but crosses two of Democratic leaders’ red lines, setting up a showdown with the Senate over the must-pass legislation.”
“In addition to major boosts in critical farm safety net program funding to suppor ... more. |
Last month, we discussed how determining a candidate’s cultural fit and behavioral style are critical components of effective hiring. This article will cover Performance Profile and Skills, the final two pillars in our series.
Performance Profile - Have you ever hired an employee who appeared perfect on paper yet didn’t meet your expectations? It happens more than you might expect. One source o ... more. |
In terms of crop inputs, crop nutrition tends to dominate. For several years now, fertilizer revenues among ag retailers have easily outpaced the income from all other crop inputs/services sales. In fact, in most years since the 2010s began, the fertilizer category has represented almost half of all annual input/service sales among CropLife 100 ag retailers.
And this should come as no surprise to long-time ... more. |
With pesticide application season still underway in terms of herbicide, fungicide and insecticide treatments, IFCA would like to remind everyone that cleaning your spray equipment must be done over operational area containment. It is a violation of the Part 255 Containment Rules to wash application equipment over gravel or any other area of your facility. The rules state:
Cleaning and washing o ... more. |
This summer the American Agronomic Stewardship Alliance (AASA) will be inspecting bulk pesticide facilities in Illinois to help ag retailers assure compliance with the USEPA regulations governing bulk pesticide storage, containment, and repackaging. Bulk pesticide storage is defined as any stationary storage tank, over 500 gallons, which holds herbicides, insecticides, fungicides or other ag chemicals with a ... more. |
Looking for a great summer event for a cause? Don't miss out on the 2024 IFCA Golf for Scholarships outing! This year we are only having one outing, which will be in Bloomington, IL at The Den on July 25th.This outing is a great opportunity to network with peers while supporting the next generation of agriculturalists.
Start putting your foursomes together now so when registration opens up in June yo ... more. |
The weed science program at the University of Illinois invites all weed management practitioners to theirannual weed science field tour on Wednesday, June 26 at the Department of Crop Sciences field research location known as the Clem Farm, located at 1114 County Road 1200 East, Champaign. Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. and the tour will start at 9:00 a.m. Preregistration is not required, but please let Dr. ... more. |
Three unions representing nearly 10,000 railway workers involving both CN, the Canadian National Railway, and CPKC, the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City railway, have given joint notice that their members have voted almost unanimously to strike action by May 22. This strike would affect both of Canada’s national railway systems.
Just over a year ago, the Canadian Pacific Railway completed a $31 billion. deal ... more. |
There are only a few more days to submit a nomination for a Custom Applicator. Please submit a form TODAY so those applicators that go above and beyond don’t miss the chance to be a 2024 finalist.
There is no limit to the number of nominations a nominator can submit, but each must be a different custom applicator. We will not accept nominations from those that nominate themselves. Nominat ... more. |
CropLife America (CLA) is pleased to announce that Jeff Blackwood has been selected as Vice President of Government Relations (VP of GR). Blackwood joins CLA on May 28, after more than a decade as the policy lead for the agricultural solutions business of BASF Corporation. He brings years of expertise working with Congress, associations, coalitions, and other stakeholder groups on pesticide issues. Prior to BASF, J ... more. |
It’s been a big year for dicamba. First, a court vacated registrations. Then U.S. EPA said folks could still sell what was already on hand. Now farmers are looking at a new climate for application in 2024, and one where agencies are following the rules to a T.
KJ Johnson, executive director of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association, has real advice for farmers: Fill out the record-kee ... more. |
Eric Sfiligoj hosts Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association President Kevin “KJ” Johnson to discuss MAGIE and key ag issues in the Land of Lincoln.
Click Here to watch the video.
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This summer the American Agronomic Stewardship Alliance (AASA) will be inspecting bulk pesticide facilities in Illinois to help ag retailers assure compliance with the USEPA regulations governing bulk pesticide storage, containment, and repackaging. Bulk pesticide storage is defined as any stationary storage tank, over 500 gallons, which holds herbicides, insecticides, fungicides or other ag chemicals with a ... more. |
Countervailing duties applied to U.S. imports of Russian phosphate fertilizer could soon fall from 28.5% to 18.83% if an April 29 preliminary determination stands in a final verdict due in the fall. Meanwhile, imports from Morocco’s mostly state-owned phosphate mining company could increase from 2.12% to 14.21%, according to a separate preliminary determination.
Released late last week, the Departmen ... more. |
This summer the American Agronomic Stewardship Alliance (AASA) will be inspecting bulk pesticide facilities in Illinois to help ag retailers assure compliance with the USEPA regulations governing bulk pesticide storage, containment, and repackaging. Bulk pesticide storage is defined as any stationary storage tank, over 500 gallons, which holds herbicides, insecticides, fungicides or other ag chemicals with a ... more. |
On April 17, 2024, the EPA signed a final rule to designate PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as Superfund. The designation allows the EPA to use its CERCLA enforcement authorities to address PFOA and PFOS contamination.
On April 19, 2024, the EPA issued a “PFAS Enforcement Discretion and Se ... more. |
Congress is putting together a new version of the Farm Bill, a wide-ranging package of legislation that sets agricultural and food policy for the U.S, typically in 5-year increments.
The last Farm Bill passed in 2018, and was temporarily extended under those 2018 terms last year, but lawmakers in the House and Senate agriculture committees have been working on new terms, aimed at updating policy for curren ... more. |
Every day, farmers deal with variables out of their control, from weather to mechanical issues to weed pressure. In recent weeks, a new variable has affected many U.S. growers.
In early February, a U.S. District Court in Tucson, Arizona vacated the registrations for three dicamba herbicides – Xtendimax, Tavium and Engenia, meaning growers would not be able to use these herbicides for over-the-top app ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposed interim decision to cancel all but one use of the pesticide acephate based on EPA's updated human health draft risk assessment (HH DRA) and drinking water assessment (DWA) released last year, which allegedly showed dietary risks from drinking water for currently registered uses of acephate. EPA also identified worker, homeowner, and ecological r ... more. |
In his 15-year career Travis Fuller says it’s been amazing to watch the technology develop for the ag retail industry. As a customer success manager for AgWorks, he helps ag retailers deploy software to streamline their business and gain new insights.
Fuller says FFA turned this “city kid” into passionate member of the ag industry. He worked in the agronomy and precision ag business for a ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released for public comment its proposed registration decision for pesticide products containing the new active ingredient glufosinate-P to control weeds in non-tolerant and glufosinate-resistant corn, sweet corn, soybean, cotton, and canola. In addition to its proposed registration decision, EPA has also released its draft biological evaluation for the pesticide u ... more. |
Wednesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a plan to update, streamline and clarify their regulations and oversight mechanisms for products of biotechnology. Click here to view the details of the plan and an outline of their joint regulatory efforts. IFCA and our national partners will remain engag ... more. |
In the last week, the House and Senate have released summaries of their proposed Farm bills. The Senate has not indicated when they will mark up their farm bill, but the House is showing a drive to do it before the Memorial Day recess. IFCA has received the summaries of both of the Senate and House proposals.
One of IFCA's top priorities was included in the House Farm Bill proposal. Currently, only USD ... more. |
The deadline for sale and distribution of existing stocks of Xtendimax, Engenia or Tavium is Monday, May 13th. This was the result of an EPA order on February 14th, declaring limited sale and distribution of dicamba products already in the possession of growers or in the channels of trade. Please see below for additional information.
EXISTING STOCKS SUMMARY FOR ILLINOIS
February 6, 2024 ... more. |
IFCA is currently accepting nominations for our annual 'Custom Applicator of the Year' award.The deadline for nominations is May 22nd. Please click here forthe nomination form.
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This week, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) held another meeting in their Future of Gas proceedings intended to identify issues related to the role natural gas may play in decarbonizing Illinois. This meeting was simply to take public comments on the issue. IFCA is closely watching these because of the importance of natural gas to the manufacturing of nitrogen.
Also filed this week was SB3935 to crea ... more. |
The House and Senate will hold separate subject matter hearings on identical bills aimed at "truck attracting facilities." The Senate Environment and Conservation Committee will hold a subject matter on SB 838 (Cervantes-D) as amended, and the House Energy & Environment Committee will hold a subject matter hearing on the identical HB 5013 (Avelar-D). These bills are being pushed by the environmental g ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
Yesterday, Ag Committee Chairman “GT” Thompson unveiled a title-by-title overview of priorities outlined in the 2024 farm bill base text. While this document provides a high-level summary, it appears that many of the IFCA priorities are poised for inclusion. These may involve revisions to TSP, streamlining conservation practice standards, and provisions for implementing innovative conservation practices ... more. |
As the spring fertilizer and planting season remains on hold for much of the state, we havereceived questions at IFCA about the storage of UAN in light of growers determining whether to switch from NH3 to UAN this spring.Here is a summary of the rules for UAN storage in Illinois, as per the Illinois Department of Agriculture regulations:
1.At agrichemical facilities, UAN storage is requir ... more. |
Please take a few minutes to submit a nomination form for the 'Custom Applicator of the Year' award.Nominations are currently being accepted now through May 22nd. Please click here to seethe nomination form.
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We have had several inquiries on whether a driver with a restricted class B CDL is subject to random drug and alcohol testing. All CDL drivers operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) (greater than 26,000 GVWR, or transporting more than sixteenpassengers, including the driver, or placarded hazardous materials) on public roadways must be DOT drug and alcohol tested. This applies to any driver required ... more. |
A couple of weeks ago, Colorado Senator Michael Bennet introduced S. 4069, titled the Affordable and Secure Food Act of 2024, which would reform the H-2A visa program for foreign agricultural workers and create a pathway to legal resident status for those workers. S. 4069 is the companion bill to H.R. 4319, otherwise known as the Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2023, which also proposes H-2A reform and establis ... more. |
With the increased regulatory burden over the last several years, IFCA has created a regulatory group to network, share insight on regulatory experiences or voice concerns related to state or federal regulations that impact our ag industry.The next Regulatory Group meeting will be May 15th in Bloomington at the Asmark Agricenter.If you would like to participate, please contact John Rebholzjohn@i ... more. |
IFCA would like to send out areminder of some important upcoming dates regarding dicamba.On February 14, 2024, EPA issued its Existing Stocks Order for Dicamba Products Previously Registered for Over-the-Top Use on Dicamba-Tolerant Cotton and Soybean. EPA issued the existing stocks order following the February 6, 2024, order and judgement by the District of Arizona vacating the registrations for three ... more. |
Farmers and pesticide applicators grappling with how to comply with EPA's impending Herbicide Strategy learned this week that new requirements may not be as stringent or widespread as the agency initially proposed in its draft strategy released last summer.
On Tuesday, EPA announced it had published an update regarding progress on the strategy -- the agency's plan to meet its obligations under the ... more. |
Lina Kahn, the chairwoman of the Federal Trade Commission, appeared to listen intently as farmers told her why her agency should step in and block the $3.6 billion sale of an Iowa nitrogen fertilizer plant to Koch Industries.
More than 100 farmers attended a listening session on Saturday with Kahn and FTC staff organized by the Iowa Farmers Union. The farmers oppose Netherlands-based Orascom Constructions ... more. |
Dozens of agricultural organizations led by Bayer AG have joined to push for continued use of the herbicide glyphosate, a move that comes as the crop sciences giant looks to overcome mounting litigation against its products containing the active ingredient.
The Modern Ag Alliance, supported by more than 60 national and state industry groups, said it will work with agricultural partners and policymakers to ... more. |
David Muth of Peoples Company Capital Markets, the Investment platform for Peoples Company, shares how institutional investors have reacted to higher interest rates on their land investments pursuits.
“There's certainly a significant infrastructure of institutional farmland investment groups that are committed to this to the asset class,” he says. “They're committed to continue ma ... more. |
As the U.S. agriculture industry enters the upcoming growing season, the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) is asking all uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) operators (or drones) to be mindful of low-altitude crewed (or manned) agricultural aircraft operations. Agricultural aviators treat 127 million acres of cropland in the United States each year in addition to pastureland, rangeland and forestry that ... more. |
Bumblebees appear to be quite resistant to common pesticides. This is shown by a new study, the results of which have now been published by scientists from Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU) in the journal Environment International.
The team from the University’s Biocenter divided a bumblebee colony and exposed the animals to individual insecticides and fungicides as well as comb ... more. |
After repeated delays, House Agriculture chairman Glenn Thompson said on Tuesday that his committee, “without a doubt, will mark up a farm bill before Memorial Day.” Republicans on the Senate Agriculture Committee plan to release a farm bill framework soon after the House panel acts, but Senate Agriculture chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, a Democrat, cautioned, “We haven’t set an exact timeline&r ... more. |
The slow start to the planting season isn’t a concern for most fertilizer applicators.
Kevin Johnson, president of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association, tells Brownfield. “We had a tremendous fall season last year, so I think most retailers are still ahead of the game going into the season.” He says, “A lot of dry fertilizer, a lot of ammonia went out last fa ... more. |
As part of its Smart Farming Week Takeover back in March, Farm Journal surveyed the most technology forward farmers in its subscriber community, gathering responses from a large sample of row crop farmers and livestock producers.
The ag media company – recently named one of Fast Company’s 2024 Most Innovative Companies – hosted a webinar to talk through some findings from the data, as wel ... more. |
IFCA is pleased to announce the return of selecting a Custom Applicator for the third year in a row. Last year we had a wonderful response from our retail members with submitting nomination forms that we just had to continue the program in order to recognize even more of the outstanding applicators in Illinois. The nomination forms were narrowed down to 4 finalists for 2023 with the winner being annou ... more. |
IFCA has recently received questions regarding rules fortransportation of nurse tanks on roadways.Click hereto read a document IFCA produced that covers requirements when hauling nurse tanks to and from the field.
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IFCA wants to reminder our members that US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) passedout a Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Compliance Advisory regarding custom blending. This encompasses blending pesticides with other pesticides, pesticides with fertilizer, and pesticides with feed.
There are no new regulations, but it is meant to clarify the existing regulations for tho ... more. |
IFCA wants to reminder our members that US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) passedout a Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Compliance Advisory regarding custom blending. This encompasses blending pesticides with other pesticides, pesticides with fertilizer, and pesticides with feed.
There are no new regulations, but it is meant to clarify the existing regulations for t ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture issued a "Frequently Asked Questions" document today explaining the details on the use of Xtendimax, Engenia and Tavium for the upcoming 2024 season. Clickhereto view IDOA FAQ on Dicamba.
In addition to the requirements of the federally approved labels, all use of pesticides containing dicamba on soybeans in Illinois must comply wit ... more. |
IFCA is pleased to announce the return of selecting a Custom Applicator for the third year in a row. Last year we had a wonderful response from our retail members with submitting nomination forms that we just had to continue the program in order to recognize even more of the outstanding applicators in Illinois. The nomination forms were narrowed down to 4 finalists for 2023 with the winner being annou ... more. |
Last Friday was the deadline to get a bill that originated in the House off of the House floor and move to the Senate. The house worked extra hours last week to try and get as many bills over to the Senate as possible.There were 9,751 bills introduced this spring session. IFCA is watching more than two hundred pieces of legislation that could have an impact on the ag input industry. Most legislation that IF ... more. |
Last Friday was the deadline to get a bill that originated in the House off of the House floor and move to the Senate. The house worked extra hours last week to try and get as many bills over to the Senate as possible.There were 9,751 bills introduced this spring session. IFCA is watching more than two hundred pieces of legislation that could have an impact on the ag input industry. Most legislation that IFCA ... more. |
Yesterday, The Ag Retailers Association informed IFCA that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by a 3-2 vote approved a Noncompete rule, which will impact all industries.
Click Here to read a summary and analysis of the FTC final rule by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney.
FTC Rule Summary
Under the final Noncompete Rule, the FTC adopts a comprehensive ban on new noncompetes with all wo ... more. |
IFCA understands the pressure our industry faces this spring when planters start rolling and weather conditions are not ideal. It is important that we remain focused on implementing good stewardship practices while preventing legislative proposals and additional regulations. The public is watching us very closely!
This past week, IFCA was forwarded the following video. This is a reminder, that all appl ... more. |
We have had several inquiries on whether a driver with a restricted class B CDL is subject to random drug and alcohol testing. All CDL drivers operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) (greater than 26,000 GVWR, or transporting more than 16 passengers, including the driver, or placarded hazardous materials) on public roadways must be DOT drug and alcohol tested. This applies to any driver required to posse ... more. |
As we enter the 2024 season here in Illinois, IFCA wants to remind all members that the restrictions for dicamba use on soybeans by the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA)are the same restrictions required in 2023. Dicamba label training is still required every year prior to applying dicamba over-the-top of soybeans. You can complete any one of the three trainings for dicamba application to soybeans n ... more. |
On Tuesday EPA released an updated Herbicide Strategy that appears to take in consideration the concerns raised by IFCA and other agricultural stakeholders.
The agency has been under pressure from the courts to comply with a feature of the Endangered Species Act that requires EPA to consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service and/or National Marine Fisheries Service to avoid harm to federally listed species o ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) is again coordinating the annual pesticide container recycling program this year.The 2024 program will run from July 17th through August 7th, where IDOA will accept clean, triple rinsed containers and will also accept clean, cut-up mini-bulk containers. For any questions regarding the IDA recycling program, please contact Rick Severns at IDA at 217-785-2427 or cal ... more. |
Please click on the links below for on-line and webinar training opportunities for dicamba label training. Completing any of these trainings will meet the requirement for dicamba training no matter which product you are applying to soybean.
BASF (Engenia):Applicator Training (engeniaherbicide.com)
Bayer (XtendiMax):Dicamba Training and Application Requirem ... more. |
This year there will be no in-person classroom training for dicamba in Illinois.Dicamba training will be limited to either self-paced online training or via a live webinar offered by Bayer, BASF or Syngenta.Links to the training websites can be found at https://www.ifca.com/illinoisdicambatraining.
USEPA has enacted a new application cut-off date of June 12, 2023 for dicamba applica ... more. |
Foreign investors own, or partly own, about a third of the land in central Illinois’ McLean County. In neighboring DeWitt County, foreign investors hold about 20% of the county’s land, as well as about 10% in Logan and Ford counties.
A recent wave of foreign investment in Midwestern farmland has kicked off a flurry of legislation in Springfield and Washington. In Illinois, there are multiple bi ... more. |
The USDA is accepting proposals through July 2 for projects that will help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners adopt and expand conservation strategies to enhance natural resources while tackling the climate crisis.
The projects could save farmers money, create new revenue streams and increase productivity, according to the USDA, which has set aside $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2024 to invest in partner ... more. |
As you prepare to spray fields this spring, consider these tips to ensure you’re complying with federal regulations when it comes to pesticide disposal.
In a recent webinar held by the Agricultural Retailers Association, Carlye Patterson, associate at Faegre Drinker law firm in Des Moines, shared anyone disposing pesticides needs to check the instructions on the pesticide label, state and local laws, ... more. |
The first look at a new farm bill could happen as early as next week. It’s long overdue after nothing was released out of Committee in 2023, and there’s growing doubt a farm bill will even be passed in 2024.
The latest timeline is according to Joe L. Outlaw, co-director, Agricultural & Food Policy Center (AFPC), Texas A&M University. In an interview with Farm Journal, Outlaw says the Ho ... more. |
President Joe Biden sent a request to Congress that includes $2.8 billion in disaster aid for farmers and livestock producers affected by natural disasters.
The overall request the White House has put together is $56 billion. Along with disaster aid for farmers, the package includes another request for just over $1 billion in international food aid. Lawmakers will have to decide if they want to approve the ... more. |
TALC USA, a BRANDT company, is preparing a new production facility in Curran, Ill. to increase its production capacity in the US while reducing shipping costs to its end farmer customers. The production line is scheduled to be completed in the third quarter of 2024 in time to supply the 2025 planting season.
“As we continue to integrate our operations into BRANDT, it makes good business sense to co-l ... more. |
The interview and selection process can be challenging for many managers. It can be downright daunting considering a new study by Forbes that confirms 70% of job applicants admit to lying on a resume, and 76% have exaggerated items in their cover letter!
Therefore, just because candidates appear great on paper does not mean they will perform well in your open position. Studies like this and increasing empl ... more. |
While our annual CropLife 100 ranking is based on sales from crop inputs (e.g., seed, fertilizer, crop protection products) and custom application, it doesn’t include other key categories such as precision ag services and products. And yet we still track this additional information to help us get a more complete understanding of the revenue portfolios of the largest ag retailers in the country. As it turns ou ... more. |
Mayor Diane Marlin recalls joining a tour of Carle Park last summer organized by the Prairie Rivers Network, a local environmental advocacy group, and noticing the trees had damaged, curled leaves.
When she went home, the mayor noticed that the redbud in her backyard was sprouting the very same signs of damage as those in the Urbana park. Kim Erndt-Pitcher, PRN’s director of ecological health, ... more. |
The Illinois state Senate passed a bill Thursday changing how liability is accrued for companies that violate the state’s Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA).
Under the current law, companies need to get written consent from customers and employees to use biometric information like fingerprints, face scanners and retina scanners. That part of the law would not change, though the bill would allow ... more. |
Earlier this spring, one of our members received a phone call from an unknown individual requesting to purchase fertilizer over the phone. The individual in question wanted to purchase a rather large amount of fertilizer and was willing to provide payment over the phone. This individual would not provide any details on the intended use and made several follow-up phone calls trying to convince the Ag retailer ... more. |
As we prepare for the upcoming spring ammonia season, here are fourteen key safety reminders to keep foremost in mind when handling ammonia.
14 Key Safety Reminders and Recommendations for Handling & Transporting Anhydrous Ammonia from IFCA
1. Remember to always utilize your ammonia gloves and chemical splash goggles when working around ammonia. Never wear contact lenses wh ... more. |
This week, IFCA asked our members to contact their Illinois state senator regarding SB 771. Proponents claim SB 771 intends to restore wetland protections that were in place prior to the US Supreme Court’s ruling on WOTUS last year (the Sackett Decision). Unfortunately, this legislation would far exceed what was in place pre-Sackett. The resulting regulatory, logistical, and financial challenges could preve ... more. |
This week IFCA held the Fast Track Program, a program focused on training current college students who will be pursuing a career in the ag retail industry, at the Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington, IL. Local colleges, including Illinois Central College, Lincoln Land Community College and Heartland Community College, brought students Tuesday to receive training on Anhydrous Ammonia, Applicator Safety and Awareness, H ... more. |
As we prepare for the upcoming spring ammonia season, here are fourteen key safety reminders to keep foremost in your mind when handling ammonia.
14 Key Safety Reminders and Recommendations for Handling & Transporting Anhydrous Ammonia from IFCA
1. Remember to always utilize your ammonia gloves and chemical splash goggles when working around ammonia. Never wear contact lenses when work ... more. |
Earlier this spring, one of our members received a phone call from an unknown individual requesting to purchase fertilizer over the phone. The individual in question wanted to purchase a rather large amount of fertilizer and was willing to provide payment over the phone. This individual would not provide any details on the intended use and made several follow-up phone calls trying to convince the Ag retailer ... more. |
The next couple of weeks will be busy with ammonia application in Illinois. Here are a few reminders to keep in mind when working with ammonia:
1. Slow down! Nurse tanks should not travel down the road at more than 25 mph.
2. ALWAYS turn the nurse tank valves off at the tank source and disconnect hoses before pulling onto a public roadway. This is required by law.&nbs ... more. |
IFCA is reaching out to our membership with the request that you contact your Illinois state senator regarding SB 771. Proponents claim SB 771 intends to restore wetland protections that were in place prior to the US Supreme Court’s ruling on WOTUS last year (the Sackett Decision). Unfortunately, this legislation would far exceed what was in place pre-Sackett. The resulting regulatory, logistical, and finan ... more. |
Today IFCA was informed SB 771 (Sen. Laura Ellman) re-introduced an amendment to the Wetland Protection Act. This legislation would tremendously affect farming practices in Illinois. This legislation is stemming from the United States Supreme Court ruling on WOTUS. There will be a hearing today in the Senate Judiciary Committee at 3:30pm. IFCA is asking all members to reach out to any committee members ... more. |
Located at the Peoria Civic Center
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More farmers seem to be adopting cover crops and no-till, according to data from the 2022 Census of Agriculture.
“Cover crops expense is up across the United States, which suggests farmers are adopting more climate-smart practices, whether it be for participation in the carbon market, participation in government programs, or to rebuild and maintain soil health to conserve the land upon which they far ... more. |
For the 2023 growing season, one of the standout categories among crop inputs was nitrogen stabilizers. In fact, according to Steve Carlsen, Agronomy Directory of Proprietary Products for CHS Inc., last growing season went exceptionally well for the nitrogen stabilizers.
“The 2023 growing season saw very strong performance of nitrogen stabilization and continuing adoption,” says Carlsen. &ldquo ... more. |
There is little reason for optimism that Congress will pass the new farm bill this year, wrote farm policy expert Jonathan Coppess on Thursday as part of an analysis showing that farm program payments favor Southern growers. “The chances of farm bill reauthorization in 2024 grow more dim with each passing day, and analysis begins to take on the tenor of postmortem.”
Writing at the farmdoc daily ... more. |
A bill that would partially shield the maker of a widely used agricultural and lawn herbicide from lawsuits over its health effects was adopted by the Iowa Senate on Tuesday.
Senate File 2412 would protect Bayer against claims it failed to warn people about the potential health effects of Roundup so long as its product is labeled as required by federal regulators.
Click Here to read more.
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Florida cities and counties once again may pass new fertilizer ordinances and strengthen existing ones, including summer rainy season bans, since the Legislature did not extend a one-year moratorium on such home rule.
Lawmakers took no action on the moratorium during the 2024 January-March legislation session, after enacting the controversial moratorium in what critics called a "sneak attack" dur ... more. |
And for the crop protection industry, the courtroom drama continues. This time, an older active ingredient, paraquat, is in the cross-hairs in the Land of Lincoln.
In March, CropLife magazine looked at all the legal issues surrounding many of the industry’s most popular products, including glyphosate and dicamba. However, now one of the older chemistries, paraquat (first marketed as Gramoxone in 1962 ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) has praised the U.S. Senate for introducing bipartisan legislation to include phosphate and potash on the final list of critical minerals of the Department of the Interior. Introduced by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Thom Tills (R-NC), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), and Rick Scott (R-FL), the legislation will recognize the importance of ensuring a ... more. |
As you prepare to spray fields this spring, consider these tips to ensure you’re complying with federal regulations when it comes to pesticide disposal.
In a recent webinar held by the Agricultural Retailers Association, Carlye Patterson, associate at Faegre Drinker law firm in Des Moines, shared anyone disposing pesticides needs to check the instructions on the pesticide label, state and local laws, ... more. |
With the start of the spring season quickly approaching and the news of a containment breach in Iowa and most recently in Illinois, this is a good reminder to make sure operational and secondary containment structures are well maintained and inspected on a regular basis. Some of the IDOA requirements include visually inspecting containment structures weekly including written inspections and maintenance, inspection ... more. |
Throughout the year, IFCA receives questions from our members regarding salary ranges for ag retail employees to see if they are competitive with other companies in the industry. IFCA wants to thank Margy Eckelkamp with the"The Daily Scoop" for putting out their "2024 Salary Survey".The survey shows the trends of two key occupations in the ag retail: sales agronomists and applicators ... more. |
A bipartisan bill in the U.S. Senate would streamline the permitting process for more domestic phosphate and potash production.
Ed Thomas with The Fertilizer Institute says, “We certainly do see a need for permitting reform. This is just a first step.” Thomas tells Brownfield they’ve been trying to increase the domestic supply of fertilizer by pushing for government policy changes. &ldquo ... more. |
Hunter Carpenter and the Agricultural Retailers Association team just wrapped up organizing its 2024 fly-in bringing members from across to the country to Washington D.C. to unite their voice with law makers.
Carpenter says ARA remains focused on the issues most likely to impact the ag retailer’s bottom line. By collaborating with its membership, ARA has identified this year’s public poli ... more. |
A new chapter in the saga of dicamba herbicides began on Monday, March 11, as Bayer once again initiated the registration process with EPA for its product, XtendiMax, for use in dicamba-tolerant soybeans and cotton in 2025.
The move comes just more than a month after a federal court in Arizona vacated the 2020 registrations of three "over-the-top" dicamba products previously approved by EPA, incl ... more. |
IFCA has partnered with the Asmark Institute to have the new Applicator Manuals available to our members. It contains over 150+ specimen labels of the most popular custom applied products. This manual has become the industry standard in helping comply with EPA's requirement to have current label information available for applicators while handling or applying pesticides. Place a copy in yourapplication eq ... more. |
This webinar will focus on the benefits of ResponsibleAg, the programsprocess, as well asparticipant tools. Plus, participants will get a sneak peek at top issues found during ResponsibleAg audits and have the chance to ask their own questions. ResponsibleAg is an industry-led certification program committed to helping agribusinesses properly store and handle farm input supplies. By earning Respon ... more. |
This week, Dr. Emerson Nafziger did a one-hour webinar focused on spring nitrogen management for the 2024 season. The webinar was recorded and posted at www.ifca.com. Click Hereto viewthe recording. You can also download the presentation.
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued the fourth Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) test order requiring testing on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under EPA’s National PFAS Testing Strategy, the latest action taken under EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap to confront contamination from “forever chemicals” nationwide.
This action orders the 3M Company and Wacke ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agricutlure (IDOA) will be hosting in-person pesticidetesting for all categories at the Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington, Illinois April 11th. Testing will begin at 1 p.m.The IDOA testing was in conjunction with an IFCA related program and therefore was not listed on the regular testing schedule, but is nonetheless open to the public. Preregistration is not required.
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IFCA applauds EPA for agreeing with the recommendations of the atrazine Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP), removing several poor-quality studies that played a role in the agency’s recommendation for an ultra-low aquatic level of concern for atrazine. The SAP was held in August 2023 at the request of the ag input industry. The panel considered EPA’s white paper and stakeholder comments to exclude or resc ... more. |
Farm Progress Show Grounds, Decatur Illinois
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With the start of the spring season quickly approaching and the news of a containment breach in Iowa and most recently in Illinois, this is a good reminder to make sure operational and secondary containment structures are well maintained and inspected on a regular basis. Some of the IDOA requirements include visually inspecting containment structures weekly including written inspections and maintenance, inspectio ... more. |
The International Trade Commission has begun an investigation into whether low-priced imports of 2,4-D are causing "material injury" to the U.S. manufacturer of the product.
China and India have increased exports of the herbicide to the U.S. while at the same time dropping their prices, Corteva said in a petition to the ITC, filed this month.
The ITC’s Office of Investigations will hold a ... more. |
Over the last month IFCA has received multiple phone calls and emails from members regarding the new State of Illinois law that went into effect on January 1st on the seven-day work and one day rest for all hourly employees. As the title of the bill indicates you would give all hourly employees one day rest if they work seven straight days. At the IFCA convention in January, IFCA had attorney Jeff Rishch, who ... more. |
As we’ve discussed before, the competition for scarce state dollars is particularly fierce this year in Springfield as various groups elbow each other for money while large surpluses and revenue increases start to dry up.
A poll taken by respected national Democratic pollster Normington Petts in late February of 700 registered Illinois voters purports to show which of those ideas has strong support a ... more. |
A new exemption for drone piloting from the Federal Aviation Administration has cleared the airways for "drone-swarm" agriculture, a method of seeding and spraying crops at a fraction of the traditional cost.
Hylio, a Texas-based drone manufacturer, successfully applied for an exemption from the FAA to allow fleets of drones weighing 55 pounds or more to fly together.
Click Here to read ... more. |
Last Tuesday, dozens of Tennessee farmers and advocates visited the state capitol for Ag Day on the Hill, a celebration of the state’s agricultural industry. Between the annual straw bale-tossing competition —in which members of the House, Senate and executive branch separate into teams — and an acknowledgement of 4-H and Future Farmers of America chapters from across the state, a vocal group of a ... more. |
Early Tuesday morning, a cargo ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing it to collapse. The Port of Baltimore later announced all vessel traffic in and out of the port is suspended indefinitely.
Mike Steenhoek, executive director at the Soy Transportation Coalition, joined the AgriTalk podcast shortly after to share what this devastating event could mean for shipping and the agricultu ... more. |
Weather is a major factor that decides whether or not growers are going to be facing an insect and disease problem. And with the widely varied and climate altering conditions around the county, ag retailers will have their hands full helping their grower-customers decide the right tools to deal with a variety of infestations.
What to Expect: “It’s been a very light winter this year, above avera ... more. |
In early February, dicamba once again found itself on the wrong side of the law. A federal court in Arizona vacated EPA’s 2020 registrations for dicamba products to be used in over-the-top applications. This effectively meant that the agricultural community would be unable to apply XtendiMax (Bayer), Engenia (BASF), and Tavium (Syngenta) for the upcoming 2024 growing season.
In reviewing the case, th ... more. |
Applicators need reliable information to practice good stewardship when spraying. Whether you are an aerial applicator, retailer, crop producer, mosquito control applicator, vegetation management, or a turf and ornamental grass company, you need to avoid damage from spray drift. That’s where FieldCheck comes in.
Developed by FieldWatch to address the needs of all applicators, FieldCheck is a speciali ... more. |
This week, Dr. Emerson Nafziger did a one-hour webinar focused on spring nitrogen management for the 2024 season. The webinar was recorded and posted at www.ifca.com. Click Here to watch the recording. You can also download the presentation.
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To check out what's going on at IFCA the past couple of weeks, click here and watch a video from President KJ Johnson. IFCA will be posting weekly videos to their website of updates on what's going on in the ag input industry.
The Illinois General Assembly was off this week for the Easter/spring break. The Senate is also off next week but the House of Representatives will be in next to keep m ... more. |
Association strength continues to depend on those who volunteer and serve on committees. We would like to thank those people who served on the IFCA Committees, especially those who served as Chairmen.
Agronomy Committee
The focus of this committee is to evaluate various Nutrient Management Programs that are being submitted by government and private agencies as well as defining Nutrient M ... more. |
IFCA has partnered with the Asmark Institute to have the new Applicator Manuals available to our members. It contains over 150+ specimen labels of the most popular custom applied products. This manual has become the industry standard in helping comply with EPA's requirement to have current label information available for applicators while handling or applying pesticides. Place a copy in every piece of applicati ... more. |
Environmental, health, and safety performance can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. ResponsibleAg is an industry-led certification program committed to helping agribusinesses properly store and handle farm input supplies. By earning ResponsibleAg certification, businesses organize and simply their regulatory burdens. In this webinar, learn about ResponsibleAg’s process, benefits, and parti ... more. |
Over the past week, IFCA has received multiple calls and emails from members’ regarding Paraquat subpoenas they had received. The multi district court litigation being filed by plaintiffs (Paraquat Products Liability Litigation) in various states against Syngenta Crop Protection over the pesticide paraquat has resulted in plaintiffs broadly issuing subpoenas throughout Illinois and the count ... more. |
Over the past week, IFCA has received multiple calls and emails from members’ regarding Paraquat subpoenas they had received. The multi district court litigation being filed by plaintiffs (Paraquat Products Liability Litigation) in various states against Syngenta Crop Protection over the pesticide paraquat has resulted in plaintiffs broadly issuing subpoenas throughout Illinois and the cou ... more. |
On Thursday of this week, the IFCA Board of Directors met in Bloomington at the IFCA Office for one of their annual meetings to approve the new FY24/25 budget. A legislative update was provided from KJ Johnson and IFCA's lobbyist Darren Collier, where most of the discussion pertained to the farm bill, recent primary elections as well as what is currently taking place at our State Capitol.
Board discuss ... more. |
IFCA applauds EPA for agreeing with the recommendations of the atrazine Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP), removing several poor-quality studies that played a role in the agency’s recommendation for an ultra-low aquatic level of concern for atrazine. The SAP was held in August 2023 at the request of the ag input industry. The panel considered EPA’s white paper and stakeholder comments to exclude or rescor ... more. |
As previously stated, the Department of Homeland Security’s Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) expired last summer. Opposition primarily from Senator Rand Paul (KY) has prevented Congress from implementing a new law, although the House of Representatives passed a bill to provide a new two-year CFATS legislative authorization by an overwhelming vote of 409-1. This kind of majority vote almost ... more. |
Throughout the year, IFCA receives questions from our members regarding salary ranges for ag retail employees to see if they are competitive with other companies in the industry. IFCA wants to thank Margy Eckelkamp with the "The Daily Scoop" for putting out their "2024 Salary Survey".The survey shows the trends of two key occupations in the ag retail: sales agronomists and applicators.&nbs ... more. |
The 4R Advocate program recognizes agricultural retailers and their grower customers who are leading the way when it comes to implementing 4R Nutrient Stewardship on the farm. The selected group of 2024 4R Advocates will assist The Fertilizer Institute in raising awareness and adoption of 4R Nutrient Stewardship. Ag retailers are encouraged to work with growers to complete the nomination form with relevant details ... more. |
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IFCA’s national partner, ARA, and lawyers from member firm Faegre Drinker are hostinga webinar onthe Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the use of pesticides in an ever-evolving regulatory landscape.
This webinar provides an overview of important regulations and requirements affecting nearly every part of ag retail, from pesticide registration, labeling, and p ... more. |
At a Senate committee hearing this past week, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-IL, blamed Illinois farm runoff for the largedead zone in the Gulf ofMexico at a recent Senate Ag hearing. When it comes to preventing farm runoff, Sen.Durbin told USDASecretary Tom Vilsackat a recent Ag hearing thathis state does nothavesuch a good record, stating,“We’re about n ... more. |
IFCA’s John Rebholz has been busy teaching his Ammonia Technician Course at the Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington, IL. Pictured below are attendees from California, Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, Minnesota, Washington & Kentucky.
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IFCA had a very productive week at the Illinois state capitol this week. On Tuesday, IFCA'sPresident KJ Johnson testified in the House Energy and Environment committee on different anti-pesticide pieces of legislation. After the committee hearing, only HB5018, which raises penalties on tree damaged by pesticide, will have any further discussions. IFCA has spoken to the bill sponsor over concerns with HB ... more. |
This upcoming Monday will be the last in-person competent ammonia training offered ahead of the spring season. If you have any employees who need to be recertified or any new hires who will be working with anhydrous, make sure to get them signed up. The training will be held at the Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington, IL and will run from 9am-noon. Click here to register.
There will also be an in-person anhyd ... more. |
10a.m. shotgun start. Contact Leslie Forrest at leslief@ifca.com to register.
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Gov. JB Pritzker proposed some changes to the state’s pension system during his budget address and State of the State speech last month that will likely please the New York City-based bond rating agencies by giving them something they want, as well as his fellow Democrats by freeing up some money to spend on other things.
Every time the state’s credit is rated, the agencies ding Illinois’ ... more. |
As fertilizer prices go through a seasonal spring elevation, experts are watching global dynamics to understand the market’s longer-term outlook in the U.S.
Among their top concerns are geopolitics, weather and low supply.
Possibility of Pipelines in Russia: Before Russia began invading Ukraine, they were the top global exporter of anhydrous. But due to their pipeline’s proximity to Uk ... more. |
At the company’s March 5 financial news conference, Bayer CEO Bill Anderson outlined the company’s four priorities for the next two to three years:
building a strong Pharmaceuticals pipeline
addressing litigation
reducing debt
continuing to implement its radical new operating model, Dynamic Shared Ownership (DSO), to improve performance
“We are a high-impact, missi ... more. |
In early February, dicamba once again found itself on the wrong side of the law. A federal court in Arizona vacated EPA’s 2020 registrations for dicamba products to be used in over-the-top applications. This effectively meant that the agricultural community would be unable to apply XtendiMax (Bayer), Engenia (BASF), and Tavium (Syngenta) for the upcoming 2024 growing season.
In reviewing the case, th ... more. |
The pro-science community has recently chalked up several important wins in Europe. First, on January 24, the powerful environment committee of the European Parliament backed the reform of the cumbersome regulatory system to allow ‘new genomic techniques’ (NGTs) to be used in crop breeding. (NGTs include gene editing tools like CRISPR, which can develop better crops more rapidly than conventional breedi ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched the Office of Agriculture and Rural Affairs to enhance engagement with agricultural and rural communities. The initiative aims to involve farmers and ranchers in environmental efforts while supporting small towns. “With the launch of this new office, we are ensuring agricultural and rural stakeholders will continue to have a seat at the table for man ... more. |
Whether you are a private applicator and apply your own herbicides or utilize custom applicators, complex changes to labels and recordkeeping will alter how, when, and where herbicides can be applied.
Last July, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its draft herbicide strategy, which proposed mitigations for more than 900 species and critical habitats. The mitigations are designed to reduce t ... more. |
Over the last two weeks, IFCA has trained ag retailers,farmers and fire departments across the Midwest on anhydrous ammonia. Anhydrous training this year has spanned acrossTennessee, Iowa, Nebraska & Illinois.There will be one last NH3 training for Ag Retailers will be held at theAsmark Agricenter on March 18th beginningat 9:00 a.m. In-Person Grower Ammonia training will follow at ... more. |
As spring is quickly approaching, a few reminders for record keeping when applying or selling pesticides to your customers.
Pesticide dealers shall retain a record of all sales of restricted use pesticides or pesticides that the Director has declared to be a pesticide requiring a permit for two (2) years. The record shall include, but is not limited to, the following for each individual sale of such a pest ... more. |
After passing a fourth continuing resolution last week to avoid a government shutdown, Congress released the final text this Sunday detailing funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other programs of interest. It isexpected to head to President Biden’s desk for signature before the end of this week. The final numbers for the Office of Pesticide Program were lower than what was previous ... more. |
Every other month, Illinois Extension provides a new Illinois Pesticide Review Newsletter. Here you will find information on legislation, regulations and other developments directly impacting pesticide use in Illinois. The March edition includes stories on:
Illinois Department of Agriculture updates identification requirements for pesticide certification and licensing.
New pesticide licensing fee schedule in ... more. |
IFCA is in the last stretch of finishing its second year of surveys for measuring progress for the Illinois Nutrient Reduction Strategy. The survey utilizes a first-of-its-kind approach to using ag retailer records to track progress made by Illinois farmers with the adoption of in-field conservation practices such as cover crops, nutrient management, and reduced tillage. Ag retailer cooperation is critical to ensur ... more. |
Over the past week IFCA has been lobbying on behalf of the industry in Washington DC and in Springfield.Starting out the week, IFCA participated in the AG Retailer Association winter fly-in to speak to members on Capitol Hill about critical issues affecting the industry. A group of ten AG retailers from across Illinois lobbied Capitol Hill. Major discussion was held on the farm bill, transportation, truck dri ... more. |
Jenner Ag is pleased to announce, for the 13th consecutive year, its Furthering Ag Education Scholarship program for Illinois and Indiana high school and college students. This scholarship will provide two recipients with $5,000 each for the 2024-2025 academic year.
“It's inspiring to witness young people who share the same passion for agriculture as we do. We consider ourselves fortunate to be i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
As fertilizer prices go through a seasonal spring elevation, experts are watching global dynamics to understand the market’s longer-term outlook in the U.S.
Among their top concerns are geopolitics, weather and low supply.
Possibility of Pipelines in Russia - Before Russia began invading Ukraine, they were the top global exporter of anhydrous. But due to their pipeline’s proximity to U ... more. |
In early February, dicamba once again found itself on the wrong side of the law. A federal court in Arizona vacated EPA’s 2020 registrations for dicamba products to be used in over-the-top applications. This effectively meant that the agricultural community would be unable to apply XtendiMax (Bayer), Engenia (BASF), and Tavium (Syngenta) for the upcoming 2024 growing season.
In reviewing the case, th ... more. |
A safety advisory was issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) about the possibility of catastrophic failure of certain hazardous materials containers known as nurse tanks.
The advisory focuses on nurse tanks manufactured from Jan. 1, 2007, through December 31, 2011, by American Welding and Tank (AWT) at its pla ... more. |
Roughly 80% of the nation's soybean farmers could face moderate to extreme additional costs to comply with a proposed EPA plan for future herbicide use, according to a survey conducted by a national commodity organization.
On Wednesday, Feb. 21, the American Soybean Association (ASA) released the results of a survey it conducted with 75 of its farmer board members and a sample of soy growers from affil ... more. |
Data from the 2022 Census of Agriculture highlights the diversity of Illinois agriculture.
Mark Schleusener, Illinois state statistician with USDA, says the state has some bragging rights. “Illinois is the number one state for soybean acres.” He says, “We’ve got more than 33,000 growers growing soybeans in Illinois and for pumpkins, we’re also number one. It& ... more. |
An ag transportation expert says the drought situation along the Panama Canal could become the top challenge facing the U.S. grain export system in 2024.
Mike Steenhoek, executive director of the Soy Transportation Coalition, says water levels remain very low. “You’re seeing more and more exports that leave from the Gulf of Mexico having to resort to the Cape of Good Hope around the southern ti ... more. |
After sharp spikes in fertilizer prices in 2022, farmers saw some relief last year as prices stabilized.
With the 2024 planting season nearing, analysts say there remain key influences that could shape the outlook of the fertilizer market.
Among the factors they’re watching are weather issues that could disrupt spring planting and transportation of fertilizers, as well as geopolitics that co ... more. |
The CropLife America (CLA) Board of Directors welcomes Alexandra (Alex) Dunn as the new president and chief executive officer (CEO). Dunn joins CLA after serving as a Partner in the Environmental, Safety, and Incident Response group at the international law firm of Baker Botts, L.L.P., in its Washington, D.C., office. While at Baker Botts, Alex worked on pesticide issues, chemical regulation, water quality, enforce ... more. |
A status update on the Mississippi River from the Army Corps of Engineers announced there are no draft restrictions on the Mississippi River for the third week, and they are not dredging for low water. The full announcement by the Army Corps of Engineers can be accessed here. The rebound in water levels on the Mississippi River is because of snow melt and other precipitation over the past 5-6 weeks have supplied ad ... more. |
Last Wednesday JB Pritzker laid out his FY24/25 budget to lawmakers (click here to view). Listed is historical funding along with 2024 appropriations and estimations and the 2025 proposed budget. Most are status quo, except for a nearly 50% cut for funding of local Soil and Water Conservation Districts.Debates on the state budget will not happen until the end of April/May when final revenue numbers come in.&n ... more. |
Recently one of our members received an inquiry from an unknown individual requesting to purchase fertilizer. The individual in question wanted to purchase a rather large amount of fertilizer.This individual would not provide any details on the intended useyet was very insistent on wanting to purchase the fertilizer and made several follow-up phone calls trying to convince the Ag retailer to sell ... more. |
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DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and do ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
IFCA has received a high number of calls, texts and emails from our members regarding HB1634, California emissions standards on semis.IFCA, along with several trucking, ag and business groups, pushed back on this unbelievably bad legislation.House leadership decided to cancel Tuesday's hearing in the House Energy & Environment Committee. HB1634 would require Illinois to adopt CARB (California Ai ... more. |
After more than a few weeks of uncertainty, IFCA members learned they will be allowed to use over-the-top (OTT) dicamba formulations on soybeans in 2024. EPA issued an existing stocks order that allows for the use of the herbicide already distributed from the product registrants following application cutoff dates on the products’ previously approved labels.
IFCA has received calls and emails qu ... more. |
Click here to read the latest IFCA “News Under the Dome” newsletter, detailing the most important legislation introduced down at the State Capitol that impacts our industry. To view a complete list of bills IFCA is monitoring, please click here.
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On March 6th in Springfield, IFCA and the Illinois Soybean Association will be hosting a legislative rally at the Illinois State Capitol. This is a great opportunity to meet with your local legislators, learn about what legislation IFCA is working on at the Illinois State Capitol and interact with two great organizations. If you would like to register, please email kj@ifca.com. More details to follow.
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On February 20th, 2024, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued a safety advisory related to the catastrophic failure of a nurse tank that occurred in Iowa on August 23, 2023. The tank was manufactured by American Welding and Tank LLC at its Freemont, Ohio plant in 2009.The FMCSA-PHMSA advisory focuses on those spe ... more. |
Yesterday, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued a safety advisory related to the catastrophic failure of a nurse tank that occurred in Iowa on August 23, 2023. The tank was manufactured by American Welding and Tank LLC at its Freemont, Ohio plant in 2009.The FMCSA-PHMSA advisory focuses on those specific tanks man ... more. |
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the latest steps to incorporate stakeholder feedback and collaboration with federal partners, ensuring the Agency’s work to protect endangered species from pesticides is practical, flexible, and supports the agricultural community. Assistant Administrator Michal Freedhoff described these steps in a speech to the National Association of State Depa ... more. |
The CropLife America (CLA) Board of Directors welcomes Alexandra (Alex) Dunn as the new president and chief executive officer (CEO). Dunn joins CLA after serving as a Partner in the Environmental, Safety, and Incident Response group at the international law firm of Baker Botts, L.L.P., in its Washington, D.C., office. While at Baker Botts, Alex worked on pesticide issues, chemical regulation, water quality, enforce ... more. |
State Representative Edgar Gonzalez, Jr., Chicago, has introduced House Bill 1634, seeking to adopt the vehicle emissions standards of California.
The bill is co-sponsored by Representative Janet Yang Rohr of Naperville, and Representative Bob Morgan of Highwood.
Click Here to read more.
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On February 6, 2024, a ruling by the U.S. District Court of Arizona vacating the 2020 registrations for over-the-top (OTT) dicamba products, IFCA received this information from the EPA on existing stocks of dicamba for the 2024 cropping season:
On February 14, 2024, EPA issued an Existing Stocks Order for Dicamba Products Previously Registered for Over-the-Top Use on Dicamba-Tolerant Cotton and Soybe ... more. |
The Illinois General Assembly came back to Springfield last week to begin spring session. As of February 14th, there's been over 9,475 bills introduced in the 103rd general assembly. As of right now IFCA is monitoring over 250 pieces of legislation. Please click hereor click the newsletter image below to view IFCA's latest "News Under the Dome" to review legislation IFCA is curretnly m ... more. |
On February 6, 2024, a ruling by the U.S. District Court of Arizona vacating the 2020 registrations for over-the-top (OTT) dicamba products, IFCA received this information from the EPA on existing stocks of dicamba for the 2024 cropping season:
On February 14, 2024, EPA issued an Existing Stocks Order for Dicamba Products Previously Registered for Over-the-Top Use on Dicamba-Tolerant Cotton and Soybe ... more. |
Today, USEPA issued an existing stocks order for dicamba products previously registered for over-the-top use ofdicamba tolerant soybean. This order addresses use of the formerly-registered dicamba products and authorizes limited sale and distribution of dicamba products that are already in the possession of growers or in the channels of trade and outside the control of the pesticide companies. To read the exi ... more. |
A federal court in Arizona on Tuesday vacated the 2020 registrations of three dicamba products previously approved by the EPA for over-the-top applications including XtendiMax, Engenia and Tavium in soybeans and cotton. The ruling in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona leaves ag retailers and farmers without theuse dicamba in the upcoming growing season. The impact of the judge's rul ... more. |
IFCA has partnered with the Asmark Institute to offer 2024 Applicator Manuals. The 1,800 page book contains over 150+ specimen labels of the most popular custom applied products. This manual has become the industry standard in helping comply with EPA's requirement to have current label information available for applicators while handling or applying pesticides. Place a copy in every piece of appli ... more. |
IFCA recently hosted anhydrous ammonia training in cooperation with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA). Over fifty Growers, Ag Retailers and First-Responders attended the event held this past Wednesday at the University of Tennessee at Martin. IFCA looks forward to continuing this partnership with TDA and finding more ways to promote ammonia ... more. |
The General Assembly came back in session this week for a 3-day work week. A few committees were scheduled but it was a very quiet week. The major conversations being held around the Capitol revolved around bill introductions. All bills haveto be released from the Legislative Reference Bureau by next Friday. We are starting to see a few bills already kicked out and assigned to committee. Two bills that ... more. |
IFCA received wordthis afternoon that a federal court in Arizona has vacated the registration of dicamba for over-the-top use on dicamba-resistant soybean and cotton. The court concluded that USEPA failed to comply with FIFRA's notice-and-comment requirements. To read the court opinion click here.
As soon as IFCA receives any new information, we will send it out to the membership.
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Last week, The International Trade Commission upheldits decision that U.S fertilizer companies were negatively impactedby Moroccan and Russian imports, and current tariffs will remain in place.
The ITC says there is evidence of oversupply in 2019 and imports put downward pressure on prices in the U.S. market. They say imports were offered at low prices and caused domestic producers ... more. |
If you missed the IFCA Convention last week in Peoria, IFCA had a paneldiscussion regarding the US EPA's proposed "Herbicide Strategy Plan".Those seated on the panel discussion were KJ Johnson with IFCA, Frank Wong with Bayer, Rueben Baris with Corteva, Josie Montoney Crawford with National Association of State Department of Agriculture and Dr. Aaron Hager with the University of Illinois ... more. |
IFCA will be hosting a total of nine competent ammonia trainings beginning February 26th. If you have new hires working with anhydrous ammonia or current employees who need to renew their certification, please visit our website by clicking hereto get them registered. The trainings run from 9:00am to noon and the full schedule can be found below:
·February 26: Asmark Agricenter, Blo ... more. |
IFCA would like to extend our sincerest gratitudeto ourmembership for attending the 2024 IFCA Convention. We had a great turnout this year and could not have had a successful show without the support and dedication of the industry we represent. All the sessionshosted during the show along with the tradeshow had great turnouts and it was great to see familiar faces while also meeting new people e ... more. |
In 2021, The BRANDT Foundation, in coordination with the University of Illinois, awarded the first Glen Brandt Prize for Entrepreneurism. The award celebrates the legacy that Glen established through his own entrepreneurial spirit. After a 3-year agreement, the BRANDT Foundation Board decided to team with U of I for a 4th year, and the U of I Foundation is willing to sit down with a good potential candidate to es ... more. |
January 16-18, 2024
Registration is now open for
the 2024 Convention
REGISTER ONLINE
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We’re hours away from the 2024 IFCA Winter Convention. Don’t let the cold weather deter you from missing out on engaging with fellow industry members. Preregistration will still be open until 5pm today. We look forward to seeing everyone at the show!
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The IFCA Convention is January 16-18 at the Peoria Civic Center. If you need CEUs, we are offering 2 in NM, 4 in SW, 6 in PM, 2.5 in CM and 4 in PD. We are also offering Ammonia Training, Cover Crop Training and Applicator Training.
In addition to many training opportunities, we have a great trade show lined up and the AG-SOLVE auction on January 17th promises to be another tremendous and f ... more. |
You still have time if you have not yet pre-registered to attend the IFCA convention. Clickhereto be directed to the IFCA convention registration page. Select the "Convention" tab where the schedule and on-line registration isavailable. Please register before the end of the day on Thursday and avoid lines at the on-site registration booth.
We ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
The March 27th NH3 Classroom training has been cancelled
You can access the Retailer 90-Day ammonia training
03/15/20 through 04/05/20 and no cost will be incurred.
Retailer Training
NOTE: After the90 day training certificate expires, you will be required to attend an in-person classroom training this fall.
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In case you missed it, IFCA's Fall/Winter Newsletter is provided below. Click the link to help stay up to date on allareasimpacting our industry. IFCA transitioned to a new digital format for the most recent Fall/Winter 2023 newsletter. The digital format is more user friendly and can be accessed from a desktop, tablet, or smartphone. When you first click on the newsletter if offers a quick ... more. |
This week, CropLife magazine publishedCropLife 100, a 40th anniversary of the original 1984 listing of the largest U.S. ag retailers ranked by sales.
Forty years ago, the sales range for the companies on the CropLife 100 was between $5 million and $80 million. In 2023, annual sales in the $80 million range would land an ag retailer in the mid-60s out of the 100 largest companies, with 59 ... more. |
Start the new year off right by attending the 2024 IFCA Winter Convention January 16-18 in Peoria, IL! The show will host several events for all members of the industry. Visit the program page on the IFCA website, where you can find information on exhibitors that will be attending, CCA Session, Regulatory Session, Ammonia Training, Pesticide Training and Testing, Keynote Address, Ag-Solve Auction as well as several ... more. |
Jean Stewart, a Vermilion County Grower who has been involved with IFCA and NREC funded research, was recently highlighted in an Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership article. Jean has hosted several nitrogen rate trials over the years, where the results have helped update the Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) calculator for the state as well as helped him understand what nitrogen rate should be used for his specific ... more. |
The Center for Food Safety, Beyond Pesticides and several farmworker advocacy groups are pushing the EPA to cancel glyphosate's registration in light of a federal court decision that found fault with the agency's human health assessment. The organizations filed an administrative petition with the agency Wednesday arguing the registration is illegal.
According to the petition, “as things ... more. |
The latest report from theEnvironmental Protection Agency’s Hypoxia Task Forceconcludes farmers and ranchers are making progress in reducing nitrogen runoff in the Mississippi River watershed, but additional efforts are needed to meet phosphorus load reduction goals.
The task force, which brings together federal agencies and 12 member states, has set the interim goal of reducing bot ... more. |
IFCA would like to thank all of our Sponsors who were able tosupport ournon-profit association over the past year. Their generous support has allowedIFCA to continue its work in supporting the agriculture industry in Illinois.
We thank you.
Diamond Sponsors
AGCO Corporation
BASF Corporation
Bayer CropScience
... more. |
IFCA would like to thank all of our Sponsors who were able to support our non-profit association over the past year. Their generous support has allowed IFCA to continue its work in supporting the agriculture industry in Illinois. We thank you.
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This week, CropLife magazine published its CropLife 100, a 40th anniversary of the original listing of the largest U.S. ag retailers ranked by sales.
Forty years ago, the sales range for the companies on the CropLife 100 was between $5 million and $80 million. In 2023, annual sales in the $80 million range would land an ag retailer in the mid-60s out of the 100 largest companies, with 59 ag ret ... more. |
The Center for Food Safety, Beyond Pesticides and several farmworker advocacy groups are pushing the EPA to cancel glyphosate's registration in light of a federal court decision that found fault with the agency's human health assessment. The organizations filed an administrative petition with the agency Wednesday arguing the registration is illegal.
According to the petition, “as things ... more. |
The latest report from theEnvironmental Protection Agency’s Hypoxia Task Forceconcludes farmers and ranchers are making progress in reducing nitrogen runoff in the Mississippi River watershed, but additional efforts are needed to meet phosphorus load reduction goals.
The task force, which brings together federal agencies and 12 member states, has set the interim goal of reducing bot ... more. |
We have transitioned to a new digital format for the most recent Fall/Winter 2023 newsletter. The digital format is more user friendly and can be accessed from a desktop, tablet, or smartphone. When you first click on the newsletter if offers a quick tutorial of the digital format, you can always skip the tutorial and access the tutorial through the help menu. The new menu feature provides page view, conten ... more. |
IFCA wishes our members a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Thank you for supporting your Association throughout the year and in the years to come.
Our office will be closed on December 25, and January 1 to celebrate the holidays. We look forward to seeing you in January at the IFCA Convention, January 16-18, 2024, at the Peoria Civic Center. Click on our Convention Tabat&nb ... more. |
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The House takes up a bill aimed at boosting agriculture and energy research even as Congress lumbers toward the upcoming holiday break in a continued stalemate over aid for Ukraine and Israel, border security, and fiscal 2024 appropriations.
The DOE and USDA Interagency Research Act that the House will consider this week would authorize “cross-cutting and collaborative research and development activi ... more. |
A U.S. Congressman from South Dakota says more transparency is needed to better understand how the U.S. government oversees foreign-owned farmland.
Dusty Johnson tells Brownfield a new bipartisan bill, called the Protect American Farmland and Rural Communities Act, would make investments in research to understand the impacts of foreign-owned land and require USDA to conduct an annual audit on foreign owned ... more. |
Antitrust lawsuits filed by farmers against John Deere will proceed after a federal judge in Illinois rejected the company’s motion for dismissal.
John Deere had asked the U.S. District Court in Northern Illinois to dismiss the case, claiming that it has neither deceived nor surprised farmers with its longstanding repair restrictions. The judge’s ruling allows right-to-repair claims from more t ... more. |
This summer’s oxygen-poor “dead zone” in the Chesapeake Bay was the smallest since scientists started monitoring it in 1985, according to estimates by researchers in Maryland and Virginia.
The good news for the bay could reflect the lower-than-average rainfall in the bay watershed this year, experts said. Rainwater carries pollutants into the Chesapeake, inundating the estuary with nutrie ... more. |
The Fifth National Climate Assessment, released this month, warns of wide-ranging climate impacts throughout the United States. The implications for people and the environment in the Mississippi River basin are extreme, but experts stress that it is not too late to slow the worsening effects.
From its headwaters in Minnesota to its salty mouth at the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi River stretches across t ... more. |
In 1984, the editors of CropLife (then known as Farm Chemicals magazine) decided to celebrate the magazine’s 90th anniversary by showcasing the organizations that they covered: ag retailers. In a special issue that year, they compiled a list of the nation’s top dealerships and cooperatives. With this, what is now known as the CropLife 100, was born! Today, CropLife magazine has once again published its ... more. |
The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) recognized a group of top performers and emerging leaders as part of its Rising Stars award program at the 2023 ARA Conference & Expo in front of more than 600 attendees.
Through participation in ARA Conference educational sessions and networking events such as the Chairman’s Reception, ARA Rising Stars expanded their network to include industry though ... more. |
Sometimes stepping into leadership hardly feels like a choice, especially when you hear the age-old phrase: Someone should do something. It really hits home when you look around and realize that someone is you.
If your journey into a leadership role is imminent, one of the most important ways to get started is through cultivating influence, but building influence isn’t an egotistical thing. It’ ... more. |
It has been 40 years since a new weed-killing chemical mechanism has been introduced into the crop protection marketplace. The decades since have seen weeds become resistant to existing herbicides, resulting in these problematic plants escaping growers’ best efforts to neutralize them.
“We’ve been giving weeds a herbicide diet, and they keep finding ways to get around that diet,” sa ... more. |
The University of Illinois’ Pesticide Safety Education Program will once again be hosting commercial applicator/operator training for the categories of general standards and field crops throughout the state beginning January 2024. Pleaseclick here to view the upcoming training schedule. Click here to be redirected to register for training.
Training for general standards and testing for al ... more. |
IFCA was saddened to learn the news of the passing of Jeff Toohill. Jeff has been a member of IFCA since 2013 and the last seven years of his career the plant manager at Randoph Ag in Heyworth, IL.Jeff was a regular at Convention and MAGIE. He will be deeply missed by those that knew him.
Our condolensces go out to his wife, Kim and their son Parker. Please click her ... more. |
The University of Illinois’ Pesticide Safety Education Program will once again be hosting commercial applicator/operator training for the categories of general standards and field crops throughout the state beginning January 2024. Pleaseclick hereto view the upcoming training schedule.Click hereto be redirected to register for training.
Training for general standards and ... more. |
On Oct. 12, the EPA issued an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) for public comment to seek additional information on the use of pesticide-treated seed and paint products. In particular, EPA is looking to better understand whether or to what extent pesticide-treated seed and paint need to be further regulated.
Based on the Agency’s findings, EPA may pursue a rule or take administrative ac ... more. |
Today, Friday November 17th, is the last day to nominate someone to be on the IFCA Board. If you are an IFCA voting member, an email from "noreply@electionrunner.com" that has a link to the online platform was emailed to you. With several board seats up for election this year, make sure to check your email and participate in the nomination and election process that will occur later in December. If you h ... more. |
The IFCA’s AG-SOLVE PAC is looking for in-kind donation items for the live and silent auction fundraiser during the IFCA’s Convention and Trade Show on January 16-18th, 2024. The live auction with be on January 17th at 3:45 pm on the trade show floor. If you have items to donate like vacation getaways, sporting event tickets, whisky/wine/craft beer baskets, tools, or outdoor sporting equipment let ... more. |
After a nice rise in water levels at the beginning of November and with little rain in the forecast for the next 7 days, the Mississippi River at St. Louis is now falling quickly, reports the Army Corps of Engineers. The seasonal cuts from the Missouri River reservoirs can now be seen in the long-range forecast. Could reach -5ft by December. Gavins Point Dam releases of water into the Missouri will be reduced in la ... more. |
Click Here to view IFCA's "News Under the Dome” and catch up on all of the legislation that happened at the State Capitol this past fall veto session. Most issues that the Illinois Senate and House covered during veto session did not have a direct effect on agriculture.The General Assembly is not scheduled to come back to Springfield until the week of January 16th for the start of the spring se ... more. |
Click Here to view IFCA's "News Under the Dome” and catch up on all of the legislation that happened at the State Capitol this past fall veto session. Most issues that the Illinois Senate and House covered during veto session did not have a direct effect on agriculture.The General Assembly is not scheduled to come back to Springfield until the week of January 16th for the start of the spring ... more. |
The U.S. Commerce Department announced it is lowering duties placed on phosphate fertilizers imported from Morocco from 19.97% to 2.12%. The decision came after the agency conducted an administrative review of the duties, which is performed annually by retroactively examining the price of shipments and other factors. The issue stems from a decision by Commerce that favored a petition by Mosaic to impose duties on p ... more. |
After two weeks of veto session, Illinois lawmakers are likely done with their for 2023. Before the session ended Thursday, they passed several bills and chose to not take action on several others.
One prominent bill lawmakers passed was lifting the 36-year-old moratorium on the construction of new nuclear power plants in 2026.
Click Here to read more.
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Amid the uncertainty as to when the next farm bill will be passed, Bart Fischer, co-director of the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M, discusses two topics experiencing ongoing debate with legislators that could have a big effect on growers’ bottom line.
The first debate Fischer spotlights is over an update to base acres. “There’s nothing simple about base acres,& ... more. |
There’s more than what meets the eye in our latest research report from the Farm Journal Crop Input Purchase Behavior Study.
For six years, Farm Journal has surveyed farmers and specifically asked if they buy any of their crop inputs online. The study is unique in its longevity and focus. We also ask farmers what it means to them to buy online — chipping away at their own perception and reality ... more. |
With all the typically bad/negative news that has been the norm for agriculture in recent months, it was very refreshing this past week to see not one, but two positive news stories appear on the national stage. These will undoubtedly have an impact on the crop protection products and fertilizer marketplaces going into the 2024 growing season.
First, for the crop protection market. In early November, the 8 ... more. |
This year marks a special event for our magazine’s annual CropLife 100 report — a 40th anniversary! Next month, readers can look forward to our regular ag retail marketplace report based upon data from the nation’s largest ag retailers.
In this column, I will do what I’ve done the past several years gathering our CropLife 100 information: Provide some tidbits of data that won’ ... more. |
Climate change is not a distant threat; it’s a stark reality. Extreme weather events, erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts, and destructive storms are all part of the new normal.
Agriculture, the bedrock of our society, is under siege, with farmers facing unpredictable growing conditions threatening their livelihoods. A Cornell-led study estimates that global farming productivity is 21% lower than it ... more. |
Most readers have probably heard or read the buzz surrounding PFAS chemicals. Often referred to as “forever chemicals,” PFAS refers to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. These compounds contain strong carbon-fluorine bonds that allow them to persist in the environment and accumulate in animals and humans.
The Environmental Protection Agency recently proposed a rule designating two PFAS as haz ... more. |
With farm income projected to fall this year, here’s what to watch for the fertilizer, seed and crop protection price outlook.
Fertilizer: Samuel Taylor, senior analyst for farm inputs at Rabobank, shares the year over year change in the company’s fertilizer affordability index has been dramatic. “At the peak of the Russa/Ukraine crisis, we saw the affordability of fertilizers ... more. |
A federal appeals court threw out EPA's actions banning the insecticide chlorpyrifos, ruling on last week the agency's actions were arbitrary and capricious.
The ruling could clear the way for EPA to restore chlorpyrifos for the 2024 growing season. However, the ruling by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals is in direct conflict with a ruling two years ago by the Ninth Circuit.EPA finalized a rul ... more. |
Ag retailers of all sizes can benefit from earning the ResponsibleAg certification, which demonstrates commitment to environmental, health, safety, and security regulations. ResponsibleAg is a non-profit organization jointly operated by the Agricultural Retailers Association and The Fertilizer Institute. It is a comprehensive program that provides education and a systematic approach to continuous improvement, hel ... more. |
If you are a voting member, an email from "noreply@electionrunner.com" that has a link to the online platform was emailed to you. With several board seats up for election this year, make sure to check your email and participate in the nomination and election process that will occur later in December.Nominations will close on November 17th. If you have any questions, please reach out to Leslie Forr ... more. |
TFI is offering IFCA members a special discount for the Fluid Fertilizer Workshop that will be happening on December 12, 2023.As an IFCA member you will qualify for TFI member pricing this year, $300 off nonmember pricing. Use the code: STATE when registering.View below for more details:
Fluid Fertilizer Workshop
Date: December 12, 2023
Location: BRANDT Facilities, Springfield, IL
... more. |
The U.S. Commerce Department announced it is lowering duties placed on phosphate fertilizers imported from Morocco from 19.97% to 2.12%. The decision came after the agency conducted an administrative review of the duties, which is performed annually by retroactively examining the price of shipments and other factors. The issue stems from a decision by Commerce that favored a petition by Mosaic to impose duties on p ... more. |
Tweets by ILFERTCHEM
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IFCA just learned about the passing of Kevin Nelson. Kevin lived a life of having a great passion for the agriculture industry and went as far as traveling to Nicaragua to meet producers learning better farming practices. Kevin worked at several retail locations with two of them being Northern Partners and New Ag Center. He was a supporter of IFCA where he attended the IFCA Convention and MAGIE Sh ... more. |
Be sure to remind your customers who are picking up nurse tanks that implements of husbandry ARE NOT ALLOWED on interstate highways. We know the trailers underneath the dual nurse tanks trail easily, although they are not designed for highway speeds, and Illinois law prohibits implements of husbandry on interstate highways. Ammonia nurse tanks are implements of husbandry that require a slow-moving vehicle (SMV) e ... more. |
On several occasions, IFCA receives phone calls from our members seeking companies that offer pesticide or hazardous waste disposal. We have updated a list of those companies that offer fee-based pesticide disposal. Please click here to view the list.
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On several occasions, IFCA receives phone calls from our members seeking companies that offer pesticide or hazardous waste disposal. We have updated a list of those companies that offer fee-based pesticide disposal. Please click here to view the list.
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On several occasions IFCA receives phone calls from our members seeking companies that offer pesticide or hazardous waste disposal. We have updated a list of those companies that offer fee-based pesticide disposal. To access the list, pleaseclick here.
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Recently KJ was down at the Illinois State Capitol for legislative session. Click here to view KJ’s update on activities at the Capitol.
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Researchers and industry recently came together at the Agricultural Nutrient Policy Council (ANPC) Nutrient Strategy Workshop in Ohio to share research findings, including findings on the effects of streambank erosion on overall P losses.
The bulk of P loss from the landscape is often attributed to agricultural soils. However, one important and often overlooked nonpoint source of P is streambank erosion.&n ... more. |
Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) together with 14 other senators and 24 members of the House, sent a letter this week to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to stress that reducing or eliminating the duty on key imports of phosphate fertilizers from Morocco “would provide welcomed relief for U.S. farm suppliers and their customers, American family farms.”
Without those imports, the U.S. isforce ... more. |
USDA on last sent a report to Congress examining the role of agriculture and forestry in U.S. carbon markets. The 83-page report offers a primer on carbon registries and the various markets developing in this area. The report looks at compliance markets such as California as well as voluntary carbon markets. The report was required as part of the Growing Climate Solutions Act, which was added to a government fundin ... more. |
It iscold out and that slows down the ammonia application process. But please keep in mind that utilizing an air compressor to pump air into ammonia tanks to increase tank pressure is prohibited in the Illinois ammonia regulations.
Air is the primary cause of stress corrosion cracking of steel in ammonia tanks. With ammonia being a closed loop system, it is also likely you would con ... more. |
IFCA will once again be offering scholarships to 4-year or Jr College students who are pursuing their education for a career in our industry. Attached to this email you will find the scholarship application. It is also locatedon our home page at www.ifca.com. We always encourage students who are the sons, daughters, grandchildren, nieces, or nephews of our IFCA members to apply! Applicatio ... more. |
For the second year in a row, we are utilizing an online nomination and election system for board seats. If you are a voting member an email from "noreply@electionrunner.com" that has a link to the online platform was emailed to you. With several board seats up for election this year, make sure to check your email and participate in the nomination and election process that will occur later in December.& ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency’s “complex framework" for complying with EPA’s draft herbicide strategy to mitigate risks to endangered species would “impose enormous new regulatory burdens and uncertainties on nearly every agricultural herbicide user in the contiguous lower 48 states,” says a letter to EPA signed by more than 1,500 producers.
The letter says producer ... more. |
The University of Illinois Pesticide Safety & Education Program has announced that all training for the pesticide license categories will be offered on-line only this year. Click here to see the release and the details for accessing the training.
The Dept of Ag will also offer on-line testing for the general standards and pesticide category tests. More details will be forthc ... more. |
On several occasions IFCA receives phone calls from our members seeking companies that offer pesticide or hazardous waste disposal. We have updated a list of those companies that offer fee-based pesticide disposal. To access the list, please click here.
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The National Transportation Safety Board released a preliminary report on Wednesday listing details of the roadway incident that occurred on September 29, 2023, near Teutopolis, IL that resulted in the release of anhydrous ammonia. Additionally, five people in the area of the crash died and eleven others sustained injuries ranging from minor to severe due to their exposure to anhydrous ammonia. Click here to read ... more. |
The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture has called on the Environmental Protection Agency to answer critics before forging ahead with new herbicide regulations.
States were not involved in drafting the EPA's "herbicide strategy, but would be responsible for carrying it out. The strategy is "unreasonably complex" and enforcing it is "inconceivable," accordin ... more. |
Lawmakers look to finish work on some fiscal 2024 appropriations bills important to agriculture this week, as newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson and other congressional leaders face a looming deadline for keeping the government open amid deep partisan divides over spending.
The Senate is nearing final votes on a package of three FY24 spending measures that includes the bill to fund the Agriculture De ... more. |
We are very sorry to learn of the passing of Glen Ludwig, who passed away on October 24that the age of 82. Glen spent his entire working career in the agricultural industry and after retirement started his own consulting business, Creative Ag Solutions. Not only was Glen a member of IFCA but he also supported the association by serving on the IFCA board. Glen is survived by his wife, Charl ... more. |
The global population is expected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050, this growth will bring an increased demand for food. Alongside this need for food, the declining availability of arable land due to urbanization presents an agricultural challenge. Consequently, the need for improved sustainable agricultural practices is essential to address this challenge, and fertilizers emerge as indispensable allies.
... more. |
Post-COVID inflation, particularly farm input costs, was front and center heading into early 2023, writes Roman Keeney, Associate Professor at Purdue University. With the 2018 Farm Bill expiring, the opportunity to shore up the agricultural safety net was expected to drive the debate as legislators looked for ways to raise reference prices or index farm income support to costs.
The 2022 election changed le ... more. |
The global population is expected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050, this growth will bring an increased demand for food. Alongside this need for food, the declining availability of arable land due to urbanization presents an agricultural challenge. Consequently, the need for improved sustainable agricultural practices is essential to address this challenge, and fertilizers emerge as indispensable allies.
... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency announced on Thursday $8 million in new research funding to understand how the toxic compounds known as “forever chemicals” are affecting plants and animals in agricultural, rural and tribal communities.
The agency announced the new funds as part of an effort to develop ways to identify and mitigate exposure pathways to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a ... more. |
With the fall veto session about to begin in Illinois, the state’s nuclear power construction moratorium hangs in the balance.
The moratorium has been in place for decades and was implemented until a permanent waste storage option was made available.
Click Here to read more.
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As we prepare for the upcoming fall ammonia season, Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA) has provided a listing of 14 key safety reminders and recommendations for handling & transporting anhydrous ammonia:
Remember to always utilize your ammonia gloves and chemical splash goggles when working around ammonia. Never wear contact lenses when working around anhydrous ammonia.
... more. |
These are just a few of the stats I found with a quick google search on “global digital agriculture market”. I don’t know if these numbers are accurate or not but, what’s very clear from these and many other researched statistics, is that the market for gathering information and creating structured data through a variety of sensors (IoT), and the artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learn ... more. |
Arkansas ordered Syngenta to sell 160 acres (65 hectares) of farmland in the U.S. state within two years on Tuesday because the company is Chinese-owned, drawing a sharp rebuke from the global seeds producer.
U.S. farm groups and lawmakers are increasingly scrutinizing foreign land ownership due to concerns about national security.
Click Here to read more.
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IFCA recently learned of the passing of a key employee of the HarBrand family. Todd Bates,56,of Prairieland Ag in Stonington passed away on October 19th. Todd worked for Prairieland Ag for 35 years and eventually, in 2001, became part owner. Todd was an exceptional operator and he also took pride in knowing all details of their customer’s operations. He will truly be missed by all at ... more. |
Check your inbox for an email that IFCA sent October 26th regarding nominations for our board of directors. For the second year in a row, we are utilizing an online nomination and election system for board seats. If you are a voting member an email from "noreply@electionrunner.com" that has a link to the online platform was emailed to you. With several board seats up for election this year, make sure to ... more. |
The National Transportation Safety Board released a preliminary report on Wednesday listing details of the roadway incident that occurred on September 29, 2023, near Teutopolis, IL that resulted in the release of anhydrous ammonia. Additionally, five people in the area of the crash died and eleven others sustained injuries ranging from minor to severe due to their exposure to anhydrous ammonia. Click here to read ... more. |
As we prepare for the upcoming fall ammonia season, here is a listing of 14 key safety reminders and recommendations for handling & transporting anhydrous ammonia from IFCA:
1. Remember to always utilize your ammonia gloves and chemical splash goggles when working around ammonia. Never wear contact lenses when working around anhydrous ammonia.
2. Always assume ammonia is pres ... more. |
EPA has issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to solicit public comments and suggestions about seeds that have been coated in pesticides, otherwise known as treated seeds.
Specifically, EPA is seeking comment on whether it should adopt a rule requiring treated seeds to be regulated under Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Currently, treated seeds are not subject to FIF ... more. |
Every other month, Illinois Extension provides a new Illinois Pesticide Review Newsletter. Here you will find information on legislation, regulations and other developments directly impacting pesticide use in Illinois.
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The CFATS program expired at the end of July, leaving facilities that handle sensitive fertilizer products without critical security tools. Click here to quickly and easily tell your members of Congress that the CFATS program provides important tools and resources to keep our nation’s chemical facilities secure and should be reauthorized as quickly as possible.
IFCA and The Fertilizer Institu ... more. |
September 12 - October 2, 2023
Registration is now open for
IFCA Fall Competent Ammonia Training
REGISTER ONLINE
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EPA has issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to solicit public comments and suggestions about seeds that have been coated in pesticides, otherwise known as treated seeds.
Specifically, EPA is seeking comment on whether it should adopt a rule requiring treated seeds to be regulated under Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Currently, treated seeds are not subject to FIFRA ... more. |
Mississippi River water levels are still at an all-time low near Memphis and set a record for the second straight year. The low levels are causing a twofold problem as barge traffic is stilldisrupted, and saltwater is moving up the river in Louisiana, threatening drinking water supplies for thousands. The National Weather Service recently said the water level at Memphis fell to a record-low elevation of minus ... more. |
Don’t forget to register for IFCA’s annual Fall Webinar with Dr. Nafziger. It will run for one hour from 8:30-9:30am Monday, October 23rd. The registration link can be found directly below.
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7033144209102232160
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This past Tuesday, EHS’s professionals met at Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington to discuss regulatory issues and legislative issues that impact their business.Guest speakers from IDA and Labor Consultants International also addressed the regulatory group.The next regulatory group meeting will be held at the IFCA Convention in Peoria on January 16, 2024. If you would like to become part of the reg ... more. |
This Week, IFCA submitted comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding its Herbicide Strategy Plan. The comment period on the Draft Herbicide Strategy Framework will close onSunday, October 22nd. It is critically important that our members have their voices heard prior to the comment closing period as this could substantially change the nature in how we apply crop protection products ... more. |
This Week, IFCA submitted comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding its Herbicide Strategy Plan. The comment period on the Draft Herbicide Strategy Framework will close onSunday, October 22nd. It is critically important that our members have their voices heard prior to the comment closing period as this could substantially change the nature in how we apply crop protection products ... more. |
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From energy policy to the Invest in Kids Act, Illinois legislators returning to Springfield next month are already laying out their expectations.
State Sen. Andrew Chesney, R-Freeport, said the fight of the fall session is going to be renewing the privately-funded Invest in Kids school choice scholarship program. The program gives a 75% state income tax credit for donations but expires at the end of the ye ... more. |
Use whatever idiom you want to describe it -- jump through hoops, clear the bar, check the boxes -- the cost of keeping tools in the herbicide toolbox is about to increase for U.S. farmers.
For nearly two years, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has said it will no longer turn a blind eye toward the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and its legal obligation to ensure that pesticides don't jeopardize ... more. |
On Tuesday, the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) released its latest insights on company market shares for U.S. corn, soybeans and cotton retail seed from 2018 to 2020.
Two companies – Bayer and Corteva – recorded more than half of all U.S. retail seed sales during the three-year span. That is the most recent period for which market estimates are available, according to Keith Fuglie, USDA e ... more. |
Landus has begun construction on a new facility in Boone County, Iowa.
The facility will be used for fertilizer manufacturing and repackaging. With the new addition, the company will produce a foliar, slow-release nitrogen (SRN) product to decrease in-ground nitrogen application rates and increase overall environmental and financial efficiency of farms.
Click Here to read more.
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The historically low water levels on the Mississippi River have caused a trifecta in the soybean market. Its increased freight weights, slammed basis levels and taken a real toll on exports. So, cash soybean prices at harvest are running well under a year ago.
With impaired traffic in the U.S.’s main export shipping channel, USDA is reporting soybean exports so far this marketing year tot ... more. |
Potash fertiliser is produced by mining potassium salts from underground deposits. The word “potash” comes from the early method of producing potassium salts by leaching the ashes of wood and other plant material. The ashes were then boiled in a pot, which caused the potassium salts to precipitate. The precipitate was then collected and dried, and it was called “potash”.
Modern day ... more. |
Recently an ag retailer experienced a rupture of an anhydrous ammonia tank this past August in the State of Iowa. IFCA wanted to make our members aware of the Iowa incident along with safeguards the ag retailer impacted by the tank rupture has put in place. Click Here to read more.
If you have any additional questions, please contact John Rebholz at 309-827-2774 or john@ifca.com
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Agco’s efforts come as demand grows for technologies and farm practices that have the potential to increase yields, lower long-term costs and reduce environmental impacts.
The precision agriculture market is projected to surpass $19 billion by 2030, growing at an annual rate of 15%, according to Straits Research. Advocates support the category for its technological innovations that give farmers great ... more. |
Corteva said in a statement that Inari’s “brazen efforts” to steal its work sets a “dangerous precedent” for the ag tech industry, where companies pour millions of dollars into research and development.
“Companies like ours are willing to make billions of dollars of investments in the future of agriculture,” Sam Eathington, Corteva’s chief technology and digi ... more. |
It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Tim Richie of The Mosaic Company. Tim passed away peacefully with his family by his side on October 7th. Tim deeply loved his family and dedicated his work career to the ag industry. He had a ready smile, a positive attitude, and a strong sense of gratitude that he freely shared when you were talking with him. He will be dee ... more. |
The CFATS program expired at the end of July, leaving facilities that handle sensitive fertilizer products without critical security tools. Click here to quickly and easily tell your members of Congress that the CFATS program provides important tools and resources to keep our nation’s chemical facilities secure and should be reauthorized as quickly as possible.
IFCA and The Fertilizer Institute ... more. |
If you are involved in the regulatory side of things within the industry, don't miss out on our nextIFCA Regulatory Group meetingOctober 17th at the Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington. The IFCA Regulatory Group was recently created to share insight on regulatory experiences or voice concerns related to state or federal regulations that impact our ag industry.If you would like to part ... more. |
The Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a vehicle potentially involved in the Friday night crash just east of Teutopolis that resulted in five fatalities and multiple injuries.
The crash on US 40 involved a semi-truck tanker carrying anhydrous ammonia that was punctured and leaked.
Click Here to read more.
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CropLife America is parting ways with President and CEO Chris Novak, who has headed the pesticide industry organization for five years.
Members were informed Thursday by email of the board of directors’ decision that Novak's last day would be Oct. 6 and that he would be replaced by an interim CEO, longtime crop protection executive Susanne Wasson, while the board looks for a new leader.
... more. |
As the trend toward carbon emissions reduction continues, American farmers are being presented with a new opportunity. By adopting certain climate-smart agriculture practices, farmers can not only help protect the environment and reduce operating costs, but also create a new income stream by selling carbon offset credits on a carbon market.
What is a carbon market? To put it simply, when a company avoids, ... more. |
President and CEO of the Fertilizer Institute, Corey Rosebusyh explains how there are a limited number of class one rail operators that dominate major railways.
"Class one rail are the large rail carriers CSX, Union Pacific as an example- that really operate those major railways you have a number hundreds of shortline railways but in terms of long haul those class one rail carriers tend to dominate a ... more. |
On Sunday, the EU and the world’s first carbon import tax came into force. Until 2026, it will be in a transitional phase allowing stakeholders to collect useful information to refine the methodology for the levy’s definitive period, which follows thereafter.
The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is a central pillar of the bloc’s Fit for 55 policy. It uses the amount of ... more. |
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The value of U.S. imports fell between July and August — down 1.2%, according to the latest Commerce Department trade report. Meanwhile, U.S. exports ticked up 2.2%. All in all, nothing to write home about.
But when you dig a little further in the report, there’s one statistic that really stands out. Food exports, the Commerce Department says, are down almost 20%, compared to the same time a ye ... more. |
IFCA President KJ Johnson along with IFCA Board Members recently visited our national capitol to lobby on critical issues affecting the crop production and crop protection industry. Meetings were held with members of congress and their staff, national associations along with government entities. KJ along with several IFCA board members had a good discussion with all entities on critical issues that impa ... more. |
On Monday afternoon, the FMCSA amended its report to no longer include a top speed in the rule summary for speed limiters. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s September 2023 Significant Rulemaking Report indicates that FMCSA will propose that most commercial motor vehicles be speed-limited to no faster than 68 mph.
The requirement would apply to commercial motor vehicles manufactured after model year ... more. |
IFCA, in cooperation with the Ag Retailers Association and the American Soybean Association (ASA), encourage all commercial pesticide applicators to sign a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urging the agency to withdraw the draft herbicide strategy no later than 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, Oct. 20. Only a signer's name, city, and state will be included on the letter. To view the letter plea ... more. |
Congress is currently considering legislation to add potash and phosphate to the critical minerals list, a list held by the U.S. Geological Survey that designates minerals of high importance for America’s supply chains, consumer needs, and national security. Once a substance is listed as a critical mineral, a single agency is assigned to permit applications and is responsible for coordinating with all other a ... more. |
ISAP’s Cover Crop Dealer Directory lists seed dealers and service providers (e.g. custom seeding) across Illinois. The Directory is available as a free download from ISAP's website: https://ilsustainableag.org/cover-crop-seed-dealers-directory/ (click the green button to download a pdf version, or choose the "live" link to access a Google Sheet that can be filtered and sorted) ... more. |
China has asked fertilizer producers to suspend urea exports after domestic prices jumped, a move that is likely to restrict supplies and boost costs for farmers andkey buyers such as India.
Major Chinese fertilizer makers halted signing new export deals from early this month following a government mandate. The restriction only applies to urea so far, they said.
China is the world’s to ... more. |
ISAP’s Cover Crop Dealer Directory lists seed dealers and service providers (e.g. custom seeding) across Illinois. The Directory is available as a free download from ISAP's website: https://ilsustainableag.org/cover-crop-seed-dealers-directory/ (click the green button to download a pdf version, or choose the "live" link to access a Google Sheet that can be filtered and sorted) ... more. |
U.S. agricultural exports in fiscal year 2024 are expected to decline while imports rise, the Agriculture Department’s Economic Research Service said in a report released last week.
U.S. agricultural exports in fiscal year 2024 are projected at $172 billion, down $5.5 billion from the revised forecast for FY 2023. This reduction is largely driven by lower exports of soybeans, soybean meal, and dairy ... more. |
Click here to read University of Illinois' latest Bulletin on soil conditions throughout the state.
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Congress is currently considering legislation to add potash and phosphate to the critical minerals list, a list held by the U.S. Geological Survey that designates minerals of high importance for America’s supply chains, consumer needs, and national security. Once a substance is listed as a critical mineral, a single agency is assigned to permit applications and is responsible for coordinating with all other a ... more. |
Join us out at Eric Miller's farm in Piatt County September 7th for a 4R Field Day covering all aspects of cover crops and the best management practices currently in operation at the farm. Please see the agenda attached to this emailfor the full list of events atthe field day and for the address. Email Jason at jason@ifca.com to register. Look forward to seeing you out there!
... more. |
The IFCA staff and Board of Directors would like to send everyone a sincere thank you to all our exhibitors as well as attendees for making this year’s show a huge success. Despite the intense heat wave, MAGIE was a remarkable success last week with fantastic displays of equipment and technology. We want to specifically thank all the exhibitors and volunteers for making MAGIE the platform to sho ... more. |
Each spring and fall, IFCA partners with the IL Dept. of Ag to offer ammonia safety courses throughout the state. Those who attend the training program and pass the exam receive a 3-year certificate from IDA as a “Competent Attendant” to handle anhydrous ammonia.
The dates for fall ammonia courses are set; you can register for any of these upcoming classes on our website at https://ifca.c ... more. |
As many of IFCA members know earlier this year Tim Richie with Mosaic experienced a life changing medical event when his superior mesenteric artery dissected, blocking blood flow to his lower GI. Since then, Tim has spent months in the hospital, required multiple surgical procedures, and continues to require medical treatment. Tim and his father Mark have been long time members of IFCA.
A ... more. |
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday vetoed a bill that would have enabled the construction of new nuclear reactors in Illinois for the first time in more than three decades.
The measure would have paved the way for what advocates deemed a necessary move to combat climate change. Opponents, however, regarded it as dangerous and expensive.
Click Here to read more.
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Most pesticide uses would be prohibited across immense swaths of land in western Oregon and Washington under a federal proposal to heighten protections for an endangered butterfly.
The strict new pesticide limits are considered overkill by both farm and environmental advocates, who want to persuade the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency they should be scaled back or replaced with less drastic measures.
... more. |
Sangamon County is putting the brakes on a proposed carbon dioxide pipeline that would run through farms and neighborhoods in the county. Heartland Greenway has proposed its Navigator Pipeline to transport CO2 from ethanol and fertilizer plants—from across the Midwest—and inject it underground in Sangamon and Montgomery Counties.
"We are opposing any legislation by the state of Illinois or ... more. |
It’s only been since 1988 that the International Plant Nutrition Institute has credited the 4R framework—application of the right nutrient source or product at the right rate, right time and in the right place—as having a close tie and application to agricultural sustainability. The 4Rs are millennials, and we are seeing a generation’s worth of change in today’s fertilizer products.
& ... more. |
More than 70 exhibitors will be on hand in Bloomington, IL, for two days in August to showcase the best and brightest application equipment, ag retail products, and services at the annual Midwest AG Industries Exposition (MAGIE). This slideshow offers a preview of some of the products attendees will find at the McLean County Fairgrounds.
“The MAGIE Show allows attendees to experience and enjoy a trad ... more. |
The generic crop protection market is on the verge of significantly expanding over the next several years. From 2023 to 2028, there will be 19 active ingredients (AIs) that are coming off patent, according to S&P Global. This includes 11 fungicides, four herbicides, and four insecticides. Next year will be especially active in the post-patent market, with 12 AIs expected to be made available following the ... more. |
The AgriBusiness Global Trade Summit — held 9-10 August in Aventura, FL, U.S. — continued to deliver cutting education along with an opportunity for buyers and sellers of crop inputs to make deals. In the midst of the show floor a standing room-only crowd listened to three insightful sessions illuminating the opportunities and challenges facing the industry.
Kicking off the session on 9 August, ... more. |
Senior House Republicans are ramping up outreach sessions with far-right members of their caucus this summer with one goal in mind: avoiding a last-minute farm bill catastrophe on the House floor.
In private meetings, House Agriculture Chair G.T. Thompson (R-Pa.) has been pushing a bipartisan approach to the bill and trying to calm concerns about the price tag — which is expected to top $1 trillion f ... more. |
Following a four-year absence, AgriBusiness Global magazine was able to gather agrochemical representatives once again in person at the Trade Summit. Held in Aventura, FL, August 9-10, the Trade Summit brought together participants from around the globe conducting business in all sectors of the agricultural space. In all, more than 800 attendees were on hand from dozens of countries.
The event kicked off w ... more. |
If you use Day Labor Services to meet your workforce needs, you will want to be aware of the new law that creates new responsibilities and obligations as a third-party client of those services.
In response to the Governor's signing of HB 2862 into law as PA 103-437, the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) has issued emergency rules effective August 4, 2023. The new law and regulation are effectiv ... more. |
Don't miss out on the upcoming 4R Field Day sponsored by the 4R Field Day Alliance and IFCA September 7th. The event will take place at Eric Miller's Farm and will showcase multiple demonstrations of cover crops application methods and research findings from several management practices listedwithin the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy that are currently being implemented at the field day s ... more. |
As many of IFCA members know earlier this year Tim Richie with Mosaic experienced a life changing medical event when his superior mesenteric artery dissected, blocking blood flow to his lower GI. Since then, Tim has spent months in the hospital, required multiple surgical procedures, and continues to require medical treatment. Tim and his father Mark have been long time members of IFCA.
A ... more. |
After peaking at historic highs in the second quarter of 2022, prices for major fertilizer products have trended consistently downward over the past year. Supply and demand fundamentals, as well as some resolution of the ongoing impacts and uncertainties associated with the Russia-Ukraine conflict, have been contributing factors. With market expectations pointing towards lower commodity prices for 2024, and higher ... more. |
In the state of Illinois, custom applicators spend endless hours in the field every year applying fertilizer and chemicals on thousands of acres. There are many outstanding custom applicators who deserve a “thank you” from all of those involved in the agriculture industry. For this reason, IFCA is pleased to announce the return of the Illinois Custom Applicator of the Year for our Illinois ag re ... more. |
Click here to read about recent Illinois soil conditions from UI extension educators.
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More than 130 bills were signed by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker Friday. Pritzker held a bill-signing ceremony for a measure bringing about mandatory supervised release for the state’s criminal justice system. He also announced in a news release he signed a measure prohibiting the use of electronic cigarettes in public spaces.
Separately, the governor’s office announced he signed another 95 ... more. |
German chemicals giant BASF (BASFn.DE) on Friday cut its budget for investment in plants and equipment this year to preserve cash amid a global downturn in the business cycle.
"We have to exercise strict discipline," when it comes to investments and reducing inventory levels of raw materials, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Dirk Elvermann said in a media call after the release of detailed second-qu ... more. |
Roughly 37.6 million acres of U.S. ag land is foreign owned, according to USDA. The majority of these deeds are held by Canada, Netherlands, Italy, United Kingdom, Germany and China. However, select purchases of U.S. land could come to an end following a Senate vote this week.
The U.S. Senate on Tuesday voted 91-7 in favor of anamendmentto the National Defense Authorization Act of 2024 that, if ... more. |
A new game is about to start and it’s time to figure out what position you want to play. The Inflation Reduction Act has opened a three-year window for farmers to be compensated for their agronomic practices in a new way.
The Section 45Z tax credit provides biofuel producers (ethanol, biodiesel and sustainable aviation fuel) with an incentive to produce low-emission fuels. This is setting up a ... more. |
For over 40 years, the Midwest AG Industries Exhibition (MAGIE) Show has connected ag retailers from across the nation with leading agricultural companies. With over 70 exhibitors, there is no better place to engage with the latest fertilizer and chemical products and their specialists, who developed, tested, and designed them. Whether you are looking to innovate with the latest fertilizer and chemical technology, ... more. |
CF Industries will shut its ammonia-production plant in Billingham, U.K., after concluding that importing ammonia was more cost effective due to high British natural-gas prices.
The fertilizer maker will continue producing ammonia-nitrate fertilizer and nitric acid using imported ammonia at the complex in Northern England, as it has done since idling the ammonia-production operations there in August 2022.
... more. |
Ukraine and Russia’s targeting of each other’s Black Sea shipping traffic could again drive up not just grain but fertilizer prices. Russia’s targeting of Black Sea commercial shipping traffic for Ukraine after pulling out of the Black Sea grain deal and Ukraine’s threat to reciprocate against Russian ships threaten more than grain.
Russia’s the world’s top fertilizer ex ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) announced the consolidation of industry-supported organizations into theFERT Foundation, which will be dedicated to ensuring that education, research and training is conducted under a single umbrella. The new foundation will bring the work of the Fluid Fertilizer Foundation (FFF), Foundation for Agronomic Research (FAR), and Nutrients for Life Foundation (NFLF) together and en ... more. |
In the state of Illinois, custom applicators spend endless hours in the field every year applying fertilizer and chemicals on thousands of acres. There are many outstanding custom applicators who deserve a “thank you” from all of those involved in the agriculture industry. For this reason, IFCA is pleased to announce the return of the Illinois Custom Applicator of the Year for our Illinois ag re ... more. |
A decision by a federal appeals court clears the way for litigation over dicamba to continue in two separate federal courts, but one is likely to come out with a decision before the other.
A lawsuit in Arizona seeking to have the herbicide’s federal registrations vacated is almost fully briefed, and a decision could come as soon as this year. The other suit, brought by soybean and cotton growers in W ... more. |
Under new legislation introduced, EPA would be required to seriously consider feedback from USDA when it comes to pesticide regulation.The requirement would apply to proposed EPA registration decisions that impose “more restrictive changes to a pesticide label,” according to the bill.Many legislators have said EPA failed to take USDA’s advice on proposed atrazine restrictions that have ... more. |
On July 28th, the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program authority lapsed after the Senate was unable to reach an agreement to pass H.R. 4470, legislation to cleanly extend the CFATS program for 2 years. H.R. 4470 passed the House on July 25th by a vote of 409-1. Congress has adjourned for its August recess, and the timing of the resolution is unclear. For the time being, CFATS has expired. IFCA ... more. |
IFCA is asking our members to reach out to members of Congress in relation to adding potash and phosphate as critical minerals.Congress is currently considering legislation to add potash and phosphate to the critical minerals list, a list held by the U.S. Geological Survey that designates minerals of high importance for America’s supply chains, consumer needs, and national security. Once a substance is ... more. |
Members of a state rulemaking oversight committee voiced concerns Tuesday that Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration didn’t sufficiently seek public input on its plan to cap enrollment in Medicaid-like health care programs for noncitizens.
The controversy centers on the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults and Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors programs, which provide health care benefits to low ... more. |
An explosion at a Dow Chemical plant in Louisiana isn’t expected to disrupt ag chemical supplies in the U.S., according to Rabo AgriFinance. That’s as the industry seems to be swimming in supplies of key inputs such as glyphosate, forcing suppliers and ag retailers to cut prices in an effort to get rid of unused supply.
An explosion and fire broke out at a Dow Chemical plant in Plaquemine, Loui ... more. |
Roughly 1.4 million metric tons of herbicide was applied globally in 2020. EPA looks to reduce the U.S.’s contribution to global herbicide numbers via a new regulation proposed on Monday.
The 96-page draft Herbicide Strategy focuses on developing and implementing early protections for more than 900 federally threatened and endangered species in 48 states, according to EPA.
Click Here to read ... more. |
Big moves in Washington in 2023 could impact your farm. When it comes to Washington D.C., the crystal ball is always cloudy. In separating the signals (a few) from the noise (a lot), Jim Wiesemeyer, Pro Farmer policy analyst, is keeping his eyes on some key topics in the year ahead.
1. NEW FARM BILL. One is coming but it might not be in 2023, says Wiesemeyer (This will be the 11th farm bill he& ... more. |
More than 70 exhibitors will be on hand in Bloomington, IL, for two days in August to showcase the best and brightest application equipment, ag retail products, and services at the annual Midwest AG Industries Exposition (MAGIE). This slideshow offers a preview of some of the products attendees will find at the McLean County Fairgrounds.
“The MAGIE Show allows attendees to experience and enjoy a trad ... more. |
Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) President & CEO Daren Coppock released the following statement applauding the introduction of Senator Tammy Baldwin’s Reliable Rail Service Act:
“ARA appreciates Senator Baldwin and Roger Marshall for leading legislative efforts to address the continuous rail service problems faced by our industry, which has caused supply chain disruptions and negati ... more. |
Wabash Valley Resources LLC is moving closer to clearing a key hurdle toward creating what could be one of the largest carbon sequestration projects in the country.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this month announced its intent to issue two Class 6 permits for the underground injection and storage of carbon dioxide generated from a planned ammonia fertilizer plant in West Terre Haute.
Cl ... more. |
A market advisor says Russia’s escalation of its war against Ukraine this week could raise some production costs for US farmers.
Jody Lawrence with Stragetic Trading Advisors says the closure of the Grain Export Corridor in the Black Sea could impact fertilizer shipments.
Click Here to read more.
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IFCA is hearing EPA will issue a final strategy by March 30, 2024, addressing the impact of herbicides on endangered species and laying out mitigation measures.
The agency made the commitment in a proposed settlement agreement with the Center for Biological Diversity that pledges a draft herbicide strategy will be out by the end of the month and includes timelines for complying with Endangered Species Act ... more. |
Despite the EPA’s explicit labeling authority under FIFRA, some states are trying to add labeling requirements that directly contradict the EPA's decades long scientific conclusions on the safety of specific pesticides. Without certainty on EPA approved, science based nationwide labels, the availability of current and future pesticides might be in jeopardy. If ag retailers and farmers are forced to ... more. |
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued for public inspection a Final Rulethat will be published on July 21, 2023 and will become effective January 1, 2024, amending its occupational injury and illness recordkeeping regulation to require certain employers to electronically submit injury and illness information to OSHA. OSHA is amending its regulation to require establishments w ... more. |
It's not too late to register for our July 27th outing at Elks Golf Course in Pontiac orAugust 3rd outing at Edgewood Golf Club in Auburn. These outings are a great opportunity to network with peers while supporting the next generation of agriculturalists. The outings are open to all, and companies are encouraged to bring teams of employees or customers to support the IFCA scholarship program. Schol ... more. |
A transportation spending bill that includes a provision to block the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration from moving forward with a speed limiter rulemaking has advanced. The bill advanced through the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday and next will go to the full House floor for consideration.
While the bill addresses a variety of transportation funding areas, it also includes a provis ... more. |
This spring and summer IFCA reached out to members of congress on pesticide appropriations and issues facing Illinois ag retailers. Late last week, the House Appropriations Committee’s Interior Subcommittee, which sets funding levels for EPA and Fish and Wildlife Services programs, released its FY24 Interior Appropriations legislation and committee report, which includes many of the items IFCA lobbied ... more. |
EPA is accepting nominations for membership on the Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee (PPDC). Established in 1995, the PPDC is a diverse group of stakeholders chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act to provide feedback to EPA on various pesticide regulatory, policy, and program implementation issues.
To maintain a broad representation of members for the PPDC, nominees will be selected fr ... more. |
Click here to read about recent Illinois soil conditions from UI extension educators.
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The Illinois Department of Agriculture reports that as of this week, there have been one hundred and sixty-eightcomplaints filed with IDA for alleged pesticide misuse. Of those, one hundred and thirty-nineare ag related with thirty-onebeing specifically dicamba related. For 2022, thenumber of complaints totaled three hundred and eighty-four cases. Three hundred and forty-three of these wer ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture reports that since January 2022, there have been one hundred complaints filed with IDA for alleged pesticide misuse. Of those, eighty-two are ag related with four being specifically dicamba related. The total number of complaints are higher than last year; in 2021 at this time there were eighty-three complaints filed with sixty-five being ag related and five related to dicamba ... more. |
A grim future awaits American agriculture if glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, is no longer available to growers, a new report commissioned by Bayer concludes.
Aimpoint Research reports “military wargaming techniques,” among other methods, to find that a world without glyphosate would force farmers to turn to alternative chemistries and adjust their practices, but “at a substa ... more. |
Looking for a great summer event for a cause? Don't miss out on the 2023 IFCA Golf for Scholarships outings! Held July 27th at Elks Golf Course in Pontiac and August 3rd at Edgewood Golf Club in Auburn, the outings are a great opportunity to network with peers while supporting the next generation of agriculturalists.
The outings are open to all, and companies are encouraged to bring teams of employees or custo ... more. |
On Wednesday, the House Committee on Homeland Security passed H.R. 4470, legislation that provides a 2-year clean extension/reauthorization of the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program. The West Texas incident is referenced at various points during the markup.
H.R. 4470 passed by a 30-0 vote. Prior to final passage, 10 amendments were offered and rejected along party line votes, ... more. |
Late last week, the state announced the largest multi-year program to fix infrastructure in state history.
$40.99 billion will be invested over the next six years to improve all modes of transportation state-wide:
The Fiscal Year 2024-29 Proposed Highway and Multimodal Improvement Program's objective is to invest $27.03 billion in roads and bridges, with $4.6 billion identified for the current ... more. |
Larry Werries, eighty-three former Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture passed away last week at his home in Jacksonville, IL. Former Director Werries was the longest serving director at the Department, holding the position for 9 years. Funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. this Friday, July 14th at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church near Chapin, IL. Please click here for more information. ... more. |
The Senate is expected this week to approve a new deputy secretary for USDA as lawmakers return from their July 4 break facing a backlog of fiscal 2024 spending bills heading into the August recess.
The first item on the Senate’s agenda Monday evening is a procedural vote to move to the nomination of Xochitl Torres Small to take the No. 2 spot at USDA.
Click Here to read more.
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A bipartisan bill has been introduced in the in the U.S. House that would list phosphate and potash as critical minerals. Vice President of Government Affairs for the Fertilizer Institute Ed Thomas tells Brownfield, “It is bipartisan legislation that we feel will be really helpful in a movement to increase domestic fertilizer supply.”
Co-sponsor Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat, ... more. |
On any given day, about 175,000 tons of carbon dioxide — equivalent to the emissions of 38,000 vehicles — stream from Adkins Energy. This northwest Illinois plant turns corn into ethanol, long touted as a renewable energy source.
General Manager Bill Howell stands for a portrait at Atkins Energy’s Ethanol and Biodiesel production facility in Lena, Illinois on Wednesday, June 21, 2023. Atk ... more. |
A new report examines a future without glyphosate, showing if glyphosate was no longer a management tool available for farmers, the immediate impact would be costly to the economy, farmers and the environment.
Aimpoint Research, a global strategic intelligence firm, published the report titled “A Future Without Glyphosate,” examining the repercussions that could emerge from the discontinuation ... more. |
With 27 companies already engaged and interested, The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) has announced its Biostimulant Certification Program at its InfoAg event.
Ed Thomas, TFI vice president of government affairs, explains the goal of the program is to provide a single application for all 50 states’ registrations and demonstrate the manufacturers have gone the extra mile. It isn’t measuring or certif ... more. |
USDA could use its biggest land stewardship programs — the Conservation Reserve, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) — to combat climate change, wrote University of Maryland professor Erik Lichtenberg in a think tank report. But to make the programs as effective as possible, he said, Congress would have to reorient them, a risky move that c ... more. |
Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) President & CEO Daren Coppock released the following statement in support of legislation introduced by Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Gary Peters, D-Mich., to reauthorize the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS):
“ARA strongly supports Senator Peters’ legislation to reauthorize the U.S. Department ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making the geographic data used to conduct Endangered Species Act (ESA) assessments for pesticides publicly available for the first time via interactive maps. The maps and underlying data that EPA is releasing today support the Agency’s broader efforts to improve protections for federally threatened or endangered (listed) species as outlined in the ESA Workpla ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is taking public comment on a pilot project that would update pesticide guidelines to protect endangered species.
The initiative is part of the EPA’s Endangered Species Act Working Plan, which is an effort to get the agency back into compliance with the ESA.
Click Here to read more.
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Parts of the Illinois area received over 8 inches of rain in the last week, but that wasn't enough to eliminate the drought in some parts of Illinois.Yesterday, the most recent drought monitor was released. Most of the land in Illinois is still under a moderate to severe drought.Click Here to view latest drought monitor.
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US EPA wants public comment on its effort to update guidelines on the use of pesticides to protect endangered species. IFCA is unclear how this pilot program will play out. The EPA has made it very clear in the opening pages of this document that they want public input and need that feedback. They have proposed certain practices, for example, but there may be others they haven’t considered yet. There ar ... more. |
Full house today at the IFCA Board Meeting. President, KJ Johnson, and staff led the discussion on many issues related to our industry. Some of the itemsdiscussed includedlegislative updates,pesticide complaints, MAGIE, nutrient stewardship, financials and investments. Our Board's leadership is an intrigal part in setting policy and objectives for IFCA and our members.
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The IFCA staff hopes everyone had a fun and safe Fourth of July.Now that the fireworks are over it's time to create your own sparks out on the golf course.Sign up for one or two of our golf outings on July 26th or August 3rd. Not only is this a great way to support our scholarship program butan opportunity to network with other colleaguesacross the state.With our new start ti ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDA) is again coordinating the annual pesticide container recycling program for 2023.Between July 17th and August 7th, IDA will accept clean, triple rinsed containers and will also accept clean, cut-up mini-bulk containers.If you have several mini-bulk containers to recycle, you can contact G. Phillips & Sons L.L.C. directly to inquire about their protocol a ... more. |
Join us in August for another great outdoor show that is designed for the ag retail industry, with lots of great exhibitor displays and hospitality.IFCA also will be announcing the Illinois Applicator of the Year Award on Wednesday at the tailgate party.We strongly encourage pre-registration at the lower price of $12vs. $15 at the door.Pre-registration will stay open through August 21st.&n ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers with an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalat ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers with an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalat ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers with an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalat ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers with an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalat ... more. |
NEW TRAINING LOCATION
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers with an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Av ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER-OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers with an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalat ... more. |
NEW TRAINING LOCATION
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid a ... more. |
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced this week that USDA has increased the innovative domestic fertilizer production grant.
In 2022, USDA made $500 million available under the Fertilizer Production Expansion Program to spur domestic competition and combat rising fertilizer costs caused by the war in Ukraine. The Department received applications from more than 350 businesses seekin ... more. |
Late last week on the front page of the Champaign’s News-Gazette was a story titled “Collateral Damage.” A photo of the story appears below. Click here to read the article.The article describes tree damage in a subdivision near Seymour possibly related to pesticide use. This is a good reminder for our industry to always be aware of your surroundings and make sure you adhere ... more. |
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed the FAA Reauthorization Package, Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in the American Aviation Act (H.R. 3935), by a vote of 63 – 0. The Act calls for the FAA to commit to timelines for a Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) rulemaking, UTM, and drone integration. While the BVLOS Aviation Rulemaking Committ ... more. |
House Agriculture Committee members announced the formation of the bipartisan Agricultural Labor Working Group, focusing on the workforce issues faced by the nation’s agricultural producers that will focus on the immigration of farm workers.
The working group will seek input from stakeholders, employers, and workers, particularly emphasizing the H-2A visa program for nonimmigrant agricultural workers ... more. |
Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) are proposing a bill requiring the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. to review foreign entities’ land purchases or leases exceeding $4 million or 320 acres of land over the past three years and adding the Agriculture Secretary as a member of the panel.
The bill, dubbed the Foreign Agricultural Restrictions ... more. |
On June 23, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Gary Peters introduced a 5-year clean reauthorization of the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program, which is due to expire on July 27, 2023.
IFCA supports a 5-year clean extension of the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program.The current Congressional authorization for CFATS expires July 27, 2023. ... more. |
IFCA is working with all Illinois ag commodity groups on a new proposed rule from the U.S. EPA would force 67 percent of light-duty car sales and nearly 50 percent of truck sales to be electric vehicles by 2032. In total, the EPA’s vehicle mandates could cost Illinois agriculture one billion bushels in lost corn demand in the next decade.
IFCA has draft comments for our members to put to USEPA.&n ... more. |
The annual National Agronomic, Environmental, Health & Safety School will be held August 22-23, 2023, in Bloomington, Illinois at the Asmark Institute Agricenter. Now in its 45th year, the safety school is the premier event for ag EH&S professionals. The day and a half meeting provides a unique opportunity to gain valuable insight into a host of regulatory topics facing the industry. Each year over 125 ag p ... more. |
The weed science program at the University of Illinois invites all weed management practitioners to our annual weed science field tour on Wednesday, June 28 at the Department of Crop Sciences field research location known as the Clem Farm, located at 1114 County Road 1200 East, Champaign. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. and the tour will start at 9:00 a.m. Preregistration is not required, but please let us know ... more. |
EPA, farmers, and Bayer are fighting in an Arizona federal court to keep the controversial herbicide dicamba on the market for over-the-top use. The agency, producer groups and the registrant for Xtendimax have all filed briefs in support of EPA’s approvals of Xtendimax, BASF’s Engenia and Syngenta’s Tavium — specifically, its decision in 2020 and label amendments in 2022 and 2023.
... more. |
The New York Legislature has passed a bill to prohibit the sale or use of corn, soybean or wheat seed coated with any of five different neonicotinoids unless the state environment and conservation commissioner determines there are not adequate alternatives.
The state Senate approved the bill last Friday; Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul is expected to sign it. It would go into effect in 2027, making New York t ... more. |
The Center for Food Safety (CFS), Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA), and Alianza Nacional De Campesinas Inc. (Alianza) last week sued the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over its re-approval of Enlist One and Enlist Duo, which the groups described as “herbicides sprayed ‘over the top’ of corn, soybeans, and cotton genetically engineered (GE) to resist the herbicides.” ... more. |
If your company transports, or offers for transport, hazardous materials that require placarding by DOT, you must be registered with DOT. If your company registers with DOT annually, then your HAZMAT Registration expires on June 30th each year. The 2023-2024 registration year covers the period between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024. If your company registers for a two or three-year period, check your registration ... more. |
Corteva Agriscience is announcing a return and credit process for channel-owned inventory of chlorpyrifos brands. In August 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it would revoke all tolerances for Chlorpyrifos, which establishes the amount of a pesticide that is allowed on food. The Final Rule was effective October 29, 2021, with tolerances for all commodities expiring on February 28, 2022. ... more. |
Edgewood Golf Club
Address:16497 Kennedy Rd, Auburn, IL 62615
Download the Registration Form
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The Oaks at River's Edge
Address:429 Elks Club Rd, Pontiac, IL 61764
Download the Registration Form
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Exclusive Offer for IFCA! Join us at the InfoAg Conference, dedicated to tackling challenges in agriculture. IFCA members get a special discounted rate using code TFI2023, saving up to $245! Don't miss out on CEUs and innovative solutions. Note: Discount not applicable to current TFI members or retroactive registrations.
Register here: https://www.tfi.org/conferences/InfoAg#registration
This y ... more. |
On Wednesday, June 6th, IFCA President, KJ Johnson, spoke online about the newly signed $50.6 billion budget, both summarizing and explaining how it had an impact on Illinois Agriculture. Topics included: Medicaid Expansion, Tax Exemption for Ethanol, and Pesticide, Trucking, and PFAS Legislation. Click Here to listen to KJ report on the latest news from Springfield.
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The annual National Agronomic, Environmental, Health & Safety School will be held August 22-23, 2023 in Bloomington, Illinois at the Asmark Institute Agricenter. Now in its 45th year, the safety school is the premier event for ag EHS&S professionals. The day and a half meeting provides a unique opportunity to gain valuable insight into a host of regulatory topics facing the industry. Each year over 125 ag p ... more. |
Environmental groups and farmworkers are suing EPA over its approval of Enlist herbicides, alleging the agency did not adequately examine their impact on the environment, particularly on endangered species, writes Agri-Pulse.
The lawsuit filed in federal court in Washington says spray drift buffers have been ineffective in preventing off-site damage.Both herbicides contain 2,4-D. Enlist Duo also cont ... more. |
U.S. Trade Representative announced the United States has formally called for dispute settlement consultations with Mexico over that nation’s GMO corn restrictions.
Under the terms of the United States-Canada-Mexico Agreement, both nations will present their cases before a dispute settlement board. That board will then issue a ruling in the long-running trade dispute between the two nations.Uni ... more. |
With everyone in Illinois agriculture looking at the sky for rain, Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford says, “Forecasts for the next seven days show continued drier weather with only a few chances of rainfall, and near to above normal temperatures,” Ford said. “Without significant rain in the next week, conditions will likely worsen, and more drought impacts may occur.” Outside of a few ... more. |
Representatives of major pesticide and biotech seed companies gathered earlier this month in Mexico City to meet with Mexican ag groups and U.S. and Canadian government officials to flesh out concerns about the potential impacts of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s campaign against genetically modified corn and glyphosate.
While the meeting of representatives from CropLife Interna ... more. |
Senate Agriculture Committee member Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and a bipartisan group of House members are proposing to revive a $5-per-acre subsidy program for cover crops that USDA offered for two years using pandemic assistance funding.
The House version of Brown's COVER Act is co-sponsored by Reps. Sean Casten (D-IL), and Mike Bost (R-IL). The proposal is intended to be included in the next farm bill.
... more. |
Environmental groups asked a federal court on Wednesday to force the EPA to close what they say is a loophole in agency regulation that allows seeds treated with pesticides to go unregulated. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Northern California.
The Center for Food Safety and Pesticide Action Network North America asked the court to declare the EPA in violation of the Ad ... more. |
Among the four crop inputs/services categories tracked by our CropLife 100 survey, fertilizer performed the best during 2022. According to survey respondents, total fertilizer revenue for the top 100 largest U.S. ag retailers topped a record $23.4 billion during the year. This marked an impressive 53% increase from the 2021 category sales total of $15.3 billion. With this sales gain, the fertilizer category improve ... more. |
Despite a suggestion by the Illinois Supreme Court that the legislature needs to address concerns about excessive damage awards connected to the Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), nothing has changed.
The high court ruled that a separate claim accrues each time data is collected, such as a finger scan. White Castle is facing potential lawsuit damages of up to $17 billion as a result of the ruling.
... more. |
The House Agriculture Committee is set to hold its first hearing this year on farm bill nutrition programs, while a Senate Agriculture subcommittee this week will analyze the horticulture title.
House Ag Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson, R-Pa., says Wednesday's hearing will be focused on his "four principles" for the nutrition title: innovation, employment, integrity and health. & ... more. |
Extreme market volatility and record-high prices severely impacted fertilizer demand in 2022. According to a new Rabobank report, affordability is starting to improve, and a rapid recovery in consumption is possible in some regions in 2023. But in most cases, demand will take a while to return to pre-pandemic levels.
Starting in the first half of 2021, fertilizer prices began to trend higher due to supply ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) president and CEO Corey Rosenbusch today issued the below statement following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Sackett vs. Environmental Protection Agency a case central to Waters of the United States (WOTUS) policy.
“The Fertilizer Institute welcomes the Supreme Court’s decision in Sackett v. EPA. The decision, which strikes down the “significant ... more. |
After setting a record last year, U.S. farm exports will shrink 8 percent this year, due to tightening economic conditions worldwide and lower commodity prices, said the Agriculture Department on Wednesday. The $15.4 billion decline in sales would be most pronounced for corn, cotton, beef, and soybeans.
In a quarterly forecast, the USDA pegged ag exports in fiscal 2023 at $181 billion, down sharply from th ... more. |
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking another step in addressing concerns that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been found in pesticide products by releasing a summary of the laboratory analysis of 10 pesticide products reported to contain PFAS residues. EPA did not find any PFAS in the tested pesticide products, differing from the results of a published study in the Journal ... more. |
Producing food is terrible for the environment. According to the online scientific publication Our World in Data, agriculture is responsible for a quarter of the carbon emissions in the atmosphere and the vast majority of world's biodiversity losses.
And while environmental decline goes on, the world's population keeps growing. The UN predicts the world population will reach 10 billion in 2057. Thi ... more. |
The latest U.S. Drought Monitor paints two very different pictures across the country: A remarkable recovery in drought across the Plains versus declining conditions in the Midwest, as drought expands its grip and moves into the East. Farmers in Corn Belt states are concerned about the impact on crop conditions, especially in areas where the subsoil moisture has been depleted over the past year.
USDA Meteo ... more. |
With the increased regulatory burden over the last several years, IFCA has felt that the creation of a regulatory group to network, share insight on regulatory experiences or voice concerns related to state or federal regulations that impact our ag industry would be advantageous for our EHS folks that work so diligently keeping up with the myriad of regulations. We would also consider reaching out to our stat ... more. |
On May 25th, the Federal Aviation Administration issued revised and streamlined exemptions for Part 137 regarding utilization of agricultural drones. The following message from FAA was transmitted earlier this week. Overall, the new exemptions appear to be good news for IFCA members for which this would apply.
• FAA Exemption No. ... more. |
In case you missed IFCA's "News Under the Dome", please click below to catch up on all of the legilsation IFCA has been monitoring at the State Captiol this past spring session. IFCA had another successful year at the Illinois State Capitol, aswere able to hold off any harmful legislation that might directly affect the industry negatively. Below are some of the most important legislations ... more. |
IFCA had another successful year at the Illinois state capitol this spring session. We were able to hold off any harmful legislation that might directly affect the industry negatively. Below are some of the most important legislations that IFCA was monitoringthis spring session. A total of 6,689 pieces of legislation were introduced in both the House and Senate this spring, 565 passed both chambers:
... more. |
Looking for a great summer event for a cause? Don't miss out on the 2023 IFCA Golf for Scholarships outings! Held July 27th at Elks Golf Course in Pontiac and August 3rd at Edgewood Golf Club in Auburn, the outings are a great opportunity to network with peers while supporting the next generation of agriculturalists.
The outings are open to all, and companies are encouraged to bring teams of employees or ... more. |
Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA) applauds the U.S. Supreme Court for their landmark decision in Sackett v. EPA, which stated that the wetland under the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act (CWA) must have a 'continuous surface connection with that water,' making it difficult to determine where the water ends and the wetland begins. The ruling was unanimous.
IFCA acknowledges ... more. |
See below for recent UI farmdoc Bulletins covering soil conditions, weather forecast and pests occurring across the state:
Illinois Crop Update
Climate Review & Weather Forecast
Black Cutworm Feeding
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With pesticide application season still underway in terms of herbicide, fungicide, and insecticide treatments, we would like to remind everyone that cleaning your spray equipment must be performedover operational area containment. It is a violation of the Part 255 containment rules to wash application equipment over gravel or any other area of your facility.The rules state:
Cleaning and w ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDA) is again coordinating the annual pesticide container recycling program for 2023.Between July 17th and August 7th, IDA will accept clean, triple rinsed containers and will also accept clean, cut-up mini-bulk containers.If you have several mini-bulk containers to recycle, you can contact G. Phillips & Sons L.L.C. directly to inquire about their protocol and ... more. |
Corteva Agriscience developed a DOT compliance guide that explains the regulations that govern the transportation of Enlist One and Enlist Duo herbicides. These herbicides are DOT regulated as an "Environmentally Hazardous Substance" and in certain quantities there are marking, placarding, load securement and shipping paper requirements.
The DOT guidance document is here. When transporting Enlist ... more. |
Requirements for dicamba use over-the-top of soybeansin 2023 include“maintaining the label-specified downwind buffer between the last treated row and the nearest downfield edge of any Illinois Nature Preserves Commission site”. To help clarify where these nature preserves are located, click here to view the Natural Resources Awareness Tool for Applicators.
If you h ... more. |
There areonly two days left of session down at the Illinois State Capitol. As of today, there is still no budget agreement but much of the discussion under the dome is aimed at comingtogether by the end of Friday night. Many of the bills that IFCA was concerned with at the beginning of session have either died in committee or have been amended to where they no longer affect our industry.
... more. |
This year’s dates are the IFCA golf outings are July 27th in Pontiac and/or August 3rdin Auburn. Tee times are set for 10am for both outings. If interested, pleaseemail Leslie at leslief@ifca.com to enter a foursome. We look forward to seeing you on the course this year!
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Part of the labels for the use of dicamba on soybeans in 2022 is “maintaining the label-specified downwind buffer between the last treated row and the nearest downfield edge of any Illinois Nature Preserves Commission site”. To help clarify where these nature preserves are located, we’ve created a resource page within the IFCA website.
If you have questions regarding any of the informat ... more. |
The American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL)providesa weekly update on major Illinois river conditions. IFCA members should use this website forupdates on both the Mississippi and Illinois river.
ACBL reported this week that there areno boats engaged on the Upper Mississippi above St. Louis due to the flooding conditions and lock closures on the river. ACBL expects al ... more. |
With the increased regulatory burden over the last several years, IFCA has felt that the creation of a regulatory group to network, share insight on regulatory experiences or voice concerns related to state or federal regulations that impact our ag industry would be advantageous for our EHS folks that work so diligently keeping up with the myriad of regulations. We would also consider reaching out to our st ... more. |
For agenda and to register, please visit www.naehss.org
Asmark Agricenter
14171 Carole Dr, Bloomington, IL 61705
For more information:
https://ifca.com/MAGIE
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The Center for Biological Diversity sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service alleging the agency violated the law by not evaluating pesticides and their effect on endangered species.
An environmental group sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (UFWS) on Thursday after a more than four-year-old petition to restrict pesticides use in critical habitats has gone unanswered by the agency.
The Center f ... more. |
Food safety groups asked a federal judge in Arizona at the end of April to vacate the dicamba registrations of Bayer's XtendiMax herbicide, BASF's Engenia and Syngenta's Tavium, in an ongoing legal battle that could determine how or if the products can be used. The case is unlikely to affect the dicamba's availability for the upcoming growing season, because briefing schedules run through June in th ... more. |
Please be aware that during spring planting season and fall harvest, Illinois State Police will be setting up portable scales.Most recently we received notification from our members that had received fines related to exceeding axle limits.All roads in Illinois have standardized weight limits based on the Federal Bridge Formula.The Federal bridge formula allows 20,000# per single axle, 34,000# per ... more. |
As of May 4, 2023, there are only 19 days left for the spring session. We have officially hit the dog days of legislative session with only a few weeks left to go. Everything is turning towards the May 19th adjournment. Bills are making it through committee and waiting for final action on the Senate or House floor.
Click Hereto read the IFCA “News Under the Dome” to learn more about all ... more. |
Food safety groups asked a federal judge in Arizona at the end of April to vacate the dicamba registrations of Bayer's XtendiMax herbicide, BASF's Engenia and Syngenta's Tavium, in an ongoing legal battle that could determine how or if the products can be used.
The case is unlikely to affect the dicamba's availability for the upcoming growing season, because briefing schedules run through J ... more. |
In case you missed it, click here to view the 2023 Spring IFCA Newsletter.
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Please be aware that during spring planting season and fall harvest, Illinois State Police will be setting up portable scales.Most recently we received notification from our members that had received fines related to exceeding axle limits.All roads in Illinois have standardized weight limits based on the Federal Bridge Formula.The Federal bridge formula allows 20,000# per single axle, 34,000# per ... more. |
The Upper Mississippi River levels are rising. As residents along parts of the river are forced to evacuate, others are working to sandbag and keep the flood waters away. USDA is predicting the worst is yet to come, with a top ten flood crest not expected near the Quad Cities for as much as two more weeks.
Rapid melting of snowpack is the culprit of the rapid rise in river levels. According to news repor ... more. |
8:00 am –12:00pm National Agronomic Health & Safety School, Asmark Agricenter
8:00 am – 5:00 pm MAGIE Show
9:00 am – 3:00 pm HAZWOPER Refresher Training @ MAGIE Grounds Expo A
3:45 pm – 4:30 pm MAGIE Tailgate Party @ the MAGIE Food Tent (Stay for Chicken Wings, Refreshments & Prizes!)
... more. |
8:00 am - 2:00 pmMAGIE Show
9:00 am - 3:00 pmHAZWOPER Refresher Training @ MAGIE Grounds Expo A
McLean County Fairgrounds
1106 Interstate Drive
Bloomington, IL
For more information:
https://ifca.com/MAGIE
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IFCA understands the pressure our industry faces this spring when planters start rolling and weather conditions are not ideal. Itis important that we remain focused on implementing good stewardship practices while preventing legislative proposals and additional regulations. The public is watching us very closely!
These recommendations for spraying should be practiced to accomplish effective spray app ... more. |
This week, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent out a Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Compliance Advisory regarding custom blending. This encompasses blending pesticides with other pesticides, pesticides with fertilizer, and pesticides with feed.
There are no new regulations, but it is meant to clarify the existing regulations for those who custom blend. The infor ... more. |
We’re going to talk some history today. According to testimony at the federal ComEd Four trial, then-House Speaker Mike Madigan’s former 13th Ward Alderperson Frank Olivo was brought on as a subcontractor under then-ComEd Chairman and CEO Frank Clark.
Clark retired in September of 2011, almost a dozen years ago. He has never been charged, nor has it ever been claimed that he did anything ... more. |
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the CropLife 100 list of top U.S. ag retailers. As I noted in my March CropLife® column, Editor Eric Sfiligoj and I are busy accumulating frequent flyer miles as we criss-cross the country visiting with ag retailers, including independents, nationals, and cooperatives, to learn how business for these companies has changed since 1984 and how they stay relevant.
My ... more. |
As Congress begins to consider this year’s farm bill, it is more important than ever that they recognize the intrinsic connection between our agricultural lands and water quality.
Agriculture occupies about one-quarter of the U.S. land surrounding the Great Lakes, producing corn, soybeans, grain, and livestock. The Great Lakes themselves are the world’s largest source of surface freshwate ... more. |
Some lawmakers are highlighting the importance of increasing domestic production of agricultural inputs.
Congressman Max Miller, a republican from Ohio, says ramping up production in the U.S. will help address prices and availability.
Click Here to read more.
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The outlook for agricultural retailers is generally favorable for 2023 following a year of record profits in 2022. However, the sector faces an emerging set of risks that could depress profit margins and challenge traditional business models in the years ahead. Lower levels of industry working capital, higher property insurance costs, and changing grower needs are three of the key issues that ag retailers will need ... more. |
Bipartisan momentum is building in Congress to restrict China and other foreign adversaries from purchasing U.S. farmland, a reflection of a similar push by some states as well as apprehension over Chinese spy balloons, rising land prices and growing international competition.
“Foreign ownership of agricultural land threatens small family farms and the overall health of the agricultural supply chain, ... more. |
Several Republican members during a Wednesday hearing questioned EPA administrator Michael Regan about his decision to issue a rule governing which U.S. waterways fall under federal jurisdiction before the Supreme Court issues an opinion on the matter in Sackett v. EPA, expected before the end of this term.
“We recognize that the Sackett case will have some impact on the rule,” Regan said. &ldq ... more. |
Nutrition experts agree that many Americans should eat more [fruits and vegetables], but that can be challenging for those with a busy lifestyle. But another reason that consumers hesitate to buy produce items is that they have been told that eating them can be risky because of pesticide residues. The main way they get that idea is through something called the “Dirty Dozen List” which is published each ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking public nominations of scientific and technical experts for consideration to serve as ad hoc reviewers assisting the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) with the review of the Agency’s analysis and assessment of ecological risk from atrazine use. EPA is also announcing a three-day public virtual me ... more. |
Click Here to read IFCA's springnewsletter. Stories in this newsletter include:
USEPA Moves Up Dicamba Cutoff Date for Soybean Applications to June 12th
IFCA Chariman's Report
IFCA Lobby's Capitol Hill
4R Update
IFCA Board of Directors Attend Annual Lobby Day in Springfield
Member Spotlight: Sara Beasley
Ammonia Training
EHS Managers: New IFCA Regulatory Group
Message ... more. |
The U.S. House on Last Tuesday failed to override a President Joe Biden veto, which means the administration’s regulation stays in place expanding which waters and wetlands can be regulated under the federal Clean Water Act.
The House did not clear the two-thirds mark needed to overturn Biden’s veto of a resolution that would have blocked the administration’s recent Waters of the U. ... more. |
This week, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent out a Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Compliance Advisory regarding custom blending. This encompasses blending pesticides with other pesticides, pesticides with fertilizer, and pesticides with feed.
There are no new regulations, but it is meant to clarify the existing regulations for those who custom blend. The informa ... more. |
IFCA understands the pressure our industry faces this spring when planters start rolling and weather conditions are not ideal. Itis important that we remain focused on implementing good stewardship practices while preventing legislative proposals and additional regulations. The public is watching us very closely!
These recommendations for spraying should be practiced to accomplish effective spr ... more. |
IFCA is pleased to announce the return of the Illinois Custom Applicator of the Year for our Illinois ag retailers and their custom applicators. Last year we had such a wonderful response from our ag retail members submitting nomination forms that we just had to continue the program to recognize even more outstanding Illinois Applicators. The nomination forms were narrowed down to four finalists for 202 ... more. |
The inaugural Illinois ag retail survey came to an end ahead of the busy spring season, and IFCA would like to thank our ag retail members for their fantastic level of support and participation. IFCA understands how busy our members are and we value and appreciate your time. The surveys conducted in recent months will go a long way towards telling our story as an industry, demonstrating that we are taking an active ... more. |
We have had several inquiries on whether a driver with a restricted class B CDL is subject to random drug and alcohol testing. All CDL drivers operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) (greater than 26,000 GVWR, or transporting more than 16 passengers, including the driver, or placarded hazardous materials) on public roadways must be DOT drug and alcohol tested. This applies to any driver required to posse ... more. |
The Biden administration’s rule defining “waters of the U.S.” is no longer in effect in more than half the country as the result of a district court injunction.
Twenty-four states “have persuasively shown that the new 2023 Rule poses a threat to their sovereign rights and amounts to irreparable harm,” Senior U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland said in his order. A judge in Texa ... more. |
On November 2015 USEPA revised the worker protection standards to implement more protection for agricultural workers and pesticide handlers. Most of the revised WPS standards became effective on January 2018. The WPS requires commercial pesticide handler employers to provide specific information and protections to workers, handlers when WPS-labeled pesticide products are used on agricultural establishme ... more. |
A couple of Chicago mayoral race polling results from last month have been stuck in my head ever since they were released.
The BSP Research poll taken March 15-23 for Northwestern University’s Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy found the two mayoral runoff candidates were running neck and neck. The poll was almost universally ignored by the city’s news media, yet it might’ve ... more. |
Hunter Carpenter with the Ag Retailers Association is cautiously optimistic the Farm Bill will get done this year. But he says right now, everything hinges on the ongoing debt ceiling discussions.
“There's currently an impasse clearly on the hill as to what needs to happen to make sure that the debt ceiling is raised,” Carpenter says. “It really is going to be tough this year with the ... more. |
It’s a full-year push for George Madison, an agronomy specialist with Co-Alliance based in west central Indiana. Although he says his passion is the seed side of the business, being able to offer growers solutions in crop fertility and crop protection enable him to serve growers in all aspects of their farm inputs.
“There isn’t a selling season,” he says. “I feel like it ... more. |
The United States lost its place as the world’s largest wheat exporter a decade ago, and now its leadership in exports of corn, cotton and tree nuts is being challenged, said a new USDA report.
“Changes in global patterns of production and agricultural markets affected U.S. export competitiveness during the last two decades,” said the Economic Research Service, pointing to increasing comp ... more. |
Ten years ago today, the tiny town of West, Texas drew the attention of the world when a fertilizer plant exploded.
It was a fire inside the West Fertilizer Company, which sparked the detonation of 30 tons of fertilizer grade ammonium nitrate. While ammonium nitrate is powerful enough to make bombs in Afghanistan, it's also been used for crop production in America for decades.
Click Here to re ... more. |
A pair of West Coast ports have resumed exporting ag commodities after a temporary shutdown due to failed labor contract negotiations.
Mike Steenhoek with the Soy Transportation Coalition says products that are shipped in bulk were unaffected but that’s not the case for containers. “Soybeans and soy products, and a variety of other agricultural products like chilled meat, fresh fruit and vegeta ... more. |
After months of low water levels, the Mississippi River now has the potential of having too much water, complicating the transportation of grain, soybeans and other crops on the river.
The Mississippi River is an important avenue for delivering agricultural products from farms in the central U.S. to ports around the country and world.
Click Here to read more.
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A federal judge in North Dakota has issued a preliminary injunction to block the Biden administration’s Waters of the US rule from being implemented in 24 states.
Mary Thomas Hart, chief counsel with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association says this is good news for America’s farmers and ranchers. “Now, we are in total, up to 26 states that are not directly impacted by the B ... more. |
If the United States takes its complaint against Mexico’s ban on imports of GMO white corn to a USMCA panel, it could take 155 days — until late December or even January — for a final resolution, although a U.S. victory is likely, said three Ohio State University analysts. Mexico would then have the option of keeping the ban in place and accepting U.S. sanctions because of it, they wrote at the fa ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing an updated registration review schedule for the next three years to provide a roadmap and advance notice of actions for stakeholders. This update reflects the four-year extension for the registration review deadline provided for in the FY 2023 budget. The deadline for the completion of registration review final decisions is now October 1, 2026, for the pes ... more. |
The next couple of weeks will be busy with ammonia application in Illinois. Here are a few reminders to keep in mind when working with ammonia:
1. Slow down! Nurse tanks should not travel down the road at more than 25 mph.
2. ALWAYS turn the nurse tank valves off at the tank source and disconnect hoses before pulling onto a public roadway. This is required by law.&nbs ... more. |
We have become aware USDOT (Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration) has been conducting random audits in Illinois on ammonia nurse tanks. Some of the items they are focusing on include but are not limited to:
• Proper securement of the nurse tank to the trailer/running gear
• Ammonia nurse tanks properly placarded and ... more. |
Eric Miller, a farmer in Piatt County, was recently the recipient of the Glen “GB” Brandt Prize for Ag Entrepreneurism. The $10,000 award is given to a grower who exemplifies an entrepreneurial spirit and advances innovation through their business practices. IFCA’s Director of Nutrient Stewardship, Dan Schaefer, has been working side by side with Eric on his farm researching NREC (Nutrient Researc ... more. |
We are saddened to share the news that IFCA member Kevin Frohning, 60, died as the result of an accident on April 13. Kevin owned Tri County Chemical in Ingraham, IL and continued to work for Nutrien Ag Solutions after selling the business to them in 2022. Kevin deeply loved his family and agriculture; he had a ready smile, a positive attitude, and a strong sense of gratitude that he freely shared whe ... more. |
Eric Miller, a farmer in Piatt County, was recently the recipient of the Glen “GB” Brandt Prize for Ag Entrepreneurism. The $10,000 award is given to a grower who exemplifies an entrepreneurial spirit and advances innovation through their business practices. IFCA’s Director of Nutrient Stewardship, Dan Schaefer, has been working side by side with Eric on his farm researching NREC (Nutrient Researc ... more. |
Click here to read Dr. Nafziger’s latest Crop Central farmdoc, detailing the new two-rate nitrogen trial program being implemented throughout the state to help provide confidence in MRTN rates. These two-rate trials are designed to be easy to implement and harvest, and provide insight into the level of N rates being used and how they impact yield.
If you or someone you know is interested in par ... more. |
We have become aware USDOT (Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration) has been conducting random audits in Illinois on ammonia nurse tanks. Some of the items they are focusing on include but are not limited to:
• Proper securement of the nurse tank to the trailer/running gear
• Ammonia nurse tanks properly placarded and ... more. |
We have had several inquiries on whether a driver with a restricted class B CDL is subject to random drug and alcohol testing. All CDL drivers operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) (greater than 26,000 GVWR, or transporting more than 16 passengers, including the driver, or placarded hazardous materials) on public roadways must be DOT drug and alcohol tested. This applies to any driver required to possess ... more. |
Click the heading above or here to read Dr. Nafziger's latest Crop Central farmdoc on the new two-rate nitrogen trials being implemented throughout the state. If you are interested in participating, please click here to be redirected to IFCA's webpage where you can fill out a sibmission form.
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As he promised, President Joe Biden vetoed a joint resolution from Congress to overturn the administration’s “waters of the U.S.” rule.
Both the House and Senate passed the Congressional Review Act (CRA) joint resolution of disapproval – the House by a 227-198 vote and the Senate, 53-43; neither margin is near the two-thirds needed to override a veto.
Senate Environment and ... more. |
Ag retailers and farmers applying pest management tools should buckle their seat belt. IL Weed Specialist Aaron Hager says, “Pest management practitioners will increasingly find changes to many pesticide labels as the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) begins to implement requirements mandated by the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Hager encourage all who are involved in pest management discipl ... more. |
Applicators need reliable information to practice good stewardship when spraying. Whether you are an aerial applicator, retailer, crop producer, mosquito control applicator, vegetation management, or a turf and ornamental grass company, you need to avoid damage from spray drift. That’s where FieldCheck comes in.
Developed by FieldWatch to address the needs of all applicators, FieldCheck is a speciali ... more. |
The House of Representatives passed a massive energy overhaul bill Thursday largely along party lines, but a roll-call vote also demonstrated strong bipartisan support for banning Chinese ownership of U.S. farm ground.
Amid a string of largely party-line votes, the House voted 407-26 with 223 Republicans and 184 Democrats agreeing to add language to the energy bill that would prohibit the Chinese governmen ... more. |
U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai on Wednesday defended the Biden administration's decision not to pursue traditional free trade deals and argued her approach of working to ease non-tariff barriers is better for workers, supply chains and the U.S. ability to compete with China.
In a policy speech at American University's Washington College of Law, Tai said she is starting to change minds in W ... more. |
Treating your farm like a business and understanding the return on every investment is everything.
On that note, devote the same amount of time and attention to detail on the 4Rs of nutrient stewardship as you do on seed choice, says Curt Woolfolk, Senior Manager, Crop Nutrition Technologies, The Mosaic Co. A deep discussion with your trusted advisor to challenge your traditional approaches around the righ ... more. |
President Joe Biden is looking in another direction to steer agriculture’s boat.
The key word here is biotechnology. And President Biden is all for it. In fact, he goes so far as to say it should be used to make agriculture more productive and sustainable, create safer and healthier food, protect plants and food animals from pests and diseases, and even help protect the world from environmental harm. ... more. |
A federal judge in Kentucky tossed the state of Kentucky's lawsuit against the Biden administration and its waters of the U.S. rule, finding in a ruling published on Monday the state and other business intervenors do not have standing to challenge.
Kentucky had asked for a preliminary injunction to prevent the enforcement of the WOTUS rule, but that too was denied by a judge in the U.S. District Court ... more. |
We live in a world with the potential to be connected to work 24/7. Aside from the extended hours and seasonal demands of the ag industry, our email inbox and messaging apps receive messages 24 hours a day.
When I started my career in retail agronomy, the lines between work life and the rest of life were pretty clearly defined. Except for evenings and weekends during the peak of spring, the only time I was ... more. |
Autonomous farming machines are coming. John Deere now sells an autonomous 8R tractor. Various companies offer commercial-sized, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that can autonomously apply pesticides. Lely sells robotic milking machines. Some farmers may lament the loss of a person controlling these tasks, but the trend for more automation in farming is clear.
Still, there are existing laws that will need ... more. |
This spring is already setting up to be one of those where farmers feel pushed to meet fertilizing, spraying and planting deadlines. Add distracted roadway drivers, buzzing phones and other hazards to the chaos.
But here's an important safety tip -- a few minutes to refresh ways to work around anhydrous ammonia are never wasted. The product deserves mega respect.
Illinois Fertilizer and Chemic ... more. |
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul Tuesday announced he and 12 other attorneys general have penned at letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urging them to implement restrictions on pesticides that have demonstrated harm to bees.
In the letter, they argue that the chemical sulfoxaflor has shown to be dangerous to bees, and that any threat to pollinators could ultimately have harmful ef ... more. |
On Thursday, March 23rd, IFCA held a public webinar to discuss considerations for applying fertilizer for the Spring amidst all the late winter/early spring rains here in Illinois. In an effort to educate our members, we asked Emerson Nafziger from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to share his insights and discuss advice for this upcoming planting season. Click Here to rewatch the recording. ... more. |
The Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association is working with state lawmakers on pesticide related legislation.
President KJ Johnson tells Brownfield at the start of session, they were monitoring more than 100 bills impacting ag retailers, but now there are less than 10. He says the majority of those contain PFAS chemical regulations. (HB3092, HB3128, HB3508, SB88 and SB1696)
Click Here t ... more. |
The world’s largest fertilizer company expects the global supply of the nutrient potash to remain constrained this year.
Shipments out of major exporters Belarus and Russia are still at least partially constrained and a lot of alternative outlets for product have been exhausted, Nutrien Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Ken Seitz said Tuesday in an interview at Bloomberg’s New York headquarters.
&n ... more. |
Some lawmakers are highlighting the importance of increasing domestic production of agricultural inputs.
Congressman Max Miller, a republican from Ohio, says ramping up production in the U.S. will help address prices and availability.
Click Here to read more.
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Eric Miller is a tinkerer, a thinker and an innovator, and he puts those skills into practice on his 400-acre farm in Piatt County and shares his discoveries with others. He was honored with an award named for someone who had the same qualities.
Miller was presented with the Brandt Prize for Ag Entrepreneurism in honor of the company’s founder Glen Brandt at the eighth annual Ag Tech Summit in Champa ... more. |
The Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA) posted reminders for ag retailers as spring ammonia season starts.
The next couple of weeks will be busy with ammonia application in Illinois. Here are a few reminders to keep in mind when working with ammonia.
Click Here to read more.
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Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul Tuesday announced he and 12 other attorneys general have penned at letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urging them to implement restrictions on pesticides that have demonstrated harm to bees.
In the letter, they argue that the chemical sulfoxaflor has shown to be dangerous to bees, and that any threat to pollinators could ultimately have harmful ef ... more. |
If you are an interstate motor carrier and have motorized commercial vehicles that cross state lines, you must register and pay the Uniform Carrier Registration Fee. The fee is based upon the number of vehicles that operate in interstate commerce. To register click here. Additional information regarding the UCR program can be found in the UCR Handbook on the UCR Website. Enforcement will beg ... more. |
Recently one of our members received a phone call from an unknown individual requesting to purchase fertilizer over the phone.The individual in question wanted to purchase a rather large amount of fertilizer and was willing to provide payment over the phone. This individual would not provide any details on the intended use, yet was very insistent on wanting to purchase the fertilizer and made several fo ... more. |
With the spring fertilizer and planting season right around the corner for much of the state, we've received questions at IFCA about the storage of UAN in light of growers pondering whether to switch from NH3 to UAN this spring. Here is a summary of the rules for UAN storage in Illinois, as per the Illinois Department of Agriculture regulations.
1. At agrichemical facilities, UAN storage is ... more. |
On Thursday, March 23rd, IFCA held a public webinar to discuss considerations for applying fertilizer for the Spring amidst all the late winter/early spring rains here in Illinois. In an effort to educate our members, we asked Emerson Nafziger from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to share his insights and discuss advice for this upcoming planting season. Click Here to rewatch the recording. ... more. |
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will testify before congressional committees over three straight days this week, and FDA Commissioner Robert Califf also will face lawmakers, who are certain to have questions about his ongoing reorganization of the agency’s human foods program.
Other senior administration officials who will be on Capitol Hill for a flurry of hearings ahead of lawmakers’ two-we ... more. |
Though USDA's March 10 announcement of $29 million in grants going to companies to expand fertilizer production in the U.S. came with much fanfare, a DTN analysis found the eight projects awarded as part of the Fertilizer Production Expansion Program will do little to expand overall production.
The program is designed to grow new production and foster competition in the U.S. fertilizer industry, all wh ... more. |
Consumption of crops is outgrowing the production of crops around the world. Malnutrition and starvation are major international issues. Fertilizers can help growers increase food production, but how? The March 22nd Sustainable, Secure Food blog post explains how fertilizers help growers provide nutritious, affordable food for the world’s growing population.
According to blogger Amanda Ramcharan, Pen ... more. |
Washington, DC, – The American Gas Association today released a study that underscores the critical role natural gas plays in the U.S. agriculture sector. “Advancing America’s Agriculture: The Value of Natural Gas to U.S. Agriculture and Agrochemicals,” the first in AGA’s Advancing America series, examines how natural gas is essential for a healthy agriculture sector: “The ... more. |
The EPA’s new definition of Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) takes effect Monday. It will be a key topic Wednesday when EPA Administrator Michael Regan appears before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
Naysayers to the Biden WOTUS approach should take heart because as usual, EPA will take longer than most expect to implement it.
Click Here to read more.
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Tim McArdle is working as the ResponsibleAg Industry Ambassador. He highlights how ResponsbileAg is an industry program for the industry that “lights the way for you to be in compliance.”
As he shares, “we are a heavily regulated industry and everybody in our industry knows that.” From the heavy equipment used to the materials handled and sold, ag retailers are subject to regu ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) President and CEO Corey Rosenbusch has praised Congress for introducing the Plant Biostimulant Act. Introduced by Representatives Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19) and Jim Baird (R-IN-4) and Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Mike Braun (R-IN), the Plant Biostimulant Act will support the adoption of biostimulants by farmers and provide clarity to the emerging marketplace.
“Biostimu ... more. |
Ask anyone associated with the agricultural business a subject that has kept them “up at night” the past few years and chances are many would answer with one word: Transportation. As the world entered and then emerged from the global pandemic, the ability (or inability, as was true in many cases) to move products from where they originated to where they needed to be was of paramount importance to many c ... more. |
After a year and a half of a pending decision in front of the Surface Transportation Board (STB), the federal agency issued its approval of the acquisition of Kansas City Southern Railway Company (KCS) by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited (CP).
STB Chairman Martin Oberman hosted a press conference—the first of its kind that he said anyone could remember—to explain more behind the decision, which ... more. |
Albaugh, LLC. has announced the acquisition of Corteva Agriscience's straight-goods glyphosate business. The purchase includes intangible assets only, including trade names, registrations, regulatory data, formulations, patents, and knowhow, used in Corteva's straight-goods glyphosate business throughout the world, with the exception of Argentina.
Albaugh previously acquired Corteva's glyphosat ... more. |
There were a couple of announced mergers or acquisitions among CropLife 100 companies in 2022, making it a relatively quiet year in the ag retail industry. In January, The McGregor Company acquired two retailers in Central Oregon — Inland Chemical Service and Sherman County Farm Chemical. Then in May, CropLife 100 company Mid Kansas Cooperative (MKC) officially merged with Progressive Ag Cooperative.
... more. |
Congress needs to modernize the crop insurance program and update farm subsidies to reflect higher input costs and volatile commodity markets — expensive steps — when it writes the new farm bill, said the leader of the largest U.S. farm group at a listening session in Texas on Wednesday. An anti-hunger leader asked lawmakers to “keep the importance of access to SNAP and the adequacy of those benef ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) President and CEO Corey Rosenbusch today welcomed the introduction of legislation that will speed up a burdensome, costly, and time-consuming permitting process that needlessly delays critical projects, including phosphate and potash mining. H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act sponsored by Majority Leader Steve Scalise and co-sponsored by the Chairs of the Committee on Energy and Comme ... more. |
The Biden administration’s “waters of the U.S.” rule that expands the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act officially takes effect Monday despite uncertainty about its future in the courts and continued attacks on the measure on Capitol Hill.
The Senate could vote as soon as this week on a resolution aimed at killing the rule, and EPA Administrator Michael Regan is almost certain to face q ... more. |
Newly launched, AgPowered Services from Bayer provides cloud-based solutions in combination with the Microsoft Azure Data Manager for Agriculture. The enterprise solution will provide ready-to-use capabilities for businesses and organizations to license and use for their own internal or customer-facing digital solutions.
Azure Data Manager for Agriculture will combine Bayer’s decades of agricultural ... more. |
We often talk about how government data shows over 99.8% of foods sampled are well below Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) safety standards, commonly referred to as “tolerances.” But how are those safety standards or tolerances developed and established so they are protective of consumers, including infants and children?
While this content may be a bit dry, it’s important to sha ... more. |
CropLife America (CLA) joined more than 400 organizations in a letter sent to members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives that affirms these organizations support the pesticide regulatory system in place today under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The letter is in response to recently introduced legislation (S. 269) that would undermine the science-based standards contain ... more. |
Everyone is invited to join the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association and Illinois Soybean Association legislative reception on March 22nd at the Lincoln Hotel in Springfield. This year's reception will be held in the evening from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. This is a great opportunity to meet local legislators and also hear IFCA and ILSoy discuss issues pertaining to the needs of the ag input industry ... more. |
Illinois recently became one of three states to require employers to offer paid time off for any reason. This will take effect next year.
Beginning Jan. 1st, 2024, Illinois employers must offer workers paid time off based on hours worked, with no need to explain the reason for their absence if they provide notice in accordance with reasonable employer standards.
Currently only Main ... more. |
As spring is quickly approaching, a few reminders for record keeping when applying or selling pesticides to your customers.
Pesticide dealers shall retain a record of all sales of restricted use pesticides or pesticides that the Director has declared to be a pesticide requiring a permit for two (2) years. The record shall include, but is not limited to, the following for each individual sale of such ... more. |
As planting season begins across the country, the IFCA reminds our members and farmers to follow the basic steps for stewardship of treated seed:
follow directions on seed container labeling;
eliminate weeds in the field prior to planting;
minimize dust by using advanced seed flow lubricants;
“BeeAware” of honey bees and hives located near the field;
ensure that any spilled seeds are removed ... more. |
This pastMonday, Illinois became one of three states to require employers to offer paid time off for any reason. This will take effect next year.
Beginning Jan. 1st, 2024, Illinois employers must offer workers paid time off based on hours worked, with no need to explain the reason for their absence if they provide notice in accordance with reasonable employer standards.
Cur ... more. |
As spring is quickly approaching, a few reminders for record keeping when applying or selling pesticides to your customers.
Pesticide dealers shall retain a record of all sales of restricted use pesticides or pesticides that the Director has declared to be a pesticide requiring a permit for two (2) years. The record shall include, but is not limited to, the following for each individual sale of such ... more. |
Everyone is invited to join the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association and Illinois Soybean Association legislative reception on March 22nd at the Lincoln Hotel in Springfield. This year's reception will be held in the evening from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. This is a great opportunity to meet local legislators and also hear IFCA and ILSoy discuss issues pertaining to the needs of the ag input industry ... more. |
As we approach another spring ammonia season, several variables play a role in a successful season. These include, but are not limited to logistics, weather, nitrogen prices, stewardship, customer relations and public expectations. At IFCA, none of these are lost as we support our ag retailers in their push for a successful and safe ammonia season.
Part of a successful NH3 season includes makin ... more. |
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack faces the Senate Agriculture Committee this week amid uncertainty about the path for a new farm bill and ongoing jousting between the Biden administration and Republicans over the economy and federal spending.
Vilsack’s emphasis on addressing climate and equity issues and his use of USDA’s Commodity Credit Corp. spending authority could be among the issues that ... more. |
What a difference a year makes — potentially. That’s the message ag retailers are telling CropLife® magazine as the industry prepares for the upcoming spring season.
During 2022, there was much worry among ag retailers and their grower-customers when it came to crop nutrients. As a result of ongoing supply chain issues and logistics problems, fertilizer prices quickly double or tripled from ... more. |
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the Department received $3 billion in applications from more than 350 independent businesses from 47 states and 2 territories for the first two rounds of a new grant program to add innovative domestic fertilizer production capacity.
USDA also announced the first $29 million in grant offers under the first round that focused on ... more. |
Total land in farms decreased 1.9 million acres to 893,400,000 acres in 2022 versus 2021. Here is other noteworthy farmland data, courtesy of USDA’s Farms and Land in Farms 2022 Summary.
2.003 million: The number of U.S. farms, which is down 9,350 farms from 2021. The number of farms increased in all sales classes except the $1,000-$9,999 and $10,000-$99,999 sales classes.
Click Here to read ... more. |
With planting season around the corner, applicators are in the midst of obtaining and renewing chemical licenses.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is looking to evolve the existing national licensing program to offer more education and training in restricted use pesticides (RUPs).
Click Here to read more.
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U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack issued the following statement regarding [the March 6] announcement by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative that the United States is requesting technical consultations with Mexico under the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) Chapter of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). These consultations regard certain Mexican measures concerning products of ... more. |
Friday was the deadline for bills to move out of committee in the Illinois State Capitol.Click Hereto read this week’s IFCA “News Under the Dome”.This week’s newsletter includes legislation IFCA has been tracking. We have provided updates on bills that have either moved or didn’t move out of committee. IFCA will be actively collaborating with senators and representati ... more. |
As we approach another spring ammonia season, several variables play a role in a successful season. These include, but are not limited to logistics, weather, nitrogen prices, stewardship, customer relations and public expectations. At IFCA, none of these are lost as we support our ag retailers in their push for a successful and safe ammonia season.
Part of a successful NH3 season includes makin ... more. |
Today is the deadline for bills to move out of committee in the Illinois State Capitol.Click Hereto read this week’s IFCA “News Under the Dome”.This week’s newsletter includes legislation IFCA has been tracking. We have provided updates on bills that have either moved or didn’t move out of committee. IFCA will be actively collaborating with senators and representati ... more. |
Early this week, IFCA submittedcomments to our Illinois congressional delegation urging them to support the Fiscal Year 2024 Community Project Funding submission, namely, the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP) for the Upper Mississippi River and Illinois Waterway (UMR-IWW).
NESP is a multi-purpose program for the UMR-IWW, consisting of navigation improvements and ecosystem r ... more. |
Last week, AASA staff hosted a webinar explaining the AASA inspection program and summarizing the requirements for facilities that receive, store, transfer and repack bulk agricultural pesticides. If you missed the webinar, you can still watch the recordinghere. With support from the pesticide registrants and in cooperation with ag retailers, AASA inspectors conduct facility inspections each year. Thi ... more. |
IFCA member Jenner Ag is offering Illinois and Indiana high school and college students with a passion for agriculture the opportunity to be one of two $1,000 scholarship recipients for the 2023-2024 school year. This is the 12th year Jenner Ag will distribute ag scholarships.
To qualify for the Jenner Ag Furthering Ag Education Scholarship, students must be in their senior year of high school through thei ... more. |
IFCA is actively watching and working over 70 pieces of legislation at the state capitol. Click on IFCA's “News Under the Dome” to see what IFCA is monitoringthis spring session at the Illinois General Assembly.
IFCA will inform our membership if any of these pieces of legislation start to move in the senate or in the house. As always, if you have any question regarding any piece of l ... more. |
This week will be busy down at the Illinois State Capitol. Friday is the deadline to move bills out of committee of the Chamber of which it started in. Click Here to view IFCA's updated 'News Under the Dome', which highlights all legislation IFCA is monitoring this spring session. IFCA will update our membership again next week on which bills passed and which did not move in committee. If you have any q ... more. |
President Joe Biden will propose new tax increases with his fiscal 2024 budget this week, while the Republican-controlled House will force a vote on killing the administration’s new rule that expands the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act.
Biden is jockeying for political position in a clash with House Republicans over the debt ceiling by offering tax increases as the way to reduce the deficit. The ... more. |
A bill that would trigger automatic payments into the state’s so-called “rainy day” fund is heading to the Illinois House for consideration after unanimous passage out of committee this week.
Under House Bill 2515, automatic deposits in the rainy day fund and pension stabilization fund would be triggered if the governor’s proposed general revenue estimate exceeds the prior year by a ... more. |
Fertilizer market volatility leaves many to wonder how we got into this situation, and Corey Rosenbusch, president and CEO of The Fertilizer Institute (TFI), says there is not a single answer or event that triggered high prices. Rather, a series of global trade disruptions caused the situation and continue to drive the markets we face today and into the future.
Rosenbusch shared his insight as keynote spea ... more. |
Karl Wyant, director of agronomy at Nutrien, says the past 18 months have particularly put into focus the decisions growers are making about fertilizer.
On The Scoop podcast he talks about how his team is working to help farmers evaluate all the tools in the toolbox, and at times, do more with less while place an intense scrutiny on fertilizer use efficiency.
Click Here to read more.
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Traveling today is not quite as reliable or seamless as it once was, but I always enjoy getting out of the office to attend industry events and meet the people and companies we interact with at CropLife.
Recently, I attended the annual Ever Ag Agribusiness Summit in Des Moines, IA. Ernie Chappell, President of EFC Systems, talked about the transition of EFC Systems to Ever.Ag Agribusiness and the opportuni ... more. |
While some farm group members told members of the House Agriculture Committee about regulatory burdens, another House committee on Tuesday advanced a joint resolution to overturn the Biden administration's waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed a resolution calling for the repeal of the WOTUS rule on a 30-22 vote under the Congressional Re ... more. |
Today, there is much discussion about how agriculture contributes to climate change. Most agree that we should continue improving food production and processing while reducing agriculture’s detrimental environmental impacts. If we unleash biotechnology, our quality of life will improve significantly, and you won’t be asked to forgo your favorite steak.
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday announced another $550 million that it is putting toward addressing environmental inequity after previously outlining $100 million in funding for the issue.
Through this latest round of funding, the EPA will select up to 11 community-based nonprofits that will then dole out grants aimed at cutting pollution.
Click Here to read more.
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The shipping crisis on the Mississippi River might finally be ending. Since last July, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been dredging the river 24 hours a day, seven days a week to ease shipping backups.
With improved snowpack in areas such as Montana and precipitation through the midsection of the country late last fall and this winter, the Mississippi River and its tributaries could be back to normal ... more. |
The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Section 7 requires that production of pesticides, active ingredients or devices be conducted in a registered pesticide-producing or device-producing establishment ("production" includes formulation, packaging, repackaging, labeling and relabeling). Production in an unregistered establishment is a violation of the law. Information on pestici ... more. |
EPA requires a label accompany every pesticide to the end user. This can be a challenge for retailers that provide custom application services. To help remedy this issue, the Applicator Manual was created and is designed to be placed in each piece of application, nurse or tender equipment, to provide operators and handlers access to label information.
These handy 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" manuals have ov ... more. |
Registration is now open for the Applicator Training Course held at Asmark's Applicator Training Center in Bloomington, IL. There are seven classes scheduled from June through September. Developed in collaboration with AGCO, the course is specifically designed for new applicators with less than three years of experience.
The Applicator Training Center has over ten acres with a mile-long track designe ... more. |
Registration is now open for Asmark's Nurse Tank Inspection “CT” training course. Classes are currently being held in March andare filling up fast! The one-day course at the Agricenterin Bloomington, ILis geared for cargo tank inspectors and helps ensure the process of performing pressure (P), thickness (T) and visual (V) inspection and testing is well understood. Key elements of t ... more. |
Everyone is invited to join the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association and Illinois Soybean Association legislative reception on March 22nd at the Lincoln Hotel in Springfield. This year's reception will be held in the evening from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. This is a great opportunity to meet local legislators and also hear IFCA and ILSoy discuss issues pertaining to the needs of the ag input industry ... more. |
Next week will be busydown at the Illinois State Capitol. March 10th is the deadline to move bills out of committee of the Chamber of which it started in. Click Here to viewIFCA's updated'News Under the Dome', whch highlights alllegislation IFCA ismonitoringthisspring session. IFCAwill update our membership again next week on whichbills passed and wh ... more. |
Our friends at Asmark wanted to remind our members that it's time to complete your 2022 injury and illness recordkeeping obligations by posting the Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses (OSHA Form 300A). OSHA requires that the notice be displayed from February 1st to April 30th of each year in a conspicuous place where employee notices are customarily posted. Businesses with no injuries or illnesses fo ... more. |
Bill deadline for introduction of legislation at the Illinois State Capitol was last week. As of today, there are 6,525 bills introduced in the Senate and House. IFCA is actively watching and working over 70 pieces of legislation. Click on IFCA's "News Under the Dome" to see what IFCA is watching this spring session at the Illinois General Assembly.
IFCA will inform our membership if an ... more. |
The Senate Agriculture Committee will turn its focus to farm bill conservation and forestry programs this week, while House Republicans put the spotlight on the Biden administration’s “waters of the U.S.” rule and other regulatory issues.
The Senate Ag hearing on Wednesday comes as four major conservation programs are getting a historic infusion of $18 billion from the Inflation Reduction ... more. |
It may seem contradictory to say that the pesticide industry wants a strong EPA. But according to CropLife America CEO Chris Novak, because farmers and consumers want safe and effective products, a strong regulatory system only helps build that confidence. But there’s a problem.
Did you know it takes about 14 years to bring a new pesticide to the market? Four of those years are spent in EPA&rsq ... more. |
A global economic slowdown will combine with inflation, higher interest rates, and the strong dollar to erode U.S. food and agriculture exports by 12% through fiscal 2026, projected the USDA on Wednesday.
“Macroeconomic conditions are expected to slow U.S. exports earlier than imports, leading to a negative trade balance” that would gradually grow larger, said the USDA’s long-term baselin ... more. |
One year after Russia’s invasion halted Ukraine’s export of grains through the Black Sea, the future of a U.N.-brokered deal that allowed shipments to resume hangs in the balance as the warring parties fight a proxy battle — at a time of deepening global hunger — over which of them can rightly claim to be feeding the world.
The number of people facing food insecurity rose from 282 m ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute released new data last week highlighting industry improvements in sustainability performance in key priority areas, including workforce safety, energy, the environment, and innovation.
“The industry is continuously working towards more sustainable operations, including efforts to decarbonize and mitigate environmental impacts,” said TFI President and CEO Corey Rosenbusc ... more. |
The shortage of truck drivers eased slightly across the nation last year compared to 2021.
But the workforce shortage remains a top concern of the transportation sector for 2023, according to a panel of industry experts on Jan. 19 at the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA) annual convention in Peoria.
Click Here to read more.
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With two recent announcements the EPA has approved labels for over-the-top dicamba applications (XtendiMax, Engenia and Tavium herbicides) in 2023 in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota.
There are key changes for 2023 applications compared to previous years:
Click Here to read more.
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Marketed in 1974 under the brand name Roundup, glyphosate has been praised for several decades for its unique herbicidal qualities and its good toxicological and ecotoxic profile. It quickly established itself in the world as a weedkiller with multiple uses for farmers and well beyond, from amateur gardeners to the SNCF [railways].
Surprise in March 2015: the IARC (International Agency for Research on Canc ... more. |
The American Agronomic Stewardship Alliance (AASA) is hosting a 30-minute webinar on March 2, 2023 from 10-10:30 AM Central Time. In the webinar, Jean Payne and Dave Powers from AASA will review the AASA bulk pesticide facility inspection program and the key USEPA requirements for bulk pesticide containment, transfer areas, repackaging and labeling, and share the resources available for in-depth understanding of th ... more. |
EPA is asking for comments on a new application to use sulfoxaflor, in compliance with a court order that also required the agency to assess the chemical’s effect on endangered species.
In December, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with the Center for Food Safety and Center for Biological Diversity that EPA should have sought public comment on requests to expand the number of crops where sulfo ... more. |
Bill deadline for introduction of legislation at the Illinois State Capitol was last week. As of today, there are 6,525 bills introduced in the Senate and House. IFCA is actively watching and working over 70 pieces of legislation. Click on IFCA's “News Under the Dome” to see what IFCA is watching this spring session at the Illinois General Assembly.
IFCA will inform our membership if ... more. |
Anyone in our industry involved in making or breaking any ammonia connections, whether working with storage tanks, nurse tanks or application equipment, must be certified by IDA as a competent attendant every three years. IFCA and IDA are once again offering several classes in the next couple weeks to provide this certification training ahead of the spring season. The pre-registration fee is $65 per person. R ... more. |
The American Agronomic Stewardship Alliance (AASA) is hosting a 30-minute webinar on March 2, 2023 from 10-10:30 AM Central Time. In the webinar, Jean Payne and Dave Powers from AASA will review the AASA bulk pesticide facility inspection program and the key USEPA requirements for bulk pesticide containment, transfer areas, repackaging and labeling, and share the resources available for in-depth understanding of th ... more. |
Dr. Aaron Hager, Associate Professor of Weed Science, released a farmdoc article this morning detailingthe new cutoff requirements for dicamba applied to soybeans in Illinois. Please click here to read Dr. Hager'sarticle.
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ruled that no over-the-top(OTT) application of dicamba to dicamba traitsoybean can be made after June 12or the V4 stage. This is a federal ruling and must be observed for all OTT dicamba applications to soybean in Illinois. IFCA has been in communication with the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDA) on this issue, and they do not anticipate additi ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ruled that no over-the-top(OTT) application of dicamba to dicamba traitsoybean can be made after June 12or the V4 stage. This is a federal ruling and must be observed for all OTT dicamba applications to soybean in Illinois. IFCA has been in communication with the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDA) on this issue, and they do not anticipate addition ... more. |
Following proposed mitigation measures announced last year by the U.S. EPA, the deadline to submit comments supporting the continued use of rodenticide products was Monday, February 13th, 2023. IFCA submitted comments opposingEPA’s most recent proposals, which included mitigation measures for eleven rodenticides. These measures involved adding additional requirements to labels, reclassifying some prod ... more. |
Following proposed mitigation measures announced last year by the U.S. EPA, the deadline to submit comments supporting the continued use of rodenticide products was Monday, February 13th, 2023. IFCA submitted comments opposingEPA’s most recent proposals, which included mitigation measures for eleven rodenticides. These measures involved adding additional requirements to labels, reclassifying some prod ... more. |
Gov. J.B. Pritzker Wednesday proposed a series of programs supporting early childhood through higher education, preventing homelessness and fighting poverty as part of his FY24 budget address to the Illinois General Assembly.
IFCA is in the process of going through this year's governor's budget. At a quick glance it looks like the Illinois Department of Ag will receive about the same funding as the ... more. |
Every year, OSHA announces its top ten most cited standards for the fiscal year. Below is a list of OSHA’s top ten most frequently cited standards for FY 2022:
1. Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501):5,260 violations
2. Hazard Communication (1910.1200):2,424 violations
3. Respiratory Protection (1910.134):2,185 violations
4. Ladders (1926.1053):&nbs ... more. |
NREC is supporting a project led by Dr. Andrew Margenot of UI that is focused on sampling soil locations throughout Illinois that had previously been sampled dating back to 1899. The goal of the project is to compare modern soil samples with the original samples to gain insight on how Illinois soils have changed over the last 120 years. This will ultimately enable improvements in soil fertility management and con ... more. |
As a reminder, as the spring season approaches, anyone that handles or transports ammonia is now also responsible for achieving anhydrous ammonia certification. The easiest way to ensure your grower-customers attain their annual ammonia certification is to have them visit the IDA website and sit through the online training. This can be found by clicking here. For anyone looking to host an in-person grower ammonia t ... more. |
NREC is supporting a project led by Dr. Andrew Margenot of UI that is focused on sampling soil locations throughout Illinois that had previously been sampled dating back to 1899. The goal of the project is to compare modern soil samples with the original samples to gain insight on how Illinois soils have changed over the last 120 years. This will ultimately enable improvements in soil fertility management and con ... more. |
It wasn't that long ago that barges were unable to move safely on the Lower Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. Record low water levels were recorded at Memphis, Tennessee, of -10.81 feet below zero gauge in October 2022. Barges were littered along parts of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers after sandbars caused them to ground. Dredges were working overtime to free stuck barges and to keep channels open for barges needi ... more. |
Lawmakers likely won’t start writing a new farm bill for several months, but budget estimates due to be released this week will shape the debate over the legislation.
The Congressional Budget Office on Wednesday is expected to release its 10-year cost estimate for existing farm bill programs, including commodity support programs as well as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which accounts ... more. |
Illinois state lawmakers return to Springfield Tuesday. Both chambers have passed new rules for the 103rd General Assembly that began last month following November’s election.
More than 1,300 bills have been newly filed in the Senate. Friday is the deadline for more. The House has a deadline of Feb. 17 to file bills. There’ve been nearly 2,200 filed.
Click Here to read more ... more. |
The 2018 farm bill was stamped with a $428 billon price tag when the bill was passed. Nutrition, crop insurance, commodities, trade and conservation programs were among the programs to receive the most funds.
With the 2018 bill set to expire on Sept. 30, the Congressional Research Service last May released baseline spending for the same programs starting in the 2023 farm bill. The baseline shows a decrease ... more. |
The foundation of ag retail has been cemented in supplying farmers with solutions to their needs. But remaining stubbornly rooted in yesterday’s success poses a great risk to today’s infrastructure crumbling to serve the farmer of the future.
In 2020, Farm Journal and Aimpoint Research partnered to look at the implications of Aimpoint’s Farmer of the Future psychographic segmentation and ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute selected three farmers and their fertilizer retailers as 4R Advocates, who are being recognized for their commitment to implementing fertilizer management practices that incorporate the principles of 4R Nutrient Stewardship and have demonstrated economic and environmental benefits.
“While 4R Nutrient Stewardship is a priority for the fertilizer industry, it’s also a tan ... more. |
U.S. farm incomes this year are expected to fall for the first time since 2019 amid higher production expenses, a drop in direct government payments and as cash prices for commodity crops and livestock ease back from historic highs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported on Tuesday.
Net farm income - which is a broad measure of profits in the agricultural economy, according to the agency - is forecast ... more. |
There has been a lot of hype around carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology in the last few years. Many energy companies and governments have touted CCS as the potential savior of oil and gas in a decarbonized world. As political powers around the globe race to decarbonize their economies in the transition away from fossil fuels to green alternatives, CCS has been seen as a way of bridging the gap in the transi ... more. |
At the start of 2023, the surge in agricultural prices, which marked the year that has just ended, seems to be behind us. The prices of the most affected products, such as cereals and oilseeds, have indeed returned to their level of the end of 2021. The prices of energy and fertilizers have come down from their 2022 peak without however returning to their 2021 level. .
This return of prices to lower levels ... more. |
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed a lawsuitlast week in Cook County against several manufacturers of PFAS products sold in the State of Illinois as consumer goods and for use in industrial processes. The suit alleges that these manufacturers have known for decades that PFAS are toxic and pose substantial health and environmental risks, yet continue to actively promote the chemicals as safe to manufa ... more. |
IFCA visited Washington DC this week along with our national organization, the Ag Retailers Association. While there, we informed Members of Congress of issues that affect the ag retail industry. Several good conversations took place with the Illinois congressional delegation, ranging from entry-level driving training, labor shortages, the farm bill and the H2A program.
IFCA also thanked ... more. |
IFCA visited Washington DC this week along with our national organization, the Ag Retailers Association. While there, we informed Members of Congress of issues that affect the ag retail industry. Several good conversations took place with the Illinois congressional delegation, ranging from entry-level driving training, labor shortages, the farm bill and the H2A program.
IFCA also th ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ruled that no over-the-topapplication of dicamba tosoybean can be made after June 12th or the V4 stage. This is a federal ruling and must be observed for all OTT dicamba applications to soybean in Illinois. IFCA has been in communication with the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDA) on this issue, and they do not anticipateadditional state restric ... more. |
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is reminding employers that the agency is collecting calendar year 2022 Form 300A data. Employers must submit the form electronically by March 2, 2023.
Establishments under Federal OSHA jurisdiction can use the ITA Coverage Application to determine if they are required to electronically report their injury and illness informat ... more. |
On November 16, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released an Endangered Species Act (ESA) Workplan Update that outlines steps the agency is taking to increase protections for wildlife and provide regulatory certainty for pesticide users. In this announcement, EPA proposes a list of FIFRA Interim Ecological Mitigation measures that they will include on future conventional and biological pesticide ... more. |
Four locks and dams on the Illinois River are scheduled to close for repairs from June through September. The main chambers at the Alton and Granite City locations are currently closed for repairs through March. Vessels are allowed to travel through the auxiliary locks.
Lock and dam systems on the Illinois River are nearly 100 years old and the Brandon Road, Dresden Island, Marseilles, and Starved Ro ... more. |
Last week it was announced that former State Representative Natalie Finnie will serve as Director of the Department of Natural Resources.
Finnie has served as Deputy Director of DNR since August of 2021, where she oversaw the Office of Land Management, Legislative Department, Office of Oil & Gas Management, and Office of Mines and Minerals. Prior to this, she was the State Representative of the 118th D ... more. |
The House returned to Springfield on Tuesday for two brief days of session. Representatives were briefly on the floor each day with no substantive action occurring aside from the reading of appointment messages and the first reading of bills. The Senate was not in session this week.
The Senate legislation drafting deadline was on January 27th and the House legislation deadline is today. The introduction de ... more. |
Please be sure to remove the FT and FS license plates from your fertilizer trailers (FT plate) and your fertilizer spreaders (FS plate) prior to going out on the highway this spring.
These implements of husbandry no longer need to be registered with the Secretary of State, and therefore the license plates are no longer valid. If you are on a public roadway with plates still on these vehicle ... more. |
Last Friday, February 14, was the deadline for bills to be introduced in the Illinois Senate and House. Click Hereto see thebills that have the most impact on the ag input industry. IFCA is actively meeting with the bill sponsors on these pieces of legislation. Next week, IFCA will provide a full list of bills we are watching this session in “IFCA News Under the Dome.” ... more. |
The Illinois NREC Council and Research Committee is requesting input as they develop their research priorities for the 2024 Research RFP. Please consider completing the survey to help drive conversation and increase the number of voices that are heard throughout the process. Click here to be redirected to the survey.
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If your company transports, or offers for transport, hazardous materials that require placarding by DOT, they must be registered with DOT. Each registration year is the one-year period from July 1 to June 30. The 2022-2023 Registration Year covers the period between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023. If your company registers for a two- or three-year period, check your registration for the expiration ye ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) has stated its opposition to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed rule to tighten national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
“At a time when the need to strengthen the domestic fertilizer industry has been made clear by multiple global crises and echoed by the Biden Administration, now is not the time to ham ... more. |
An industry leader says there is more optimism for fertilizer and chemical supplies in 2023 compared to this time last year. Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association President KJ Johnson says, “I think we’re in a much better position.”
And, after speaking with retailers at the organization’s annual meeting earlier this month, he tells Brownfield, if there is anything that ... more. |
Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf is due to announce this week what steps he plans to take to reform and tighten leadership of the agency’s food programs.
Meanwhile on Capitol Hill, the Senate Agriculture Committee will resume its hearings on the next farm bill with a focus this week on titles covering specialty crop assistance, trade programs and international food aid.
... more. |
As farmers prepare to plant this spring, 2023 isn’t shaping up to be as much of a guessing game as last season in terms of some inputs and especially supplies of certain herbicides. Despite warnings from weed scientists last fall, BASF says the company isn’t seeing a shortage of glufosinate this year.
2022 posed continuous supply chain challenges in just about every sector of agriculture, and g ... more. |
The leader of The Fertilizer Institute does not expect any severe fertilizer supply chain problems this spring. Jason Troendle tells Brownfield there are often temporary problems with transportation and logistics, but what farmers need should be available. “The good news for growers is that we have a robust domestic industry. We also rely somewhat on imports, and so going into this spring, It’s ju ... more. |
The high price of steel has put a hold on building new barges. Tom Torretti, director of bulk sales and logistics for Consolidated Grain and Barge Company is based in St. Louis. He says, “Today a new barge with covers costs $900,000 to 1 million bucks. We are not going to be building any barges at that value because we can’t make the number work.”
He tells Brownfield this isn’ ... more. |
Brent Rendel wasn’t expecting a beetle to nearly derail his 2022 soybean production plan. The Miami, Oklahoma, farmer had already placed his seed order and was waiting for planting season when he learned a new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) directive would threaten his soybean weed management strategy.
In January 2022, the EPA announced plans to revamp the agricultural chemical registration pr ... more. |
The IFCA staff and Board of Directors would like to thank all ofour members who attended the IFCA Convention last week in Peoria.We greatly appreciate the support and participationof all of our sponsors, exhibitors, speakers, and attendees for helping make the 2023 convention a great success!
We received sev ... more. |
The Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee is anxious to get to work on the next Farm Bill now that Republicans selected their new ag committee members late last week.
Chairman GT Thompson stated that he would like establish bipartisan Farm Bill listening sessions in many regions between February and July and have the Farm Bill pieces in place by late summer. The current farm bill expires in September.
... more. |
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As a seasonal reminder when storing bulk pesticides, it is always a good practice prior to placing pesticides into any type of storage container to determine the compatibility of the pesticide with the storage container, plumbing, valves, and other appurtenances.
Some pesticide storage containers may be used to store more than one pesticide during a given year and the storage and handling equipment that was ... more. |
As a seasonal reminder when storing bulk pesticides, it is always a good practice prior to placing pesticides into any type of storage container to determine the compatibility of the pesticide with the storage container, plumbing, valves, and other appurtenances.
Some pesticide storage containers may be used to store more than one pesticide during a given year and the storage and handling equipment that was co ... more. |
A total of eighteen interest groups including oil and housing interests filed a 42-page lawsuit asking the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Texas in Galveston to vacate the final WOTUS rule. The lawsuits were filed even though the new WOTUS rule does not officially become law until sometime around March 1.
The lawsuit asks the court to find the WOTUS rule to be "arbitrary, capricious, ... more. |
The AG-SOLVE auction will once again be held at convention. The live auction will begin at 3:30 pm on Wednesday, January 18th on the trade show floor. Please click here to view the list of live and silent auction items graciously donated by IFCA members. We have another spectacular list of items for the live auction again. These items range from a custom golf cart, applicator trainings, a tank ins ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
Click here to view the 2023 agenda and here to register. We look forward to seeing everyone January 17th-19th in Peoria!
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Lieutenant Colonel Darling retired from the United States Marine Corps with just over twenty years of active-duty service in October 2007. He flew Cobra attack helicopters in Desert Shield and Desert Storm during the first Gulf War and in Somalia, Africa in support of Operation Restore Hope. In June 1998, he was selected to fly as a presidential pilot with Marine Helicopter Squadron One and in Octob ... more. |
Show dates are January 18-20th. Visit www.ifca.com and click on the drop-down menu under the ‘Convention’ tab. There you will find theagenda,information about our speakers, alist of exhibitorsparticipating on the tradeshow floor, andregistration. Also, the IFCA Welcome Reception will be at a *New Location* this year. Stopby the Lexus Room at th ... more. |
You still have time if you have not yet pre-registered to attend the IFCA convention. Click hereto be directed to the IFCA website. Select the "Convention" tab where the schedule and on-line registration isavailable. Please register before the end of the day on Thursday and avoid lines at the on-site registration booth.
We have a great trade show, c ... more. |
We are only a week away from the IFCA Convention and Trade Show in Peoria. We are looking forward to seeing everyone at this year's show. Click here to view the 2023 IFCA Convention agenda. If you haven't already registered, click here to be redirected to the convention registration page.
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Peter Zeihan is a geopolitical strategist who has worked for the U.S. State Department in Australia, the D.C. think tank community, and helped develop the analytical models for Stratfor, one of the world’s premier private intelligence companies. Today, through his firm Zeihan on Geopolitics, he works with clients representing several economic sectors, including agriculture.
Zeihan is delivering a key ... more. |
The Illinois House of Representatives worked into the early-morning hours Friday to pass the Protect Illinois Communities Act, just more than six months to the day since the Fourth of July shooting in Highland Park.
Senate Bill 2226, which passed by a 64-43 vote, would ban the sale, manufacture, delivery and purchase of assault weapons in the state. It also would require those that already own any of the w ... more. |
Illinois House Democrats working in a lame-duck session left town for a weekend break Friday night — but not before voting on plans to give themselves a pay raise of nearly 16%.
Legislation authorizing funds to be added for spending needs halfway through the state's fiscal year includes an $11,655 raise in base pay, to $85,000.
Click Here to read more.
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The 118th Congress begins. Meanwhile, Treasury issues a new guidance on electric vehicle tax credits and the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers finish new water regulations.
This is Overnight Energy & Environment, your source for the latest news focused on energy, the environment and beyond. For The Hill, we’re Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk. Someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. ... more. |
We have a new definition for the Waters of the U.S. — at least for now. The 514-page rule was released by EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers on Friday.
The new rules largely revive a definition of WOTUS released during the Reagan era. It's been updated to accommodate limits the Supreme Court placed on federal jurisdiction during the 36 years that have followed. The new rule would give federal pr ... more. |
In early January, Dragonfly Aerospace launched its first imaging satellite from the SpaceX launch site in Cape Canaveral, Fla.
Named EOS SAT-1, this is the first of seven ag-specific satellites to be launched over the next three years, which is boasted to be the first such constellation focused on image data collection for agriculture. The constellation will maintain low Earth orbit and collect imagery for ... more. |
About one month before the end of 2022, more than 650 attendees gathered in San Diego, CA, for the annual Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) meeting. Although the organization spent some time looking backward — since it was celebrating its 30th anniversary — much of the event was focused squarely upon what the future holds for the industry. Indeed, ARA Board Chair Ian McGregor of The McGregor Co. ... more. |
As I write this first column of 2023, I am wondering what kind of year it will be for the agricultural industry. At this point, it’s hard to say, primarily because of how well 2022 turned out.
At the start of 2022, there was plenty of worry about how agriculture would perform. In fact, the first month and a half of the year was spent with various market watchers pointing to then incredibly high ferti ... more. |
It took 15 ballots and concessions to Republican hard-liners for Kevin McCarthy, a native son of California’s Central Valley, to finally claim the House speakership. Now what?
First off, McCarthy must make good on some of those concessions, at least the ones that have been made public. The House returns Monday to approve a package of rules changes, including a critical one that will allow a single me ... more. |
This inaugural session will be held on Thursday, January 19th from 9:00am-12:15pm. Attendees are welcome to breakfast on the tradeshow floor beforehand. This session is forindividuals who operate application equipment and will cover the latest information on nozzles, equipment clean-outand avoiding cross contamination, spray drift and safety awareness on the road and in the field of application.
... more. |
The Illinois General Assembly has returned to Springfield for the last few days of lame duck session. This comes before the inauguration of Governor Pritzker to his second term on January 9th and the new General Assembly is sworn in on January 11th. IFCA believes that the only substantial pieces of legislation that the General Assembly will take initiative on (over the lame duck session) are potential bans on ass ... more. |
Please click here to view the the 2023 IFCA Convention agenda.
Please click here to be redirected to the convention registration page.
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If you are an ag retail member, you should be receiving the attached letter detailing a new survey that is being administered by IFCA for Illinois ag retailers. The focus of the survey is to collect anonymous data on agricultural practices to help demonstrate progress made within our state towards meeting the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction goals.
This year the survey will be conducted throughout the ... more. |
We are only a couple weeks away from the IFCA Convention and Trade Show in Peoria. We are looking forward to seeing everyone at this year's show. Click here to view the the 2023 IFCA Convention agenda. If you haven't already registed,click here to be redirected to the convention registration page.
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Jason Huffman, a Menard County sheriff's deputy and a police officer in Sherman, was sworn in Monday to serve the remainder of state Rep. Tim Butler's term in the 87th District in the Illinois legislature.
Huffman, who lives in Athens, will serve until noon Jan. 11. Huffman was administered the oath by Associate Judge Kevin Tippey of the Eighth Judicial Circuit Court at the Menard County cour ... more. |
A six-month postponement of a gas tax increase in Illinois ended New Year's Day, but multiple pieces of legislation introduced in the General Assembly could counter the hike.
The pause stopped a 2.2-cent per gallon increase originally slated for last July 1 when the tax was set to rise to 41.4 cents per gallon. Gov. JB Pritzker's signature on the state budget, however, paused that tax increase unti ... more. |
Congress has passed a bill that makes vital investments in the nation’s ports and inland waterway system.
President Biden is set to sign the Water Resources and Development Act of 2022, and US Senator Chuck Grassley says the legislation authorizes flood control.
Click Here to read more.
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China will adjust import and export tariffs on some goods from Jan. 1 to speed and promote development and expand domestic demand, the finance ministry said.
Export tariffs on aluminum and aluminum alloys will be raised. The current import tariff will stay on seven types of coal until March 31, with tariffs adopted for most favored nations from April 1. As competition grows with the U.S. on technolog ... more. |
When it comes to Washington D.C., the crystal ball is always cloudy. In separating the signals (a few) from the noise (a lot), Jim Wiesemeyer, Pro Farmer policy analyst, is keeping his eyes on some key topics in the year ahead.
NEW FARM BILL --- One is coming but it might not be in 2023, says Wiesemeyer (This will be the 11th farm bill he’s analyzed out of 19 total.). Analysts expect the Senate to fi ... more. |
Eric Sfiligoj and Lara Sowinski review the top stories from this year, including CropLife 100 data and ag technology.
Click Here to read more.
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DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
Bill Chism is the chair of the Endangered Species Committee of the Weed Science Society of America. He recently retired as a Senior Biologist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) where his division looked at the benefits of using conventional pesticides. He grew up on a vegetable farm in California, has a B.S. degree in Entomology from U.C. Davi ... more. |
Please click here to view the the 2023 IFCA Convention agenda.
Please click here to be redirected to the convention registration page.
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Congress passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022, a key piece of legislation related to our nation’s water infrastructure.
Of particular importance, this year’s WRDA reauthorization makes permanent a cost-share structure for inland waterways projects where 65% of funding comes from the general treasury with the remaining 35% coming from the Inland Waterways Trust Fund. The cos ... more. |
IFCA wishes our members a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Thank you for supporting your Association throughout the year and in the years to come.
Our office will be closed on December 23 and 26, and on December 30 and January 2 to celebrate the holidays. We look forward to seeing you in January at the IFCA Convention, January 17-19, 2023 at the Peoria Civic Center. Click on our Conven ... more. |
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has left the registration of sulfoxaflor intact but given the Environmental Protection Agency a short timeline to assess the insecticide’s impact on endangered species.
Ruling in a lawsuit brought by environmental groups and beekeepers, the court said part of the reason it was allowing continued use of sulfoxaflor is because it “has a more favorable toxicological pr ... more. |
All employers in Illinois are required to have their employees complete sexual harassment training by the end of the day on December 31, 2020 and then annually each year.
It is easy to accomplish this, you can utilize the State of Illinois Department of Human Rights free powerpoint program. To read about the new requirement and to download a powerpoint or pdf version of the training slides, cli ... more. |
Do not miss the great line-up of speakers at this year’s regulatory session at the IFCA Convention. We will have a representative from U.S. Department of Labor to discuss the process of obtaining H2A workers, Matt Wells with Mid-west Truckers Association will go over ELDT’s, Dustin Warder with Asmark will give an update on RMP’s for anhydrous ammonia, Dr. Fred Whitford from Purdue University wil ... more. |
IFCA has partnered with the Asmark Institute to has the new Safety Data Sheet manuals available to our members. This manual is designed for use at agrichemical facilities. It contains Safety Data Sheets for agricultural chemicals, fertilizers, fuels, paints and shop materials. It contains 1,880 pages of 800+ Safety Data Sheets. The Asmark Institute publishes this manual annually. The cost ... more. |
Every year, IFCA awards four scholarships to junior and/or four-year college students who are studying for a career in our industry. We encourage our members who have family currently in school and are wanting to work in the industry to complete the scholarship application and return it to IFCA. Click here to download the application. The window to submit applications ends this Friday. The scholarships ... more. |
In case you missed it, click here to read ourFall 2022Newsletter!
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The 2022 Illinois CCA Conference is back live and in person at a new location - the iHotel in Champaign. CCAs can earn up to 8.5 CEUs for attending the whole event, which features some great speakers on topics important to Illinois Agriculture and is an opportunity to network with your peers from across the state! Today (Dec. 9) is the last day to get in on the pre-registration discount of $75 for CCAs and $100 f ... more. |
Click the attachment to view the Fall 2022 Newsletter. Stories in this newsletter include:
Illinois Ag Retail Survey
Registration nowopen for the IFCA Annual Meeting and Tradeshow
Spring 2023 Anhydrous Ammonia Safety Schools
NTSB Publishes Final Report on Beach Park Ammonia Release
“News Under the Dome” 2022 Election Recap
IDOA ProvidesIFCA Update on Dicamba Before the 2023 ... more. |
IFCA members only are eligible to vote in the 2023 board elections. Emails were sent out on December 7th with a unique link to obtain the ballot. This email came from Leslie Forrest with an email address of noreply@electionrunner.com. The following board seats are up for election: District 4 & 6, Equipment Representative, At Large Representative, Chemical Manufacturer, & Distributo ... more. |
Harrison Pittman serves as Director of the National Agricultural Law Center, the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law, after attending Mississippi State University and graduating from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He then earned an LL.M. in Agricultural L ... more. |
Fred Whitford, Clinical Engagement Professor and Director of Purdue Pesticide Programs. He has served as the Director of the Purdue Pesticide Program since 1991. He has authored more than 300 publications including 8 books and 120 extension bulletins, and delivered 6,300 presentations. In recognition of his significant contributions to Extension outreach efforts, he has received numerous awards, ... more. |
December 16th is the deadline to reserve a hotel room at the block rate for our upcoming Convention. Click here
for the hotel information. Don’t delay reserve today.
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IFCA has partnered with the Asmark Institute to offer new Safety Data Sheet manuals to our members. The manual is designed for use at agrichemical facilities. It contains Safety Data Sheets for agricultural chemicals, fertilizers, fuels, paints, and shop materials. It contains 1,880 pages of 800+ Safety Data Sheets. The Asmark Institute publishes this manual annually. The cost for the manual is $48.40 e ... more. |
John A. “Jack” Trainor of Wing, IL passed away Tuesday, November 29 at the age of 92. Jack owned and operated Trainor Grain having elevators in Strawn, Forrest, Saunemin, Dwight, Swygert, Emington and Wing. IFCA sends our heartfelt condolences to the Trainor family. Jacks’ lifelong passion and commitment to the agricultural industry will be remembered. Please click here t ... more. |
Jonathan Coppess is on faculty at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, director of the Gardner Agriculture Policy Program and author of The Fault Lines of Farm Policy: A Legislative and Political History of the Farm Bill. He has served as Chief Counsel and special counsel for the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, Administrator of the Farm Service Agency at USD ... more. |
Giovani is the new UI Field Crops Extension Agronomist. He grew up in Mato Grosso, Brazil, where he received his B.S. in Agronomy. Giovanialso has degrees in Agronomy and Crop Sciences from Kansas State and the University of Illinois, primarily working with cover crops and N fertilizer management in different cropping systems. He will share past and current research as well as future research pl ... more. |
Show dates are January 17-19th. Visit www.ifca.com and click on the drop-down menu under the ‘Convention’ tab. There you will find the agenda, information about our speakers, a list of exhibitors participating on the tradeshow floor, and registration. Also, the IFCA Welcome Reception will be in a designated area on the tradeshow floor on Tuesday, January 17th at 4:45 pm. Everyo ... more. |
Tuesday
January 18th
CCA Session, Room 400 • 8:30 am - 4:45 pm (lunch provided*)
Moderated by Kevin Johnson
This session offers 7 CEU's
7:30am - 3:45pm
On-site registration
Conference Registration Desk
8:30am
Useful Mobile Application, and How to Weed out the Poor Ones
Dr. Brian Arnall, Oklahoma State
... more. |
The 2022IFCA Convention: After a year off we would like you to join us again in Peoria, Illinois for the 2022 IFCA Convention, where together we will “Navigate into the Future”. We are offering educational programs on agronomy, safety, business-related issues and required training for pesticide applicationand anhydrous ammonia certification. IFCA’s tra ... more. |
The IFCA staff and Board of Directors wish all our members along with your families a safe and Happy Thanksgiving. We appreciate your membership and continued support for IFCA. Be sure to keep visiting our website at www.ifca.com for updates on the 2023 convention, pesticide training/testing, ammonia training along with information on legislative and regulatory issues. Contact our office at any ti ... more. |
Last week, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) announced introduction of the Fertilizer Stewardship, Utilization, Sustainability, Technology, Access, Innovation, and Nourishment (Fertilizer SUSTAIN) Act.
The bill specifically targets revisions to The National Environmental Policy Act modifying the permitting process for phosphate and potash mining, as well as designation as critical minerals.& ... more. |
Earlier this week, all twelve rail carrier unions have now completed their votes on the tentative contract agreements (TAs) reached in September, which was based upon the President’s Emergency Board (PEB) recommendations issued in August. Out of the twelve unions, eight unions (representing about 45% of rail workers) have ratified the agreement, while four (representing about 55% of workers) rejected it.
... more. |
The Illinois General Assembly starts the 2022 veto session today, a two-week window when lawmakers can amend, update and pass legislation before year-end.
Why it matters: Lawmakers are expected to tweak bills on hot topics, including the SAFE-T Act and social equity provisions of the state's weed law.
Click Here to read more.
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Senate Minority Leader-elect John Curran will take over a caucus that’s more than doubled in size by the majority-party Democrats.
His goal: “Bring balance to state government.” “Because we're going to produce better results with that balance for working families throughout all Illinois communities,” Curran said in an interview with Capitol News Illinois on Wednesday ... more. |
Announced in early November, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) reached a $4.97 million settlement with Amazon.com Services, LLC.
Violations included Amazon selling unregistered pesticides in California, failing to report and pay required mill assessment fees associated with the sale of registered pesticides in California, and failing to hold a valid pesticide broker’s lice ... more. |
Without question, agriculture has both an exciting and challenging job ahead if we are to feed everyone on our planet. We’ve all heard the numbers; they’re big and getting closer. The latest one, according to the United Nations, is that on November 15 the world population will reach the 8 billion mark. It was just a little over a decade ago – October 2011, to be exact – that world population ... more. |
As the world jumps into the 2022 holiday season with both feet, here at CropLife, we are busy wrapping up our year-end CropLife 100 report. It will be a little while yet before we officially release this year’s figures and percentages, but we can look at some of the key challenges facing today’s ag retailers.
In any year, there are always those key market issues that keep most ag retailers up a ... more. |
US Senator Roger Marshall has announced introduction of the Fertilizer Stewardship, Utilization, Sustainability, Technology, Access, Innovation and Nourishment (Fertilizer SUSTAIN) Act to strengthen the domestic fertilizer industry and ensure that American growers have access to the crop nutrients they need to grow the food that is relied upon by the United States and nations around the world.
The Fertiliz ... more. |
The Supreme Court is considering the Clean Water Act’s troubled definition of navigable waters in the case, Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency (Docket No. 21-454; Gerstein, October 3, 2022). As discussed previously, the case represents yet another attempt by the Supreme Court to interpret the Clean Water Act in a dispute involving wetlands (farmdoc daily, October 13, 2022). This article lo ... more. |
On December 7th, IFCA is co-hosting a 4R meeting focused on the lake Springfield watershed. The meeting, Water Quality and Economics of Conservation Practices, will cover the status of the lake and as well as economics involved when implementing different conservation practices. Thanks to our sponsors, there is no charge to attend this event at the Prairie View Reception Center in Chatham, IL beginning at 6:0 ... more. |
Every year, IFCA awards four scholarships to junior and/or four-year college students who are studying for a career in our industry. We encourage our members who have family currently in school and are wanting to work in this great industry to complete the scholarship application and return it to IFCA. Click here to download the application. The scholarships are for $1,000 and will be announced at the IFCA an ... more. |
Check your inbox for an email that IFCA sent November 10th regarding nominations for our board of directors. We are now utilizing an online nomination and election system for board seats. You should receive an email from "noreply@electionrunner.com" that has a link to the online platform. With several board seats up for election this year, make sure to check your email and participate in the nomination an ... more. |
This week in Springfield, KJ Johnson had a productive meeting with Director Costello. KJ was able to address several issues with Director Costello that are affecting our industry. Director Costello did reconfirm that there will be no changes to the dicamba label coming for the 2023 season from IDOA. The department is still waiting for EPA to make a final decision on the dicamba label for the 2023 season. IDOA inter ... more. |
Congress
Week after the election, it now appears that the US Senate will still be controlled by Democrats by a razor thin margin. Even if Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker wins the Georgia run-off election, the make-up of the Senate will be a 50-50 split. However, Vice President Kamela Harris will have the tie breaking vote.
In the US House of Representatives, it was announced last n ... more. |
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As focus remains on the fall fertilizer season,IFCA continues toreceiveinquiries regarding the 2022 dicamba label. As many of youknow, USEPA still has not indicated what changes they might make to thelabel. IFCA expectsthat a decision shouldbe releasedany day now.
IFCAreached out to our contacts at USEPA and requeste ... more. |
Check your inbox later today for anemail from IFCA regardingnominations for our board of directors. We are now utilizing anonline nomination and election system for board seats.You should receive an email from "noreply@electionrunner.com" that has a link to the online platform. With several board seats up for election this year, make sure to check your email and participate in th ... more. |
IFCA knows most people didn’t stay up late to watch all of the election results from Illinois last night. Here is IFCA’s recap of what happened on the federal and state level in Illinois.
Governor
Gov. JB Pritzker has won a second term as Illinois governor, defeating Republican Darren Bailey. The Associated Press called the race for Pritzker about nine minutes after polls closed. The gov ... more. |
At the IFCA annual meeting on January 18th, 2023in Peoria we will announce four $1,000 scholarships to 4-year or Jr College students who are pursuing their education for a career in our industry. We always encourage students who are the sons, daughters, grandchildren, nieces or nephews of our IFCA members to apply! Applications need to be returned to IFCA by December 16, 2022.
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IFCA wants to take this opportunity to inform the IFCA membership about a proposed Illinois Constitutional Amendment #1 on the ballot for this Tuesday’s election.If successful, this amendment will enshrine in the state’s Constitution the rights of workers to organize and collectively bargain as a constitutional right – rather than a right granted by the state statute. Proponents of the ame ... more. |
Every year, IFCA awards four scholarships to junior and/or four-year college students who are studying for a career in our industry. We encourage our members who have family currently in school and are wanting to work in the industry to complete the scholarship application and return it to IFCA. Click here to download the application. The scholarships are for $1,000 and will be announced at the IFCA annual ... more. |
This week IFCA also signed on to a coalition letter to Congress to reaffirm that EPA should be the primary, federal authority for making pesticide findings and decisions under the FIFRA legislation.IFCA believes that states have the right to build upon the agency’s findings should they choose, but thatEPA have final input. Congressional action on this important matter will ensure ag retailers an ... more. |
This week IFCA filed comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opposing the proposed rule on Accidental Release Prevention Requirements: Risk Management Programs (RMP) under the Clean Water Act.Click Hereto view IFCA’s comments.Our national partner, Ag Retailers Association (ARA) also filed comments on the matter.Click Hereto view ARA’s comments.
... more. |
In less than two weeks, Illinois voters will decide whether to reelect Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker to another four-year term or send the billionaire businessman packing in favor of Republican state Sen. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, a downstate farmer who spent much of the past four years as Pritzker's foil.
Pritzker, by all accounts, heads into the homestretch with a lead, built up through a relentless ad ... more. |
When Emerson College unveiled its latest Illinois poll last week, its press release included three “Key Takeaways.” At the very top of its list was this: “Fifty-two percent (52%) majority of voters think things in Illinois are on the wrong track, while 48% think things are headed in the right direction.”
The college is based in Massachusetts, a liberal state with a popular Republica ... more. |
As of Oct. 25, nearly 63% of the U.S. is experiencing drought conditions. That’s more than a 3% increase from just last week, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. That’s also the highest it's been since 2012. At peak drought in 2021, around 65% of the country was in drought conditions.
While many areas of the western and central U.S. received some rains, “antecedent dryness le ... more. |
Freight costs are likely to remain elevated through the winter, despite the recent decline in crude oil prices, says Altin Kalo, senior economist at Steiner Consulting Group.
The U.S. Energy Administration’s recent update put inventories of diesel and heating oil at just 106 million barrels, well below the five-year range and also at the low end of the range for the last 40 years.
Click Here ... more. |
Mexico is considering direct agreements with farmers in the United States, Argentina and Brazil to secure non-genetically modified yellow corn imports, the country's deputy agriculture minister said, adding that a 2024 ban on GM corn would not be amended.
Deputy Agriculture Minister Victor Suarez told Reuters Mexico is on track to halve its U.S. imports of yellow corn, used primarily for livestock feed ... more. |
This year, the state of Illinois required mandatory training for farmers who transport or apply anhydrous ammonia or who maintain anhydrous ammonia equipment. The rule went into effect April 1, 2022. Under the regulation, they are certified to understand the properties of ammonia, to become competent in safe operating practices, and to take appropriate actions in the event of a leak or an emergency.
... more. |
As I write this column, I am in the midst of compiling information for our annual CropLife 100 report. This in-depth dive into what’s going on with the nation’s top ag retailers is always a great way to find out where the industry has been during the current year and get hints as to how things will play out in the year ahead.
Based upon the early data from the 2022 survey, it seems as if labor ... more. |
More than 16,000 farmers and agricultural stakeholders submitted comments against the EPA’s proposed revision to its 2020 atrazine registration review decision. Greg Krissek is the Co-Chair of the Triazine Network and says he wasn’t surprised by such a large number of comments.
“No, I’m not terribly surprised. I think that’s a good number for the ag community to respond. I don ... more. |
Challenges with rail and barge transportation are a top concern for the fertilizer industry. KJ Johnson, President of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association tells Brownfield their retailers are closely watching the potential for a railroad strike since a lot of potash comes to the Midwest from Canada via rail.
“We signed a letter with a lot of national and state groups asking the admi ... more. |
President Biden has another fuel crisis at hand: diesel. Tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) won't help much due to the lack of refining capacity. Global diesel and distillate fuel stocks have fallen to dangerous levels and the U.S. has been exporting a lot of diesel to Europe and Latin America, but now things are changing. U.S. buyers are snapping up diesel cargos originally planned for Europe ... more. |
If you find that your company is in need of a companythat offers pesticide or hazardous waste disposal, look no further. IFCA recentlyupdated a list of those companies that offer fee-based pesticide disposal. Simply click the attachment below to view the current list.
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IFCA has receieved questions regarding turning fucking dead asian carp into fertilizer. We felt it was important we let our membership know that this is fucking stupid. If you have any questions on the matter, please call KJ Johnson.
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As an ag input industry, our voices need to be heard. On several occasions, IFCA has been to Washington DC for visits on capitol hill when a follow up call to action is needed. Now is that time for that call to action! One of the most critical issues affecting our members is adequate funding for EPA to ensure crop production products are timely registered to remain in the market. IFC ... more. |
Based on latest news reports, six of twelve railroad unions have ratified their agreements with the National Carrier’ Conference Committee, who negotiates on behalf of the railroads. There is ongoing concern provided the recent rejection of the contract by the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (BMWED) and the outstanding voting by the two larg ... more. |
IFCA recently filed comments with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in support of the existing Illinois dicamba label which the agency has purview over approving when registration is up for renewal.
In a letter addressed to EPA Administrator Michael Regan, IFCA indicated that our members are planning for the 2023 growing season and beyond. We also indicatedit is critical this crop protec ... more. |
FMCSA has published reforms to the Farm-Related Restricted Ag Commercial Driver's License (CDL) program. The changes allow states to issue farm-related or seasonal licenses to farm related industries for up to 210 days during a calendar year. This is up from 180 days. The second major reform is the change to a calendar year rotation for the program to prevent any overlaps from season to seas ... more. |
Illinois governor JB Pritzker and Republican challenger Darren Bailey squared off Tuesday in the final televised debate ahead of next month’s election.
The debate, which was moderated by WGN News anchors Micah Materre and Tahman Bradley, focused on the economy, crime and more.
Click Here to read more.
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Levels of the Mississippi River in Memphis have just hit a new all-time low record of -10.77 feet. Meanwhile, companies are not loading as much cargo onto ships — so they can travel safely and not bottom out — while fewer barges are included in each tow.
According to the American Commercial Barge Line, the industry has agreed to a 25-barge tow max size, which translates into around a 17-38% red ... more. |
Bayer is on a winning streak as it battles the remaining cases targeting its Roundup weedkiller, a change after several juries had held it responsible for causing cancer and the company set aside about $16 billion for settlements.
A St. Louis jury in September ruled in Bayer’s favor in a trial involving several plaintiffs, delivering the company its fifth consecutive trial victory as it seeks to reso ... more. |
Ukraine, which prohibits the cultivation of genetically-modified crops, plans to revamp its legislation in response to a growing illicit market for the crops, but hasn't decided whether to tighten or relax the ban, the agriculture ministry said.
Ukraine is a global exporter of agricultural products and the uncertainty over genetically-modified crops could hit shipments to countries where these products ... more. |
With warm and dry weather prevailing over the past month, harvest of the corn and soybean crops has proceeded at a brisk pace in Illinois. By October 1, 41% of the corn crop and 32% of the soybean crop had been harvested; both were ahead of the average over the past five years.
Early harvest as dry conditions continue gets many producers and dealers thinking about fall fertilizer. This has taken on a great ... more. |
As fall nitrogen application season approaches, we summarize the fall application practices on farms enrolled in Precision Conservation Management (PCM). Overall, 36% of fields in PCM receive at least 40% of their nitrogen as fall applications. We find that profitability is maximized at application rates at university-recommendations. Applying nitrogen after planting did not increase profitability, perhaps because ... more. |
Dr. Emerson Nafziger recently posted a new Bulletin titled “Fall Nitrogen”. This written article details the current state of fertilizer prices, the effect this has on the MRTN rate, as well as soil temperatures ahead of the fall anhydrous ammonia season. The UI Bulletin can be viewed by clicking here.
IFCA has posted the State Water Survey soil temperature for each day on the IFC ... more. |
IFCA would like to thank the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) for publishing reforms to the Seasonal Ag CDL (Restricted Class B CDL in Illinois) program. These reforms go into effect immediately.
One of the main reforms impacting ag retailers is the increase to the number of days arestricted CDL is valid:180 to 210 days. The second major reform is the change to a calend ... more. |
Are you interested in learning how to speak on pesticides confidently and effectively? Would you like to learn how you can train others to do the same? IFCA is working with CropLife America on a program titled,“Talking Pesticides to the General Public”. The event will be held November 2nd – 4th in Chicago!
In this training you will learn how to both present and effectively r ... more. |
Media outlets reported that the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the third largest railworkers’ union in the country, rejected earlier this week a tentative labor contract brokered between the rail carriers and workers’ union representatives. This marks the first instance a union declined a deal help brokered by the Biden administratio ... more. |
The University of Illinois recently announcedGiovani Preza Fontes as their new Field Crops Extension Agronomist. Please click here to read the article, where you will also find Giovani's contact information. IFCA welcomes Giovani to Illinois agriculture and we encourage members to reach out to Giovani with any agronomicquestions you may have.
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Illinois Department of Agriculture requires “Competent Attendant” training once every three years for employees that handle, store, transfer or transport anhydrous ammonia at any bulk anhydrous ammonia storage facility. This online training serves as a temporary certification for new or part-time employees who were unable to attend in-person training.
"Tempor ... more. |
As of April 1, 2022, all growers or grower farm operators in Illinois who transport or apply anhydrous ammonia, or otherwise maintain anhydrous ammonia equipment, shall be certified. Growers and grower farm operators handling anhydrous ammonia must participate in refresher training every three years. Click here to be redirected to IDOA's online certified grower training website. IFCA has prepared a ... more. |
The following best management practices reflect what we have learned in 10years of NREC funded research, performed on actual farmer fields over tile drainage. These BMPs are also part of both the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (INLRS) and the University of Illinois recommendations. The BMPs are as follows:
1. Use the Right Nitrogen Rate and do not apply the full rat ... more. |
As we prepare for the upcoming ammonia season, here are 12 key safety reminders to keep foremost in your mind when working with ammonia:
1. Remember to always utilize your ammonia gloves and chemical splash goggles when working around ammonia. Never wear contact lenses when working around anhydrous ammonia.
2. Always assume ammonia is present in all equipment or hoses a ... more. |
Rising prices are impacting every aspect of the food and agriculture supply chain and that may not change dramatically through the balance of 2022 according to officials with the Federal Reserve Banks of Minneapolis and Kansas City.
The two held a symposium to look at the increased input costs on the farm and well as higher food prices. Officials say these are consequences of recent upheavals i ... more. |
I worked for Bayer CropScience China in 2012. A decade ago, Bayer CropScience China was faced with huge channel inventory and sales pressure. This was mainly due to the loss of a key product in Bayer’s portfolio, fipronil (Regent). Beginning on 1 October 2009, the sale and use of fipronil-containing pesticide formulations was banned in China (with the exception of some sanitation and seed coatings for corn or ... more. |
If Jeff Tarsi had one piece of advice for young people it might be “listen to your mom.”
As a farm kid growing up in the Mississippi Delta, Tarsi’s dream was to work his family’s land, located outside of Cleveland, Miss. As he recalls, college was not part of the plan, and he did not intend to go.
Click Here to read more.
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Mexico may soon join a growing list of countries that ban the importation of genetically modified (GM) corn, potentially affecting prices and economies both in that country and in all of North America.
Asked about the ban, DTN Lead Analyst Todd Hultman said the U.S. corn industry is understandably concerned about the possibility. He noted Mexico has been the largest importer of U.S. corn in recent years be ... more. |
Data from USDA’s Foreign Ag Service is showing while the U.S. is expected to have record agricultural exports for the marketing year, the industry is still posting a trade deficit. Throw on top of that current headwinds such as the low water levels on the Mississippi River and there is growing concern about the slowdown in exports and what that could mean for farmers.
John Newton, chief economi ... more. |
As a reminder as we approach fall application season, all growers or grower farm operators who transport or apply anhydrous ammonia, or otherwise maintain anhydrous ammonia equipment, shall be certified. This rule went into effect April 1, 2022. Growers and grower farm operators handling anhydrous ammonia must participate in refresher training every three years. IFCA has prepared a Frequently Asked Qu ... more. |
The following best management practices reflect what we have learned in 10years of NREC funded research, performed on actual farmer fields over tile drainage. These BMPs are also part of both the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (INLRS) and the University of Illinois recommendations. The BMPs are as follows:
1. Use the Right Nitrogen Rate and do not apply the full r ... more. |
As we prepare for the upcoming ammonia season, here are 12 key safety reminders to keep foremost in your mind when working with ammonia:
1. Remember to always utilize your ammonia gloves and chemical splash goggles when working around ammonia. Never wear contact lenses when working around anhydrous ammonia.
2. Always assume ammonia is present in all equipment or hoses a ... more. |
On Wednesday, EPA rejected a 2017 petition to regulate treated seed, telling environmental groups the agency already "fully assesses" pesticides registered for treating seed, including effects on human health and the environment.
In September, the U.S. District Court for the District of Northern California in San Francisco approved a consent decree between the EPA and the Center for Food Safety and ... more. |
To offer clarifying information on transporting chlorpyrifos, a representative with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stated:
"FIFRA prohibits distribution and sale of misbranded pesticides. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have not identified an exception for distribution of misbranded pesticides for the purposes of disposal. EPA’s regulations allow for distribution of pesticid ... more. |
Today is the last day to submit comments on EPA’s decision to reopen the finalized atrazine reregistration, which included adding label mitigation measures. In response, IFCA has submitted comments to EPA. If you would like to view those comments, please click here.
We encourage, managers, salesman, and everyone at ag retail facilities to submit comments on the reregistration of atrazine. This ... more. |
As Illinois voters head to the polls for the November election, they'll be asked to vote on a potential amendment to the state's constitution known as the "Workers' Rights Amendment." But what exactly is it and what would it change?
The amendment will ask voters whether they wish to establish a constitutional right for employees to organize and bargain collectively, specifically to ne ... more. |
Governor JB Pritzker and the man who wants to replace him, State Senator Darren Bailey, went head-to-head Friday in their first candidate forum. They squared off over crime, gun control, abortion and climate concerns.
The two gubernatorial candidates traded barbs, along with their ideas on key topics for voters to consider with early voting now open and the election less than six weeks away.
... more. |
As the climate crisis continues, the Biden administration is investing more than $2 billion to help the country’s agricultural sector become more sustainable.
The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced this week that its $2.8 billion pilot program, Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities, has selected its first pool of recipients — 70 agricultural projects that promote “c ... more. |
Fertilizer is always a big line item for your production costs. For 2023, plan on it being an even bigger chunk.
Why are prices so high? “In the last 24 months we have seen a stupid number of black swans,” says Josh Linville, director of fertilizer for StoneX. Even though the U.S. produces a large amount of nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers, we still import nearly 20% of our fertilizer n ... more. |
Monday marks the first day of the Supreme Court's new term, and the justices will hear oral arguments Monday morning in a closely watched challenge to the Clean Water Act (CWA), passed in 1972 to protect all Waters of the United States (WOTUS) — including streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands — from harmful pollution.
Business groups and home builders argue that legal confusion over the defin ... more. |
Corn and soybean harvest both remained slightly behind the average pace last week, USDA NASS reported in its weekly Crop Progress report on Monday.
Corn --- Harvest progress: 20% of corn was harvested as of Sunday, Oct. 2, up 8 percentage points from the previous week. That puts the current harvest progress 7 percentage points behind last year and 2 percentage point behind the five-year average. "Nort ... more. |
The Lower Mississippi River is turning into a sandbox. Water levels at St. Louis and south have been dropping throughout the summer and, in September, levels became critical, slowing or in some cases stalling the 2022 harvest from getting to the Gulf for export. On top of many safety restrictions hampering shippers, barge freight costs soared to record highs and are continuing to rise for the month of October.
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For those who won’t be available Tuesday, Nov. 8, or who would simply like to skip the wait at the polls, early voting across Illinois began Thursday.
A number of high-profile races are on the midterm ballot, including governor, U.S. representatives, state senators and more. The early, in-person.
Click Here to read more.
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Terry Kippley, president of the Council of Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology (CPDA), says adjuvants are the most cost effective input a farmer can use. And he explains how the industry grew from in 1976 three crop protection product labels requiring the use of an adjuvant (atrazine, glyphosate and paraquat) but that number is now more than 1,000.
“Things have changed so much when it ... more. |
The EPA on Wednesday rejected a 2017 petition to regulate treated seed, telling environmental groups the agency already "fully assesses" pesticides registered for treating seed, including effects on human health and the environment.
At the beginning of September, the U.S. District Court for the District of Northern California in San Francisco approved a consent decree between the EPA and the Cent ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency has withdrawn an interim decision for glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, and says it will complete its registration review in 2026.
The agency announced its latest decision Friday in response to a June opinion from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit that vacated the human health portion of EPA’s interim decision after finding the cancer analys ... more. |
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced that $500 million in grants is available to increase domestic fertilizer production through the Fertilizer Production Expansion Program. The goal of the program is to promote competition in agricultural markets with the fundsavailable through the Commodity Credit Corporation.
According to the USDA, “[g]rants will be used to support indepen ... more. |
After years of complaints, the Illinois Secretary of State is planning to permanently stop the testing out-of-state drivers with a valid CDL who are moving into Illinois.
Until just recently, out-of-state CDL drivers were required to take all Illinois CDL tests (written, driving, and skills) to receive their Illinois CDL. Despite the CDL being a federally mandated and regulated license, Illinois ha ... more. |
To offer clarifying information on transporting chlorpyrifos, a representative with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stated:
"FIFRA prohibits distribution and sale of misbranded pesticides. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have not identified an exception for distribution of misbranded pesticides for the purposes of disposal. EPA’s regulations allow for distribution of pestic ... more. |
Tuesday, October 4th, will be the last in-person competent ammonia training offered for this year.The training willrunfrom 9:00 a.m.-noon at the Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington, IL.Anyone at your facility that works with ammonia or ammonia equipment shall be certified at least once every 3 years as a competent attendant.This course provides important safety and ammonia facility regu ... more. |
Mark it down in your calendar! IFCA's 2023Winter Convention will be January 17th-19th are the Peoria Civic Center. We look forward to seeing everyone at the show!
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced that $500 million in grants is available to increase domestic fertilizer production through the Fertilizer Production Expansion Program. The goal of the program is to promote competition in agricultural markets with the fundsavailable through the Commodity Credit Corporation.
According to the USDA, “[g]rants will be used to support indepen ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency has withdrawn an interim decision for glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, and says it will complete its registration review in 2026.
The agency announced its latest decision Friday in response to a June opinion from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit that vacated the human health portion of EPA’s interim decision after finding the cancer anal ... more. |
Four Republican Senatorsintroduced a billFriday that would allow small trucking businesses and agricultural employees forgo Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) and still obtain a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).
The legislation— introduced by Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD) John Hoeven (R-ND) Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) would create a “Small Business Re ... more. |
To offer clarifying information on transporting chlorpyrifos, a representative with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stated:
"FIFRA prohibits distribution and sale of misbranded pesticides. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have not identified an exception for distribution of misbranded pesticides for the purposes of disposal. EPA’s regulations allow for distribution of pestic ... more. |
After years of complaints, the Illinois Secretary of State is planning to permanently stop the testing out-of-state drivers with a valid CDL who are moving into Illinois.
Until just recently, out-of-state CDL drivers were required to take all Illinois CDL tests (written, driving, and skills) to receive their Illinois CDL. Despite the CDL being a federally mandated and regulated license, Illinois ha ... more. |
Glufosinate resistant palmer amaranth has been found in the Missouri bootheel. University of Missouri Integrated Pest Management Coordinator Mandy Bish tells Brownfield the discovery is frustrating, but not surprising.
“We have a limited number of post-emergent herbicide options for control of pigweeds like palmer amaranth and waterhamp. As Dr. Bradley, our state weed scientist, has said multip ... more. |
The Biden administration hosts the first White House conference on hunger and nutrition in more than 50 years to debate a national strategy that officials will unveil ahead of the Wednesday meeting.
The strategy’s goal is to eliminate U.S. hunger and reduce diet-related diseases among Americans by 2030, but the White House has yet to say how the strategy will be implemented and has kept many deta ... more. |
The head of supply chain for a leading crop protection manufacturer encourages growers to be proactive as the system comes back into balance. Cynthia Stanton with BASF says that means being realistic about input needs for 2023.
“But then also partnering with both your customers and your suppliers because it’s going to be more important for that communication, and to think about what their ... more. |
Illinois corn harvest was at 6 percent as of Sunday, compared to the five-year average of 16 percent at this point in the season according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Illinois Crop Progress and Condition Report.
Corn dough reached 96 percent, compared to the five-year average of 99 percent. Corn dented reached 81 percent, compared to the five-year average of 94 percent. Corn mature reached ... more. |
More than 140 million acres of farmland in the U.S. are currently receiving conservation-related financial and technical assistance from the federal government, according to an analysis from the Farm Bureau.
In preparation for farm bill 2023, the House Ag Committee met on Tuesday to “hear how our conservation programs are currently working for producers, how investments in conservation programs are a ... more. |
Terry Kippley, president of the Council of Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology (CPDA), says adjuvants are the most cost effective input a farmer can use. And he explains how the industry grew from in 1976 three crop protection product labels requiring the use of an adjuvant (atrazine, glyphosate and paraquat) but that number is now more than 1,000.
“Things have changed so much when it ... more. |
Thus far, the 2022 crop nutrient season has been one heck of a rollercoaster ride for ag retailers and their grower-customers. In addition to dealing with serious supply shortages and stubbornly high prices, uncertainty on the global stage — affecting key fertilizer sources such as Russia, China, and Ukraine — added new levels of stress to the marketplace throughout the spring application season.
... more. |
The court battles over glyphosate continue, and the latest move by EPA shows the agency believes more work needs to be done. In response to a June decision by the Ninth Circuit Court, the agency has withdrawn its interim decision for registration review of glyphosate.
That doesn’t take the product off the market but means the agency is going back to the drawing board to work on a final registration c ... more. |
Illinois State Conservationist Ivan Dozier is happy to explain the reasons why $18 billion has been set aside for United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) farm conservation programs within the bipartisan Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, a $740 billion climate, tax and healthcare spending package signed into law by President Joe Biden this summer.
“I think it’s important to note that the m ... more. |
Incumbent Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker touted the work his administration has done on behalf of agriculture in remarks during the recent Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable candidate forum.
“It’s no secret that farmers have faced challenging obstacles the past few years. You’ve had to deal with a global health crisis and natural disasters, supply chain crisis, increased fertiliz ... more. |
The countdown to a final decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is underway that could impact the future use and efficacy of atrazine on corn, grain sorghum and sugarcane acres. The 60-plus year-old product is used on more than 70% of U.S. corn acres to control grass and broadleaf weeds.
EPA is weighing whether to implement its recent decision, announced June 30, to change the current l ... more. |
New rules in Illinois require farmers or those working on their behalf to be certified in order to transport, apply or work on ammonia equipment. The rules, frequently asked questions and qualifcations for trainers are below. Contact IFCA with questions.
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With the price of liquid nitrogen inching up, some farmers are expressing an interest in filling on-farm UAN tanks ahead of the 2023 season.Please be advised that in Illinois, farmers who store more than 5,000 gallons of liquid fertilizer in above ground tanks can only store it for 45 days unless they have an IDA permitted containment facility to protect against the accidental release of the product. A ... more. |
The EPA has until the end of September to decide whether to grant or deny a petition calling for the regulation of pesticide-treated seeds, after a federal court last week approved a consent decree between the agency and the Center for Food Safety and the Pesticide Action Network North America. The consent decree comes as a result of a lawsuit filed by the groups last December.
For years treated seeds ... more. |
With the price of liquid nitrogen inching up, some farmers are expressing an interest in filling on-farm UAN tanks ahead of the 2023 season.
Please be advised that in Illinois, farmers who store more than 5,000 gallons of liquid fertilizer in above ground tanks can only store it for 45 days unless they have an IDA permitted containment facility to protect against the accidental release of the product ... more. |
On Friday evening, rail carriers announcedthey would begin the process of removing critical fertilizer products from rail networks starting as early as this week. Our national association, TFIissued a statement on Saturday regarding the urgent need to resolve this rail network shutdown as soon as possible.
Today is the last day of the “cooling off” period. IFCA understands that carr ... more. |
One of ourpartners, Parkland College,has shared information with IFCA about their Advanced Applicator Technician Program. There are several upcoming events listed below that we'd like to pass on to membership to promote this great opportunity.
Advanced Applicator Technician Program.
This is for anyone who would like to earn cash now, have their schooling paid for, an ... more. |
Fertilizer values remain highly volatile as markets digest ongoing disruptions to Russian natural gas entering Europe. According to the Green Markets North American Fertilizer Price Index, prices of the product in North America rose 11% week-on-week as of Friday, 2 September. It ended the week at $982.63.
Fertilizer prices remain off the highs of $1,270.40 hit in late March. But they’re back on ... more. |
I was looking for something else recently on Scott Kennedy’s Illinois Election Data website and noticed he had voter turnout numbers from statewide races since 1990. We all know that downstate has lost a significant amount of its political importance, but the numbers really help illustrate this decline.
In 1990, 42% of the total vote for governor came from downstate counties, while a mere 17% c ... more. |
Darren Bailey continues to be on the attack over rising crime rates, especially in Chicago, and whether Gov. J.B. Pritzker is responsible.
At a Springfield press conference yesterday, the GOP gubernatorial nominee dubbed Pritzker “the enabler in chief…(who) has curbed law enforcement and let criminals run free.” Added Bailey, “We won’t have peace in Illinois until we fire J.B ... more. |
This year's corn and soybean fields in Illinois are behind the five-year average, according to the Illinois Crop Progress and Condition Report released Tuesday. As of Sunday, corn dough had reached 88 percent, compared to the five-year average of 95 percent. Corn dented reached 64 percent, compared to the five-year average of 74 percent. Corn mature reached 11 percent, compared to the five-year average of ... more. |
House and Senate Ag Committee members have a tough job ahead of them writing the 2023 farm bill. They’ll have to balance Republican plans to cut federal spending with desires from farm groups pitching proposals to raise reference prices for commodities, which would require more funds for the farm bill safety net.
History shows writing a farm bill in an environment of strong commodity prices is a chal ... more. |
The annual Midwest AG Industries Exposition (MAGIE) is a showplace for many new and existing products for the ag retail and custom application markets. Hosted by the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association (IFCA), MAGIE took place August 24-25 at the McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington, IL. Now celebrating its 41st year, the event attracted more than 2,400 attendees over the course of its two days.
&nb ... more. |
The chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Gary Gensler, heads to Capitol Hill this week to face lawmakers who are sharply divided over the agency’s plan to require corporations to track and disclose greenhouse gas emissions in their supply chains.
Meanwhile, lawmakers are facing a Sept. 30 deadline to avert a government shutdown when the fiscal year ends. The House could take up a conti ... more. |
The Asmark Institute reports that EPA has proposed changes to the Risk Management Program (RMP) rule intended to strengthen the existing program and includes new safeguards that have not been addressed in prior RMP rules. The proposal adds language to emphasize that natural hazards, loss of power and facility siting are among the hazards that must be addressed in Program 2 hazard reviews and Program 3 process ... more. |
As many in the industry remember, on April 25, 2019, there was an accidental release from a nurse tank in a Lake County neighborhood from two anhydrous ammonia tanks being transported by a farmer. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) initiated an investigation in 2019 regarding the incident that took place on a public roadway near Beach Park, Illinois. While there were no fatalities, NTSB reports that a ... more. |
The application of lime to Illinois cropland is a time-tested method for controlling soil acidity. It can help maintain optimum nutrient availability and consequently, crop production. The Illinois Department of Agriculture and the Illinois Association of Aggregate Producers work together to publish the Illinois Voluntary Limestone Program Producer Information booklet detailing the latest testing resu ... more. |
Don't miss out on the upcoming 4R Field Day sponsored by the 4R Field Day Alliance and IFCA next Thursday, September 15th. The event will take place at Eric Miller's Farm, and will showcase Illnois researchers and highlight many of the practices listedin the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy that are currently being implemented at the field day site. To register, please call the IFCA office at ... more. |
Don't forget to register for the upcoming Atrazine webinar IFCA will be hosting Friday, September 16th. The webinar will run from 10-11am. With US EPA's recent announcement stating a revized registration for atrazine with additional label mitigation measures, IFCA and Syngenta will be coveringatrazine restrictions, future plans for IFCA's engagement with EPA, and advive on how to submit your own c ... more. |
As many in the industry remember, on April 25, 2019, there was an accidental release from a nurse tank in a Lake County neighborhood from two anhydrous ammonia tanks being transported by a farmer. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) initiated an investigation in 2019 regarding the incident that took place on a public roadway near Beach Park, Illinois. While there were no fatalities, NTSB reports that a ... more. |
If you are in the ag retail business, you understand nitrogen markets have been on a roller coaster ride the last 7-10 days. IFCA has heard from both members and growers regarding the recent developments with input markets. As many of you know, Russia has decided to close the Nord Stream 1 pipeline. What does this mean? Over the years Russia has supplied roughly 40% of Europe’s natur ... more. |
With fluctuating nitrogen prices this past year, some farmers are expressing an interest in filling on-farm UAN tanks ahead of the 2023 season.
Please be advised that in Illinois, farmers who store more than 5,000 gallons of liquid fertilizer in above ground tanks can only store it for 45 days unless they have an IDA permitted containment facility to protect against the accidental release of the pr ... more. |
Last month we shared the unfortuante news of the passing of IFCA friend Dr. Harold Reetz. Services will be held on Monday, September 12th from 10a.m. to noon at the Monticello United Methodist Church. Please click here for more information.
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Fertilizer values remain highly volatile as markets digest ongoing disruptions to Russian natural gas entering Europe. According to the Green Markets North American Fertilizer Price Index, prices of the product in North America rose 11% week-on-week as of Friday, 2 September. It ended the week at $982.63.
Fertilizer prices remain off the highs of $1,270.40 hit in late March. But they’re back on ... more. |
Tentative deals have been reached with three of the 12 rail unions and large U.S. freight railroads. These unions represent more than 15,000 workers or only 11% of the 140,000 total workforce.
The five year labor contract between the Class one railroads and workers includes wage increases and expanded health coverage. Transportation officials say they hope this provides pressure for more ... more. |
Opening on August 20, 2012, the Asmark Institute Agricenter has hosted hundreds of training events, and thousands of people have walked through the doors to learn, train, network, and collaborate. From the Asmark Signature Training courses for Ammonia Technicians, Nurse Tank “CT” Inspectors and Grain Safety, to national events such as the annual National Agronomic Environmental Health & Safety ... more. |
Illinois farmers are concerned about potential power brownouts and blackouts from increased energy demand. Len Corzine, who farms near Assumption, tells Brownfield his electric bill has more than doubled and power outages would halt his upcoming harvest.
“Our dryers would have to stop, and we would be delaying our harvest another 2-3 weeks, which in its own could be devastating to getting the c ... more. |
The Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council (NREC) could use numbers to mark 10 years of progress, but that would shortchange its broader impact.
Farmers fund NREC by paying 75 cents per ton on bulk fertilizer bought in Illinois. Is farmers’ money invested wisely? “Yes,” Mercer County farmer and NREC Chairman Jeff Kirwan said with a smile.
Click Here to read more.
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IFCA and the 4R Field Day Alliance are jointly hosting a 4R Field day on September 15th in Hammond, IL, and we want you to be there! The agenda is posted below and will feature field demonstrations, farm tours, and a great list of speakers and topics. CEU's will be available for certified crop advisors and free lunch as well from Joe's Country Diner. Please call the office at 309-827-2774 or email KJ Johnso ... more. |
Cyberattacks are an ever-growing threat to thousands of organizations and businesses worldwide and the ag industry is a top target these days. In fact, experts estimate that a ransomware attack will occur every 11 seconds. With that in mind, here are the most common questions — and answers — on cyberattacks and data security that will quickly educate you on the subject.
Is the ag industry a tar ... more. |
Earlier this week, the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) at the University of Missouri released its latest baseline update for U.S. agricultural markets. In part, the baseline update stated that, “The war in Ukraine and weather‐reduced crop supplies have contributed to higher prices for many agricultural commodities, while higher prices for fertilizer, fuel and other inputs have ... more. |
The annual Midwest AG Industries Exposition (MAGIE) is a showplace for many new and existing products for the ag retail and custom application markets. Hosted by the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association (IFCA), MAGIE took place August 24-25 at the McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington, IL. Now celebrating its 41st year, the event attracted more than 2,400 attendees over the course of its two days.
&nb ... more. |
The IFCA is inviting you to an atrazine listening session.
September 16, 2022
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Registration Required - Click Here to Register
Additional Details
The US EPA recently announced a revised registration for atrazine with additional label mitigation measures. The listening session will provide:
Information about atrazine restrictions from IFCA and Syng ... more. |
The IFCA staff and Board of directors would like to send out a huge thank you to all our exhibitors as well as attendees for making this year’s show a huge success. MAGIE was a remarkable success last week with beautiful weather and fantastic displays of equipment and technology. A huge shout-out goes to our exhibitors for making MAGIE the platform to showcase new products for our industry to ex ... more. |
This fall, IFCA and IDA will be hosting six competentammonia trainings. These trainings will cover all important aspects regarding safety and regulatory information with anhydrous ammonia for ag retailers. Upon completion of the training, the attendee willachieve a"competent attendant" certificate that is required by IDA regulations to handle anhydrous ammonia at the retail ... more. |
The application of lime to Illinois cropland is a time-tested method for controlling soil acidity. It can help maintain optimum nutrient availability and consequently, crop production. The Illinois Department of Agriculture and the Illinois Association of Aggregate Producers work together to publish the Illinois Voluntary Limestone Program Producer Information booklet detailing the latest testing resu ... more. |
With President Joe Biden set to sign the Inflation Reduction Act on Tuesday, USDA announced plans Monday to bolster Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) programs "to improve opportunities for nutrient management."
USDA stated NRCS "will target funding, increasing program flexibilities, launch a new outreach campaign to promote nutrient management's economic benefits in addition ... more. |
The White House announced Monday that the widely anticipated Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, the first such meeting in more than 53 years, will be on held on Sept. 28.
In a statement, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the White House will use the conference to announce a national strategy "that identifies actions the government will take to catalyze the public and ... more. |
Hunter Carpenter, Senior Director of Public Policy at the Agricultural Retailers Association, came on The Scoop podcast to talk about powerful advocacy tools ag retailers can use.
One example is the Congressional visit guide ARA has assembled for its members. “It's really a comprehensive package of how to host a member of Congress at their facility. We do have not only a list of do's and don& ... more. |
Most voluntary carbon markets introduced to farmers so far have made their first tranche of payments.
Meanwhile, a handful of companies have used carbon markets to spin off new efforts for market opportunities with traceability, sustainability and the broader definition of regenerative agriculture (for example, Truterra’s approach and Bayer’s ForGround).
Click Here to read more.
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Covering a full slate of round ups from DC, Richard Gupton, Senior Vice President of Public Policy & Counsel, joined The Scoop podcast to talk about everything from atrazine to infrastructure.
Regarding the just released new new EPA Risk Management Plan proposal, Gupton says the points outlined could directly effect ag retailers.
Click Here to read more.
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Pro Farmer shared its much-anticipated production estimates today for the 2022 U.S. corn and soybean crops after analyzing information from the 30th annual Pro Farmer Crop Tour and other sources. The estimates are informed by Crop Tour data and observations collected this past week by more than 100 crop scouts who sampled nearly 3,400 fields across Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota ... more. |
“See and spray” technology has been one highlight of the 2022 Midwest Ag Industries Expo (MAGIE) in Bloomington, Illinois this week.
Farmers and retailers are testing out sprayer technology that offers an alternative to broadcast herbicide application, by detecting and spraying individual weeds throughout a field.
Click Here to read more.
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New sprayer technology featured at the 41st annual Midwest AG Industries Exposition (MAGIE) in Bloomington is all about helping farmers improve weed control with less herbicide.
And that’s critical in today’s environment of tight farm margins, increasing demand for food around the world and the need to reduce environmental impacts of production ag.
Click Here to read more.
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In mid-August, the annual Midwest AG Industries Exposition (MAGIE), hosted by the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association (IFCA) took place at the McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington, IL. Now celebrating its 41st year, the event attracted more than 2,400 attendees over the course of its two days.
Besides hosting a first-class trade show, IFCA presented a pair of awards at this year’s MAGI ... more. |
We are only few days away from this year’s MAGIE Show. Ifyou would like to avoid the long lines at the show, simply click here to preregister. You can also click on the MAGIE tab on the IFCA website toview the showlayout, list of exhibitors, as well as accommodations. Join us for another great show that is designed for the ag retailer industry, with lots of great exhibitor displays and ... more. |
IFCA was saddened to hear this week of the passing of Dr Harold Reetz of Monticello. Dr. Reetz was a long-time member and friend of IFCA, and was well known in the aginput industry community for his many contiributions over the years. Please join us in expressing our deepest condolences to his family.
Dr. Reetz obituary can be viewed here.
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It has been a couple of busy weeks on Capitol Hill for the Senate as it voted to pass the $740-billion Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). On Tuesday, President Biden signed into law. Proposed by Senate Democrats, the bill passed by a 51 to 50 vote after Democrats “successfully” blocked most of the 41 proposed amendments set forth by Republicans.
What does this reconciliation bill me ... more. |
With the price of liquid nitrogen inching down, some farmers have expressedan interest in filling on-farm UAN tanks ahead of the 2023 season.
Please be advised that in Illinois, farmers who store more than 5,000 gallons of liquid fertilizer in above ground tanks can only store it for 45 days unless they have an IDA permitted containment facility to protect against the accidental release of th ... more. |
The application of lime to Illinois cropland is a time-tested method for controlling soil acidity. It can help maintain optimum nutrient availability and consequently, crop production. The Illinois Department of Agriculture and the Illinois Association of Aggregate Producers work together to publish the Illinois Voluntary Limestone Program Producer Information booklet detailing the latest testing result ... more. |
Each spring and fall, IFCA partners with the IL Dept. of Ag to offer ammonia safety courses throughout the state. Those who attend the training program and pass the exam receive a 3 year certificate from IDA as a “Competent Attendant” to handle anhydrous ammonia.
We have set the dates for the Fall 2022 ammonia courses; you can register for any of these upcoming classes by visiting our web ... more. |
IFCA encourages members to make comments on atrazine to US EPA. The US EPA recently announced a revised registration for atrazine with additional label mitigation measures. If adopted, the proposal would place severe restrictions on most ag retailers and farmers who have safely used the popular herbicide for more than 60 years.
In a published decision that concluded the registration review of a ... more. |
In a case dating back to 2019, in which Syngenta sued Atticus LLC over allegations of patent infringement related to the manufacture of the fungicide azoxystrobin, Syngenta announced Wednesday afternoon that the two companies have settled all claims and counterclaims.
Details of the settlement agreement are confidential, but according to a statement from Syngenta, “Both parties agree that valid ... more. |
Each spring and fall, IFCA partners with the IL Dept. of Ag to offer ammonia safety courses throughout the state. Those who attend the training program and pass the exam receive a 3 year certificate from IDA as a “Competent Attendant” to handle anhydrous ammonia.
We have set the dates for the Fall 2022 ammonia courses; you can register for any of these upcoming classes by visiting our w ... more. |
There is no better place to be on August 24th or 25th than Bloomington, IL visiting the various exhibitors at the MAGIE show at the McLean County Fairgrounds.
Whether you are a few hours away or a hop, skip, and a jump the unique nature of MAGIE and the warm hospitality of the show grounds is something that ag retailers nationwide enjoy so register today and join us in Bloomington.
REA ... more. |
On August 2, the U.S. House of Representatives introduced legislation, titled the Freight Rail Shipping Fair Market Act, to reauthorize the Surface Transportation Board.
The legislation is backed by many companies in the ag input industry. It seeks to address several longstanding policy concerns and objectives impacting fertilizer and other rail shippers, including service standards and reciprocity f ... more. |
The FarmDoc Team at the University of Illinois recently released their thoughts on fertilizer prices for the 2023 crop season. To read the article please click here. FarmDoc believes farmers will face much higher fertilizer prices than year earlier levels. As always, uncertainty exists in the market, perhaps with heightened levels for 2023 production.
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Lower summer flow from the Mississippi River this year is credited as the main driver for a smaller Gulf of Mexico hypoxia zone or "dead zone". The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released details on the size of this year's dead zone on Wednesday.
After taking measurements last week, the dead zonemeasuredabout 3,275 square miles, one of the smaller areas m ... more. |
The MAGIE show is approaching fast and the IFCA staff is excited to see you in Bloomington on August 24th and 25th. Online registration is now open so avoid the lines at the door and register ahead of time. Click Here to register.
Everyone yesterday had a great timein Pontiac at the IFCA golf outing. You can still register for next Thursday IFCA golf outing at Edge ... more. |
After lengthy negotiations, Senate Democrats on Wednesday announced a long-anticipated reconciliation package that would curb carbon emissions by 40% by the end of the decade. The bill would offer some $433 billion in new spending.
The proposal will establish a 15% corporate minimum tax for large companies, allot $124 billion to the IRS for enhanced tax enforcement, and close the so-called carried-interest ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency will have to complete assessments of the impacts of a fungicide on endangered species following an order from a federal appeals court.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit granted EPA’s request for a voluntary remand to examine inpyrfluxam’s effects and begin Endangered Species Act consultation with federal wildlife agencies by June 22, 2023. Inpyrfl ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency will convene a formal Scientific Advisory Panel on risks posed by atrazine to aquatic plants. The agency had said there would be an “external peer review” of its proposed risk management strategy for the herbicide but had not said what form that would take. EPA has proposed growers reduce the amount of the herbicide applied and employ a mix of conservation practices, ... more. |
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled July 18 against imposing tariffs on nitrogen fertilizers imported from Russia and Trinidad and Tobago. ITC’s decision takes effect immediately and should narrow the price differential between urea and UAN (urea ammonium nitrate solutions).
Russia and Trinidad and Tobago supplied more than 80% of U.S. imports of UAN. The U.S. imported about $54 ... more. |
Within hours after journalist Carey Gillam’s article in The Guardian reported that the US Centers for Disease Control had found micro-traces of the weedkiller glyphosate (aka Roundup) widespread in urine samples, the Internet lit up.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s vaccine-denying Children’s Health Defense reposted it, trumpeting it on media channels. The notorious Joe Rogan hyped Gillam&rs ... more. |
President Joe Biden’s nominee to be his chief agricultural trade negotiator, Doug McKalip, gets a confirmation hearing this week that will allow Republicans to press their complaints that the administration isn’t trying to negotiate new trade agreements.
Also this week, a House committee will advance a child nutrition reauthorization bill that would expand eligibility for free lunches and incre ... more. |
Richard Gupton, senior vice president of public policy and counsel at the Agricultural Retailers Association, says there are a lot of irons in the fire when it comes to monitoring federal regulations and federal court action on products ag retailers and farmers rely on.
“The NGOs know their best friend is the federal courts, depending on where they're located in the country. That strategy will no ... more. |
After a year-long investigation, The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) announced its decision to not issue countervailing and anti-dumping duties on imports of urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) solutions from Russia and Trinidad and Tobago.
Previously, the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) determined the imports are subsidized and sold in the U.S. at less than fair value. However, the dec ... more. |
Norwegian fertilizer-maker Yara posted slightly higher than expected second-quarter profits on Tuesday and warned there could be shortages of nitrogen-based fertilizers amid high gas prices.
April-June earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation, excluding one-off items, rose to $1.48 billion from $775 million a year ago, while analysts in a company-provided poll had expected profits of $1 ... more. |
Stay caught up with Illinois agronomy by reading the latest University of Illinois Crop Central Update (7/15/2022)
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We are a week away from this year’s IFCA Golf Outings. This year’s dates are July 28th in Pontiac and/or August 4th in Auburn. There is still time to register. Click Here for the registration form or email Leslie at leslief@ifca.com to enter a foursome. We look forward to seeing you on the course!
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As a Sunday deadline loomed in ongoing labor discussions between rail carriers and unions, President Biden last Friday signed an executive order to create a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB). The move was an essential step in keeping the collective bargaining process on track, as well as keeping the nation's railways operating.
The widely expected move will keep 115,000 rail workers on the job while t ... more. |
Recently, EPA announced it has re-evaluated the current atrazine level of concern (LOC), which is 15 ppb, and “determined” in its proposed revised interim registration review decision (IRRD) that the LOC is 3.4 ppb with additional label mitigation measures required for atrazine use. EPA then issued a notice announcing a public comment period of 60 days ending on September 6, 2022.
In its announ ... more. |
The longstanding process seems straightforward – experts look at the available evidence, make their rulings, and certify that things can proceed forward in a orderly fashion. For several years, this has been the way crop protection review processes have tended to work.
But this is no longer the case.
Recently, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, CA, ruled the EPA lacked ... more. |
China is rolling out a quota system to limit exports of phosphates, a key fertilizer ingredient, in the second half of this year, analysts said, citing information from the country’s major phosphate producers.
The quotas, set well below year-ago export levels, would expand China’s intervention in the market to keep a lid on domestic prices and protect food security while global fertilizer price ... more. |
Rachel Siegel reported on the front page of today’s Washington Post that, “Inflation soared in June, continuing to climb at the fastest pace in 40 years across many sectors of the economy, driven in large part by higher energy prices.
“The blistering consumer price index was 9.1 percent higher in June than it was compared to a year ago, and 1.3 percent higher than it was in May, according ... more. |
The House this week will debate a package of six spending bills that includes funding for departments and agencies critical to agriculture, and Republicans are pushing for votes on amendments aimed at highlighting key parts of President Joe Biden’s regulatory agenda.
Also this week, top officials from the Food and Drug Administration are scheduled to be grilled at a Senate hearing about their oversig ... more. |
A new bill hit the House floor on Tuesday, as the Agriculture, Natural Resource and Science, Space, and Technology Committees came together to address greenhouse gas capture and storage.
According to a joint press release, the Carbon Sequestration Collaboration Act aims to increase agriculture and forestry’s current 13% carbon capture rate by establishing more research and development programs in lan ... more. |
Triple digit heat blankets the Southwest this week, and forecasters expect the ridge of high pressure to park over the western Corn Belt next week. AccuWeather forecasters project U.S. corn production to be severely impacted.
July is expected to be hot, but it's the intensity of the heat, along with the forecasts for below normal precipitation, that could potentially impact the U.S. corn crop this year ... more. |
As a Sunday deadline loomed in ongoing labor discussions between rail carriers and unions, U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday signed an executive order to create a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB). The move was an essential step in keeping the collective bargaining process on track, as well as keeping the nation's railways operating.
President Joe Biden had until Sunday, July 17, to appoint a P ... more. |
Stay caught up with Illinois agronomy by reading the latest University of Illinois Crop Central Update, covering the status of weeds, insect activity, crop growth, rainfall, and more throughout the state. Also click here to read the latest bulletin article covering weed control in wheat stubble fields.
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IFCA was very saddened to learn that Clarence H. “Butch” Kohlbrecher, of St. Rose, passed away Sunday, July 3rd. Clarence was 86 years old.He was a Navy Veteran, owner/operator of Kohlbrecher Truck Service Inc. for 54 years, as well as an IFCA Board Member. IFCA sends our deepest condolences to his wife Joan, his children, and great-grandchildren. He provided leadership in the industry that he l ... more. |
Click Here to read IFCA's summer newsletter. Stories in this newsletter include:
2022 Midwest AG Industries Exposition August 24-25, 2022
IFCA Custom Applicator of the Year Award
President Biden Visits Kankakee Farm
KJ Hits the Road to Visit IFCA Members
Illinois General Assembly Wraps Up 2022 Spring Session
IFCA Keeps Onerous Legislation From Passing Illinois General Assembly in Spring Sess ... more. |
FMCSA recently hosted a series of webinars to answer common questions we have been hearing from training providers about the Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) regulations and using the Training Provider Registry.
You can download a PDF of the presentation slides and view recordings of the webinars using the links below. Zoom will ask for a passcode to watch the recordings, the passcodes are included below ... more. |
Lawmakers return to Capitol Hill this week as Democratic leaders are desperately trying to cobble together an agreement on a reconciliation bill that could fund President Joe Biden’s climate agenda.
Time is running short for a deal, given the long August recess and the small number of legislative days this fall ahead of the midterm elections. Biden’s stalled Build Back Better bill contains more ... more. |
In their latest survey, the folks at Purdue University observed that with the myriad issues facing agriculture in 2022, there have been significant shifts taking place in the world of precision tech. Purdue’s Dr. Bruce Erickson will go in depth on the survey at Tech Hub Live in Indianapolis, IN, July 19-21. The changes that the survey showed are shared by many of today’s largest retailers.
... more. |
Hot and dry weather continue to weigh on the U.S. corn and soybean crops.
As of July 3, 7% of the U.S. corn crop is silking, which is slightly below the five-year average of 11%, according to USDA. The crop conditions include.
Click Here to read more.
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U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh remained optimistic about contract negotiations between workers and shipping companies for some of the country’s most important ports, even as talks extend past a previous deadline.
Walsh's comments come as union dockworkers at 29 West Coast shipping hubs were unable to reach an agreement with port employers before the current contract’s expiration on July 1 ... more. |
Eric Sfiligoj talks with the IFCA President about the upcoming MAGIE show, a new award program, and Fun with Numbers!
Click Here to watch the video.
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The fertilizer industry is scrambling to find solutions to fertilizer prices that have been on the rise since last fall, but some farmer advocacy groups worry the efforts being made don’t address the control big fertilizer companies wield over the market and the effects of synthetic fertilizer on the environment.
A document published earlier this spring by the Fertilizer Institute, an organization th ... more. |
The North America Freight Car Association (NAFCA), National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA), Chlorine Institute (CI), and National Oilseed Processors Association (NOPA) on July 26, 2021 filed a petition for rulemaking. They proposed the STB’s adoption of “regulations, pursuant to its car service authority under 49 U.S.C. § 11122(a)(2), that would allow private railcar providers [shippers, receive ... more. |
Want to spend the day playing golf and interacting with fellow IFCA members?You're in luck, as there is still plenty of time to sign up for one or both of our IFCA Golf Outings.Mark your calendar for July 28th in Pontiac and/or August 4th in Auburn.Click Herefor the registration form to either register just yourself or an entire foursome.We look forward to seeing you on the course! ... more. |
We will be offering only one Train the Trainer Class this fall at the Agricenter in Bloomington, IL on September 12th from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. This classroom course is for persons experienced with ammonia who want to train farmers under the new regulations for grower training.For a list of trainer qualificationsclick here.Attending this course will also satisfy Illinois Department of Agric ... more. |
The Commerce Department has issued final rulings that Russia and Trinidad and Tobago unfairly subsidize exports of urea ammonium nitrate fertilizer, which is dumped in the U.S. at below-market prices.
The rulings bring the U.S. another step closer to finalizing stiff duties on the fertilizer. The final stage in the antidumping and countervailing investigations will be rulings from the U.S. Internatio ... more. |
On June 29, 2022, IFCA received updated information from FMCSA on the Training Provider Registry. This includes the following enhancements to the process training providers use to submit driver training certification information:
After successfully submitting a driver training certification record, the user will now see a new confirmation message that asks if they need to submit another certification record ... more. |
In a recent IFCA Itemsthere was an article in regard to IFCA selecting a Custom Applicator of the Year.July 7th is the deadline for nomination forms.If you would like to nominate a Custom Applicator, please click “here” to submit the form.
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Here at the IFCA, we are receivingmore and more calls and questions from ag retailers and farmers on how to tell the difference between dicamba and 2,4-D injury tosoybeans.IFCA is directing our members to a publication that Purdue University put together on this very topic.We hope all ag retailers and farmers look at this information to properly identifydamage that they might have.&nbs ... more. |
Last week our industry lost a wonderful man, Thomas Pajak.Thomas worked in the agricultural industry for most of his working career.Thomas was passionately involved with IFCA by serving on the MAGIE committee.We will miss his warm smile and is love for the ag industry.His obituary is here.
Please keep his wife, Emma Lee, and his children and grandchildren in your prayers ... more. |
Gubernatorial Republican Primary
State Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) has defeated opponents Richard Irvin, Gary Rabine, Paul Schimpf, Max Solomon, and Jesse Sullivan in the primary race for the Republican candidate for Governor. Bailey and running mate Stephanie Trussell will face off against Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton in the November General Election. Bailey won 57.5% of vote in ... more. |
Tuesday is a big day in Illinois.It is primary election day.Take a few minutes and go vote! You cannot complain about the results if you do not take the time to cast your own ballot. There are key races on both the national and state level, as many of these races will decide the future of our country and state. Be a part of that process and have your voice heard! Every vote counts
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The Supreme Court has rejected Bayer's appeal to shut down thousands of lawsuits claiming that Roundup causes cancer.The Supreme Court on Tuesday left in place a $25 million judgment in favor of a California man.The high court’s action comes amid a series of court fights over Roundup that have pointed in different directions.
A panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture reports that since January 2022, there have been one hundred complaints filed with IDA for alleged pesticide misuse.Of those, eighty-two are ag related with four being specifically dicamba related.The total number of complaints are higher than last year; in 2021 at this time there were eighty-three complaints filed with sixty-five being ag related and five related ... more. |
IFCA and our national association has been engaged with members of Congress from Illinois regarding ongoing market disruptions caused by lingering COVID pandemic effects, political instability, severe weather events, volatile energy markets, and trade disruptions. Recent conversations with lawmakers resulted in specific policy solutions to bolster US fertilizer supply.
Congressman GT Thompson from (R-PA) ... more. |
Tuesday is a big day in Illinois.It is primary election day.Take a few minutes and go vote! You cannot complain about the results if you do not take the time to cast your own ballot. There are key races on both the national and state level, as many of these races will decide the future of our country and state. Be a part of that process and have your voice heard! Every vote counts.
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The Supreme Court has rejected Bayer's appeal to shut down thousands of lawsuits claiming that Roundup causes cancer.The Supreme Court on Tuesday left in place a $25 million judgment in favor of a California man.The high court’s action comes amid a series of court fights over Roundup that have pointed in different directions.
A panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a ... more. |
IFCA and our national association has been engaged with members of Congress from Illinois regarding ongoing market disruptions caused by lingering COVID pandemic effects, political instability, severe weather events, volatile energy markets, and trade disruptions. Recent conversations with lawmakers resulted in specific policy solutions to bolster US fertilizer supply.
Congressman GT Thompson from (R-PA) i ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture reports that since January 2022, there have been one hundred complaints filed with IDA for alleged pesticide misuse.Of those, eighty-two are ag related with four being specifically dicamba related.The total number of complaints are higher than last year; in 2021 at this time there were eighty-three complaints filed with sixty-five being ag related and five related ... more. |
On June 8th, the U.S. House voted 384-37 to pass the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act of 2022, which would seek to pave the way for national projects on dredging, commercial navigation, and flood control. Many of the bill’s provisions fall under the purview of the Army Corps of Engineers. The House bill provides $25.3 billion in funding. The Senate Environment & Public Works Committee ... more. |
Looking for a great summer event for a cause? Do not miss the 2022 IFCA Golf for Scholarships outings! Held July 28th at Elks Golf Course in Pontiac and August 4that Edgewood Golf Club in Auburn, the outings are a wonderful opportunity to network with peers, while also supporting the next generation of agriculturalists.
The outings are open to all, and companies are encouraged to bring teams of emplo ... more. |
In the state of Illinois, custom applicators spend endless hours in the field every year applying fertilizer and chemicals on thousands of acres.IFCA is pleased to announce a showcase award to honor and recognize these individuals who work hard in and out of the fields and put forth a positive attitude in caring not only for the crops but also the customers.IFCA feels there are many outstanding custom a ... more. |
We are aware that IFCA members have been dealing with processing delays at the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office with renewals. IFCA recommends that any members needing renewals for mileage plates get them submitted ASAP.The deadline for submittals is June 30, but with delays lasting 6-weeks or more with other renewals, we encourage members to submit any applications as soon as they can.
Ple ... more. |
With pesticide application season still underway in terms of herbicide, fungicide, and insecticide treatments, we would like to remind everyone that cleaning your spray equipment must be done over operational area containment, as it is a violation of the Part 255 containment rules to wash application equipment over gravel or any other area of your facility. The rules state:
"Cleaning and washing ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture reports that since January 2021, there have been 81 complaints filed with IDA for alleged pesticide misuse. Of those,65 are ag related and 5 are specifically dicamba related. The total number of complaints are slightly higher than last year; in 2020 at this time there were 69 complaints filed with 57being ag related and 5 related to dicamba.
As ... more. |
Tomorrow, June 16th IFCA and Illinois Department of Agriculture will be offering in-person pesticide testing at the Asmark Agricenter. Testing will be available in all categories beginning at 1:00 pm. The address for the Asmark Agicenter is 14171 Carole Drive, Bloomington, IL which is located directly behind the IFCA office. All are welcome to test. No registration is needed. |
CF Industries Holdings Inc. will close one of its fertilizer plants in the United Kingdom permanently as it struggles with high energy costs.
The company is proposing to shutdown the Ince facility as it restructures operations in Britain, it said Wednesday. The site, which hasn’t produced ammonia since September, was one of CF’s plants halted last year as soaring gas costs squeezed profitabilit ... more. |
Global warming doesn’t just mean scorching temperatures and rising sea levels. It also means the death of oceans, lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water. Dead zones—areas in the water that are low on oxygen—are on the rise around the world due to a double-whammy of hotter temperatures and increased pollution, leading to the death of marine life and turning once vibrant habitats into hypoxic dese ... more. |
Economists and policymakers say Russia may have some thus far hidden leverage on Ukraine — and the global food supply.
They worry that self-imposed export restrictions on fertilizer by Russia, the top global provider of the product, could further drive up the cost of food and damage global harvests in 2023 and beyond.
Click Here to read more.
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The House is expected to clear a bill Monday that's aimed at ending port bottlenecks and later pass a package of measures that Democrats claim will help bring food, fertilizer and fuel prices under control.
President Joe Biden is pitching the Senate-passed Ocean Shipping Reform Act as critical to helping bring down inflation, although its main impact on agriculture would be in potentially lowering ship ... more. |
With almost 40 years of experience working in the ag retail and application equipment sector, Arnie Sinclair is now leading Heartland AG Systems, which resulted from a 2019 merger of AG Systems Inc. and Heartland Ag. In 2021, Heartland AG Systems acquired Ag West Distributing in the Pacific Northwest, who like Ag Systems and Heartland Ag, has a long legacy of servicing ag retailers.
With the recent twists ... more. |
The USDA says this year’s corn crop is nearly fully planted. How many acres that actually represents is questionable with widespread planting delays in some key growing areas, along with flooding in parts of the region potentially impacted planted area.
As of Sunday, 94% of U.S. corn is planted, compared to the five-year average of 92%, with 78% emerged, compared to 81% on average, and 73% of the cro ... more. |
Record high diesel prices are having rippling effects throughout the ag industry.
“We are back to setting new records for the price of diesel on a near daily basis,” said GasBuddy’s Patrick De Haan. De Haan tells Brownfield the national average hit $5.63 per gallon on Monday, and that a diesel shortage could be looming.
Click Here to read more.
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The ranking members of the House and Senate Ag Committees say farmers will lose a critical crop protection tool if a court of appeals decision is upheld.
In a letter to the White House, Congressman GT Thompson of Pennsylvania and Senator John Boozman of Arkansas asked the Biden administration to withdraw its current brief before the Supreme Court in a case involving Roundup.
Click Here to read mor ... more. |
Aside fromstubbornly clinging to his post as 13th Ward Democratic committeeperson, there are no outward signs indicted former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is playing any active role in the state or local political scene in 2022.
That won’t save Democrats on the November ballot from facing another election season with Madigan as a major campaign issue to defend against.
Click Here t ... more. |
It’s always funny to see the reaction on someone’s face when you declare your support for funding an agency that regulates your industry. It usually results in a pause, a thoughtful look and ends with a variety of questions about my reasoning. As the CEO of the trade association representing the pesticide industry, I’ve been having these conversations a lot since I came to CropLife America. We nee ... more. |
Next Thursday June 16th the IFCA and Illinois Department of Agriculture will be offering in-person pesticide testing at the Asmark Agricenter. Testing will be available in all categories beginning at 1:00 pm. The address for the Asmark Agicenter is 14171 Carole Drive, Bloomington, IL which is located directly behind the IFCA office.
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It's that time of year – planting is wrapping up! Asmark wants to help train your employees to be the best they can be at running an applicator. Asmark’s beginner Applicator Course benefits those with anywhere from no experience to up to three years of experience. It's a great place to start, or to fine tune skills.
The two lead instructors, Greg Yoder and Gary Cornell, are ... more. |
The one-day NTIP "CT" Course and two-day Ammonia Technician Course are led by IFCA’s John Rebholz, and both offer in-depth hands-on learning experiences. Many folks who register for the NTIP Course are also interested in participating in the Ammonia Technician Course. To help make time and travel most efficient for those who need to attend both courses, we have scheduled the Ammonia Technician ... more. |
Please join us for an in-person, on-farm field day September 15th where researchers will discuss NREC practices and the data as well as demonstrations. More details, including a full agenda, will be available soon. Free lunch will be provided from Jo’s Country Diner.
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Over the past few years, there has been legislation introduced at the Illinois State Capitol for the right to repair equipment. This would let owners of cell phones all the way up to heavy farm equipment repair their own machinery. IFCA is starting to see lawsuits being filed against several equipment manufacturers. Many class-action lawsuits are being brought against John Deere and other ag ... more. |
The House Agriculture Committee resumes its work on the next farm bill this week, with hearings that will cover commodity programs, crop insurance and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Congress returns from a weeklong break to a conversation that will be dominated by the recent mass shootings and negotiations in the Senate on a legislative response. It is a critical work period for President J ... more. |
ABC7 Chicago, the station that has broadcast candidate debates and forums for more than two decades, partners again with the League of Women Voters of Illinois and Univision Chicago for a LIVE, commercial-free debate among six Republican candidates running in the primary race for Illinois governor.
"ABC7 Eyewitness News presents - Vote 2022: The race for Illinois governor: The Republican debate" ... more. |
It's crunch time for farmers in the northwestern corn belt that are facing prevent plant decisions...due to excessive rains that have delayed planting. U-S-D-A Secretary Tom Vilsack was pushed on remedies by North Dakota Republican Senator John Hoeven in the Senate Ag Committe hearing last week.
Hoeven and other lawmakers in the region sent a letter to Vilsack asking U-S-D-A to use th ... more. |
A recent panel of four agribusiness leaders at the 2022 Council of Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology Adjuvant and Inerts Conference revealed the top challenges for the ag retail business in the next 10 years.
All four companies have impressive footprints and legacies, which serve as their foundation and springboards for growth.
Click Here to read more.
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Many of the top stories in 2021 were still tied to the pandemic in some form or another. And while experts are now saying coronavirus will “probably” be more like the seasonal flu going forward, it fortunately has had minimal impact on U.S. agriculture so far in 2022. The COVID hangover seems to be subsiding, thankfully.
Click Here to read more.
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There are few food-related areas of discussion more emotive than that of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Public debate often takes place at the extremes of the argument, where combatants on both sides are accused of playing fast and loose with the future of the planet and strong opinions are held on the morality of use, the independence of any research and the exact nature of any benefits or potential risks. ... more. |
There’s little denying the biologicals category has been some impressive strides into the agricultural world over the past few years. Yet, most users still view the category as “supplemental” to their traditional crop nutrient/crop protection methods, with few users utilizing biologicals as “stand-alone” products. In addition, most ag retailers still source the majority of the biologic ... more. |
Soil-residual herbicides are important components of integrated weed management programs. Reducing the number of weeds exposed to foliar-applied herbicides helps reduce the selection intensity for weeds resistant to foliar-applied herbicides. Residual herbicides applied with postemergence soybean herbicides also can reduce the need for a second postemergence application. However, simply applying a soil-residual her ... more. |
In the next two to three years, Drew Garretson, Senior Director of Digital Experience at Ceres Solutions, believes we will be beyond just technology adoption, and the industry will have transitioned to a time of technology judgement. Customers and employees will start evaluating who they do business with and who they work for on their technology use.
“I don't know if it'll be 12 months, but I ... more. |
Several years ago, when Bayer CropScience lost the first court case involving glyphosate and plaintiff Edwin Hardeman, the company promised to appeal the decision “all the way to the Supreme Court.” And it seemed as if this was exactly where the case would end up.
However, Bayer and many folks within the agricultural community were first waiting to see the written opinion of the nation’s ... more. |
Lawrence J. “Larry” Frieders, 71 of Newark, IL passed away Tuesday, May 31st. Larry co-owned and operated Ag Tech Services, Inc. in Sandwich, IL for more than 40 years. Larry enjoyed spending time at his cabin in Minnesota along with restoring classic cars and farming. IFCA sends our heartfelt condolences to his wife Jayne along with his children Jill, Ashley and Mike. Please clickhe ... more. |
In the state of Illinois, custom applicators spend endless hours in the field every year applying fertilizer and chemicals on thousands of acres. IFCA is pleased to announce a showcase award to honor and recognize these individuals who work hard in and out of the fields and put forth a positive attitude in caring not only for the crops but also the customers. IFCA feels there are many outstanding custom ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute invites IFCA members to register for the 2022 InfoAg Conference at the TFI member rate – the lowest rates offered. This year’s InfoAg Conference is July 26-27 in St. Louis, Missouri. InfoAg is the premier event for ag retail agronomy leaders and field professionals to explore innovations in agriculture, including aerial application and drone technologies. Click to register ... more. |
IDA is again coordinating the annual pesticide container recycling program. They will accept clean, triple rinsed containers and will also accept clean, cut-up minibulk containers. However, you must call IDA ahead of time if you plan to take minibulk containers to the collection sites. Please contact Rick Severns at IDA at 217-785-2427 to inform him of what type and how many mini-bulk containers you would lik ... more. |
On May 27, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published a notice extending the comment period on an advance notice of supplemental proposed rulemaking (ANSPRM) requesting input on speed-limiting devices. The original notice was published on May 4. Comments are now due by July 18. IFCA will be filing comments and urges members to add their comments. Over thousands of comments have be ... more. |
With only 6 days left to make applications of Engenia, Xtendimax and Tavium, IFCA would like to pass along some friendly reminders regarding application of dicamba:
Prohibiting over the top application of dicamba on soybeans after June 20.
Prohibiting over the top application of dicamba on soybeans if the air temperature at the field at the time of application is over 85 degrees, or if the Nat ... more. |
Over the last few months there have been a couple of incidents related to applicator and vehicle accidentson the roadway. One of the most common incidents is when a vehicle driver was not aware the applicator was making a left-hand turn, even though the applicator had signaled his turn. According to statistics from the Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health, 70% of crashes occur in rural area ... more. |
As summer is approaching quickly and IFCA has several opportunities for you to sign up for one or all of our summer outings. Mark your calendars for a much-needed breakfrom the office. Grab a group of friends/coworkers and join us in July and August for a fun filled day at the golf outings and the MAGIE show. Look for registration brochures for these events in the mail in the coming months.
... more. |
EPA Administrator Michael Regan says the agency is putting a priority on re-evaluating pesticides for their environmental impact under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Regan told senators this week that the White House had requested tenfull-time staff and $4.3 million in fiscal 2023 to carry out the ESA reviews. He concedthe agency was behind schedule in finishing a review of the i ... more. |
In the past week new reports that EPA referenced potential label changes coming to over-the-top dicamba herbicides for the 2023 growing season, in a court document filed by the agency on May 16th. According to the agency, Bayer submitted a proposed amendment to the 2020 registration of its XtendiMax herbicide to EPA on March 18, 2022.
Bayer informed news outlets that: "Our proposed amendments are mean ... more. |
The IFCA office will be closed on Monday, May 30st in observance of Memorial Day. We will reopen on Tuesday, May 31st.
IFCA sends our sincere gratitude to those brave men and woman who have served our country and paid the ultimate sacrifice. Please have a safe Memorial Day weekend.
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Over the last couple of weeks there have been a couple incidents related to applicator/vehicle incidents on the roadway. In one incident, the vehicle driver was not aware the applicator was making a left-hand turn, even though the applicator had signaled his turn. According to statistics from the Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health, 70% of crashes occur in rural areas, while 30% of crashes occur ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
According to the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA), there will be greater demand for aerial application services in 2022 than 2021. The organization cites 127 million acres of cropland in the U.S. are treated by ag aviators, and an additional 7.9 million acres of pasture and rangeland are treated.
“With everything going on in the world, including food supply issues, aerial application ... more. |
The population in the Land of Lincoln is apparently not shrinking. In fact, a new report by the U.S. Census Bureau suggests Illinois’ population was undercounted by nearly two percent during the 2020 Census and may have actually grown by more than 250,000 residents since 2010.
The Census Bureau on Thursday released the 2020 Census estimated undercount and overcount rates from its Post-Enumerati ... more. |
With prices across the economy — from food, gas and rent to cars, airfares and hotel rooms — soaring at their fastest pace in decades, you might think Americans would tap the brakes on spending.
Not so far. Consumers as a whole are showing surprising resilience, not only sustaining their spending but increasing it even after adjusting for inflation. In April, the government said, retail sales o ... more. |
Soaring food prices both in the U.S. and abroad have prompted countries to ban exports of core agricultural commodities, pushing up domestic food prices and leading agronomists to wonder what additional crops could face supply constraints on their way to grocery stores.
Food inflation in the U.S. is already at a 40-year high, with the annual index for consumer food prices up 9.4 percent in April — th ... more. |
Farms will be allowed to grow more gene-edited crops to secure British food supplies against the disruption caused by the war in Ukraine.
Known as the breadbasket of Europe, Ukraine has struggled to export goods such as wheat because of Russian blockades, which has caused an increase in prices and global shortages.
Click Here to read more..
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EPA referenced potential label changes coming to over-the-top dicamba herbicides for the 2023 growing season, in a court document filed by the agency on May 16.
According to the agency, Bayer submitted a proposed amendment to the 2020 registration of its XtendiMax herbicide to EPA on March 18. It involves "additional use restrictions" for counties where certain federally listed threatened or enda ... more. |
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack heads to Capitol Hill this week to testify before the Senate Agriculture Committee amid growing concerns about the global food supplies and soaring costs for fertilizer and other ag inputs.
The Biden administration has been struggling with ways to increase U.S. food production in the face of a drought and planting delays that are expected to shrink wheat and corn cro ... more. |
Nutrien Ltd. has announced that it is evaluating Geismar, LA as the site to build the world’s largest clean ammonia facility. Building on the company’s expertise in low-carbon ammonia production, clean ammonia will be manufactured using innovative technology to achieve at least a 90 percent reduction in CO2 emissions. The project will proceed to the front-end engineering design (FEED) phase, with a fina ... more. |
A “stunning” and “dangerous” shift in U.S. policy toward pesticide labeling “poses great risks to our science-based regulatory system and global food systems,” dozens of commodity and other ag groups assert in a letter asking the Biden administration to withdraw a recently filed brief in the Supreme Court.
Led by the American Soybean Association (ASA) and National Corn G ... more. |
In an independent critical scientific review of the existing meta-analyses of studies on the potential health hazards of exposure to glyphosate, a panel of six senior scientists expressed low confidence that any of the studies demonstrated a causal relationship between glyphosate exposure and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
This consistent score of low confidence—an average of 3 on a scale of 1-10, wit ... more. |
The International Food Policy Research Institute released a new report this week on “World market prices for both food and fertilizer".IFPRI discussesthe increased fertilizer prices over the past year and a half and have climbed to even higher levels following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, hitting their highest levels yet in March. T (+125% from January 2021 to January ... more. |
Dr. Hager at the U of I put out an article this week titled “Emerging Crops and Delayed PRE Herbicide Applications” You can find the article here. He writes that soil-residual herbicides are important components of integrated weed management programs. Labels of many single and multiple active ingredient products allow application before and after crop emergence, but other active ingredients ... more. |
Many IFCA members have been dealing with processing delays at the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office with renewals. IFCA is asking our members to get your renewals in ASAP for mileage plates. The June 30 deadline may seem to be a long way out, but after experiencing 6-week delays or more with other renewals, things may not be much better this time around.
Please click here to ... more. |
IFCA is working with RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment) to help educate our members on how pesticides get approve through the federal regulatory agencies. You have probably heard PRIA (Pesticide Registration Improvement Act) thrown around as a word, or seen it listed in an update, but are you aware of what it stands for and what it does? Mark your calendar for May 24, 2022, from 12:00-1:00 pm ... more. |
The one-day NTIP "CT" Course and two-day Ammonia Technician Course are led by IFCA’s John Rebholz, and both offer in-depth hands-on learning experiences. Many folks who register for the NTIP Course are also interested in participating in the Ammonia Technician Course. To help make time and travel most efficient for those who need to attend both courses, we have scheduled the Ammonia Technician ... more. |
IFCA President, KJ Johnson, met with President Biden yesterdayat a farm outside of Kankakee, IL.IFCA expressed concerns to President Biden and administration officials how crucial the ag input industry is to American agriculture, and how ag retailers and fertilizer manufacturers are on the front lines of stopping foodinsecurities with the products they sell.
The President announ ... more. |
In an appearance before House appropriators on last week, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan told members of congress that EPA would continue its work on finalizing a pre-2015 definition for “waters of the U.S.”
Despite a pending Supreme Court case on federal wetlands jurisdiction, Reagan said the case “will address some aspects of WOTUS,” but not all ... more. |
If you are still waiting on crop production products, they may be scheduled for loading aboard one of these ships along the coastline of China, awaiting to dock at one of dozens of major ports.Each dot represents a ship, and the color represents how many days or weeks it has been waiting for a berth at its assigned dock.Triangles represent ships in transit.Dots represent ships at anchor.Ther ... more. |
If you are applying dicamba to soybean this year, we encourage you to click the attached dicamba guidance document below. The updated guidance document lists theadditional requirements, details issues with recordkeeping, and provides several resources.
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As fields finally begin to dry and machines enter the field, it is important to be mindful of possible increased soil crusting due to the combination of soil and weather conditions this year. Click here to read Dr. Nafziger’s quick bulletin addressing soil crusting and planting this season.
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Corteva Agriscience developed a DOT compliance guide that explains the regulations that govern the transportation of Enlist One and Enlist Duo herbicides.These herbicides are DOT regulated as an "Environmentally Hazardous Substance" and in certain quantities there are marking, placarding, shipping paper and load securement requirements.
The DOT guidance document is here. When transpor ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Public Health, which is under the jurisdiction of Gov. JB Pritzker’s office, “did not identify and respond to the seriousness” of a COVID-19 outbreak that resulted in 36 resident deaths at the Illinois Veterans Home in La Salle, according to a report released Thursday by the Auditor General’s Office.
The House of Representatives directed the auditor genera ... more. |
Jack Nicas and André Spigariol reported in today’s New York Times that, “When the first Russian missiles struck Ukraine, the reverberations were felt 6,500 miles away, on the vast Brazilian farms that grow much of the world’s soybeans.
“Russia supplies a quarter of Brazil’s fertilizers, and sanctions meant to punish Moscow for its invasion threatened to trap the crucial ... more. |
The Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association has published a one-page document to help retailers and all spray applicators reduce drift this season.
“IFCA understands the pressure our industry faces this spring when planters start rolling and weather conditions are not ideal. With this is mind, it is important that we still remain focused on implementing good stewardship practices while preventin ... more. |
During a time-sensitive period, with already stressed logistical resources, ag retailers are concerned about fertilizer transportation. The announcement last week by Union Pacific Railroad (UP) saying they’d be reducing 20% of rail space to 30 large-scale customers–including a handful of fertilizer shippers–ؘwas another hurdle thrown up in the way of a smooth spring season.
“Everyb ... more. |
Overall, it sounds as if U.S. growers are taking a page from the classic “A Tale of Two Cities” in their views on the 2022 growing season: It is the best times, it is the worst of times.
In its mid-April survey of 400 U.S. agricultural producers, Purdue University and CME Group found that the Ag Economy Barometer for the year has improved by eight points from the March survey to a reading of 12 ... more. |
Agricultural exports helped support over one million jobs throughout the economy in 2020. USDA’s Economic Research Service says it measures the employment and output effects of trade in farm and food products on an annual basis.
Findings from 2020 include more than 1.13 million jobs on and off the farm tied to ag exports, with the value of those exports estimated at over $150 billion.
... more. |
Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday announced a new office at the Justice Department that will focus exclusively on environmental justice.
The office, which will prioritize low-income communities that have been hit hard by pollution and contamination, was launched in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency.
Click Here to read more.
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The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) President and CEO Corey Rosenbusch thanked the Surface Transportation Board (STB) for holding this week’s hearing on “Urgent Issues in Freight Rail Service.”
“Railroads are critical to the on-time delivery of fertilizer to farmers exactly where and when they need it,” Rosenbusch said. “We appreciate the opportunity to provide testimony on h ... more. |
Senators are trying to find an agreement on a new Ukraine supplemental spending bill by the end of this week, while Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and other cabinet members head to Capitol Hill for questioning about their spending plans.
Also this week, EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers on Monday will hold the first of a series of roundtables to gather input on the Biden administration’s plans t ... more. |
NEW TRAINING LOCATION
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid a ... more. |
Rural Recycling Grinding, LLC will be picking up intact 275 gallon caged mini-bulk containers that have been triple rinsed free of charge.Please contact Michelle McCall via email admin@recyclinggrinding.com, office number 563-942-0391, or cell number 319-360-4571 to provide the number and location of mini-bulk containers to be picked up.Please recognize that containers that have not been triple rinsed ... more. |
Join ag retail agronomy leaders and field professionals at TFI's 2022 InfoAg Conference to explore innovative practices and exciting new products and get an advance look at tools and technologies to come. Click hereto view details. The InfoAg Conference runs from July 26-27 inSt. Louis.IFCA members will receivea special rate if you register by May 31.Please contact Peyton Harper, ... more. |
Precision application can make the difference between a profitable year and a break-even yearand finding qualified professional applicators can be a problem. The Applicator Training Course is a four-day course specifically designed for new applicators with less than three years of experience. The course offers hands-on training where participants learn how to start and assess a field, develop a ... more. |
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration stated it will again try to mandate speed limiters for heavy trucks and other commercial vehicles.FMCSA announced it intends to publish a proposed rulemaking to follow up on a 2016 proposed rule that was jointly issued by FMCSA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That 2016 proposal never made it to a final regulation, and never established a ... more. |
IFCA has a letter of supportalong with other ag groups pertaining to HR 7266. HR7266 would ensure only states serve as the co-regulators of pesticides along with USEPA, rather than localities. Congressman Rodney Davis of Taylorville introduced the resolution in Congress.
If passed, the bill reinforces the intention of FIFRA that only the state lead agency act as a coregulator in the ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
Click the pdf attachment for a list of the county specific LEPC phone numbers.
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If you’re involved in animal or plant sciences, you’ve been reading about CRISPR technology for many years. Ranging from the promise to solve major societal issues to a Nobel prize, CRISPR has been making headlines.
Here’s the thing: it has amazing potential and we’re so close to seeing some of that potential come to life, but it has been a long road.
Click Here to read mor ... more. |
EPA Administrator Michael Regan says the agency’s recently revamped pesticide process will be quicker and better inform farmers of available products.
He said EPA scientists should decide what pesticides come on and off the market, not the courts.
Click Here to read more.
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Illinois farmers and ag retailers know the dicamba story. Dicamba-related complaints statewide hit a record high number of 723 in 2019. Then in 2020, the Illinois Department of Agriculture issued an emergency ruling including a June 20 cutoff date and an 85-degree-F temperature restriction for dicamba application in soybeans. This led to an 80% decrease in complaints.
IDOA then built upon those emergency r ... more. |
Farmers aren’t the only ones anxious to work in fields. After a late, cold spring, pollinators are busy, or soon will be, foraging across the landscape.
Recently, the University of Illinois Extension Pesticide Safety Education Program focused on spring pollinator tips for applicators.
Click Here to read more.
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The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) this week reacted to the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) final rulemaking reversing 2020 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) updates, saying the new rule will make the already costly and time-consuming process of obtaining required permitting even more burdensome.
"We have a member company who has already spent over a decade and more than $20 million do ... more. |
Fertilizer prices were already soaring due to weather and supply chain shocks exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic before Russia invaded Ukraine in February, leading USDA to announce a $250 million investment in new U.S. production capacity.
And while the investment is being welcomed by the ag industry, the question is how much impact it will have.
Click Here to read more.
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Most nitrogen fertilizers likely are in place for the 2022 production of spring crops in North America, albeit at much higher prices than in 2021. However, the continuing Ukraine-Russia war can limit fertilizer supplies for the crop that will be planted in South America later in 2022, leading to further upward price pressures for fertilizer used in North America for the 2023 production year. Herein, we detail the i ... more. |
Svein Holsether, CEO of Yara International, discusses the driving factors behind higher prices for fertilizer, natural gas and in turn food, and whether it’s more of a supply or demand issue.
Click Here to read more.
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The Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association has published a one-page document to help retailers and all spray applicators reduce drift this season.
“IFCA understands the pressure our industry faces this spring when planters start rolling and weather conditions are not ideal. With this is mind, it is important that we still remain focused on implementing good stewardship practices while preventin ... more. |
IFCA understands the pressure our industry faces this spring when planters start rolling and weather conditions are not ideal. With this is mind, it is important that we still remain focused on implementing good stewardship practices while preventing legislative proposals and additional regulations. The public is watching us very closely!
These recommendations for spraying should be practiced to acco ... more. |
Spray drift accounts for most of all misuse pesticide cases investigated by the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Drift can never be eliminated; however, it can be minimized if pesticides are applied under favorable weather conditions and by adopting proven drift reduction strategies. Drift reduction strategies include:
Always read and follow label directions.
Use nozzles that produce ... more. |
EPA has posted a revised version of the consolidated List of Lists dated April 2022 on their website. This is the consolidated list of chemicals subject to reporting requirements under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and section 112 (r) of the Clean Air Act. The List of Lists is used as a reference ... more. |
Union Pacific informed fertilizer manufactures without advance notice that it was mandating approximately thirty shippers to reduce the volume of private cars on its railroad effective immediately. Additionally, some manufactures were told to reduce its shipments by approximately 20%. Union Pacific’s plan to start metering traffic as of today will curtail fertilizer shipments.
Union Pacific sen ... more. |
With the February 7th Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) requirement in full effect, FMCSA has created specific resources to help prepare and aid both companies and drivers who need additional information on the program. FMCSA recently released a YouTube video that details the regulations within the ELDT requirements. We also recommend viewing the Training Provider Registry, where drivers who have completed entry ... more. |
U.S. inflation is at a 40-year high, and the U.S. is not the sole owner of the inflation situation (see map). “We didn’t talk about inflation for 20 years,” says Jackson Takach, chief economist at Farmer Mac. “That’s not the case anymore.”
Expect higher interest rates on loans in 2023. “There is time to do balance sheet management,” Takach says. “Farmer ... more. |
During a time-sensitive period, with already stressed logistical resources, ag retailers are concerned about fertilizer transportation. The announcement last week by Union Pacific Railroad (UP) saying they’d be reducing 20% of rail space to 30 large-scale customers–including a handful of fertilizer shippers–ؘwas another hurdle thrown up in the way of a smooth spring season.
“Everyb ... more. |
The Environmental protection has released a plan to revamp its pesticide review process to better protect endangered species from pesticides. The EPA says it’s falling behind on the review of pesticides and struggling to meet Endangered Species Act obligations under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act because of the length of the process and high volume of reviews.
The agenc ... more. |
U.S. natural gas futures closed at the highest level in more than 13 years, reaching prices not seen since before the shale revolution unlocked the nation’s vast reserves of the fuel.
Gas in New York settled up 5.8% Monday, with colder-than-usual Spring weather across the northern U.S. expected to divert fuel from storage -- just when inventories are supposed to be refilling. That’s getting tra ... more. |
More than 80 federal lawmakers, including some members of Indiana’s congressional delegation, are calling on the U.S. International Trade Commission to help reduce costs for farmers by cutting some tariffs on fertilizer. Farmers across America have been dealing with rising expenses during the pandemic.
“Our nitrogen products have gone up almost 300% from a year ago,” said Philip Ram ... more. |
A majority of Iowans favor a fertilizer tax to pay for water quality improvements in the state, while farmers prefer a recreational fee such as an admission charge at Iowa’s state parks, a new study found.
The results come from a survey of more than 1,300 Iowans presented in a new policy brief from the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development at Iowa State University.
Click Here to read ... more. |
Farmers and ag cooperative employees need to be on high alert this spring. That’s according to the FBI, which is predicting cyber criminals might attack the industry during planting and harvesting seasons.
Why? Cyber criminals believe their prey could be more vulnerable and willing to pay off the extortion.
Click Here to read more.
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Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has signed legislation incentivizing use of higher biodiesel blends. Andrew Larson with the Illinois Soybean Association tells Brownfield the bill has been a cornerstone initiative of their organization for 3 years.
“We were successful in getting legislation passed and signed this week by the governor to extend the state sales tax exemption on biodiesel blends of 1 ... more. |
The latest weekly Crop Progress report from the USDA indicates that only four percent of the 2022 U.S. corn crop was planted as of April 17th, and none in Illinois. A concern has developed in the market that cold and wet conditions in much of the U.S. Corn Belt will delay planting to the point where a substantial part will not be planted in a timely manner, and this will reduce yield potential. Agronomi ... more. |
The anti-GMO movement has lost much of its cultural relevance in recent years and it now appears that the political debate surrounding crop biotechnology is all but over. We've discussed a number of developments over the last year that point in this direction—most recently Europe's softening trade restrictions in the face of food shortages caused by the war in Ukraine. But we can now point to some emp ... more. |
The 2022 growing season is right around the corner, leading many of those who are planning on applying dicambaover-the-top of soybean with questions about use of the product. The Illinois Department of Agriculture recently released an updated version of their ‘frequently asked questions’ webpage, addressing many of the common questions still out there. Please click here to be redirected to their ... more. |
We have received the following Spam Alert from Dan Meyer of the Illinois Division Office of FMCSA:
The email seen below is being sent to some ELDT providers. This is a bogus email address and does not exist. The scammer is attempting to utilize an official looking email address to get the training provider to click on the link for nefarious purposes. FMCSA would not send an email with a hidden link to clic ... more. |
Click here to be redirected to IDOA's Dicamba FAQ page for the 2022 Growing Season.
IMPORTANT: Only three dicamba products are approved for use on soybeans in Illinois:
Engenia (BASF is the registrant)
XtendiMax with Vapor Grip Technology (Bayer is the registrant)
Tavium(Syngenta is the registrant)
These products are Restricted Use Pesticides and can only be purchased and used ... more. |
Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced $250,000 in grants through the broadband Regional Engagement for Adoption and Digital Equity (READY) program.
This marked the second group of grant recipients. Through Broadband READY, five regional entities were selected to receive grants for broadband planning, research and data collection. Each recipient ... more. |
With primary elections ahead, state lawmakers wrapped up a legislative session in spring despite missing their April 8 end-of-session deadline by several hours.
On the agriculture side, notable successes include extending the biodiesel sales tax incentive as part of a larger tax package covered in a nearly 900-page bill that will be sent to Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
Click Here to read more.
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Click here to read IFCA’s Legislative Recap for the 2022 spring session. Stories in this month’s newsletter include:
• $46.5B Illinois State Budget Passes Both Senate and House
• Legislation IFCA Tracked this Spring Session in Springfield.
•&nb ... more. |
On Tuesday, President Biden visited Menlo, Iowa, home to a POET ethanol production facility that produces 150 million gallons of ethanol annually. During his visit to the corn-rich state, Biden announced the suspension of a federal rule that prohibits the sale of E15 blended biofuels between June 1 and Sept. 25.
Numerous government officials and ag stakeholders have pushed the year-round sale of “hom ... more. |
CF Industries is warning customers that fertilizer shipments might be delayed or may not reach farmers after Union Pacific (UP) railroad mandated certain shippers to reduce the volume of private cars on its railroad. CF ships fertilizer from its Donaldsonville Complex in Louisiana and its Port Neal Complex in Iowa via UP railroads. The railroad asked CF Industries to reduce its shipments by 20%. The company said it ... more. |
On Tuesday, April 11, EPA released its first-ever workplan to protect endangered species from pesticides. This comprehensive plan, EPA says, meets at the intersection of opportunity and obligation in the Endangered Species Act (ESA), while maintaining pesticide access to farmers and other users.
EPA believes the current pesticide approval system has major setbacks that make the process “unsusta ... more. |
Click hereto read IFCA’s Legislative Recap for the 2022 spring session. Stories in this month’s newsletter include:
$46.5B Illinois State Budget Passes Both Senate and House
Legislation IFCA Tracked this Spring Session in Springfield.
Illinois Senator and House Pushes Biodiesel Incentives Bill through Both Chambers
THC Drug Testing – Safety Sensitive Positions & Manuf ... more. |
As you’re aware, cybersecurity is becoming an increasingly important issue, including within the agriculture sector. Below are two resources from our friends at American Seed Trade Association to help in your cybersecurity planning:
On April 26, InfraGard is hosting an online course that will outline the threat actors, their tactics, exfiltration methods, and best practices on how to protect again ... more. |
IDA is again coordinating the annual pesticide container recycling program.They will accept clean, triple rinsed containers and will also accept clean, cut-up minibulk containers. However,you must call IDA ahead of time if you plan to take minibulk containers to the collectionsites.Please contact Rick Severns at IDA at 217-785-2427 to inform him of what type and how many mini-bulk co ... more. |
This week EPA Office of Water released an updated nutrient management framework for helping states develop strategies for reducing nutrient loadings to the nation’s waterways.Click here for more information. The guidance provides the necessary flexibility for states to adopt 4R nutrient stewardship practices and other innovative approaches as opposed to adopting strict numeric nutrient criteria. The m ... more. |
IFCA learned this week that EPA is working on a plan to address pesticide bottlenecks over endangered species (ESA). This is a high priority for the agency to meet court-ordered deadlines to evaluate the impacts of crop protection chemicals such as neonicotinoids and sulfoxaflor on federally listed species.EPA identified more than 50 pesticide active ingredients “covering over 1,000 pesticide pr ... more. |
The Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association (IFCA) is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit organization. Our mission statement is “To assist and represent the crop production supply and service industry while promoting the sound stewardship and utilization of agricultural inputs.” We accomplish this objective by:
Gathering and communicating useful information for our members;
Influe ... more. |
Early Saturday morning, state lawmakers in Springfield wrapped the spring legislative session, including approval of a $46.5 billion budget. Illinoisans may see a break at the gas pump and a check in the mail from Springfield, but there are also plenty of critics of the recently passed state budget. We broke down the details with two statehouse reporters.
Click Here to read more.
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Illinois lawmakers early Saturday morning passed a $46.5 billion budget that would bring temporary tax relief and direct inflation payments to residents.
The House voted to approve the budget just before 6 a.m. Saturday, less than two days after Gov. J.B. Pritzker and other leaders of the Illinois House and Senate announced an agreement on the state spending plan that aims to fight nagging, near-record inf ... more. |
Trucking gained broad interest thanks to the big screen in the late 1970s. As Hollywood produced movies like “Smokey and the Bandit,” the trucking industry was widely talked about. Today, the tune has changed, and it’s a job that doesn’t boast the glamour it once did.
“We don't have a ton of young people or other people just dying to get into the trucking industry,” ... more. |
USDA says there are no plans to provide direct payments to farmers impacted by soaring fertilizer prices. The news comes as a growing number of legislators and farm groups are pleading for assistance as farmers deal with fertilizer sticker shock again this year.
USDA told Farm Journal late last week that no direct payments are planned.
Click Here to read more.
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Nearly 100 members of Congress sent a letter to President Joe Biden earlier this week about the rising cost of fertilizer, encouraging the administration to review all available options to lower the cost of nutrients.
Higher fertilizer prices pose a challenge to farmers as they see input prices continue to rise and squeeze their profitability. The skyrocketing nutrient prices could also cause food prices t ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) President and CEO Corey Rosenbusch today issued the following statement after participating in a roundtable discussion regarding fertilizer markets with House Republican Members and staff of the Committee on Agriculture.
"Fertilizer is an essential tool for farmers to achieve desired yields and we appreciate the opportunity to offer solutions to the current market pressu ... more. |
Emma Bubola, Valeriya Safronova and Maria Varenikova reported in today’s New York Times that, “In the past six weeks, Russian shells have destroyed Ukrainian cities, homes, hospitals and schools.
But the war has also reached deep into the fertile plains of a region known as Europe’s breadbasket, paralyzing harvests, destroying granaries and crops, and bringing potentially devastating cons ... more. |
While there are no new herbicide modes of action for corn, cotton and soybean fields, there are new herbicide products on the market. New premixes or revised formulations of existing active ingredients that could provide growers additional options as they track down weed control products in a market with very tight supply.
Click Here to read more.
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The Mexican government is still on track to ban completely by 2024 the use of glyphosate which is paired with transgenic corn. GMO corn is already banned under a separate decree.
The ban followed a Presidential decree issued last year. Even though it’s not yet in place, this decision is already hurting farmers’ incomes. But there is a secondary, unintended consequence. While it was sold to the ... more. |
Confused about EPA's intentions toward over-the-top dicamba use?
So is the federal judge tasked with deciding its future in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, where environmental groups led by the Center for Food Safety and Center for Biological Diversity have asked the court to vacate the registration of three dicamba herbicides: XtendiMax (Bayer), Engenia (BASF) and Tavium (Syngenta ... more. |
The Illinois Senate early Saturday morning voted 34 to 19 to passHB900, the more than $46 billion FY23 budget as amended. The House voted 72 to 42 to concur with Senate on the budget around 6am this morning.
Meanwhile, the House voted 110 to 0 to pass revenue omnibus billSB157, which includes a variety of the inflation and tax relief proposals. That bill was then approved by the Senate ... more. |
State lawmakers are trying to finish the Spring Session by the end of today (April 8). Lawmakers are trying to wrap-up the state’s business to get back home and campaign for their re-election leading up to the June 28 primary election. IFCA believes both the Senate and House will be in session late today to try and vote and pass the budget.
Illinois Democratic leaders have reached a deal on the ... more. |
More than 11,000 individuals completed the grower ammonia safety training prior to the April 1 deadline. Those 11,111 individuals have met the new Illinois requirement and are now certified to transport and handle anhydrous ammonia. Growers had two options in order to meet the new requirement; they could either complete an on-line training program or attend an in-person training session. The preference of the ... more. |
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has launched a new chemical security program, ChemLock. ChemLock is a completely voluntary program that provides facilities that possess dangerous chemicals no-cost services and tools to help them better understand the risks they face and improve their chemical security posture in a way that works for their business model. Based on expertise acquir ... more. |
After visiting numerous chemical warehouses and distribution facilities, EPA discovered many facilities are not developing safety precautions, instituting maintenance, monitoring, and employee training measures and preparing risk management plans. EPA has taken enforcement actions and assessed penalties against several chemical warehouses and distribution facilities across the country, sometimes pursuing criminal ... more. |
Confused about EPA's intentions toward over-the-top dicamba use?
So is the federal judge tasked with deciding its future in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, where environmental groups led by the Center for Food Safety and Center for Biological Diversity have asked the court to vacate the registration of three dicamba herbicides: XtendiMax (Bayer), Engenia (BASF) and Tavium (Syngenta ... more. |
With their condensed election-year session set to wrap up Friday, Illinois lawmakers are eager to leave Springfield for the campaign trail. But they’ll first have to address concerns about crime and agree on a budget that boasts a rare projected surplus, both issues expected to play a significant role at the polls in November.
Democrats looking to maintain control of state government in November had ... more. |
Senate Democrats are seeking quick confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court this week, while U.S. agriculture and other export-minded sectors are watching what the House does with the Senate-passed Ocean Shipping Reform Act, which is intended to ease port bottlenecks.
President Joe Biden’s Supreme Court nominee will get a vote in the Judiciary Committee on Monday, and she could get ... more. |
U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown says he’s pleased with the administration’s plans to support and expand American fertilizer production.
“We’ve got to begin to resource and get more of these jobs in Ohio and America and get more production in the United States,” he says. “If we don’t, every time there’s a pandemic or a terrible climate event, it will continue ... more. |
Local governments would be barred from implementing regulations on pesticides that are more stringent than state and federal rules under legislation introduced Thursday by 11 U.S. House Republicans, including one from Illinois.
The bill would amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act to clarify that only the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and lead state regulatory agencies can join ... more. |
On March 29, EPA announced its approval for the use of Enlist One and Enlist Duo in 134 additional counties for the 2022 growing season. The agency said it conducted a thorough review of a proposed label amendment.
“Today’s action is an example of EPA’s commitment to working with stakeholders when new information becomes available to make regulatory decisions that reflect the best availab ... more. |
Democrats in the Illinois Senate have announced a $1.8 billion package of mostly temporary tax relief proposals that they hope to include in the Fiscal Year 2023 budget as the legislative session enters its final week.
The package, rolled out on Friday, is $800 million beyond the tax relief package proposed by Gov. JB Pritzker in his budget in February, although it includes many of the same tax reduc ... more. |
Joe Biden released an agricultural budget topline at $31.3 billion, an estimated $2.6 billion increase in FY22 enacted funding levels as part of the budget proposal unveiled Monday. A USDA official outlined that the budget proposal balances a variety of needs including climate, nutrition, more and better markets, equity and reinforcing improved forest management.
During a media call Monday morning, the USD ... more. |
Below you will find some useful resources regarding the current state of nitrogen as we move into the upcoming spring season.
Dr. Emerson Nafziger’s latest FarmDoc article, Spring Nitrogen Management,details efficiency management decisions with the current elevated prices.
Also, click on the link below to watch a recent FarmDoc Insight video by Dr. Gary Schnitkey on the curre ... more. |
Local governments would be barred from implementing regulations on pesticides that are more stringent than state and federal rules under legislation introduced Thursday by Congressman Rodney Davis from Taylorville. The bill would amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act to clarify that only the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and lead state regulatory agencies can jointly issue policies ar ... more. |
Yesterday, the Illinois House Energy and Environment committee had a subject matter hearing HB4363 which would ban the distribution, sale and application of any dicamba products. The hearing lasted around 30 minutes and was cut short because members had to go to the floor for the start of session. Proponents of the bill did get to speak on their concerns with that dicamba. Most of the proponent’s conc ... more. |
This week EPA expanded the counties in which Enlist One and Enlist Duo herbicides can be used in 2022. EPA had previously banned the product due to risks to endangered species.
"Enlist One and Enlist Duo ... can now be used in all counties of Arkansas, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, and South Dakota," the EPA announced in a news release on Tuesday. "In Texas, En ... more. |
President Joe Biden will release his fiscal 2023 budget on Monday, just six months before the new budget year begins, while Senate leaders search for a way to quickly pass a bill aimed at relieving port bottlenecks.
In the Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai will answer questions about Biden’s trade policy at a hearing on Thursday. Tai last week downplayed the importance ... more. |
USDA now expects food price inflation in 2022 to be from 4.5% to 5.5%, compared with 2021, based on the all-food Consumer Price Index (CPI). The prior outlook for food prices pegged the increase at 2.5% to 3.5%. Not a single or aggregate category is expected to decline.
Food away from home (restaurant) prices are forecasted to increase 5.5% to 6.5%, the third increase in as many months. Last month’s ... more. |
As planting season nears, the ag input crisis is coming to a head. After a long fall and winter of struggling to find affordable and available fertilizer and pesticides, farmers must head to the field in the weeks to come, with or without the ingredients they need to grow their best possible crop.
"What a mess," lamented Dan Lakey, of southeast Idaho, who worked all fall to prepare for the foreca ... more. |
Chinese manufacturers often introduce their new capacity below market value. For example, the price for glufosinate AI dipped to EXW 37 USD/Kg, which is lower than the recent market price of EXW 41 USD/Kg when Lier Chemical and Yongnong Chem made new product available to buyers. And by the end of 2022, Veyong is expected to release additional glufosinate into China’s ag market. The increased inventory is acce ... more. |
The day a 22-count federal corruption indictment came down against former Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan, those controlling Illinois’ state government quickly reacted to the horrors of the racketeering and bribery allegations.
Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker called the charges “deplorable and a stark violation of the public’s trust” and touted how state ethics laws had been &l ... more. |
A team of researchers affiliated with a large number of institutions in China and one in Germany has found that turning off a certain gene in corn and rice can lead to improvements in crop yields. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes mapping the genomes of both plants as a way to search for genes associated with grain yield using CRISPR gene editing to improve yields in test crops.
... more. |
Thursday, the Illinois Senate voted to give final approval to a bill authorizing $4.1 billion to pay down some of the state's debt.
The bill includes $2.7 billion in recovery funds allotted by the American Rescue Plan Act 2021 to pay toward Illinois' Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund debt. The debt currently stands at $4.5 billion.
After the bill was passed, Pritzker met with Democratic le ... more. |
Reuters writer Pavel Polityuk reported yesterday that, “Ukraine’s spring crop sowing area may more than halve this year from 2021 levels to some 7 million hectares, its Agriculture Minister Roman Leshchenko said on Tuesday, versus 15 million hectares expected before the Russian invasion.
“He said farmers could sow up to 3.3 million hectares of corn this year versus 5.4 million hectares in ... more. |
The Russian invasion of Ukraine substantially elevates the risk of disruptions in the global fertilizer trade. Russia is the world’s largest exporter of fertilizers, accounting for 23% of ammonia exports, 14% of urea exports, 10% of processed phosphate exports, and 21% of potash exports, according to data from The Fertilizer Institute. The primary destinations of fertilizers from Russia are Brazil (21%), Chin ... more. |
The next couple of weeks will bebusy with ammonia applicationin Illinois. Here are a few reminders to keep in mind whenworking with ammonia:
1. Slow down! Nurse tanks should not travel down the road at more than 25 mph.
2. ALWAYS turn the nurse tank valves off at the tank source and disconnect hoses before pulling onto a public roadway. This is requi ... more. |
Please click here to read IFCA’s latest legislative update from the Illinois State Capitol. This upcoming Wednesday, March 30th, IFCA will be hosting a legislative, ELDT and general IFCA update webinar. From 9-10am, IFCA will provide an update to members on current legislation that impacts our industry and that IFCA is actively working on in Washington DC and Springfield. IFCA will also give an update on ELDT ... more. |
DOT is proposing to amend drug testing regulations to allow oral fluid testing. This would give employers a choice to help combat cheating on urine drug tests and provide a more economical, less intrusive means of achieving their safety goals. The proposal also updates other provisions and is intended to harmonize mandatory oral fluid testing guidelines established in 2020 by the US Department of Health ... more. |
Excellence and Professionalism….that’s what we focus on at MAGIE.
CELEBRATE A DAY OF MAGIE EXCELLENCE!
AUGUST 24 & 25, 2022
From the interactive “ride and drive” venue to the exhibits that display our exhibitor’s innovations in building, blending, measuring and applying agrichemicals, it’s all here at MAGIE. The MAGIE show supports th ... more. |
The link below detailsthe new nitrogen rate trial protocol developed by Dr. Nafiger fortrials within Illinois. The plan involves easier to implement, low-cost trialsto produce more data that will help build more confidence in the MRTN. If you know of anyone interested in participating, please reachout to Dan Schaefer, dan@ifca.comor 217-202-5173.
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The IFCA Legislative Update Webinar scheduled forMonday, March 21 will be postponed. The webinar will be rescheduled for Wednesday, March 30th at 9:00am.For those of you who have already registered, there is no need to re-register as the linkyou received will continue to work for the new date. For anyone wishing to register, please click here.
Register for the webinar click here
Plea ... more. |
IFCA has receieved many questions regarding the new ELDT requirements that recently went into effect. IFCA understands the impact this new requirement has on our industry and our members, and has created a document addressing many of the topics where confusion still exists. Click on the document below,reach out to the IFCA office or contact KJ Johnson at kj@ifca.com with any questions you may have on ELDT.
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Please click here to read IFCA’s latest legislative update from the Illinois State Capitol. This upcoming Monday, March 21, IFCA will be hosting a legislative update webinar.From 10-11am, IFCA will provide an update to members on current legislation that impacts our industry and that IFCA is actively working on in Washington DC and Springfield. Please click hereto register for the webinar. ... more. |
TheELDT effectivedate came and went, yet confusion over specific requirements remains. IFCA created a document addressing some of the most asked about aspects of the new training. Click here to read more. Please reach out to the IFCA office at 309-827-2774 or KJ Johnson at kj@ifca.com with any questions.
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DOT, EPA, and OSHA have made it clear that they intend to ramp up regulatory efforts moving forward. One issue particularly concerning to IFCA as well as other agricultural organizations is EPA’s decision to ban chlorpyrifos use on all food crops grown in the United States.
When banning chlorpyrifos, EPA did not follow the process under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (F ... more. |
Based on roadside inspections in 2021, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued its top five violations for driver, vehicle, and hazardous materials. Share the top five violations with your team members and stress the importance of always following safe-driving measures and operations.
2021 Roadside Inspections - Driver Violations
Description of Violations
1 Speeding 6-10 63,950
... more. |
Recently one of our members received a phone call from an unknown individual requesting to purchase fertilizer over the phone.The individual in question wanted to purchase a rather large amount of fertilizer and was willing to provide payment over the phone. This individual would not provide any details on the intended use, yet was very insistent on wanting to purchase the fertilizer and made several ... more. |
Please click here to read IFCA’s latest legislative update from the Illinois State Capitol. This upcoming Monday, March 21, IFCA will be hosting a legislative update webinar. From 10-11am, IFCA will provide an update to members on current legislation that impacts our industry and that IFCA is actively working on in Washington DC and Springfield. Please click hereto register for the web ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will take action to protect endangered and threatened species in response to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) nationwide final biological opinion (BiOp) for the insecticide malathion. This insecticide is commonly used for wide-area mosquito control and to control insects that attack crops and ornamental plants.
Under the Endangered Species Act ... more. |
If you’ve visited a grocery store lately, you may have experienced this particular emotion. That’s because consumers are facing record-high inflation for food products. The price of food rose 6.4 percent between November 2020 and November 2021. And as our economy continues to sputter along, there’s indications that the prices will continue to climb.
Of course, we now have a Russian invasi ... more. |
With the government finally funded for fiscal 2022, lawmakers can turn their attention to other policy issues and begin work on funding legislation for FY23.
President Joe Biden signed the $1.5 trillion FY22 funding bill into law on Friday, just ahead of the expiration of one of a series of continuing resolutions that had been funding the government since Oct. 1.
Click Here to read more.
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An ag retailer says shipments of some inputs might be back on schedule.
Ward Bloodworth with Helena tells Brownfield fertilizer delivery is about two weeks behind because of shorter transportation routes. “I think these trucks are local, but we do have some benefits of how we can haul within in radiuses due to ag. I think our local retail and our distributor will be able to manage those trucks ... more. |
Koch Fertilizer Canada, ULC has announced plans to move forward with an initial $30 million investment to increase ammonia production and operational efficiencies at its Brandon, Manitoba facility. The project will include the installation of production equipment and process improvements and provides the foundation for a series of further ammonia projects to increase capacity, which could total 90,000 additional to ... more. |
Agricultural runoff from Midwestern farms is a major contributor to a vast "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico. Nitrogen, phosphorous and other farm nutrients drain into the Mississippi River, which empties into the Gulf, spurring algae to overpopulate and suffocating other aquatic life. Illinois is a main culprit in this ongoing environmental blight. News Bureau life sciences editor Diana Yates spoke with ... more. |
Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and former lobbyist Michael McClain on Wednesday entered a not guilty plea in federal court to charges of racketeering, bribery, fraud and extortion.
Both were arraigned on those charges during a teleconference hearing before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Cole. The two men were charged March 2 in a 22-count indictment.
Click Here to read more.
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The USDA has announced a $250 million investment to support and expand American fertilizer production.
Speaking during Commodity Classic, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack said “we want to invest in fertilizer expansion in the U.S. that is Independently-produced, made in America. And, hopefully embrace new innovation and support sustainable farming operations.”
Click Here to read more.
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As IFCA wraps up another extremely successful ammonia training season, we want to make sure we make aware that there is one last in-person class this upcoming Monday, March 14. This class will be held from 9:00am – noon at the Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington, IL. If you have any new hires or employees that are up for recertification and could not make one of the previous trainings this spring, please click ... more. |
Ronnie Doyle of Fowler, IL passed away Saturday, February 19 at the age of 82. Ron was Chairman of the Board at Doyle Equipment MFG. He had been involved in the family business, founded by his late father, Merle “Jack” Doyle, since the age of 13. Ron’s son, Monty, continues the family legacy as President of Doyle Equipment. IFCA sends our heartfelt condolences to the Doyle family. Please click h ... more. |
Annual dicamba label training is once again required for those using dicamba over-the-top of soybean this year. The options for training include online as well as live webinars. Click here to be redirected to IFCA’s dicamba training webpage, where you will find three separate training links from the three registrants. Completing any of the three trainings will meet the requirement for dicamba training, no m ... more. |
Michael J. Madigan, the former speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, was indicted by a grand jury Wednesday on 22 federal charges related to racketeering, bribery and attempted extortion, prosecutors said.
The indictment accuses Madigan, 79, of using his political power to obtain bribes and steer business toward his private Chicago law firm, Madigan & Getzendanner, according to the Departme ... more. |
Several bills are in the Illinois General Assembly hoppers that would impact agricultural production if approved.
Kevin Johnson, Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association president, hosted a recent webinar to give a legislative update on the legislative proposals.
“No bad bill ever dies in Springfield; it just keeps on coming up.”
Click here to read more.
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President Joe Biden has decided to ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia’s economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine, according to a person familiar with the matter. The move follows pleas by Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy to U.S. and Western officials to cut off the imports. Energy exports have kept a steady influx of cash flowing to Russia despite otherwise severe restricti ... more. |
Broadband access in rural areas remains problematic, according to the latest Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer.
Purdue’s Jim Mintert says producers were asked to describe the quality of their farm’s internet access.
Click here to read more.
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Russia’s trade and industry ministry has recommended the country’s fertilizer producers temporarily halt exports, the ministry said on Friday, in a sign that sanctions imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could have a global impact.
Major international shipping groups including container lines this week suspended almost all cargo shipments to and from Russia to comply with the Western san ... more. |
California plans to restrict certain agricultural uses of neonicotinoid pesticides to protect bees and other pollinators, the state’s Department of Pesticide Regulations (DPR) announced Feb. 25.The proposed regulationscome more than a decade after the department started reevaluating the risks of imidacloprid and other neonicotinoids.
The restrictions would include prohibiting the use of the che ... more. |
On Monday, Feb. 28, EPA's de facto ban on chlorpyrifos use in food or feed crops formally went into effect.
The agency's newly finalized rule revokes food residue tolerances for the insecticide, meaning there is now no amount of chlorpyrifos residue on food or feed that would be considered safe. As a result, it's now illegal to spray any chlorpyrifos product on a crop intended for food or feed.
Cl ... more. |
USDA’s 2022 Ag Outlook Forumopened on Thursday with the agency predicting farmers will plant 92 million acres of corn, which is slightly lower than a year ago. Soybean acres are projected to hit 88 million acres, up 0.8 million acres from last year.
Wheat area is above a year ago with increases for both winter and spring wheat and at 48 million acres would be the highest since 2016.
Click he ... more. |
Agrochemical companies experienced strong sales in 2021, but they are looking for a more vigorous recovery in 2022 in the face of pervasive supply chain troubles, according to the 2021AgriBusiness GlobalState of the Industry Survey.
About 31% of respondents to the survey expect full-year revenue to be at least 11% higher than last year, while 27% say revenue will be between 6% and 10% higher than a y ... more. |
A judge has ordered a receiver to take control of an employer’s assets following repeated failures to comply with a 2011 settlement. The defendants operate six pesticide manufacturing, storage and distribution facilities in Missouri. Since at least 2007, the defendants stored thousands of containers of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes at its facilities. EPA and state inspectors repeatedl ... more. |
As farmers are heading into planting season, American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) will be conducting educational outreach around the importance of treated seed stewardship. IFCA has team up with ASTA to support this cause.
IFCA wants toremind and educate end users about proper treated seed stewardship. Retailers who would like access to a template of the following information for th ... more. |
EPA recently released an improved version of Bulletins Live! Two (BLT), the web-based application to access Endangered Species Protection Bulletins. The updated BLT offers new capabilities that enable users to more easily find the information they need to help protect threatened and endangered species and their designated critical habitat. The updates to BLT include faster load and search times by connecting dire ... more. |
Brazil relies on imports for about 85% of its fertilizer needs. Russia is its biggest supplier of the NPK mixture of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
Even before the Ukraine conflict, fertilizer prices were climbing due to global logistics issues, U.S. sanctions on Belarus and China’s absence from the market since October.
Click Here to read more.
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Illinois state Sen. Tom Cullerton, D-Villa Park, resigned his seat Wednesday and will reportedly plead guilty next month to federal corruption charges.
Cullerton, 52, a former chairman of the Senate Labor Committee, was first elected to the Senate in 2012 and was seated in 2013. In August 2019, he was indicted on multiple charges of embezzlement for allegedly receiving pay and benefits from Teamsters Joint ... more. |
Since Rod Snyder started his job as agriculture adviser to the EPA in the fall of 2021, his phone has scarcely stopped ringing.
The bulk of the calls have been from farmers, industry and state agriculture officials, worried about access to Enlist herbicides and dicamba, as well as the impact of the Endangered Species Act on pesticides, said Snyder, who worked for Field to Market, CropLife America, and the ... more. |
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack wants the Justice Department to determine whether some input price hikes are "absolutely justified" or if companies are taking advantage of supply chain disruptions to unfairly raise input prices on farmers.
Speaking Wednesday to state agriculture officials at the National Association of Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) winter policy meeting, Vilsack was a ... more. |
Lawyers for Monsanto and BASF argued before the Eighth Circuit on Wednesday that a $75 million award to Missouri’s largest peach farm for damages related to their dicamba herbicide was unwarranted.
Monsanto attorney Jonathan Cohn said that the district court erred in adopting what the court itself called a novel theory which improperly inflated proximate causation.
Click Here to read more.
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Startups developing biological inputs for crops raised just over $892 million worldwide last year, according to preliminary data from AgFunder.
That’s well over double their total funding haul for the previous year – indicating just how much interest in the space has grown.
Click Here to read more.
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Bayer will begin to offer Enlist E3 soybean varieties starting in 2023, the company announced in a press release on Feb. 22.
"Bayer announced today a distribution agreement with M.S. Technologies, L.L.C. for soybeans containing the Enlist E3 trait," the release explained. "The objective of the agreement is to provide Bayer customers with more choice and additional tools for integrated weed m ... more. |
The global fertilizer market is reacting to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in a big way. “It has been intense.”
Josh Linville, Director of Fertilizer for StoneX tells Brownfield Russia is a major exporter of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus fertilizers and because of that, “Out of the chutes we have seen global urea prices up over $200 a ton overnight. NOLA US prices are up $ ... more. |
An Illinois appellate court dismissed Governor J.B. Pritzker’s appeal of a lower court’s ruling against his mask mandate in schools, calling the request “moot” after a legislative committee suspended the requirement’s renewal.
On Thursday, the Illinois Fourth District Appellate Court rejected the appeal, noting that the state’s department of public health on Feb. 1 ... more. |
On Thursday, the Illinois House of Representatives approved 77-16 retired federal Judge Michael McCuskey to be the new legislative inspector general, a position that has sat vacant since the former officeholder, Carol Pope, resigned on Jan. 6. The Illinois Senate approved McCuskey's nomination on Wednesday, 37-17. Both votes were largely among party lines.
McCuskey is a former federal and state judge w ... more. |
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack wants the Department of Justice (DOJ) to ensure seed companies and other input suppliers are not using their market power and current conditions to raise prices unfairly. “It’s important for us to ask questions about whether all of these increases, every penny of these increases, is justified based on disruptions, based on supply, based on the normal economics,” Vilsack ... more. |
The U.S. ag industry posted its highest annual export levels ever recorded in 2021. The final 2021 trade data published by the Department of Commerce shows exports of U.S. farm and food products totaled $177 billion, topping the 2020 total by 18% and eclipsing the previous record, set in 2014, by 14.6%.
"These record-breaking trade numbers demonstrate that U.S. agriculture is incredibly resilient as i ... more. |
A federal judge on Friday blocked for now the Biden administration from restoring Obama-era values for calculating the cost of climate change in the government's permitting, investment and regulatory decisions.
The preliminary ruling by a U.S. District Court judge in Louisiana is a blow to President Joe Biden's efforts to factor the risks of climate change into federal decision-making.
Cli ... more. |
A group of 21 agricultural trade groups have filed a lawsuit against the EPA, demanding that the agency's pending chlorpyrifos ban be halted and ultimately revoked.
The lawsuit comes just weeks before the EPA is set to finalize its rule on Feb. 28 revoking the food tolerances for chlorpyrifos, an act which will effectively ban legal use of the insecticide among U.S. farmers. That rule was issued by the ... more. |
We may be our own worst critics, but America continues to lead the world in science, science literacy, and science policy. Anyone who has tried to navigate science policy in Europe knows how bad it can get when the discourse is hijacked by government-funded environmental groups who use taxpayer money to prevent sane efforts at progress for European taxpayers.
Compared to Europe, American scientists have it ... more. |
The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) recently added a new NAICS code designated for farm supply retailers. NAICS code 444240 was created to be more descriptive for establishments engaged in retail farm supply. The previous code commonly used by ag retailers, 424910, is descriptive for farm supplies merchant wholesalers. The selection of the NAICS code should be based off the most ... more. |
IFCA will host regular legislative update webinars to help keep our members up to date regarding legislation that impacts our industry at both a national and state level. To view the recorded webinar from this past Monday, February 14, please click here. All future IFCA webinar recordings covering legislative, as well as other important topics, will be found in the “WEBINARS” tab on our website.
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Miss the ELDT Webinar?
View the Webinar Recording
On Tuesday, July 13th, IFCA held a public webinar to address the many calls and in person conversations with our members regarding FMCSA's Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT). In an effort to educate our members, we asked Kevin Duesterhaus from the Illinois Secretary of State and Dan Meyer from FMCSA to discuss the upcoming ELDT requirement. ... more. |
State lawmakers are returning to meeting in-person this week. This comes after almost a full month of meeting virtually. In that time, they have introduced thousands of new bills.
In January, lawmakers met in-person twice: the House and Senate met once on Jan. 5 and the Senate met in person for about 20 minutes on Feb. 2. They've canceled in-person work because of COVID-19 and dangerous winter weather ... more. |
The head of the EPA’s pesticide program says the agency’s updated policy on pesticide analysis will help protect tools for farmers.
Ed Messina tells Brownfield, until now, EPA had not been analyzing the effects of pesticides on non-target plants and animals, including endangered species, which led to litigation from non-governmental organizations.
Click Here to read more.
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We want to introduce you to someone who has impacted the agronomic practices of an uncountable number of farmers, helping them with many environmental challenges.
That person is Dan Schaefer, and he was singled out at last week’s Soybean Summit for all he’s done for Illinois farmers since the early 1970’s.
Click Here to read more.
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Today, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) expressed significant concerns with a proposed rule to revise the definition of the term “waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act issued jointly by the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
“The Clean Water Act is built on the concept of cooperative federalism,” ... more. |
According to a press release on the AgriBusiness Global website, China plans an overhaul of its seed rules that will pave way for GMO approvals. It is a big step for China’s modern agriculture and a new business opportunity for upstream ag input suppliers.
On July 9, 2021, the 20th meeting of the Commission for Deepening Overall Reform of the China Central Committee deliberated and approved the &ldqu ... more. |
Ohio farmer Keith Peters' herbicide bill is more than double what he paid last year. Oklahoma farmer Zack Rendel is eyeing Liberty (glufosinate) price quotes almost five-fold what he paid last winter for the same chemistry.
Iowa farmer Jay Magnussen, who also works as an agronomist and purchasing manager for Archer Co-op, has been allocated only 20% of the glufosinate he ordered for the co-op, at more ... more. |
Pests come in unexpected forms. Insecticides are not excluded from supply chain troubles that have challenged herbicides and so many other categories and industries worldwide.
“We’re in new territory,” says Ryan Riddle, Atticus Business Unit Lead, South. Channel inventories are at all-time lows, growers are scrambling to get orders in extra early and product locked in the barn, while line ... more. |
Click here to be redirected to a recent article on IFCA’s own, Dan Schaefer, Director of Nutrient Stewardship. Dan has championed the stewardship mission for a decade now aspart of theIFCA staff, working directly with farmers, university researchers, association partners, SWCD’s, and environmental groups, researching and promoting best management practices.
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This upcoming Monday, February 14, IFCA will be hosting a legislative update webinar. From 10-11am, IFCA will provide an update to members on current legislation that impacts our industry and that IFCA is actively working on. There will also be a special focus on specific pesticide bills trying to be pushed forward at the Illinois State Capitol. Please click the links below to register for the w ... more. |
It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Quentin Rund. Quentin was a great friend to the IFCA staff and helped us graciously with various projects over the years. His infectious smile was always a delight to see when he was lending a hand at our annual Convention in Peoria.
Quentin dedicated his career to the agribusiness industry and was the Founder and CEO of PA ... more. |
Last year at this time we made a number of what have turned out to be accurate predictions for 2021 – including the unfortunate continuation of COVID-19, unreliability in global shipping, labor shortages, and a rebalancing of food distribution between at-home and away-from-home.
Looking ahead now to 2022, here are what we see as the seven key forces that will drive the crop inputs industry.
... more. |
China has published trial rules for the approval of gene-edited plants, paving the way for faster improvements to crops as it seeks to bolster its food security.
Gene editing - or altering the genes of a plant to change or improve its performance - is viewed by some scientists as less risky than genetically-modifying them, which involves transferring a foreign gene.
Click Here to read more.
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With a snowstorm howling outside, Gov. J.B. Pritzker proposed temporarily freezing state taxes on gas and groceries and challenged local taxing bodies “to take a long hard look at reducing the burden of high property taxes” as a taxpayer relief plan in his fiscal year 2023 state budget.
During a combined budget and State of the State message inside the Old State Capitol, the governor touted fis ... more. |
Illinois is one of 11 states in the Mississippi River basin that have pledged to develop strategies to reduce the polluting nutrient loads leaving their borders. It's an effort to better fulfill a runoff reduction strategy that began in 1995 but hasn't led to the results lawmakers had hoped for.
One goal is to encourage farmers to reduce nutrient runoff through government incentives and other polic ... more. |
A lot has changed in the field of soil fertility since Dan Schaefer went to work for GROWMARK at Illini FS more than four decades ago.
Back then, it was not uncommon for farmers to add an extra 20 to 40 pounds of anhydrous ammonia in the fall to make up for potential losses before the crop needed it in the spring.
Click Here to read more.
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Since its launch as part of a cropping system, the popular herbicide dicamba has had plenty of regulatory hoops to jump through. In fact, not too many years after it was originally approved for use, the product’s label was cancelled mid-season due to a legal ruling.
However, it seemed as if all these issues had gone away once October 2020 rolled around. At the end of that month, the EPA reaffirmed di ... more. |
The Department of Commerce (DOC) issued a preliminary determination this week showing urea nitrate from Russia and Trinidad and Tobago is being sold into the U.S. at less than fair value. The determination could open the door for countervailing duties, and in turn, even higher fertilizer prices for U.S. farmers.
The Department's International Trade Administration (ITA) announced countervailing duty (CV ... more. |
The dynamics of 2022 are shaping up to make this year a pivot point for ag retail says Brett Bruggeman, president of WinField United. He recently gave The Scoop a one-on-one interview talking about how the growing season is shaping up and what trends are pulling us into the future.
“With the current momentum in ag, everyone feels good, but they want to manage the risk,” he says. “We&rsquo ... more. |
New federal requirements for a commercial drivers license (CDL) take hold Monday, and it could have a major impact on anything from hauling grain or livestock to picking up a piece of equipment that's more than 150 miles from your farm.
According to the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA), the new requirements could have a major impact on the movement of inputs. The Association says the ... more. |
IFCA told members last week about HB4363, banning all applications of dicamba in the state of Illinois and HB4558, banning neonicotinoids on state of Illinois lands. With the snowy weather this week, the Senate and House canceled most committees. Both bills are scheduled to be heard this coming Tuesday afternoon in the House Energy and Environment Committee. If you have already put an opposition s ... more. |
IFCA has been in communication with both FMCSA and IL SOS regarding the current state of the new Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) requirements. All indications are that the February 7th effective date will stand, meaning that the new requirements will go into effect this upcoming Monday.
For more information on the requirements for ELDT, please click here.
Click here to vie ... more. |
IFCA will be hosting two legislative update webinars, one in February and one in March. The updates will provide members a breakdown of the current legislation being proposed that impacts our industry and what legislation IFCA is actively working on. There will also be a special focus on specific pesticide bills trying to be moved at the Illinois State Capitol. Please click the links below to re ... more. |
If you plan on applying dicamba over-the-top of soybean in 2022, you will once again need to complete the annual dicamba label training. The trainings are free, and all three registrants have updated their online dicamba trainings for the 2022 season. Below you will find links for the online trainings as well as information for live webinar trainings. No matter which dicamba product you may be u ... more. |
Prior to applying dicamba over the top of soybeans this year, applicators in Illinois must once again complete the required annual dicamba label training. Please click the heading to be redirected to our dicamba webpage where you will find links to theEngenia, Xtend, and Taviumonline trainings. All trainingshavebeen updated for the 2022 season. Completing any of the three ... more. |
The House Agriculture Committee launches an in-depth examination of farm bill programs this week, starting with a hearing on conservation spending, and the full House will debate a competitiveness bill that seeks to bolster trade remedies and address trade with developing countries.
The America COMPETES Act would increase the benefits available under the Trade Adjustment Assistance to Farmers to make the p ... more. |
For the fertilizer marketplace, 2021 was a banner year. According to the 2021 CropLife 100 survey, the nation’s top ag retailers saw their crop nutrition revenues grow to $15.3 billion. This represented an impressive 19% increase over the 2020 fertilizer category sales figure of $12.9 billion.
Of course, some market watchers will point out why this was the case — fertilizer prices more than tri ... more. |
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will use $732 million in federal infrastructure funding to modernize a lock and dam on the Upper Mississippi River crucial for shipping grain and soybeans to export markets, officials said on Wednesday.
Upgrading infrastructure is essential for the United States to maintain its place as a top global agriculture exporter, as competitors including Brazil have made improvement ... more. |
A study from the American Trucking Association says the industry is short nearly 80,000 truck drivers and a fertilizer supplier says that creates logistical challenges for delivery.
Paul Gerdes with CHS tells Brownfield the shortage creates a backup in the supply chain, and it could be difficult to transport inputs to farmers this spring. “Freight is going to continue to be an issue,” he says. ... more. |
The CEO of CropLife America says a recent bill introduced by Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey regarding pesticide regulation is a blow to the ag industry.
The “Protect America’s Children from Toxic Pesticides Act” would make changes to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) including a ban on pesticides deemed unsafe in the EU and Canada like organophosphate and ... more. |
The Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association is keeping a close eye on a handful of state bills regarding pesticide regulation.
President KJ Johnson tells Brownfield most of the legislation simply needs clarification, so farmers are not robbed of important pesticides needed to protect their crops. He points to HB 4558 which would ban the use of neonicotinoid products on state owned land like universiti ... more. |
Illinois has, for decades, laid out a nutrient reduction strategy aimed at reducing the amount of nitrogen, phosphorous and other nutrients that run off into its waterways.
The nutrient loss reduction effort is outlined in the regular Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy Implementation Biennial Report, which showed this year that Illinois is far from living up to its goals, especially when it comes to ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) continues to process pesticide misuse complaints filed in 2021 but has already determined misuse couldn’t be found or proven in nearly a third, according to Brad Beaver, acting bureau chief of IDOA’s environmental programs.
Beaver provided a pesticide update during the recent Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association Conference in Peoria.
... more. |
Click here to file an opposition witness slip on HB4363, Dicamba Ban. Click here to file an opposition witness slip on HB4558, Ban Neonicotinoids on State of Illinois Lands. More details regarding HB4363 and HB4558 by clicking on the bill numbers.
Follow these steps to complete your witness slip:
1) Visit these link. HB4363 and HB4558
2) Fill out your information
3) Wri ... more. |
Click here to file an opposition witness slip on HB4363, Dicamba Ban. Click here to file an opposition witness slip on HB4558, Ban Neonicotinoids on State of Illinois Lands. More details regarding HB4363 and HB4558 by clicking on the bill numbers.
Follow these steps to complete your witness slip:
1) Visit theselink. HB4363 and HB4558
2) Fill out your information
3 ... more. |
The Ag Retailers Association recently hosted an online webinar on the new FMCSA's new entry-level driver training (ELDT) requirements that goes into effect on February 07, 2022, for anyone seeking a first time CDL, HME, or upgrading an existing Class B CDL to a Class A.
To view the recording and others from the ARA Member Dashboard:
If you do not know your ARA login, email info@aradc.org to reset you ... more. |
IFCA and the Ag Retailers Association (ARA) needs your support and active involvement in upcoming virtual Congressional meetings in an effort to strengthen ongoing advocacy efforts with your members of Congress to bring about necessary legislation and policies that benefit agricultural retailers, their farmer customers and rural communities. Since the event is virtual, ARA and IFCA will be coordinating online mee ... more. |
IFCA has been working hard to connect with legislators during this spring session even with COVID restrictions at the Illinois State Capitol, and has been involved in many issues that impact our members. We work across party lines and with other organizations on bills that impact our members, and offer reasonable solutions on contentious issues. For a report on what IFCA has been working on at the Capit ... more. |
Grower training will be offered in the afternoon after competent attendant ammonia training. Growers and grower farm operators have until April 1, 2022, to be initially certified, and must participate in refresher training every three years. Thetraining sessionswill follow IFCA's annual Spring Competent Ammonia Trainings. Grower Training will begin at 1 p.m.and will have limi ... more. |
Listed below are the upcoming spring anhydrous ammonia safety schools. Please clickheretoregister for the classes. The NH3safety schools are offered through the combined efforts of IFCA and the Illinois Department of Agriculture. This training meets the requirements of the certified competent attendant which requires training at least every three years.
February 21 ... more. |
IFCA would like to thank all our sponsors, exhibitors, and members that attended the annual IFCA Convention & Tradeshow held last week in Peoria. The CCA sessions and general sessions were well attended and the speakers in attendance were well received by our members. Many attendees made their way to the tradeshow floor to visit with vendors, network with peers and participate in the live auction.&n ... more. |
Thursday Educational Sessions
Room 402/403
8:30am
Global Fertilizer Outlook
Josh Linville, StoneX Group, Inc.
9:30am
Outlook on Navigating into the Future
CEO National Association Panel Corey Rosenbusch, TFI; Daren Coppock, ARA; Chris Novak, Crop Life
10:30am
BREAK
10:45am
Ransom Attack: Could You be Next?
Mich ... more. |
We look forward to seeing everyone this week January 18-20th at the IFCA Annual Convention & Tradeshow. Go towww.ifca.comand click on the drop-down menu under Convention. Here you will find theagenda,information about our speakers and alist of exhibitorsparticipating on the tradeshow floor. Also, the IFCA Welcome Reception will be at a New Location this ye ... more. |
Auction begins Wednesday at 3:30pm on the Trade Show Floor.
New Massey Ferguson GC1723 Tractor
Altorfer
4 Tickets Illinois Men’s Basketball
Wisconsin vs Illinois (Feb 2,)
BASF
10 Tickets Dodgers vs Cards (July 14th)
Bayer
Stoeger Over/Under 12 Gauge Shotgun
CHS
Beretta A300 Outlander Trident Shotgun
CHS
36 Gun Safe
Corteva
Hell Cat Hand Gun
Dultmeier Sales
Golf Pac ... more. |
Located to the right of the main entrance of the Trade Room Floor
Cobra Speedzone Golf Driver
AGI
Stihl Handheld Lear Blower
Adams Fertilizer Equipment
Custom Made Fishing Pole
Pat Miller, American Seed Trade Association
Gift Cards
Agrian by TELUS Agriculture
Yeti Cooler
BASF
Stihl FSA 130 Weedeater (Battery)
Brandt
Stihl Hedge Trimmer (Battery)
Brandt
American Flag Flown over the U ... more. |
Tuesday CCA Session
Room 400
8:30am - 4:45pm (lunch provided*)
Moderated by Kevin Johnson
This session offers 7 CEUs
7:30am - 3:45pm
On-site registration
Conference Registration Desk
8:30am
Useful Mobile Application, and How to Weed out the Poor Ones
Dr. Brian Arnall, Oklahoma State
9:30am
Soil Fertility Challenges in 2022
Dr. Emer ... more. |
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Ag View FS, Inc.
Barnards Soil Service
BCS, LLC
Chem Gro Inc.
CHS, Inc
CHS Elburn
Compeer Financial
Curles ... more. |
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AAK Mechanical
Ag-Land FS, Inc.
Agra Liners, LLC
AgriData, Inc.
AgriFlite West, Inc.
AGRI-SEARCH, Inc.
Ammonia ... more. |
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A & L Great Lakes Labs
Akron Services, Inc.
Altorfer Ag Products
ARCOSA Tank
Arends Hogan Walker
Calcium Pro ... more. |
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BRANDTAgronomic Services
CF Industries
Corteva AgriScience
East Dubuque Nitrogen, LLC
Faegre Drinker Biddle ... more. |
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AGCO Corporation
BASF Corporation
Bayer CropScience
GROWMARK, Inc.
Jenner Ag
Koch Fertilizer/Koc ... more. |
Listed below are the upcoming spring anhydrous ammonia safety schools. Please click here toregister for the classes. The NH3safety schools are offered through the combined efforts of IFCA and the Illinois Department of Agriculture. This training meets the requirements of the certified competent attendant which requires training at least every three years.
February 21-Blo ... more. |
Illinois farmer Jack McCormick planted 350 acres of barley and radishes last fall as part of an off-season crop that he does not intend to harvest. Instead, the crops will be killed off with a weed killer next spring before McCormick plants soybeans in the same dirt.
The barley and radishes will not be used for food, but Bayer AG (BAYGn.DE) will pay McCormick for planting them as the so-called cover crops ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Labor filed new rules on Friday to officially adopt the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for public and private sector employers with more than 100 workers.
According to the federal guidelines, employers must require their workers to show proof of vaccination or wear a mask and submit to testing to enter the workplace. The rules would also order employers to bar worke ... more. |
Bloomberg writer Elizabeth Elkin reported on Friday that, “Soaring fertilizer prices that have helped drive up food inflation finally tumbled this week, but the reprieve may be short-lived.
The Green Markets North American Fertilizer Price Index fell 12% on Friday, the most since 2009.
“Prices for urea, a type of nitrogen fertilizer, swung wildly. They rose and fell by more than $100 p ... more. |
Say goodbye to GMOs. The new term for foods created with a boost from science is "bioengineered."
As of Jan. 1, food manufacturers, importers and retailers in the U.S. must comply with a new national labeling standard for food that's been genetically modified in a way that isn't possible through natural growth.
Consumers will begin to see labels on some foods that say "bioen ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture recently announced permanent dicamba application rules for 2022, based on feedback from 2021. In short, the rules are the same, but this time they’re permanent.
Michael Woods, IDOA natural resources division manager, answers questions regarding regulations for growing season 2022:
What is the 2022 ruling? We made a permanent ruling of what has been a te ... more. |
A three-judge federal court panel has upheld the legislative redistricting plan that state lawmakers approved during a special session last summer, thus leaving in place the new maps that will govern state legislative elections for the next 10 years.
In their 64-page opinion, released Thursday, Dec. 30, the judges said the plaintiffs in the three separate lawsuits had failed to show that the redistricting ... more. |
Next week will be an important one for several agriculture interests as the Supreme Court is expected to consider whether to hear a number of high-stakes petitions that could affect farmers and ranchers.
In recent weeks the Supreme Court distributed three of four ag cases filed for a Jan. 7 conference. That includes challenges to Proposition 12 in California, an appeals court ruling throwing out EPA's ... more. |
IFCA convention is just one week away. This year’s convention is January 18th – 20th. If you have not yet pre-registered to attend the IFCA convention, you still have time. Click here to be directed to the IFCA convention website. Click here for on-line registration.
We have a great trade show, combined with anhydrous ammonia training, pesticide training, pes ... more. |
Competent Attendant training will take place at the Peoria Civic Center on Wednesday, January 19th from 9:00am-noon. This will be followed by a train the trainer session beginning at 1:00 p.m. The train the trainer course is for persons experienced with ammonia who want to train farmers under the new regulations for grower training. For a list of trainer qualifications click here. In order for you ... more. |
Competent Attendant training will take place at the Peoria Civic Center on Wednesday, January 19th from 9:00-noon. This will be followed by a train the trainer session beginning at 1:00 p.m. The train the trainer course is for persons experienced with ammonia who want to train farmers under the new regulations for grower training. For a list of trainer qualifications click here. In order f ... more. |
Start the New Year off on the right foot. Register for the IFCA Annual Convention & Tradeshow – Show dates are January 18 – 20th. Registration is open and the IFCA staff cannot wait to see you in person this year! Spend one, two, or even all three days catching up with peers, forming new relationships and learning all about what the future of the ag input and protection industry ... more. |
IFCA received this press release (below) from the Illinois Secretary of State yesterday afternoon. We will be reaching out to IL SOS today to discuss the closures. The closures will also have a profound affect on drivers trying to upgrade their CDL prior to the mandated Federal Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) going into effect February 7th. IFCA will pass along any new information to our member ... more. |
Wednesday Training & General Sessions
Peoria Civic Center
7:00am - 5:00pm
On-site registration open
Conference Registration Desk
7:15am
Ag Solve Breakfast & Legislative Program
Patrick Pfingsten, The Illinoize
8:00am
Pesticide General Standards Training
Testing in all categories at 1:00 pm
8:30am
Ditchi ... more. |
Tuesday Regulatory Session
Room 402/403
8:30am - 4:45pm
Moderated by John Rebholz
This session offers 3 CEUs
1:00pm
OSHA's Focus for 2022
Brian Bothast, OSHA
2:00pm
DOT Requirements & Ag Exemptions
George Wyness, Crossroads Consulting
3:00pm
BREAK
3:15pm
Containment Inspections & Issues
Brad Beav ... more. |
AG-SOLVE PAC is hosting its third annual live and silent auction. Contributions to AG-SOLVE allow IFCA to lobby effectively by making possible to attend legislative fundraisers to support lawmakers who in turn support the agriculture input industry.
AG-SOLVE also attends events to get to know urban legislators who are not familiar with the agribusiness industry. These events give IFCA direct access to legisl ... more. |
December 21st, 2021, the USEPA provided a summary of dicamba-related incident, obtained from pesticide registrants, States, the general public, and non-governmental organizations, from the 2021 growing season. Below in some of the language from the summary:
EPA is committed to helping states address issues related to incidents in their jurisdictions. If a state wishes to further restrict or nar ... more. |
On December 3rd, 2021, Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) filed rules with the Illinois Secretary of State on dicamba application to soybeans. The restrictions for dicamba use on soybeans filed by IDOAare the same restrictions required in 2021. The ruleswere published in the Secretary of State'sIllinois RegisterDecember 17th, 2021. IDOA provided apress released ... more. |
Please click the attachment below to read IFCA's winter newsletter. Stories in this newsletter include:
Illinois Department of Agriculture Files Rules for Use of Dicamba on Soybeans, USEPA Still Mulling Dicamba Decision
Spring 2022 Anhydrous Ammonia Safety Schools
Growers must be certified by April 1, 2022 to handle Anhydrous Ammonia
IFCA Veto Session Roundup
Exempting COVID Mand ... more. |
The UI and IDA are offeringon-line training and testing, with the opportunity for some in-person testing. Click on the headingaboveto be directed to the UI's Pesticide Training & Testing website for more information about training/testing opportunities.
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The Illinois Department of Agriculture issued a "Frequently Asked Questions" documentdetailing the specific requirments, both old and new,regarding the use of Xtendimax, Engenia and Tavium OTT on soybean for theupcoming 2021 season. Click the titleheading to view this document.
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Illinois MRTN Guide - NEW!
Instructions for IL MRTN Apple App
Video:What is the MRTN?
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One of the impacts of canceled conferences, shows, field days, and meetingshas been the shortage of CEU opportunities for Crop Advisors. If you are a Certified Crop Advisor in need of CEU's, or justinterested in attending online conferences orwebinars providing information impacting our industry, we encourage you to go throughthe document below that contains information and links to thes ... more. |
The year 2021 was a time of change in Illinois politics and government, whether it was the ushering in of new leadership under the Capitol dome or the passage of consequential legislation that will fundamentally change how the state generates its electricity.
Here is a look back at 10 stories or issues in Illinois state government and politics that dominated the headlines in 2021:
Speaker Madigan ... more. |
If you are wondering, the answer is eight years. As for the question, a slightly longer explanation is needed.
The year was 2013. Following another in a string of strong sales years, the fertilizer category among CropLife 100 ag retailers had grown to $15.3 billion. This represented 53% of all crop inputs/services sales within the CropLife 100 rankings and it seemed as if fertilizer would soon garner aroun ... more. |
The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati overturned a stay on the Biden administration’s OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) which mandates employers enforce a COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
The court’s action (a 2 to 1 judges panel decision) allows the mandate to continue.
OSHA released this statement: “OSHA is gratified the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit disso ... more. |
After four years, Jan. 1, 2022, brings not just a new year, but a new set of regulations to U.S. food and agriculture: mandatory genetic engineered (GE) labeling.
These new standards, outlined first by the Obama administration, requires food manufacturers, importers and other entities that label foods for retail sale to disclose information about genetically engineered food and food ingredients. According ... more. |
The Biden administration's plan to use farmers as a strategy against climate change is now in peril with Sen. Joe Manchin's statements Sunday that he can't support the Build Back Better bill.
Since coming into office, the Biden administration has focused on reducing greenhouse gases across the economy, including plans for agriculture to have "zero emissions" by 2050. The conservation ... more. |
The House Agriculture Committee will start 2022 looking at the impact of electric vehicles on agriculture and rural America, Chairman David Scott told DTN in an interview last week.
Scott, D-Ga., said the committee will hold a hearing in early January on electric vehicles with auto manufacturers about not only cars, but potential changes that could be coming with electric tractors and other vehicles. That ... more. |
During a visit to Eric Miller’s Piatt County, Ill., farm this past summer, a visitor from Argentina mentioned they refer to cover crops as “service crops.” Now, it’s Miller’s new favorite phrase.
“They provide all kinds of services. We’ve documented significant and consistent nitrate reductions in tile water. That’s our main focus,” says Miller, an acti ... more. |
EPA released a report on Dec. 21 detailing widespread alleged dicamba damage from the 2021 season but said the agency cannot move fast enough to make regulatory changes to dicamba use by the 2022 spray season.
"The regulatory tools that the Agency could use to address the extent and severity of the alleged dicamba related incidents are unlikely to be fully implemented by the 2022 growing season due to ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture’s proposed administrative rules for the use of Dicamba on soybeans were published in the Secretary of State’s Illinois Register. The proposed restrictions for dicamba use on soybeans are the same restrictions that were required in 2021.
In October 2020, USEPA announced that it had renewed the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act registrations ... more. |
On December 21st, 2021,the USEPA provided a summary of dicamba-related incident reports,obtained from pesticide registrants, States, the general public, and non-governmental organizations, from the 2021 growing season.
EPA is committed to helping states address issues related to incidents in their jurisdictions. If a state wishes to further restrict or nar ... more. |
The list of Democrats who want to succeed U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-East Moline, continues to swell in the new 17th Congressional District.
Incumbents have historically clung to power once elected, said Rockford University political Science and Economics Professor Robert Evans. When an incumbent is no longer in the running, it is not surprising for a crowded field of strong candidates to emerge.
B ... more. |
A market analyst is concerned inflation will hurt demand for non-GMO and organic crops.
David Hightower of the Hightower Report says in a surging price environment, premiums can quickly become cost prohibitive.
“And on the other end of the spectrum, when you have very low pricing, then paying a slight premium at low overall prices gives the non-GMO and organic (farmers) a significant opportu ... more. |
As news circulates that the Environmental Protection Agency could be making changes to dicamba registrations as well as other crucial herbicides used by farmers, a bipartisan group of congressional members are asking EPA to delay any changes. In a letter sent to EPA Administrator Michael Regan, Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., led 12 of her colleagues in the U.S. House calling on the agency to delay the implementati ... more. |
Food safety and environmental advocates are accusing the Environmental Protection Agency of allowing pesticide-coated crop seeds to threaten U.S. honeybee and bird populations in a new lawsuit.
The Center for Food Safety and the Pesticide Action Network North America alleged in San Francisco federal court Tuesday that the EPA failed to register the seeds, widely used by crop farmers, as a pesticide under t ... more. |
Citing three key factors in today’s fertilizer markets, The Mosaic Company says it recognizes fertilizer prices have increased dramatically in the past several months.
“We frankly empathize with the conundrums facing ag retailers and their customers–the growers,” says Andy Jung, Director, Market & Strategic Analysis at Mosaic. “Costs have escalated dramatically. There have ... more. |
The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Department of Justice to provide its view of a dispute between Monsanto, the company behind the herbicide Roundup, and a California man who successfully sued the agrochemical giant for causing his cancer.
Monsanto, which was acquired by Bayer in 2018, is seeking to appeal a $25 million ruling that found the company liable for causing plaintiff Edwin Hardeman to develop ... more. |
EPA is asking the Supreme Court to reject a petition by Idaho property owners Michael and Chantell Sackett to determine the standard for which the agency can make waters of the U.S. determinations.
In a brief filed at the end of November, EPA told the Supreme Court that lower courts have affirmed the validity of the use of the so-called "significant-nexus" standard.
The agency also said ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) published rules Friday for 2022 dicamba use on soybeans in the Illinois Register.
The restrictions are similar to those in place in 2021 and will be in addition to requirements of federally approved labels.
Publication started a 45-day comment period with a Jan. 31 deadline. For the 2022 growing season, IDOA plans to require the following.
Cli ... more. |
Click Here to read IFCA's winter newsletter. Stories in this newsletter include:
• Illinois Department of Agriculture Files Rules for Use of Dicamba on Soybeans, USEPA Still Mulling Dicamba
• Spring 2022 Anhydrous Ammonia Safety Schools
... more. |
If you are planning on attending the IFCA 2022 Annual Meeting and Tradeshow January 18th - 20th and need a room the cutoff date for our block of rooms is tomorrow, December 18th. Plan on attending and staying to socialize with fellow friends and industry peers. To secure a room at the Pere Marquette or Marriott click here to find the link to their reservation page.
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DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
Click Hereto read IFCA's winter newsletter. Stories in this newsletter include:
Illinois Department of Agriculture Files Rules for Use of Dicamba on Soybeans, USEPA Still Mulling Dicamba Decision
Spring 2022 Anhydrous Ammonia Safety Schools
Growers must be certified by April 1, 2022 to handle Anhydrous Ammonia
IFCA Veto Session Roundup
Exempting COVID Mandates from Healthcare Right o ... more. |
President Joe Biden will personally appeal this week to the key senator holding up the administration’s massive spending package, and the long-awaited nominee to run the Food and Drug Administration gets a hearing in the Senate.
Biden’s hopes of getting the Senate to pass the Build Back Better bill before Christmas suffered a fresh blow Friday when there was more bad news for Biden on the infla ... more. |
The Illinois Supreme Court will lift its pause order on judicial redistricting on Jan. 1, fully implementing new judicial boundaries passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker earlier this year.
The judicial district boundaries will change for the first time since they were established in 1964.
The court entered the order on June 7, pausing the transition to a new judic ... more. |
Companies included in the 2021 ranking were limited to independent dealerships and cooperatives offering four main product categories: fertilizer, crop protection products, seed, and custom application services. Figures do not include a host of services, such as data management, consulting/scouting, or grain elevator revenue.
Now in its 38th year, the CropLife 100 helps provide some insights into how those ... more. |
China published draft rules on Friday outlining registration requirements for herbicides used on genetically modified crops, in another sign that Beijing is gearing up to allow greater use of GM technology in agriculture, reports Reuters. The rules include guidelines on efficacy trials for herbicides used on herbicide-tolerant corn and soybeans, according to the statement on the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Af ... more. |
EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers published a rule in the Federal Register on Tuesday, initiating updates to the pre-2015 regulatory definition of the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule.
A June 2021 statement made by the Biden administration detailed plans to repeal the Trump administration’s Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR) promulgated under WOTUS in 2020. New regulations definin ... more. |
The World Food and Agriculture Organization released its annual report on the state of global agriculture. The free 368-page report covers all areas of agriculture, from livestock to crops in all parts of the world.
Here are some of the more interesting findings:
Pesticides Use Levels Off
Between 2012 and 2019, global pesticide use has held steady. Unfortunately, it leveled out after a 36% increa ... more. |
Some call it extremely demanding. Others call it risky. It’s the research, development, and registration of new chemistries, and it’s no secret that it’s a challenging process for agricultural product creators.
A CropLife International study pegs the cost at more than $280 million. During this lengthy period, many factors can complicate the process: Customer needs can change, new regulato ... more. |
Located in the heart of America’s breadbasket, Champaign County, Illinois, helps feed the nation’s demand for corn and soybeans while fueling one of the more insidious impacts of climate change – fertilizer runoff.
Every year, farmers apply tons of nitrogen fertilizer to the vast swaths of crops that blanket Champaign’s flat landscape.
As rain carries unused fertilizer into ... more. |
EPA is concerned about continued reports of off-target dicamba injury in the 2021 season and is considering changes to the most recent 2020 registrations of the dicamba herbicides XtendiMax, Engenia and Tavium.
But don't ask the agency when that decision might come.
"EPA has not yet made any decision regarding altering the 2020 dicamba registrations," said Meg Hathaway, a senior regu ... more. |
The deadline for the IFCA Scholarship is quickly approaching. If you have a child, grandchild, niece or nephew attending junior college or a four-year college, and they are studying for a potential career in agriculture, please have them complete the IFCA Scholarship application and return it to our office or email it to jason@ifca.com by December 17th. Click below for a copy of the application:
... more. |
IFCA has received many calls and emails over the last few months regarding the curriculum requirements for the new Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) regulations. IFCA has had several conversations with FMCSA for additional guidance on how our members need to train their drivers. Late last week FMCSA did release more information detailing what companies need to be using as a curriculum. ELDT reg ... more. |
Late last week Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced a bill in Congress (S. 3283) to amend The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) – see link to bill here. This bill was previously introduced in the last Congress by Senator Udall (D-NM) and Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO).
The legislation would gut decades of federal regulations and scientific progress and undermine EPA.&nb ... more. |
The Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council (NREC) has updated its “Cover Crop Guide for New Adopters” to include the latest information from researchers to help Illinois farmers utilize the best management practices for incorporating a cover crop ahead of soybeans.
The new 16-page Guide was created through the collaboration of NREC-funded researchers. Together they pooled their rese ... more. |
We are very sorry to learn of the passing of Verne Bader, who passed away on December 3rdat the age of 65. Verne was a pioneer inthe fertilizer industry, he and his sister managed Bader Agriculture which was started by their father in 1954.He was admired as a businessman and cherished as a friend to many in the ag industry and in his community. In 2014, The Fertilizer Institute ... more. |
This morning, Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) filed rules with the Illinois Secretary of State on dicamba application to soybeans. The additional restrictions for dicamba use on soybeanfiled by IDOA are the same restrictions required in 2021. These changes will most likely appear in the December 17, 2021, Illinois Register. Below is a list of additional restrictions from the filing that mirr ... more. |
Earlier this week, Randy Snyder passed away at the age of 64. “Papa Randy” had nearly 50 years of experience in the ag retail industry throughout East Central Illinois and was currently employed with United Prairie out of Jamaica, IL. To view Randy's obituary, please click here.
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If you have a child, grandchild, niece or nephew attending junior college or a four-year college, and they are studying for a potential career in agriculture, please have them complete the IFCA Scholarship application and return it to our office or email it tojason@ifca.comby December 17th. Click below for a copy of the application:
Application (WORD)
Application (PDF)
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Next Wednesday, December 8th, IFCA is co-hosting a 4R meeting focused on the lake Springfield watershed. The meeting, Water Quality and Economics of Conservation Practices, will cover the status of the lake, some of the latest agronomy research affecting phosphorus levels, as well as economics involved when implementing different conservation practices. Thanks to our sponsors, there is no charge to attend t ... more. |
The 2022 IFCA Winter Convention is January 18-20, 2022 at the Peoria Civic Center.
Registration Prices:
Pre-Registration: $90 for IFCA Members; $150 for non-members (includes Wednesday & Thursday Events)
Registration at the Door: $100 for IFCA Members; $200 for non-members ... more. |
Join us December 8th for a 4R meeting in Chatham, IL. The meeting, Lake Springfield Water Quality and Economics of Conservation Programs, willfocuson best management practices, the economic impact of these practices, and how they play a role in the health of lake Springfield. The meeting is free, offers 2.5 CEU's and provides dinner. Below are some additional details on who is spea ... more. |
Late last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued an order staying enforcement and implementation of OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) mandating COVID-19 vaccinations or at least weekly testing for workers at US companies with 100 or more employees. The order was issued after an expedited briefing and in response to a petition filed by various employers, states, and indivi ... more. |
IFCA is seeking members that have interest in the political policy process to serve on IFCA’s legislative committee. The IFCA legislative committee not only tracks legislative updates within Washington DC and Springfield, but also helps craft legislative ideas that will help the ag input industry. Some of the responsibilities of the committee include:
Identify the association’s strat ... more. |
The $1.2 trillion infrastructure package was approved in the Senate on August 10th, 2021, in a 69-30 bipartisan vote. Finally, after months of being blocked in the House, the infrastructure bill was passed in a 228-206 vote late into the night on November 5, 2021. President Joe Biden signed the legislation on Monday at the White House.
This infrastructure plan will cost an estimated $1.2 trilli ... more. |
Plaintiffs in three lawsuits challenging the new legislative district maps that Democrats pushed through the General Assembly earlier this year have submitted their proposed changes, which would create more Latino- and Black-majority districts in Cook County and the Metro East region.
The latest filings, submitted to a three-judge federal court panel Wednesday night, will be the subject of a combined heari ... more. |
Organizations representing rural businesses say the Biden Administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate is not the tool needed to promote more vaccinations and could be damaging to the ag supply chain.
Both the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives and the Agricultural Retailers Association have expressed concern with the OSHA-enforced mandate as a bad fit for their businesses.
“We ... more. |
Due to the waterfall effect of factors challenging the supply chain, 2022 is shaping up to be the most challenging for row crop producers in recent history.
There are growing concerns over the pricing and availability of crop inputs for the crop year ahead.
Fruit and vegetable producers felt immediate impact from the pandemic, as their demand centers blew up and they had to adjust to major shifts ... more. |
Democratic leaders are pushing for House passage of President Joe Biden’s package of social and climate spending priorities this week, while the Senate is set to debate an Agriculture Department nominee who will be key to carrying out the administration's climate policy.
Meanwhile, Biden on Monday afternoon will sign into law the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill that cleared the House ... more. |
Scientists from both Tennessee and Illinois have confirmed dicamba-resistant waterhemp in their respective states this week.
The Illinois weed population, collected from Champaign County, shows 5- to 10-fold levels of resistance to dicamba compared to susceptible populations, said University of Illinois weed scientist Aaron Hager. Overall, it is a 6-way resistant weed population, with resistance to Group 4 ... more. |
The Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council offers recommendations for best management practices based upon nine years of NREC-funded research. The research was conducted — and will continue to be conducted — on actual farmers’ tile-drained fields.
“Tile-drained fields are essential in the research because tile load has been identified as the primary source of nutrient loss ... more. |
EPA finalized its biological evaluations on glyphosate, atrazine and simazine, finding all three herbicides are "likely to adversely affect" certain species listed under the Endangered Species Act and their "designated critical habitats."
The agency released the biological evaluations after its regular business hours on Friday, stating in a news release, "These evaluations encompas ... more. |
China is planning changes to its seed regulations that will make it easier to approve genetically modified crops, a move seen as a critical step towards commercializing GM corn.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs published a draft document late on Friday proposing a series of amendments to several different regulations that cover GM crops.
The changes implement decisions by the Communis ... more. |
Congresswoman Cheri Bustos of Illinois says the state’s farmers and rural residents will benefit greatly from the recently passed federal infrastructure bill.
Bustos says $10 billion is designated for highway repairs in Illinois.
“We’ve got about 6200 miles of highways that are considered in poor condition in our state. If you want to look back at 2011, commute times have increas ... more. |
Anybody who’s walked the streets of the Farm Progress Show knows there’s a whole lot of wood chips out there. Turns out, they have life after the show.
Folks at the University of Illinois have put them to work following the 2021 FPS, using them to fill six wood chip bioreactors on Eric Miller’s farm in Piatt County, Ill.
These wood chip bioreactors are also a part of research bei ... more. |
Please join us December 8th at the Prairie View Reception Center in Chatham, IL for an evening meeting covering 4R's, water quality and economics of conservation practices. A social hour, dinner, informative presentations by university personnel, as well as CEU credits for CCA’s will all be included at no cost. Please RSVP by December 1st by contacting Shelly Seman (217) 241-6635 ext. 3 or m ... more. |
Industry groups are expressing concern about the federal vaccine mandate for private companies, claimingit will be "redundant and costly" for companies already supporting the vaccination among their current employees. It could also be detrimental to those businesses with barely more than one hundred employees if they lose employees to competitors not covered by the mandate.
With ... more. |
IFCA & IDOA is offering one last Train the Trainer Class for 2021 at the Agricenter in Bloomington, IL on December 13th from 10:00 am until 2:30 pm. This classroom course is for persons experienced with ammonia who want to train farmers under the new regulations for grower training. For a list of trainer qualifications click here. Attending this course will also satisfy Illinois Department of Agri ... more. |
If you happened to miss Dr. Nafziger’s recent webinar, Getting Fall Fertilizer Right, don’t worry, as you can now view the recorded video on the IFCA homepage. Some of the topics covered include:
Important factors affecting P and K decisions this year
What we learned about N rate responses from this past growing season
Fall NH3 applications
How we can improve N rate predictions
... more. |
At the IFCA annual meeting on January 19, 2022in Peoria we will be awarding $1,000 scholarships to 4-year or Jr College students who are pursuing their education for a career in our industry. The scholarship applications are posted on our home page atwww.ifca.comand can be downloaded in either Word or PDF. We always encourage students who are the sons, daughters, grandchildren, niece ... more. |
MARK YOUR CALENDARS! IFCA is moving forward with planning and hosting another great show. That’s right, the 2022 IFCA annual meeting and tradeshow will be held in Peoria, January 18 – 20th. We need your presence to make this one as successful as the MAGIE show. IFCA staff is currently working on putting together a phenomenal lineup of informative topics. This will include ... more. |
With several inches of rainfall across the state of Illinois in the month of October, many decisions need to be made regarding any crop left to be harvested,nitrogen applciations and fall tillage. Click the heading above to read Dr. Nafziger's latest FarmDoc Bulletintolearn more about the factors at play when makingthese decisions.
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House Democratic leaders are working toward passing President Joe Biden’s $1.75 trillion package of climate measures and social spending as soon as Tuesday, along with a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill.
The larger measure, President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better bill, includes more than $90 billion in ag spending. On Thursday Democrats released a new version of the bill that was sl ... more. |
U.S. tractor maker Deere & Co agreed on a new six-year contract with the United Auto Workers (UAW) union that would be subject to a vote by the company's striking workers, the company said in a statement on Saturday.
The new deal on wages and employee benefits covers about 10,100 employees across 12 facilities in Iowa, Illinois and Kansas.
"The negotiators focused on improving the are ... more. |
Earlier in 2021, Jim Collins announced he was going to retire from Corteva at the end of the year, and today, the company announced his successor. Chuck Magro (most recently CEO at Nutrien) will be Corteva’s CEO effective Nov. 1, 2021.
The company says Collins will work with Magro to assure a smooth transition.
In Corteva’s announcement, Greg Page, Independent Chairman of Corteva, said ... more. |
The Illinois Senate joined the House on Thursday in approving a change to the Health Care Right of Conscience Act that was requested by the governor and attorney general, putting it one signature away from becoming law.
The HCRC Act currently prohibits discrimination against anyone for their “conscientious refusal to receive, obtain, accept, perform, assist, counsel, suggest, recommend, refer or part ... more. |
Illinois Democrats are using their dominance in Springfield to help give their party an edge in maintaining control in Washington, D.C. while also lifting the political cachet of Latino voters in Chicago and the northern suburbs, but it comes at the expense of one of their own.
Late Thursday night and into the wee hours of Friday morning, chambers of the state legislature approved a new map of U.S. House d ... more. |
November appears to be a crucial month for fall fertilizer applications for the 2022 season.
A combination of weather conditions, including unseasonable warmth and excessive moisture, delayed fieldwork through much of October.
Now, as it appears farmers could see more of a window to apply fertilizer in November, many are wondering if they should cut rates due to a combination of high prices and ti ... more. |
The input price scenario for 2022 is growing more complicated and scary by the week. Farmers are already preparing for added costs to grow a crop next year, but even today’s prices may be an accurate snapshot for 2022 potential budgets. That’s because input prices continue to climb by the day.
From nitrogen to glyphosate, prices are posting 100% to 300% increases right now. Some farmers s ... more. |
On October 8, Premier Li Keqiang presided over an executive meeting of The State Council, making further plans to ensure the supply of electricity and coal in 2021 winter and 2022 spring to ensure the basic livelihood of the people and the smooth operation of the economy.
Winter arrives soon, and China normally starts the central heating system in the middle of November. People’s livelihoods will be ... more. |
Supply chain troubles are being blamed for much of this year’s surge in fertilizer prices, thanks to bad weather and pandemic issues that curtailed production and deepened shipping troubles around the world.
But even after the skies clear and port congestion eases, nutrient costs face an uncertain future. Global food prices and strong demand could keep expenses elevated long after market logjams fina ... more. |
On the heels of a recentwebinarconducted by Dr. Nafziger highlighting nitrogen rates,a new FarmDoc Bulletin, Management Decisions Relative to High Nitrogen Fertilizer Prices, discusses further the use of the Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) tool. Click here to be redirected to the article, where you can readmore aboutthe variables affectingnitrogen prices and the i ... more. |
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a new rule effective Nov. 8 to mandate states to not issue, renew, upgrade, or transfer CDL or commercial learner's permits after one or more drug and alcohol violations recorded in the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse. State driver's licensing agencies must remove CLP or CDL privilege and require states receiving Motor Carrier Safety Assistan ... more. |
We have received several inquiries from our members because of their most recent ammonia inspection by IDOA on what is the appropriately sized withdrawal valve that is required to meet the Illinois Department of Ag requirement that went into effect December 31, 2020:
Flow capacity of the excess flow valve shall not exceed 45 GPM for 1¼" tank connections and 60 GPM for 1&fr ... more. |
IFCA is working with Ag Retails Association (ARA) on modernizing the seasonal ag CDL program. IFCA and ARA encourage our members to send a message to elected officials using ARA's grassroots advocacy tool and make it known how important it is to your business that Congress modernizes the Farm-Related Restricted Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) program. Click here to read more on the issue a ... more. |
EPA Administrator Michael Regan announced last week the agency’s comprehensive strategic plan to confront PFAS contamination nationwide. The Biden administration plans to require chemical manufacturers to conduct aggressive health and environmental testing of these chemicals. More importantly, the approach to testing would group more than 2,000 individual PFAS into roughly 20 different categories of s ... more. |
IFCA is pleasedto announce a new feature to the 2018 Convention...Online Registration!
Online registration is convenient and simple to use. Register just yourself or choose to sign up multiple people under the same transaction to simplify your billing. Each attendee is able receive their own registration confirmation via the email given and you receive just one invoice...it’s easy ... more. |
Farmers are well aware of the massive runup of crop input prices that could have a profound impact on returns in 2022. But what about obtaining adequate supplies of fertilizer and crop protection products amid ongoing supply chain issues? Industry leaders provided their input and tips for farmers this month on the RFD Radio Network’s Profit Watch.
“Looking at 2022, I feel like we’ll have ... more. |
On Tuesday Illinois lawmakers will be in session with one of the major topics being congressional redistricting. The process is done following each census, Illinois will lose one seat, going from 18 seats to 17 seats, because of a decline in population.
University of Illinois political science professor Brian Gaines sees the proposed democratic-constructed map as a way to maximize the number of seats ahead ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency on Monday released a strategy for reducing contamination from PFAS, a group of more than 9,000 compounds that have been dubbed “forever chemicals” for their ability to persist in water, soil and tissue without breaking down.
PFAS is shorthand for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which have been used in a wide variety of manufacturing processes and which h ... more. |
This year marks the 35th anniversary of the US Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology, a blueprint for federal agencies’ oversight of genetic engineering that was prepared by the White House and published by its Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).
The OSTP now has a perfect opportunity for President Biden to make good on his repeated promises to “always follow the ... more. |
More than 80 ag groups are formally objecting to the EPA’s ban on the insecticide chlorpyrifos.
The group, which includes the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Soybean Association, specialty crop organizations, and others, is concerned with several areas of the EPA’s decision including the process that was used and the lack of scientific basis.
The group says EPA failed t ... more. |
From Bayer's glyphosate plant in Louisiana being idle for nearly six weeks to a possible change in planting plans due to input challenges and other market factors, Bayer told investors on Tuesday the company sees no impact on its full-year guidance.
Bayer's glyphosate plant was offline for more than five weeks after taking a hit from Hurricane Ida in late August. As growers across the U.S. are face ... more. |
Concerns are on the rise following reports of China expanding its ban on fertilizer exports. The country issued changes in exports inspections for major types, including urea, nitrogen, and phosphate. Further tightening the supply chain.
It comes as U.S. farmers are already having issues finding inputs.
Economist Harry Vroomen with the Fertilizer Institute spoke with RFD-TV's own Janet Adkison ... more. |
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said Wednesday that the White House plans to look at consolidation within the seed industry, the next step in carrying out President Joe Biden’s order to increase competition within agriculture.
Vilsack, visiting Ankeny and Ames with Víctor Manuel Villalobos Arámbula, Mexico’s secretary of agriculture and rural development, said the admini ... more. |
Democratic leaders are trying to nail down an agreement this week on President Joe Biden’s Build Build Better package of social spending and climate policy ahead of his pivotal trip to Europe for a G-20 summit and the international climate conference in Glasgow.
Getting a deal on the spending package, if not a final vote, is seen as critical to getting progressives to vote for the Senate-passed inf ... more. |
As rain continues to fall throughout the state and fields remain wet, don’t miss the opportunity to listen in on Dr. Nafizger’s informative nitrogen webinar tomorrow, October 26, at 8:00am. The webinar will cover several topics surrounding nitrogen that can aid in a successful NH3 season as well as help with the extremely important decisions retailers and farmers need to make when planning their n ... more. |
As we approach another fall ammonia season, several variables play a role in a successful season. These include, but are not limited tologistics, weather, grain and nitrogen prices,stewardship,customer relations and public expectations. At IFCA, none of these are lost as we support our ag retailers in their push for a successful and safe ammonia season.
Part of a success ... more. |
As we prepare for the upcoming ammonia season, here are 10 key safety reminders to keep foremost in your mind when working with ammonia:
1. Remember to always utilize your ammonia gloves and chemical splash goggles when working around ammonia. Never wear contact lenses when working around anhydrous ammonia.
2. Make sure each nurse tank has 5 gallons of fresh clean water ... more. |
If you still need anhydrous ammonia safety training for new or part-time employees, IFCA offers online NH3 training for those employees. A training certificate will be issued after the completion of the training and quiz. The training certificate will expire onJuly 15orDecember 31as indicated on the certificate and cannot be repeated or renewed. Any further training ... more. |
Democrats in the Illinois General Assembly released a proposed set of new congressional district maps Friday. All states redraw their congressional districts following each decennial census. The proposed new maps reflect the fact that Illinois will have only 17 congressional districts after the 2022 elections, down from its current 18 districts, due to the state’s loss of population since the 2010 cen ... more. |
Ag businesses are dealing daily with an inability to get necessary supplies for customers and for their own operations. A new report from CoBank, "Adapting to Persistent Supply Disruptions," indicates the U.S. economy is transitioning to a new phase, which will affect ag supplies for the rest of the year and into 2022.
Supply disruptions, along with labor shortages, are adding significant costs t ... more. |
The deficit in the state’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund remains over $4.3 billion and interest payments on the debt began accruing on Sept. 6.
Thus far, more than $6 million in interest has accrued on the money Illinois owes the federal government, according to the U.S. Treasury, and interest will continue to accrue at a rate of 2.27%. The state earmarked $10 million for interest payments this f ... more. |
Democrats in the Illinois General Assembly released a proposed set of new congressional district maps Friday, just days before lawmakers return to the Statehouse for the start of their fall veto session, which begins Oct. 19.
All states redraw their congressional districts following each decennial census. The proposed new maps reflect the fact that Illinois will have only 17 congressional districts after t ... more. |
Illinois farmers made steady progress in the fields last week although scattered rain caused brief delays for some.
Corn harvest passed the half-way mark at 55% complete compared to 41% the week before and 46% on average. As of Sunday, the USDA rates the crop 70% good to excellent.
Soybean harvest is 43% complete compared to 32% the week before and 45% on average. Illinois soybeans are rated 71% g ... more. |
Mexico's health safety regulator, Cofepris, rejected a Bayer GM (genetically modified) corn trait for import last week because it contains glyphosate tolerance, the latest move by the country's government to position itself in opposition to GM technology and glyphosate use.
The rejection will not affect current U.S. corn exports to the country and appears to be largely symbolic, since part of the t ... more. |
The glyphosate shortage that started the spring of 2021 is only intensifying as farmers prepare for the 2022 growing season. However, as growers try to source enough of the widely used herbicide for the upcoming growing season, there is good news for one major U.S. plant.
Bayer says its glyphosate plant in Luling, La., is back online after being shuttered since August 28. The plant was idled after Hurrican ... more. |
It’s a supply and demand tale that bodes well for farmers: At the tail-end of the 1990s, fertilizer supplies were relatively balanced. But when natural gas prices began to climb, many U.S. fertilizer producers were burned out of the business.
In the past seven years, fracking technology has become an important recovery vehicle for domestic natural gas, allowing U.S. fertilizer producers to regain the ... more. |
On World Fertilizer Day (October 13) The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) and its ag retail members announced a campaign to increase the use of 4R nutrient stewardship to 70 million acres in the next nine years.
“This is a stretch goal, but we think it’s very attainable,” says TFI president and CEO Corey Rosenbusch. He explains TFI worked with retailers who assessed the current use of 4R stewar ... more. |
Improving U.S. trade with Asian nations, particularly China, is the top priority for American food exporters as President Joe Biden’s nominee for chief agricultural trade negotiator heads for Senate confirmation.
“We are being left behind while the rest of the world has negotiated new business deals,” said Peter Bachmann, vice president of international trade policy at USA Rice Federation ... more. |
In agriculture, the struggle for dominance over the customer experience across the upstream value chain has waxed and waned for decades. Manufacturers, always hungry for more direct interaction with farmer customers, have often dipped their toes into programs designed to gain greater influence and access, with mixed results.
In the 1980s, crop protection manufacturer American Cyanamid even took the ultimat ... more. |
Dr. Nafziger will be presenting a webinar on everything nitrogen, including an explanation of the new protocol for implementing nitrogen rate trials. One CEU credit in NM will be provided for attending the webinar.
Click the link below to register for the Fall Nitrogen Webinar – Dr. Emerson Nafziger on Oct 26, 2021 8:00 AM CDT
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3098548 ... more. |
As we approach the middle of October, thoughts begin to turn to the yearly question "When Can I Start to Apply Fall Ammonia?"
The following best management practices reflect what we have learned in 9 years of NREC funded research, performed on actual farmer fields over tile drainage. These BMPs are also part of both the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (INLRS) and the Univers ... more. |
IFCA recently signed onto two different coalition letters that are being sent to USEPA. The first letter is regarding USEPA revoking all tolerances for the insecticide chlorpyrifos. Based on these objections, IFCA urge USEPA to rescind the final rule revoking tolerances and consider continued agricultural uses of chlorpyrifos under its ongoing, normal-order registration review of chlorpyrifos.
&n ... more. |
Recently, Kevin Johnson was in Washington D.C. visiting with members of congress trying to garner supports for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This bipartisan legislation represents an opportunity to provide meaningful economic and quality of life enhancements to communities across the country and to build for the future.
The investments made in the Senate package would facilitate long overdue ... more. |
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Are you interested in training growers and have at least five years of experience in the anhydrous ammonia industry? IFCA & IDOA is offering one last Train the Trainer Class for 2021 at the Agricenter in Bloomington, IL on December 13th from 10:00 am until 2:30 pm. This classroom course is for persons experienced with ammonia who want to train farmers under the new regulations for grower training.&n ... more. |
October holds the promise of cold weather, first frosts and, for many, the blessed end of the march of the fall armyworms, a season-long invasion that plagued farmers, ranchers and homeowners across the country this year.
But don't let that welcome chill comfort you too long. This year's fall armyworm epidemic -- the worst in nearly five decades by some entomologists' estimates -- may be ending ... more. |
Several years ago, I remember reading one classic Far Side that has stuck with me to this day. The cartoon showed two deer standing in a field, with one having a bull’s-eye on his chest. “Bummer of a birthmark, Hal,” read the caption.
Given current events, I’m sure there are many companies that play in the crop protection products space that can relate to this imagery. Now by its na ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency has named Rod Snyder its new Agriculture Advisor. Snyder has been nationally recognized for his leadership at the intersection of agriculture and environmental policy and comes to the agency after serving as president of Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture. EPA says he will lead outreach and engagement efforts with ag community for the EPA. ... more. |
The Center for Strategic International Studies (CSIS), a Washington think tank, hosted Ambassador Katherine Tai, United States Trade Representative (USTR), to share the Biden Administration’s trade vision and strategies with China.
In her opening remarks, Tai acknowledged President Biden’s intention to create global competitiveness through smart domestic investments, such as research and develo ... more. |
Port officials say strong American consumer demand has continued unabated for more than a year, as the Port of Los Angeles has seen a 30% increase in cargo volume so far this year.
It's impacting agriculture in the U.S. because of record-high shipping rates. That’s coupled with the fact that some shipping lines are working to get empty containers back to factories in Asia as quick as possible.
& ... more. |
If you are a retailer, grower, or custom applicator, chances are you are paying close attention to how well the new(ish) 2,4-D and dicamba technologies are controlling Palmer amaranth and pigweed populations. In a limited number of fields, the answer is, not so well — and naturally, there is a fear of the snowball effect, writes Jackie Pucci at CropLife.
To put into perspective how costly the battle ... more. |
The Illinois House Redistricting Committee held its first hearing last week on new congressional and judicial subcircuit district maps at the Michael Bilandic Building in Chicago. Another half-dozen hearings were scheduled for the following seven days to redraw the maps, which have to be reconfigured after each decennial census.
The hearings aren’t likely to matter a whole lot when push actually come ... more. |
STAR, Saving Tomorrow’s Agriculture Resources, an initiative developed by farmers for farmers, recently released its annual report for the 2020 crop year.
The report documents STAR’s continued growth and summarizes the benefits of in-field practices implemented by Illinois’ farmers and landowners.
“The Illinois Department of Agriculture commends STAR on a year of growth,&rd ... more. |
Shares in Bayer AG rose 2.5% in pre-market trade on Wednesday after the German agricultural and pharmaceuticals firm won its first trial over claims its Roundup weedkiller causes cancer.
A California jury found that the herbicide was not a substantial cause of a child's rare form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, the company said on Tuesday. The verdict is the fourth involving Roundup and the first in the ... more. |
Dr. Emerson Nafziger recently posted a new Bulletin titled "Fertilizer Decisions, Fall 2021”. This written article details the current state of fertilizer prices, the effect this has on the MRTN rate, as well as soil temperatures ahead of the fall anhydrous ammonia season. The UI Bulletin can be viewed by clicking here or downloaded from the IFCA homepage at www.ifca.com.
... more. |
Are you interested in training growers and have at least five years of experience in the anhydrous ammonia industry? IFCA & IDOA is offering one last Train the Trainer Class for 2021 at the Agricenter in Bloomington, IL on December 13th from 10:00 am until 2:30 pm. This classroom course is for persons experienced with ammonia who want to train farmers under the new regulations for grower training. ... more. |
U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai is set to deliver a speech Monday about the Biden administration’s approach to U.S.-China trade, an issue that has taken a back seat to the domestic agenda the president is struggling to get through Congress.
Also on Monday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will announce details of a loan guarantee program aimed at expanding meat processing capacity and reduci ... more. |
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday signed into law revised sets of legislative and judicial district boundaries over the objections of Republican rivals who slammed the new maps as blatant gerrymandering and reform groups who argue they shut out Black and Latino voices.
But the Democratic governor insisted the maps drawn up by his party “align with the landmark Voting Rights Act and will help ensure Illino ... more. |
As the ethanol industry awaits the release of renewable volume obligations for 2021 and 2022 and a possible change to 2020 volumes, a Democratic group of lawmakers is pressing on the Biden administration to not make cuts to the RFS.
Since July reports surfaced the Biden administration was first delaying the release of already-late volumes, followed by news there may be cuts to the RFS for 2021 and 2022 and ... more. |
Gene editing is a tool with unlimited potential to help reduce malnutrition globally, said Dr. Lawrence Haddad, executive director of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).
The world needs the technology because billions of people are struggling to access the nutritious meals required to stay healthy, Haddad said.
The leader of GAIN, a Switzerland-based foundation launched by the Unite ... more. |
ResponsibleAg, a voluntary and industry-led safety and stewardship initiative, has completed its 4,000th facility audit. The effort is a joint venture between The Fertilizer Institute and the Agricultural Retailers Association to help participating locations keep employees, customers, and communities safe.
The milestone was completed at Rutherford Farmers Cooperative in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, an af ... more. |
A carbon tax is a tax levied on the emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Carbon taxes are seen as a way to reduce carbon emissions by encouraging businesses and consumers to switch to less carbon-intensive products and services, and also to encourage investors to pursue ESG strategies. Revenue raised by carbon taxes can be used to reduce other taxes, fund infrastructure improvements, pay for alternative ... more. |
The fertilizer industry is swarmed with Black Swan events. From the impacts of Hurricane Ida to political and climate issues entangled in a cobweb of production slowdowns in Europe and China, the Black Swan events continue to stack up.
According to Josh Linville of StoneX Group, on Monday, the Chinese government effectively banned phosphate exports through June 2022. The news comes as China's productio ... more. |
As the 2021 corn and soybean crops are coming out of the fields, the supply situation for fertilizer and other chemicals is shaping up to make 2022 an expensive year for inputs.
The move by China earlier this week to ban phosphate exports until at least June of next year puts even more pressure on global phosphate trade. The U.S. doesn't buy much phosphate from China, but the country represents about 3 ... more. |
Tuesday, October 26th at 8:00 am Central Time, Dr. Emerson Nafziger will lead a webinar on nitrogen management. Data produced from several research projects focusing on nitrogen research from the 2021 corn season will drive the discussion. Dr. Nafziger will also be covering the new nitrogen rate protocol that will be used moving forward to gather information on nitrogen uptake in IL corn. This w ... more. |
Monday, October 4th, will be the last in-person competent ammonia training offered in 2021. The training willrunfrom 9:00am-noon at the Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington, IL. Anyone at your facility that works with ammonia or ammonia equipment must be certified at least once every 3 years as a competent attendant. This course provides important safety and ammonia facility regulatory i ... more. |
Two major cooperatives have been victims of ransomware attacks in the past week, one in Iowa, and one in Minnesota. Black Matter has taken responsibility for the attacks and is made up of Russian-speaking attackers who code in Russian. The group's blog says it does not conduct attacks on organizations in industries that include healthcare, critical infrastructure, oil and gas, defense, nonprofits, and governmen ... more. |
As the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers under the Biden administration tackle the re-writing of definition of what constitutes a waters of the U.S., EPA Administrator Michael Regan says the goal remains for “clarity, for certainty and for a durable rule” as the agencies will not be reinstating either the Trump-era Navigable Waters Protection Rule or the Clean Water Rule intr ... more. |
U.S. President Joe Biden told the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday he would work with Congress to double funds by 2024 to $11.4 billion per year to help developing nations deal with climate change.
The funding would help achieve a global goal set more than a decade ago of $100 billion per year to support climate action in vulnerable countries by 2020.
"The best part is, ma ... more. |
The University of Illinois has announced Germán Bollero as the new interim dean designate of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, pending approval by the Board of Trustees.Bollero transitions to the role after more than a decade of administrative leadership in the college, serving as associate dean of research and department head for the Department of Crop Sciences.“The e ... more. |
Writing on behalf of rural businesses throughout North America, Agricultural Retailers Association CEO and President Daren Coppock sent a letter to President Biden and the Department of Labor regarding the planned COVID vaccine mandate to be enforced by employers.
In the letter Coppock said: “While we share your goal of putting COVID-19 behind us as soon as possible, we oppose the idea of ... more. |
The Southern California ports that are responsible foralmost halfof all US imports hit a new record every day last week.
Over the past week, the queue of ships waiting to unload at the ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach have lengthened by 10 ships. On Friday, the ports had 65 cargo ships stuck at anchor or in drift areas waiting for spots to open up to dock and unload. The ports, w ... more. |
A recent survey of ag retailers finds carbon market programs need to offer more incentives for farmers and retailers to participate. Craig Dick with Axiom Marketing tells Brownfieldabout a third of participants in their survey are actively engaged in carbon credits.
“The majority of them are really wanting to figure out how to get involved in this, but the downside of that is ... more. |
Ag retail sits in a compelling place when it comes to participation in carbon sequestration programs. They are often involved in collecting and managing data. They most often have a unique trust bond with the farmer customer, and solid partnership arrangements with product manufacturers. They also help to curate and champion technologies and strategies in conjunction with the farmer.
So it’s cr ... more. |
Agricultural chemicals are expected to see another year of rising prices and spotty shortages, industry stakeholders and farmers told DTN. At issue are continued soaring freight costs, labor shortages and tight inventory, which have left the supply chain vulnerable to sudden weather or logistical hiccups.
The biggest takeaway? Start conversations with your retailers and suppliers early and read those prepay co ... more. |
In August 2021, EPA released a final rule revoking all “tolerances” for chlorpyrifos, which establish an amount of a pesticide that is allowed on food. Since EPA’s ruling, IFCA has heard from many ag retailers that have had additional questions. The agency recently put out a FAQ to answer some of these common questions. Click here to find the FAQ from EPA on Chlorpyrifos. A ... more. |
In the past week the IL Dept of Ag staff gave IFCA an update on the dicamba misuse complaints in 2021. Here are the highlights:
IDA to date has received a total of 348 pesticide misuse complaints. 319 of those complaints are agriculture related. 178 of the 319 ag related complaints were attributed to dicamba. To IDA's knowledge there were no complaints filed that were attr ... more. |
Each year, dozens of nitrogen rate trials are implemented throughout the state of Illinois. The data from these trials update the MRTN – Maximum Return to N – calculator and has allowed farmers and retailers a method to calculate N rate guidelines at selected prices of N and corn directly from recent, regional research.
Dr. Emerson Nafziger recently developed a new protocol for conducting ... more. |
Hurricane Ida struck the heart of the U.S. fertilizer industry, and now Storm Nicholas threatens even more damage in the Gulf of Mexico, potentially driving up the cost to produce food.
The storm, classified as a tropical depression, is lashing the U.S. Gulf Coast with torrential rain that could last for days, knocking out power and unleashing floods just two weeks after Hurricane Ida. The region is the U. ... more. |
As the world has largely moved on from the COVID-19 economic stoppages of 2020, many markets have been hit with severe product shortages due to supply chain disruptions.
Unfortunately, agriculture has not been immune to this phenomenon. Back during the beginning for the 2021 spring season, several ag retailers and their grower-customers were reporting some severe shortages of key early season products. Thi ... more. |
The Handy Bt Trait table is a corn farmer's best friend.
The chart lists every commercially available Bt corn product, one by one, and untangles the traits within. Every year, it is used by farmers, scientists, industry and others to sort through the nine insecticidal corn traits on the market, cross-licensed in dozens of branded packages within various company trait platforms.
It started 15 y ... more. |
Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed wide-ranging legislation overhauling Illinois’ energy sector on Wednesday, calling the bill a “giant leap forward” for the state as it works to address the effects of climate change and establish “aggressive” clean energy standards.
“We can’t outrun or hide from climate change — not to the north where the boundary waters burn, not to ... more. |
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) pledged to tackle climate change, following comments from Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) opposing a key climate proposal in the reconciliation bill being crafted by Democrats.
“We can’t let this moment pass by. It’s our time to act,” Schumer said at a climate rally Monday outside the Capitol, where several other lawmakers also spoke.
&nbs ... more. |
Europe’s energy crunch has forced a major fertilizer maker to shut down two U.K. plants, the first sign that a record rally in gas and power prices is threatening to slow the region’s economic recovery.
CF Industries Holdings Inc. said Wednesday it’s halting operations at its Billingham and Ince manufacturing complexes due to high natural gas prices, with no estimate for when production w ... more. |
The Directors of the Illinois Department of Agriculture and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are announcing the release of Illinois’ third Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS) Biennial Report. The Report describes the continued progress being made in Illinois as well as challenges to reduce nutrient losses from multiple sources to improve water quality in Illinois and downstream to reduce the ... more. |
Congressional Democrats, who are already struggling to agree on their signature Build Back Better spending plan, face the even more immediate task of averting a government shutdown and default.
The House Rules Committee meets Monday to prepare for floor debate a continuing resolution that is needed to keep the government funded after the new fiscal year starts Oct. 1.
Along with the CR, the House ... more. |
New details for a potential $3.5 trillion spending and tax package were released by the House Ways & Means Committee on Monday September 13, 2021, including a proposal for funding new policies advanced by Democrats. This package includes proposals for several changes to the tax code intended to generate additional tax revenues. Several of these provisions could impact farmers; however, two tax changes proposed ... more. |
Glyphosate is keeping several California courtrooms busy. It’s premature to start digging through your farm’s records to see how things were done in the pre-Roundup Ready days, but litigation could impact the future of glyphosate in farming operations.
Although there is a strong body of scientific evidence indicating glyphosate used in accordance with labeling requirements does not result in ne ... more. |
With rain in the forecast, it’s still not too late to join IFCA at Precision Planting’s PTI farm in Pontiactomorrow for IFCA’s 4R field day. The field day is free and will be offering 5 hours of CEU credits for crop advisors. Current and former University of Illinois researchers, as well as Precision Planting staff will be covering current agronomic topics that impact both retail ... more. |
Companies in the ag retail industry face many regulations. Remaining compliant as well as documenting and submitting all necessary paperwork can be overwhelming at times. For compliance assistance, look to the Asmark Institute, a trusted national resource center serving the agricultural retailer industry. Through providing compliance materials and services and developing common sense solutions to ... more. |
Carbon markets isone of the hottest topics in the agriculture industry. Registration is open for the webinar: “Farmer Perspectives on Carbon”, led by Executive Vice President of Trust in Food Amy Skoczlas Coleon Sept. 16 at 1 p.m. The webinar is put on by Ag Retailers Association (ARA). IFCA thanksARA for putting on this timely webinar.
Register for this webinar to ... more. |
The application of lime to Illinois cropland is a time tested method for controlling soil acidity. It can help maintain optimum nutrient availability and consequently, crop production. The Illinois Department of Agriculture and the Illinois Association of Aggregate Producers work together to publish the Illinois Voluntary Limestone Program Producer Information booklet detailing the latest testing result ... more. |
IFCA would like to invite you to join us at Precision Planting’s PTI farm in Pontiac, IL on September 21st where we will be hosting a 4R field day. The field day is free and will be offering CEU’s for crop advisors. Current and former University of Illinois researchers, as well as Precision Planting staff will be covering current agronomic topics that impact both retailers and growers. ... more. |
2021 is shaping up to be a year of pestilence. Even setting COVID-19 aside, farmers have seen an active year of insects, disease and herbicide-resistant weeds, on top of the usual seasonal challenges of farming.
In this month's installment of Field Roundup, DTN Farm Advisers -- a group of farmers and ranchers from around the country -- reported via email on the season's most challenging pests. In c ... more. |
USDA says recent rains in some areas, and lack of rain in other portions of the country, didn't do enough to change crop conditions this past week.
According to the latest Crop Progress report, 60% of the corn crop is rated good to excellent, unchanged from last week. Kentucky, North Carolina and Wisconsin are rated the top three states in corn conditions ratings across the country. However, Illinois r ... more. |
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker voiced full-throated support late Friday to a new version of clean-energy legislation that tightens the screws on high-polluting, downstate coal power plants.
Under the proposal, carbon-emission reductions of 100 percent would be required at the Prairie State Energy Campus facility near St. Louis and a municipally-owned coal plant in Springfield by 2045, or they would face closure ... more. |
For more than a decade, chlorpyrifos has come under fire by activist groups which petitioned the EPA to revoke all tolerances of the organophosphate. The agency did not revoke the tolerances. Appeals followed, and litigation started against the agency for denying the groups' petition, which at the time the agency said failed to meet the legal burden under the law for EPA to revoke chlorpyrifos.
That wa ... more. |
Democrats in the General Assembly pushed through a new set of legislative maps during a one-day special session Tuesday, Aug. 31, although the process they used sparked the ire of Republicans and voting rights advocates alike.
If accepted by Gov. JB Pritzker, as they are expected to be, the new maps would replace those adopted in May, which were passed without the benefit of official 2020 U.S. Census data. ... more. |
The largest U.S. producer of glyphosate is offline due to the impacts of Hurricane Ida. Bayer Crop Science confirmed its Luling, La., site was offline as of Monday. However, the duration of the pause in production is still unknown.
"In keeping with our regular hurricane emergency preparedness protocol, our Luling, La., site has been closed and securely locked down as Hurricane Ida passes through the a ... more. |
Fallen structures, electrical wires and damaged barges are still clogging the lower Mississippi River, but Louisiana Ag Commissioner Mike Strain says he expects the main artery for U.S. ag exports to be at least partially open for traffic in five days or less.
Some grain elevators and terminals are still operational in the wake of Hurricane Ida, but many are not, and getting them up and running is a top pr ... more. |
After cancelling last year’s Midwest AG Industries Exposition (MAGIE) due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association (IFCA) was more than eager to host the annual event last week in Bloomington, IL. MAGIE’s return was especially rewarding as IFCA was able to celebrate its 40th anniversary in grand style.
Click Here to read more.
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The IFCA staff and Board of directors would like to send out a huge thank you to all our exhibitors as well as attendees for making this year’s 40th show a huge success. The warm weather did not deter record crowds from seeing the latest and greatest agriculture technology in the agriculture input sector. Mark your calendars for next year’s MAGIE show on August 24-25, 2022, at the McLean C ... more. |
Anyone at your facility that works with ammonia or ammonia equipment must be certified at least once every 3 years as a competent attendant. This course provides important safety and ammonia facility regulatory information and enables the attendee to achieve a 3-year certificate as a "competent attendant" in order to handle ammonia and comply with IDA regulations.
There are six ... more. |
On Tuesday, September 21st, Precision Planting will host an upcoming 4R field day at their Precision Technology Institute (PTI) farm in Pontiac, IL. The field day is sponsored by the 4R Field Day Alliance and will cover many agronomic topics that impact both retailers and growers. Click here to view the agenda. To register for this free event, please email kj@ifca.com or jason@ifca.com.
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Max Armstrong attended the MAGIE show (Midwest Ag Industries Exposition), and talked with Kevin Johnson, Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association, about inputs and the impact of the ag economy, as well as new application technology.
Dale Durchholz, Grain Cycles, visits with Mike Pearson about the recent corn and soybean prices, and shares insight for ethanol, crop storage options, marketing options, pr ... more. |
Farmers far outside the direct path of Hurricane Ida could face higher diesel prices as they move into harvest, as well as early shipping challenges, depending on the extent of time oil production and Gulf Coast ports are down.
The eye of Ida hit Port Fourchon, Louisiana, on Sunday where a large part of the Gulf of Mexico oil production is based. Ida took offline nearly all of 1.7 million barrels per day ( ... more. |
Just three months after Illinois Democrats drew a map favoring their party, comes news that the party will have to tweak it, extending a redistricting that is far from over.
A federal judge has rejected Republican efforts to throw out Democrats’ legislative districts map but warned Democrats of their need to address concerns about undercounted minority populations.
Last spring, I ... more. |
Illinois will require all eligible students and school employees to be vaccinated and re-instituted an indoor mask mandate under an order announced by Governor J.B. Pritzker on Thursday.
Pritzker, a Democrat, issued the new policy amid a resurgence of COVID-19 cases spurred largely by the Delta variant of the virus and increasing reports of "breakthrough" cases in which people already vaccinated ... more. |
After decades of litigation, EPA announced a plan to pull chlorpyrifos off the market last week.
If you missed the breaking news story, see it here: . But if you saw it and still have questions -- When does the ban start? What products are affected? Is it final? -- you're in the right place.
Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide better known to farmers and pesticide applicators by var ... more. |
More than 60 groups are urging Democratic congressional leaders to prioritize climate-friendly agriculture, food systems and equity in their $3.5 trillion domestic spending package.
About $89 billion in the budget reconciliation measure will be designated for agriculture and forestry in the package, and groups including the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, American Sustainable Business Council, ... more. |
The overwhelming majority of federally threatened and endangered species are likely to be “adversely affected” by three commonly used neonicotinoid insecticides, the Environmental Protection Agency said in draft assessments that were met with immediate criticism from grower groups Thursday.
The draft biological evaluations are the first step in the interagency consultation process with federal ... more. |
Based on China’s 13th Five-Year Plan, optimizing the structure of mergers and acquisitions was the key goal to aggregate industry resources into the top manufacturers, so that the number of manufacturers would be reduced 20% before 2021. In the 14th Five-Year Plan, M&A will contribute to developing an efficient process for the top manufacturers with the lowest waste output. It will also support China&rsqu ... more. |
Although CRISPR has been slower to realize agricultural applications than biotechnology and biomedical applications, it is ready to help us cope with an array of agricultural challenges that includes an expanding population, a rapidly warming climate, and a shrinking supply of arable land.
CRISPR-Cas9 technologies can help product developers accomplish tasks that would severely test or simply exceed the ca ... more. |
With corn prices almost $2 higher and soybean prices almost $5 higher than a year ago, fertilizer prices have increased.
Starting last fall, strong farm economics created high demand for fertilizer that lasted through the spring season and left fertilizer supplies depleted.
Farm economics remain solid and fall fertilizer demand is again expected to be strong. COVID-19 has also been a major market ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is expected to recommend to the White House lowering the nation's biofuel blending mandates below 2020 levels, in what would be a blow to the biofuels industry, two sources familiar with the matter said on Friday.
The EPA is looking to align mandates with actual production levels, which have slumped during the coronavirus pandemic. The mandates determine the amo ... more. |
Fertilizer imports from Russia and Trinidad and Tobago are likely harming U.S. industries, according to a new finding released Friday by the International Trade Commission.
The finding that U.S. industries are being “materially injured” by imports of urea ammonium nitrate solutions (UAN) means the Commerce Department will continue to conduct its separate investigation into whether Russia and Tr ... more. |
Shipping issues continue to surface. The latest is in China’s Ningbo-Zhoushan container port, which is the third-busiest in the world. It has been partially shut down for six days, with no sign of reopening yet.
The Meishan terminal, which is the one that’s halted, services shipments to the United States and Europe. The Chinese government halted inbound and outbound container services on Wednes ... more. |
The Midwest Ag Industries Exposition (MAGIE) has always been an event where those in the ag application industry can do more than just kick the tires of a new sprayer or other piece of equipment.
The wildly popular ride-and-drive feature became a staple of the show over the years. And, that opportunity returns to the McLean County Fairgrounds Aug. 25-26 when the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association ... more. |
Fertilizer imports from Russia and Trinidad and Tobago are likely harming U.S. industries, according to a new finding released late last week by the International Trade Commission. The finding that U.S. industries are being “materially injured” by imports of urea ammonium nitrate solutions (UAN) means the Commerce Department will continue to conduct its separate investigation into whether Russia a ... more. |
As of today, the Illinois Department of Agriculture reports that they have received a total of 328 total pesticide misuse cases. Of those complaints, 302 are agricultural related, and 174 of the 302 ag complaints are dicamba related.
Click on this chart to see the number of pesticide complaints each year going back to 1989. Also, a graph depicting cumulative dicamba complaints from 2018-2 ... more. |
For two days in August the best and brightest ag retail equipment and services will be on display at the annual Midwest AG Industries Exposition (MAGIE), which turns 40 this year. The slideshow offers a preview of some of the items that will be featured at the McLean County Fairgrounds.
A favorite at MAGIE — which returns after its cancellation last year due to COVID-19 — is the “Ride and ... more. |
The Eastern Corn Belt is approaching a record-setting year for corn and soybean yields, according to Day Four of the 2021 DTN Digital Yield Tour, which explored Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.
Powered by Gro Intelligence, the tour is an in-depth look at how this year's corn and soybean crops are progressing using Gro's real-time yield maps, which are generated with satellite imagery, rainfall data, tem ... more. |
Bayer AG’s Roundup woes deepened as it lost another appeal of a jury verdict finding its weed killer causes cancer, the company’s third consecutive appeals court loss of the cases that have gone to trial.
A California appeals court in San Francisco refused to overturn the 2019 verdict in which a jury awarded more than $2 billion to a couple who claimed they fell ill after using the herbicide fo ... more. |
Every growing season has its twists and turns, and a southern Illinois farmer says 2021 has been no exception.
Austin Lovelady who farms 2,000 acres of corn, soybeans and wheat in Tamaroa describes this year as “A really big roller coaster. It started off wet, then went extremely dry for about 4 weeks, and then we ended up getting 13 inches of rain in one week. So, we went to extremely wet and curren ... more. |
At any given Midwest AG Industries Exposition (MAGIE), there are many products that get attendees talking. Phrases such as “you’ve got to see this” or “I loved driving that” are frequently heard at many of the booths that dot the fairgrounds in Bloomington, IL.
Yet, each year, one product rises above all the others in terms of show buzz, foot traffic, test drives, or all of th ... more. |
A lack of truck drivers is causing businesses to run out of basic products.
"We've just kind of had to roll with it, either do substitutions. We've had to take some things off the menu, just for the time being,” Susan Handy said, manager at Brewski's Pub. “People, for the most part, have been really understanding, but it’s been a struggle.”
Brewski’s ... more. |
The Senate passed a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill Tuesday, and transportation could receive more than half the new funding slated in the bill. However, the House leadership's desire to pass the infrastructure bill in tandem with a human rights bill could cause the infrastructure plan to hit a major roadblock in the coming weeks.
The Senate passed the “Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act& ... more. |
Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed more than 80 bills Friday.
Many of them go into effect immediately, like one that creates licensing for “landscape architects” (Senate Bill 214).
Others go into effect on Jan. 1, 2022, such as one requiring Illinois State flags bought by state institutions to be made in the United States (House Bill 605).
One that goes into effect July 1, 2022, Senate ... more. |
The Midwest Ag Industries Exposition celebrates its 40th anniversary Aug. 25-26 at the McLean County Fairgrounds.
What is now known as the industry’s premier outdoor trade show, MAGIE’s humble beginnings was kicked off by the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association in 1981 at Danville with 20 to 30 exhibitors. It moved to Decatur for a few years before moving to its current location where ... more. |
Are you or someone you know planning on taking one of the certified crop adviser exams next February? If so, please check out an upcoming online course being offered through Parkland College titled “Basics in Applied Agronomy”. The course will start this November and consist of 12 weekly sessions, every Wednesday. The class also serves as a good review of basic agronomy ahead of the ne ... more. |
US Senate Democrats took their first step toward passing a $3.5 trillion spending plan early Wednesday as the party forges ahead with a massive economic agenda.
After more than 14 hours of votes on amendments, the Democratic-held chamber voted to pass a budget resolution 50-49 along party lines. The measure directs committees to craft a bill that would spend up to $3.5 trillion on climate initiatives ... more. |
The Illinois population shrunk only slightly, by .1 percent residents according to the first set of long-awaited of 2020 census data released Thursday.
According to the data, Illinois population declined from 12,830,632 residents in 2010 to 12,812,508 residents in 2020.
Overall, the U.S. Census Bureau said that the data shows a growing, diversifying country where populations are increasi ... more. |
There is still time to register for the National Agronomic Environmental Health & Safety School that will be held August 24, 2021 at the Agricenter in Bloomington, Illinois. The “Safety School” is a non-profit organization of dedicated industry and government volunteers whose mission is to provide industry personnel with training and information that will aid them in meeting state and federa ... more. |
IFCA was saddened to hear this week of the passing of Roberta “Bobbie” Burling. Bobbie was the wife of long time IFCA President Lloyd Burling. She passed away on August 8th, at the age of 80. You can find Bobbie’s obituary here. IFCA would like to send our thoughts and prayers to the Burling family in this time of grieving. If you would like to send a card to Lloyd, p ... more. |
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday announced a universal face mask mandate inside public and private schools and day cares to combat the highly infectious COVID-19 delta variant.
"My goal has always been to safely bring all kids back into the classroom and, crucially, keep them there," Pritzker said. "Without these measures, we will likely see many more outbreaks."
"As govern ... more. |
Senate Democrats released a sweeping $3.5 trillion budget blueprint on Monday that proposes to expand Medicare, boost federal child care and education programs, and invest new sums to combat climate change, as party lawmakers prepare to take the next step toward advancing central elements of President Biden’s economic agenda.
Democrats view the wide array of proposed spending as historic, and they ho ... more. |
A bill introduced in the U.S. Senate aims to stop the Biden EPA from replacing the Navigable Waters Protection Rule with a new rule.
The legislation, sponsored by Virginia Senator Shelley Moore Capito and 31 colleagues would codify the Trump administration rule.
If replaced by the Biden administration, the lawmakers say it could be worse than the Obama-era Waters of the U.S. rule (WOTUS) by regula ... more. |
EPA announced the Biden administration is proceeding in its effort to craft a “durable definition” of Waters of the United States (WOTUS) on Friday, and EPA wants farmers and ranchers to provide input as the agency works to create the rule.
EPA says the agency is reverting to the WOTUS rule dating back to before the Obama administration changed the definition, which caused an uproar for agricul ... more. |
EPA finalized its interim registration decision for paraquat on Aug. 1, reversing its proposal last year to ban most aerial applications.
Instead, the agency will permit aerial applications of the Group 22 herbicide in crops, with expanded buffer requirements and acreage limits designed to protect applicators. Aerial use of paraquat is most common in cotton, where it is used as a plant desiccant to prepare ... more. |
Bayer officials announced on Thursday the company is removing glyphosate from the U.S. residential lawn and garden marketplace, effective as early as January 2023.
That is the earliest the decision could be implemented, according to Liam Condon, president of the Bayer Crop Science Division and a member of the Bayer AG board of management.
“This is from a regulatory and logistical point of vi ... more. |
Click Hereto read IFCA's summer newsletter. Stories in this newsletter include:
The 40th Anniversary of the MAGIE Show is Just Right Around the Corner.
Fall 2021 Anhydrous Safety Schools Scheduled.
In-Person Certified Grower Training Dates Set.
Breakdown of 2021 Spring Legislative Session at the Illinois State Capitol.
Redistrict Map Legislation Signed by Gov Pritzk ... more. |
EPA announced the Biden administration is proceeding in its effort to craft a “durable definition” of Waters of the United States (WOTUS) on Friday, and EPA wants farmers and ranchers to provide input as the agency works to create the rule.
EPA says the agency is reverting to the WOTUS rule dating back to before the Obama administration changed the definition, which caused an uproar for agricul ... more. |
After securing an agreement on a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package, Senate negotiators worked through the weekend to finalize the legislative text of over 2,700 pages. The bill could come up for a vote this week, but still needs to be scored by the Congressional Budget Office.
The Senate on Wednesday voted 67 to 32 to invoke cloture and cut off debate on a motion to proceed to the bipartisan in ... more. |
The Senate debates its massive, bipartisan infrastructure bill this week in hopes of sending the legislation off to the House before senators start their August recess.
The 2,702-page bill, which was formally offered on the Senate floor Sunday night after negotiators spent the weekend working out the text, would provide $550 billion in new spending for roads and bridges, waterways and rail improvements to ... more. |
The USDA “unconstitutionally delegated its own duties to protect farmers and the environment to GE crop developers” when it exempted most genetically engineered plants from pre-market reviews in 2020, said a coalition of farm, environment, and consumer groups in a lawsuit filed on Monday. In it, they asked the U.S. district court in San Francisco to overturn the Trump-era revisions.
Dubbed SECU ... more. |
Fred Yoder found that applying nitrogen-infused fertilizer to his fields three times in a growing season instead of all at once helped his crops use the nutrient more efficiently, and less nitrogen ended up in rivers and streams.
The move also saves the Plain City farmer money. If fertilizer stays in the soil, he doesn't have to buy as much of it.
Research backs Yoder’s strategic appli ... more. |
Farm labor continues to be an issue, as trends like a generational shift translated into different job expectations and more global competition. Consider these five issues affecting your ability to find qualified workers:
1. Labor shortages are hitting ag hard
Concerns about labor shortages in the U.S. continue to grow in 2021. The June Ag Barometer from Purdue University found nearly two-thirds (66%) o ... more. |
“We run, hands down, the best crop business in the world, which is all clouded by the fact that we have the litigation overhang,” Werner Baumann, CEO of Bayer AG, told a group of investors this morning.
He was talking about the thousands of legal actions against the company from people claiming Roundup, which contains glyphosate, causes cancer. Baumann outlined how Bayer would mitigate th ... more. |
For two days in August the best and brightest ag retail equipment and services will be on display at the annual Midwest AG Industries Exposition (MAGIE), which turns 40 this year. The slideshow offers a preview of some of the items that will be featured at the McLean County Fairgrounds.
A favorite at MAGIE — which returns after its cancellation last year due to COVID-19 — is the “Ride a ... more. |
Get Ready for an InfoAg Road Trip!
August 3-4 | St. Louis Union Station Hotel
You know the InfoAg Conference and the value you've received in years past - the new precision ag knowledge, the hands-on experience with new tools and technology, and the days of getting together with friends and colleagues.
So make tracks for this year's InfoAg and...
Learn--See wha ... more. |
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Senate negotiators look to finalize and advance a bipartisan infrastructure bill this week, while the House debates a package of appropriations bills that would sharply increase funding for the Agriculture Department, Environmental Protection Agency and other departments and agencies important to agriculture.
In a flurry of activity ahead of the long August recess, the Senate Agriculture Committee will als ... more. |
Illinois residents will soon have greater access to mental health services under measures Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law Friday.
Starting Jan. 1, most insurance companies doing business in Illinois will be required to provide their beneficiaries with timely and proximate access to treatment for mental, emotional, nervous or substance abuse disorders.
That means beneficiaries will not have to wai ... more. |
There certainly has been no lack of hoopla lately regarding the opportunities farmers will reap from the emerging carbon marketplace and other sustainable initiatives.
While the architects of the new eco-markets focus on building opportunities for farmers, they seem to be dismissing a key player that could determine the success or failure of carbon and water quality markets as a whole. That player is none ... more. |
In an article posted last week I described the effects of rainfall and standing water on corn plants, especially corn roots, and what this might mean for corn crop prospects. Here, we’ll consider the extent to which damage from wet soils can be addressed by management during the second half of the 2021 season.
A short trip on Saturday made clear that a lot of corn and soybeans in fields and parts of ... more. |
Both the temperature and tempers are running hot this summer, as herbicide injury surfaces across the Midwest and South once again.
Dicamba remains the primary source of complaints, although cases of 2,4-D injury are also being reported, state regulators told DTN. In October 2020, EPA granted new labels and five-year registrations to three dicamba herbicides -- XtendiMax (Bayer), Engenia (BASF) and Tavium ... more. |
The widely anticipated summer economic boom is well underway and U.S. consumers are spending on services again. Jobs are abundantly available, but workers are scarce as the labor market is healing more slowly than most economists expected. According to a new Quarterly report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange, labor challenges felt during the pandemic and continuing today will incentivize businesses throughout ... more. |
With everything that has happened in the world these past 18 months or so, you might have missed this somewhat important development for agriculture. Back in December, one country’s president did not like how market forces were working against his personal beliefs. So, he decided to try to a new tactic to better support his world view.
Of course, I’m talking about French President Emmanuel Macr ... more. |
To finally determine a lasting definition of waterways that qualify for federal protection under the Clean Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency’s new water director says everyone with a stake in the issue will need to be engaged.
Radhika Fox recently spoke to The Associated Press about the Biden administration's plan to rewrite the regulation, also called Waters of the United States. Th ... more. |
The U.S. District Court of South Carolina last week dismissed a challenge to the Trump administration’s Navigable Waters Protection Rule, which in 2020 replaced the Obama administration’s controversial 2015 Waters of the United States rule known by the acronym WOTUS.
The Biden administration announced its intentions to revise the definition of waters of the U.S. under the Clean Water Act on Jun ... more. |
Glyphosate is a weed killer widely used by the agricultural industry and also available for consumer use in products like Roundup. Likely because of its widespread use, it has become a political target. It has also become the focus of high profile lawsuits. This means it is essential that we have objective scientific reviews of the evidence on glyphosate safety. People are still free to have varying opinions regard ... more. |
Another herbicide is in the crosshairs of environmental groups and this time before it ever finds the field.
EPA's approval of a newly registered herbicide violates the Endangered Species Act and should be set aside, the Center for Food Safety and the Center for Biological Diversity allege in a petition filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
In May the EPA granted uncondit ... more. |
IFCA is pleased to inform our members that RestrictedB Drivers will not be required to complete Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT). Restricted B Drivers are considered restricted/seasonal and therefore not subject to the required training. Click the heading above fora PDFthat shows the issue being covered in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). More information on ELDT can be ... more. |
IFCA has always taken much pride in hosting the only major equipment show in the U.S. designed for the ag retailer sector. For this reason, we wanted to create the opportunity for our members and show attendees to purchase apparel celebrating the 40th MAGIE show. To view commemorative shirts and hats that you canpurchase from theonline store, please click here.
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This fall, IFCA and IDA will be hosting six competentammonia trainings in fivecounties. These trainings will cover all important aspects regarding safety and regulatory information with anhydrous ammonia for ag retailers. Upon completion of the training, the attendee willachieve a"competent attendant" certificate that is required by IDA regulations to handle anhydrous ... more. |
The unforgiving rain events Illinois has experienced this spring has made for a stressful and uncertain season. Dr.Nafziger recently produced two Crop Central Bulletin articles that address the different variables affecting farmers and retailers who are managing the current crop. Some of the topics covered include current crop conditions, root growth, nitrogen, other nutrients, and fungicides.&nbs ... more. |
President Joe Biden's executive order on competition, which the president will sign Friday afternoon, takes aim at industries that have faced increased consolidation, which includes agriculture, health care, technology, financial services and transportation.
"That lack of competition drives up prices for consumers," a fact sheet released from the White House stated. "As fewer large playe ... more. |
Cupped soybean fields are surfacing across the South and Midwest again this summer, and with them, a new crop of rumored causes.
Once again, however, the simplest explanation for those puckered up soybeans remains off-target dicamba applications, agronomists and weed scientists told DTN. Tens of millions of acres of dicamba-tolerant soybeans are currently growing alongside non-dicamba-tolerant beans, and d ... more. |
Timely planting, good spring rains and mild summer temperatures have raised expectations for a bumper harvest in eastern and southern parts of the U.S. Corn Belt, where massive production of the yellow grain will be needed to make up for drought-stressed crops in the west.
With corn prices hovering near eight-year highs, the world is depending on a massive U.S. harvest to make up for shortfalls in Brazil, ... more. |
After just over two years as watchdog of the Illinois General Assembly, Carol Pope said July 14 she is quitting the job she described as a “paper tiger,” too weak to be effective.
She is not the first legislative inspector general to voice such concerns.
In the letter sent to members of the Legislative Ethics Commission, Pope said the inspector general “has no real power to effec ... more. |
Mexico’s farmer associations are teaming up and pushing back through legal battles in opposition to a presidential decree to ban genetically modified (GM) maize and glyphosate in Mexico by 2024.
The Mexican government led by Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) has carried out a battle against scientific innovation in the country’s farm fields over the three years of his administration, attacking ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency announced this week that it’s considering drinking water limits for the entire class of PFAS compounds, which public health advocates say are categorically toxic.
The chemicals are used to make products resistant to water, stain and heat, and are known as “forever chemicals” because they don’t fully break down or degrade. They are linked to a rang ... more. |
Lawsuits filed Monday in California seek potential class-action damages from Dow Chemical and its successor company over a widely used bug killer linked to brain damage in children.
Chlorpyrifos is approved for use on more than 80 crops, including oranges, berries, grapes, soybeans, almonds and walnuts, though California banned sales of the pesticide last year and spraying of it this year. Some other state ... more. |
The 2021 cropping season in Illinois (and the Corn Belt) continues to be a story of haves, have-nots, and have-way-too-much with regard to rainfall. In the first three weeks of June, nearly all of Illinois had below-normal rainfall, and concerns about dryness increased. That ended abruptly: in the three weeks from June 25 through July 14, rainfall totals ranged from below normal in the northwestern counties to 25 t ... more. |
The Senate faces a Wednesday deadline to vote on a bipartisan infrastructure package even as Democrats try to finalize a bigger $3.5 trillion package of climate provisions and domestic spending initiatives.
The infrastructure bill, which would include $579 billion in new spending, will need the support of at least 10 GOP senators to pass, and critical details still had not been worked out heading into the ... more. |
Sept 27, 2019
Oct 25, 2019
March 24, 2020
Sept 29, 2020
Oct 26, 2020
April 28, 2021
June 16, 2021
July 15, 2021
Fall fertilizer considerations in 2019
Written by Emerson Nafziger, University of Illinois(View the U of I bulletin)
The high number of prevented-planting fields in some areas, the late start to harvest, and the inability to apply P and K fertilizer ... more. |
This past Tuesday, IFCA hosted a webinar with Dan Meyer of FMCSA and Kevin Duesterhaus ofIL SOS, covering Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT). If youwere unable to listenin,don't worry, as you can find the recorded webinar on our homepage at www.ifca.com. There you will also find the powerpoint slides used in the webinar. For a PDF version of the slides, please click HER ... more. |
Want to spend the day playing golf and interacting with fellow IFCA members? You're in luck, as there isstill plenty of time to sign up for one or both of ourIFCA Golf Outings. Mark your calendar for July 29th in Pontiac and/or August 5th in Auburn. Click HERE for the registration form to either register just yourself or an entire foursome. We look forward to seeing you on th ... more. |
IFCA, the Illinois Department of Agriculture and Illinois Farm Bureau had a Joint Press ReleaseJuly 8th providing dates and locations for in-person Certified Grower Training. Thetraining sessionswill follow IFCA's annual Fall Competent Ammonia Trainings. Grower Training will begin at 1 p.m.and will have limited capacity. Information on the training dates, locations and ... more. |
IFCA has been in discussions with our national association, The Fertilizer Institute (TFI),regarding legislative language that has been put into the major infrastructure bill being discussedin our nation's capitol. IFCA's concernisthe reinstatement of the Superfund Tax on chemicals/fertilizers, which would serve as additional revenue to help pay for the bill. While the de ... more. |
It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Philip Mullvain. Philip passed away on Friday, July, 9th in the presence of his loving family.
Phil wore many agricultural hats during his career and was one of the co-founder’s of IFCA retail member Flanagan Fertilizer in Flanagan, IL and then moved on to working for Linco Equipment before retiring. IFCA is grateful for ... more. |
Lawmakers return to work with Senate Democratic leaders determined to move both a bipartisan infrastructure package as well as an even bigger, partisan reconciliation bill ahead of the long August recess.
The $1.2 trillion infrastructure deal reached in June has the backing of major business groups, although it’s not clear whether it will have sufficient GOP support to pass the Senate if it looks lik ... more. |
The EPA is requesting the voluntary cancelation or amendment to several pesticides including atrazine for certain uses. EPA’s request attempts to stop the pesticide use in areas like roadsides and Conservation Reserve Program land.
Triazine Network Chairman Gary Marshall says the EPA’s request comes after a court order required both EPA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to determine if pes ... more. |
In the dim light just after dawn, Bill Blubaugh parks his Des Moines Water Works pickup truck, grabs a dipper and a couple plastic bottles and walks down a boat ramp to the Raccoon River, where he scoops up samples from a waterway that cuts through some of the nation’s most intensely farmed land.
Each day the utility analyzes what’s in those samples and others from the nearby Des Moines River a ... more. |
The USDA says crop conditions declined slightly in Illinois last week.
As of Sunday, the state’s corn crop is rated 65 percent good to excellent, down three percent from the previous week, but four percent above the five-year average.
Soybeans are rated 63 percent good to excellent, down four points on the week, but consistent with the five-year average. Twenty-two percent of soybeans are bl ... more. |
Ag exports, a key part of U.S. farm revenue, are expected to generate 36 cents of every $1 in cash income this year, thanks to high commodity prices as the world recovers its appetite and the pandemic recedes. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the country ought to diversify its sales to a broader range of markets.
“We need to be less reliant on one or two countries and more reliant on a number o ... more. |
There are zombies lurking under the canopies of crop fields this summer, particularly soybean fields.
Herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth and waterhemp weed escapes are laying low after dicamba and 2,4-D herbicide applications right now. But they will start rising again soon.
"With auxin herbicides, there's a tendency to lay that weed down, but if they don't completely kill it, in aro ... more. |
I can remember the last business trip I took in the opening days of the pandemic hitting our shores. I was in an apple orchard outside Quincy, WA, speaking to growers and distributors at a workshop about crop protection programs. During the trip my cohorts and myself were rightly concerned that our return flights back east may get grounded. Thankfully our return flights proceeded as scheduled but a week later at th ... more. |
President Joe Biden is expected to sign an executive order on competition in the next few days. The White House press secretary on Tuesday told reporters during her daily press briefing some of the expected moves to come out of the executive order directly related to USDA and agriculture. At least some of these issues Psaki highlighted have already been announced by USDA over the past month.
White House ... more. |
Late last week, the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) released a report titled, “Early Months Suggest a Bright 2021 for United States Agricultural Exports.”
The FAS report stated that, “U.S. agricultural exports in the first four months (January – April) of 2021 were a record $59 billion, exceeding the previous record set in 2014 by nearly $5 billion.
Robust g ... more. |
On July 1, the House of Representatives passed its Highway bill, HR3684, the INVEST in America Act, by a vote of 221-201. The act authorizes $715 billion in expenditures. It closely resembles the Highway bill that previously cleared the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and includes an additional title from the House Energy and Commerce Committee related to drinking water infrastructure ($117 bill ... more. |
IFCA has partnered with the Illinois Secretary of State and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to provide an educational, informative, and interactive webinar that will coverwhat you need to know to be prepared for the February 7, 2022implementation of the Federal Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT).
The webinar will take placeTuesday, July 13, at 9 a ... more. |
IFCA has partnered with the Illinois Secretary of State and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to provide an educational, informative, and interactive webinar that will coverwhat you need to know in orderto be prepared for the February 7, 2022, implementation of the Federal Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT).
The webinar will be Tuesday, July 13th, at 9 a. ... more. |
Anyone at your facility that works with ammonia or ammonia equipment must be certified at least once every 3 years as a competent attendant. This course provides important safety and ammonia facility regulatory information and enables the attendee to achieve a 3-year certificate as a "competent attendant" in order to handle ammonia and comply with IDA regulations. The IFCA and IDA fall ammon ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
The MAGIE show is approaching fast and the IFCA staff is excited to see you in Bloomington on August 25th and 26th. Show your support for our 40th celebration and visit our on-line store to purchase a commemorative polo shirt, t-shirt and/orhat. Hats are in short supply and are limited at the moment,so don’t delay with your order. Click here to go directly to the IFCA store.&nb ... more. |
We periodically get calls from IFCA members who have customers with unwanted or unknown pesticides in their possession. This year, the IL Dept of Ag’s "Clean Sweep" program will take these unwanted pesticides from persons who reside in Clay, Edwards, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Pope, Saline, Wabash, Wayne, and White counties. There is no charge to bring unwanted pesticides to the Clean ... more. |
Access the menu for info onNutrientUpdates,N-Rate Trials,MRTN, 4R Code, 4R Reports and more...
August 23-24, 2017
Registration is now open for the MAGIE Show!
Sign up online today!
REGISTER ONLINE
Access the regulations menu above for a vast repository of rules impacting ag retailers.
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Illinois' primary election will be moved from March to June next year under a voter access expansion recently signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
The new law makes mail voting a permanent option, allows jail inmates awaiting trial to cast ballots and makes Election Day in November a state holiday, among other things. The move is in contrast with other states including Texas that are moving to restri ... more. |
When we think of ammonia, usually cleaning products come to mind, right? Ammonia solutions are great for disinfecting your bathroom counters and giving your kitchen floors a squeaky-clean shine. But did you know that it also fertilizes most of our nation’s agricultural crops? And soon, the health of our planet could also depend on it—by 2040, affordable green ammonia fuel, produced without fossil fuels ... more. |
A 17-year conflict over aircraft subsidies is coming to a temporary close as the United States and European Union have agreed to a truce, and it could spill over into a positive move for certain U.S. agricultural goods.
U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai says "after weeks of intense diplomacy," the two countries agreed to suspend subsidies for five years. This temporarily ends a dispute over ... more. |
For several years now, numerous countries around the world have limited or outright banned the use of glyphosate within their borders. Indeed, some of the herbicide’s harshest critics have resided within the European Union (EU) block.
But glyphosate got some encouraging news lately. In the EU, all approved pesticide active ingredients undergo routine scientific evaluations, which are conducted by des ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating insur ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating i ... more. |
Central Illinois residents spent Saturday cleaning up from flooding following hours being blasted by extreme precipitation. Fewer storms are expected Sunday, but the risk of high water remains.
Thunderstorms were expected to move through the region overnight into Sunday afternoon and evening, but with far less intensity than those that blasted the area Friday night and Saturday afternoon.
A Funks ... more. |
The U.S. Senate has approved a measure intended to encourage greater use of farming and forestry practices that prevent greenhouse gas emissions and remove planet-warming carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
It authorizes the federal Department of Agriculture to create a program helping farmers, ranchers and private forest landowners earn payments through private markets for planting offseason cover crops, ... more. |
After months of negotiations and disagreement, President Joe Biden and the White House announced a deal was reached on an infrastructure spending plan. The news came after a meeting with a bipartisan group of senators Thursday.
"We have a deal," Biden told reporters at the White House after meeting with the group. The announcement was also posted on the President's official Twitter page.
&nb ... more. |
Today the U.S. Senate passed S.1251, the Growing Climate Solutions Act of 2021, in a vote of 92-8. The bill would help boost ag carbon markets by creating a certification process at USDA. Agricultural Retailers Association President and CEO Daren Coppock issued the following statement in response:
"ARA is pleased that this important piece of legislation was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, ... more. |
A new technology could make honey bees immune to many pesticides, which currently cause beekeepers to lose about a third of their hives annually.
Studies show that in 98% of hives nationwide, wax and pollen are contaminated with an average of six pesticides, which can kill bees or reduce a bee's immunity to varroa mites and pathogens.
The solution: a microparticle sponge that, when fed to bees ... more. |
The House is pressing ahead with a partisan infrastructure bill at the same time there is uncertainty about the future of a freshly minted, $1.2 trillion agreement between President Joe Biden and a bipartisan group of senators.
The House will take up a $547 billion surface transportation bill this week, but much of lawmakers’ attention in coming days will be on the fate of the bipartisan infrastructu ... more. |
Looking for a great summer event for a cause? Don't miss out on the 2021 IFCA Golf for Scholarships outings! Held July 29th at Elks Golf Course in Pontiac and August 5 at Edgewood Golf Club in Auburn, the outings are a great opportunity to network with peers, while also supporting the next generation of agriculturalists.
The outings are open to all, and companies are encouraged to bring teams of employees ... more. |
IFCA has had many calls and in person conversations with our members regarding FMCSA's Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT). In an effort to educate our members, we have asked Kevin Duesterhaus from the Illinois Secretary of State and Dan Meyer from FMCSA to discuss the upcoming ELDT requirement. We are planning to hold a webinar July 13th at 9am for our members to ask both Kevin and Dan questions.&nb ... more. |
Dr. Emerson Nafziger recently posted a detailed Bulletin titled "Mid-June Notes on the 2021 Corn Crop." All topics affecting the current corn crop, including planting date, weather, prices, nutrients, cover crops, canopy, and much more are examined throughout the article. The UI Bulletin can be viewed by clicking hereor found on the IFCA homepage atwww.ifca.com.
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As we slowly transition back to in-person meetings and events, there may still be CCA’s in need of valuable CEU credits. The American Society of Agronomy is hosting several upcoming webinars throughout July and August for CCA’s. Topics covered in the webinars include drones, carbon markets, soil health, nutrient management, managing water resources, pollinator habitats and regenerative crop ... more. |
China’s central government urged its regions on Friday to “strengthen” supplies of fertilizer during the summer amid record prices and tight stocks of the chemicals.
The appeal comes as the government battles soaring prices of a host of raw materials, and after Premier Li Keqiang called for curbing prices of key farm inputs like fertilizer and diesel to guarantee stable grain prices.
&nb ... more. |
Mexico is holding up import permits for GMO corn, the head of the country's main farm lobby told Reuters, saying the government intended to apply a GMO ban to the grain used in animal feed despite contradictory comments by a top U.S. official.
In an interview, National Farm Council President Juan Cortina said among hundreds of agricultural product import permits awaiting a resolution are at least eight ... more. |
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is pressing fellow Iowan, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary (USDA) Tom Vilsack, on recent actions by the Biden administration that Grassley says have the potential to harm Iowa and the U.S. agriculture industry.
In a letter written this week, the Iowa senator, along with Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), expressed concern over the Administration’s decisions to roll back ... more. |
A sharply divided Iowa Supreme Court on Friday stopped a lawsuit aimed at reducing the flow of fertilizer and hog farm waste into the state’s river and streams, finding that limiting pollution from farms was a political matter and not one for the courts.
The 4-3 decision handed a significant defeat to environmental groups hoping to get the chance to prove that Iowa should scrap it’s voluntary f ... more. |
Today the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a mark-up on S. 2016, the Surface Transportation Investment Act. The Agricultural Retailers Association has been working closely with Senator Moran, R-Kan., Senator Thune, R-S.D., and allies on Capitol Hill to encourage reform to the Farm-Related Restricted Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) program, more commonly referred to as the Seaso ... more. |
The Illinois Senate adjourned Tuesday without calling a comprehensive energy regulatory reform package for a vote.
After adjournment, Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, made a statement similar to one he made June 1 after the Senate failed to call an energy bill for a vote ahead of the regular session adjournment.
“There are still some points of contention between two critical constitu ... more. |
A coalition of environmental groups in a letter Thursday warned congressional leaders not to decouple climate provisions from any infrastructure package they take up.
In the letter, addressed to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), climate groups comprised o ... more. |
Republican leaders of the Agriculture committees are highlighting a new study that states Democrats’ proposed legislation would devastate the next generation of family farmers and ranchers.
House Committee on Agriculture ranking member Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, R-Pa., and Senate Agriculture Committee ranking member Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., requested the Agricultural and Food Policy Center (A ... more. |
U.S. agriculture is experiencing a boom in exports as China has scooped up large quantities of U.S. farm goods like corn, meat and more. But those shipments could potentially be even more, according to testimony delivered to Congress this week.
The House Transportation Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee held a hearing on shipping issues, including many that have affected agriculture such ... more. |
The recently-passed fiscal year 2022 budget featured new and increased support for conservation programs and the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
The Illinois House approved the budget 72-44-1 with only Democrats voting in favor. The Senate voted 37-21 in favor of the fiscal year blueprint with all Republicans and three Democrats opposing. It now heads to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk.
Highli ... more. |
With the first year of the 102nd General Assembly mostly wrapped up, lawmakers as of Friday had officially passed 664 bills through both houses for eventual consideration by the governor.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker had signed 17 of them as of Friday, including the Thursday signing of the state’s operating budget and a bill making several changes to the state election code.
Charlie Wheeler, an emerit ... more. |
The beef industry will face scrutiny this week from senators who are under pressure to curb the pricing power of big meatpackers, while the full Senate is nearing a vote on a bill to accelerate the development of ag carbon markets.
On Wednesday, the Senate Agriculture Committee is bringing in representatives of producers as well as experts on the meatpacking industry and cattle markets for a hearing ... more. |
Donna Rich of Tolono passed away on Tuesday, June 15th. She was 66 years old. Donna had a stellar 40-year career at Illini FS in Tolono. Most IFCA members would recognize Donna as the volunteer that was always at the registration desk at the MAGIE Show and annual convention. Donna was always only a phone call away when IFCA needed help with any shows, and she was always willing to help. ... more. |
We are looking forward to seeing everyone at this year’s 40th MAGIE show. Click here to listen to a special announcement and invite from Kevin (KJ) Johnson on this year’s upcoming 40th MAGIE show.
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At the heart of the ResponsibleAg initiative is the goal of providing accurate and credible audits consistently across the entire group of carefully trained ResponsibleAg credentialed auditors. Send your company environmental, health, safety & security lead to the ResponsibleAg Auditor Training Course on June 22-25 in Owensboro, Kentucky, to learn at a retired agrichemical facility that was retrofitted specific ... more. |
Late last week, the US House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee advanced a $547 billion surface transportation bill, largely along party lines, 38-26. The House will take up the bill the week of June 28. Committee members had submitted over 225 amendments, extending the mark-up through last Wednesday night. One provision that did make it into the final text that could negatively impact independen ... more. |
We will be offering only one Train the Trainer Class this summer at the Agricenter in Bloomington, IL on July 9th from 10:00 am until 2:30 pm. This classroom course is for persons experienced with ammonia who want to train farmers under the new regulations for grower training. For a list of trainer qualifications click here. Attending this course will also satisfy Illinois Department of Agricultur ... more. |
We will be offering only one Train the Trainer Class this summer at the Agricenter in Bloomington, IL on July 9th from 10:00 am until 2:30 pm. This classroom course is for persons experienced with ammonia who want to train farmers under the new regulations for grower training. For a list of trainer qualifications click here. Attending this course will also satisfy Illinois Department of Agricultur ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture reports that since January 2021, there have been 81 complaints filed with IDA for alleged pesticide misuse. Of those,65 are ag related and 5 are specifically dicamba related. The total number of complaints are slightly higher than last year; in 2020 at this time there were 69 complaints filed with 57being ag related and 5 related to dicamba.
As ... more. |
Late last week, the US House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee advanced a $547 billion surface transportation bill, largely along party lines, 38-26. The House will take up the bill the week of June 28. Committee members had submitted over 225 amendments, extending the mark-up through last Wednesday night. One provision that did make it into the final text that could negatively impact independent ow ... more. |
We are looking forward to seeing everyone at this year’s 40th MAGIE show. Click here to listen to a special announcement and invite from Kevin (KJ) Johnson on this year’s upcoming 40th MAGIE show.
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At the heart of the ResponsibleAg initiative is the goal of providing accurate and credible audits consistently across the entire group of carefully trained ResponsibleAg credentialed auditors. Send your company environmental, health, safety & security lead to the ResponsibleAg Auditor Training Course on June 22-25 in Owensboro, Kentucky, to learn at a retired agrichemical facility that was retrofitted specific ... more. |
Exelon customers would be on the hook for $694 million in higher subsidies to keep three Illinois nuclear plants afloat under a sprawling, revised green-energy package that surfaced late Thursday and could be voted on by state lawmakers next week.
The 866-page omnibus pushed by Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker could move one of the major unresolved issues from the spring legislative session closer to fruition a ... more. |
Multiyear field trials in Douglas County were conducted to find answers to the complexities of nitrogen management in tile-drained fields.
The trials were funded by the Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council and led by University of Illinois and Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association researchers and participating farmers, Dick Searls and Eric Miller.
Lowell Gentry, U of I principal ... more. |
President Biden has ended infrastructure negotiations with the GOP. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki says Republicans’ latest offer doesn’t “meet the essential needs” of the country to fix roads and bridges, position the country for a reliant clean energy future, and create jobs.
She says Biden had reduced his plant by more than a trillion dollars and Republicans had increased ... more. |
Bayer and BASF are facing a rash of new lawsuits over alleged injury from their dicamba herbicides, even as Bayer works to settle older dicamba injury claims and both companies appeal a recent jury verdict against them.
Arkansas-based honey producer, Coy's Honey Farm, filed a lawsuit against Bayer in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas on May 25, claiming dicamba drift destroye ... more. |
It’s a hot topic in all circles involving agriculture: pesticides. Some are for, some are against, but in truth, most people simply don’t know that much about them. The term pesticide is actually a bit of a catch-all, and is often used interchangeably with herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and rodenticides, among others. Historically, pests have been loosely defined anything that negatively impacts ... more. |
For the world-at-large, 2020 was definitely not the norm. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic across the globe kept things from operating as they normally would in virtually every sector of life. In general, the agricultural industry was able to continue its business activities without too much disruption. However, when all was said and done, the ag retailers that make up the CropLife 100 still did see their annual reven ... more. |
In April, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan told Congress he did not intend to return to the Obama administration’s definition of Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS).
On Wednesday, he made good on that declaration, announcing via a press release that EPA and the Department of the Army plan to revise the definition of WOTUS to “better protect our nation’s vital ... more. |
Jim Spradlin, GROWMARK’s CEO since September 2014, announced to the GROWMARK Board of Directors today his intent to retire effective February 28, 2022.
GROWMARK Chairman of the Board John Reifsteck said, “Jim has served the GROWMARK System with excellence since 1982. His leadership as CEO has been transformational, and he will leave a legacy of innovation in digital technology, leadership devel ... more. |
About one week ago, I got the most wonderful news! The 2021 edition of the Midwest AG Industries Exposition (MAGIE) will happen August 25-26 in Bloomington, IL!!
And as wonderful as this news is – from the standpoint that in-person events are finally making a comeback in the post-pandemic world – this year’s MAGIE also marks a special occasion for the summer show for ag retailers: It&rsqu ... more. |
President Joe Biden heads to Brussels for meetings this week with European Union for discussions likely to touch on ongoing trade disputes while Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack heads to Capitol Hill to face questioning about his policy plans.
While Biden is in Europe, there are expected to be continued discussions between the White House and a bipartisan group of 10 senators over a massive infrastructure ... more. |
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday signed newly-passed legislative district maps to govern elections in the Illinois General Assembly for the next decade despite opposition from Republicans and criticism from certain community groups who say they were ignored in the process.
“Illinois’ strength is in our diversity, and these maps help to ensure that communities that have been left out and le ... more. |
One of the main focuses of agricultural biotechnology is to feed a hungry world in a more sustainable way. Many current farming methods are inefficient because they require large amounts of water, fertilizer and pesticides. Agricultural biotech is trying to solve these problems by starting at the seed level.
Inari, a company that specializes in seed technology, is using gene editing to change food producti ... more. |
Surrounded by some of the world’s richest soil and home to two major grain processing plants, Decatur has long been a hub for agribusiness in the United States.
These agricultural-based industries have largely been a positive in Decatur’s story, bringing jobs and money back to the “Soybean Capital of the World” while exporting food products found in grocery stores all around the wor ... more. |
The midterm elections are still 18 months away, but the fight for control of the Senate is already shaping what gets done in the nation's capital this year.
In an evenly divided Senate, where Vice President Kamala Harris gives Democrats the tie-breaking vote, every vote matters. That's proven to be a crucial consideration for President Joe Biden as he tried to pass his Covid-19 relief plan and now ... more. |
State lawmakers early Tuesday inched closer to implementing a spending plan for the next fiscal year, with the Illinois House approving a state budget proposal and sending it to the state Senate.
Legislators in the House didn't take up the proposed budget, and its accompanying capital plan, until shortly after 11:30 p.m. House Majority Leader Greg Harris, D-Chicago, said the bill had a total revenue es ... more. |
House lawmakers passed a bill Sunday that could finally reduce trailer fees.
Members hoped to bring the current $118 fee back down to $18. However, Democrats and Republicans had to reach a compromise.
"I think this is long, long overdue as a correction," said Rep. Avery Bourne (R-Morrisonville). "I wish it was down to $18, but we can't get everything we want in this building. Th ... more. |
Chances are if you ask someone to mention a word starting with the letter “c” that has dominated the headlines recently, they will likely say “COVID-19.” But since the first of the year at least, the two “c” words have been buzzing away within the agricultural community are “carbon credits.”
For growers and many key suppliers such as Corteva Agriscience and N ... more. |
On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve Board released its May 2021 Beige Book update, a summary of commentary on current economic conditions by Federal Reserve District. The report included several observations pertaining to the U.S. agricultural economy.
Seventh District- Chicago– “Expectations for farm income in 2021 strengthened across sectors in April and early May. Drought and dry weather condi ... more. |
No one needs to sell Rob Woodrow on the value of “cover crops” in farming.
Woodrow, a professional farm manager for landowners in the Springfield area and throughout Illinois, said planting non-cash crops such as rye and clover in the fall after harvest helps soil retain moisture and nutrients, controls weeds and reduces erosion for the next growing season.
The benefit of cover crops d ... more. |
In response to a U.S. judge’s rejection of Bayer’s $2 billion class-action proposal, the company announced a five-point plan late Wednesday to address future claims.
In addition, Bayer addressed concerns of row-crop farmers who use Roundup (glyphosate) for weed control. The company says the decision will have no impact on the agricultural marketplace or Bayer’s commitment to Roundup or Ro ... more. |
House Democrats plan to advance a major piece of President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan this week as he remains far apart from Republicans on a broader deal.
Biden, meanwhile, will head to Europe this week on his first overseas trip since taking office. His stops will include a meeting Thursday with British Prime Minster Boris Johnson and the G7 Summit, which starts Friday in Cornwall, a green tec ... more. |
Click Here to read IFCA's "News Under the Dome" for June. Stories in this month's newsletter include:
Legislation IFCA Tracked this Spring Session in Springfield.
$42.3B Illinois State Budget Passes Both Senate and House.
Legislative District Maps Legislation Moves to Gov. Pritzker Desk.
Energy Bill will Need Overtime Session to get Across the Finish Line.
Other Noteworthy Legi ... more. |
Summer is here and IFCA has several opportunities for you to sign up for one, two, and/or all of our summer outings. Mark your calendars for a much needed break away from the office. Grab a group of friends/coworkers and join us in July and August for a fun filled day at the golf outings and the MAGIE show. Golf registration was mailed out this week. The MAGIE Show registration brochure will be co ... more. |
This summer the American Agronomic Stewardship Alliance (AASA) will be inspecting bulk pesticide facilities in Illinois to help ag retailers assure compliance with the USEPA regulations governing bulk pesticide storage, containment, and repackaging. The AASA program is an industry stewardship program, it is not a government inspection.
Ag retailers with bulk pesticide storage tanks should have ... more. |
Click Hereto read IFCA's "News Under the Dome" for June. Stories in this month's newsletter include:
- Legislation IFCA Tracked this Spring Session in Springfield.
- $42.3B Illinois State Budget Passes Both Senateand House.
- Legislative District Maps Legislation Moves to Gov. Pritzker Desk.
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With post application of dicamba over the top on soybeans right around the corner, IFCA would like to remind everyone of the Illinois Department of Agriculture restrictions for Xtendimax, Engenia, and Tavium.
Prohibiting over the topapplication of dicamba on soybeans after June 20.
Prohibiting over the topapplication on dicamba soybeans if the air temperature at the field at the time of appl ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture re-affirmed to IFCA today that the June 20 cut-off date for the application of dicamba remains in place. The Special Local Needs labels for over the top dicamba application to soybean also has a 85 degree temperature restriction, and you must use the weather.gov website to obtain your dicamba weather forecast. To see the Illinois Special Local Needs labels for Xten ... more. |
The IFCA office will be closed on Monday, May 31st in observance of Memorial Day. We will reopen on Tuesday, June 1st.
IFCA sends our sincere gratitude to those brave men and woman who have served our country and paid the ultimate sacrifice. Please have a safe Memorial Day weekend.
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ResponsibleAg is an industry led initiative committed to helping Ag retail members stay compliant with environmental, health, safety, and security regulations. Currently there are 2,500 facilities that are registered with the ResponsibleAg. IFCA encourages you to visit responsibleag.org to learn more about the benefits and view the list of participating members. If you missed the informational webinar hosted by ARA ... more. |
Most recently an out of state Ag retailer was fined $25,000 by USEPA for inadequate repackaging records. The retailer did not record all information as required by USEPA on the repackaging checklist. The American Agronomic Stewardship Alliance (AASA)has prepared several educational resources in assisting companies on what record information USEPA requires when repackaging pesticides. T ... more. |
Over the last few weeks, IFCA has taken several calls on the Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) rule. Effective February 7, 2022, this requirement applies to first-time class A or B CDL applicants and those upgrading to a Class A or B CDL or those seeking an endorsement for hazardous materials (H), passengers (P), or school buses (S).
Under these new requirements, an entry-level driver must, prior to tak ... more. |
Illinois lawmakers have ten days to wrap up all their work from the past four months. That includes passing any new laws and the budget.
The budget: "This year, with the COVID pandemic, rising costs, the budget picture is going to be very difficult," Representative Mike Halpin says.
Illinois has one point three billion dollars in expenses to cover right now. Democrats in charge of ... more. |
Have agriculture advocates won the battle over GMOs?
It’s a wonderful and attention-grabbing concept, but the short answer is no, and we definitely shouldn’t take our foot off the gas when it comes to science and agricultural communication. We have, however, made significant progress on public perception with regards to understanding the importance of genetically engineered crops in our modern ... more. |
On June 2, in my home state of Ohio, mask mandates will finally be lifted. And across the country, as COVID-19 vaccination rates rise and deaths drop, other states are also following this path. This all bodes well for the industry finally being able to once again meet in person come the summer months to celebrate and, more importantly, take part in trade shows and meetings. And I for one can hardly wait!
&nb ... more. |
Senior EPA officials deliberately mishandled the agency's 2018 registration decision for three dicamba herbicides -- FeXapan, XtendiMax, and Engenia -- according to the agency's Office of Inspector General (OIG).
The OIG, a federal agency tasked with reviewing EPA decisions and policy for abuse and errors, issued a scathing report Monday, outlining a number of mistakes made by the agency, including ... more. |
In mid-2020, a decision by the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals regarding dicamba’s registration sent the agricultural industry scrambling for clarity, writes Eric Sfiligoj at CropLife. Now, almost one year later, another active ingredient has been sentenced by the court.
On April 29, Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 decision, ordered the EPA to quickly determine whether the insectici ... more. |
President Joe Biden this week releases his first full budget, detailing both his short-term and long-term spending priorities, while he remains far apart from Senate Republicans on a deal around infrastructure spending.
Biden last month released an outline of his fiscal 2021 proposals for discretionary spending, those programs that are funded through the annual appropriations process as opposed to laws lik ... more. |
The controversy over genetically engineered organisms (sometimes called “genetically modified organisms,” or “GMOs”) is genuine, not faux — but only because of uninformed, exaggerated concerns about the most recent techniques’ “newness.” What is faux and disingenuous are the arguments put forth by genetic engineering’s opponents.
Humans have been ... more. |
The Biden EPA has asked a federal court for a chance to review and possibly revise parts of the agency's 2020 interim decision to re-register glyphosate (Roundup) while leaving the herbicide on the market.
EPA's request was filed Tuesday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, where it is facing a combined lawsuit from a coalition of farmworker and environmental groups, who are asking t ... more. |
Democrats who control the Illinois House and Senate posted maps online Friday night showing proposed boundaries for new state legislative districts as part of a process required by the state constitution at least every 10 years.
The proposed maps “comply with federal and state law and ensure the broad racial and geographic diversity of Illinois is reflected in the General Assembly,” Democ ... more. |
Fertilizer on barges is heading up the Mississippi River once again, thanks to a decision by the U.S. Coast Guard to reopen barge traffic underneath the Hernando de Soto Bridge. As of early this week, there were 62 vessels and 1,058 barges in the queue.
The bridge on Interstate 40, linking Arkansas and Tennessee near Memphis,closed last Tuesday after a crack was discovered in a steel beam durin ... more. |
Corteva Agriscience has developed a DOT compliance guide that explains the regulations that govern the transportation of Enlist One and Enlist Duo herbicides. These herbicides are DOT regulated as an "Environmentally Hazardous Substance" and in certain quantities there are marking, placarding, shipping paper and load securement requirements.
The DOT guidance document is here. Wh ... more. |
Each year, IFCA's partnership with the Asmark Institute enables us to send all our members a set of regulatory posters that include a current listing of USEPA Registration Numbers for commonly used ag pesticides, USDOT shipping paper descriptions for common ag products, and the Worker Protection Standard classifications for agricultural pesticides. These large, colorful posters are great resources to help ... more. |
With just 11 legislative days to the end of spring session, it is now crunch time under the dome of the Illinois state capitol. The major issues that are taking up the most time for legislators include the Budget, Cannabis Clean up language, Exelon Nuclear Bailout bill and Clean Energy Jobs legislation. All eyes are on the New House Speaker Chris Welch to see if he can shepherd these large pieces ... more. |
With just 11 legislative days to the end of spring session, it is now crunch time under the dome of the Illinois state capitol. The major issues that are taking up the most time for legislators include the Budget, Cannabis Cleanup language, the Exelon Nuclear Bailout bill and Clean Energy Jobs legislation. All eyes are on the New House Speaker Chris Welch to see if he can shepherd these large piec ... more. |
Fertilizer on barges is heading up the Mississippi River once again, thanks to a decision by the U.S. Coast Guard to reopen the Hernando de Soto Bridge.
The bridge on Interstate 40, linking Arkansas and Tennessee near Memphis, was closed last Tuesday after a crack was discovered in a steel beam during a routine, federally mandated inspection that occurs about every two years.
After review late las ... more. |
Each year, IFCA's partnership with the Asmark Institute enables us to send all our members a set of regulatory posters that include a current listing of USEPA Registration Numbers for commonly used ag pesticides, USDOT shipping paper descriptions for common ag products, and the Worker Protection Standard classifications for agricultural pesticides. These large, colorful posters are great resources to help ... more. |
Corteva Agriscience has developed a DOT compliance guide that explains the regulations that govern the transportation of Enlist One and Enlist Duo herbicides. These herbicides are DOT regulated as an "Environmentally Hazardous Substance" and in certain quantities there are marking, placarding, shipping paper and load securement requirements.
The DOT guidance document is here. Wh ... more. |
REGISTRATION
Registration to attend the IFCA Winter Conventionwill be available here on our website in late November. Information for registering will also be mailedto all of our members at this time as well.
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Did You Know?
Through AG-SOLVE PAC, you can make a campaign contribution that supports legislators who take a leadership role in the Ag-Input Industry priorities and policies.
In other words, this is a key opportunity for you to help advance our initiatives and protect our industry.
What is the AG-SOLVE PAC?
AG-SOLVE is a Political Action Committee(PAC). AG-SOLVE will suppor ... more. |
Comparing actual N rate responses to the N rate calculator (MRTN) approach to setting N rates (2014-2017)
Emerson Nafziger, University of Illinois, and Dan Schaefer, IFCA
The following slides show the actual yield responses to N rate in on-farm trials for each year and by previous crop – corn or soybean. “Optimum” symbols (Δ) on each response curve are where the last amount of N ju ... more. |
Is the end in sight for the agricultural insecticide chlorpyrifos? On April 29, 2021, a three-judge panel at the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the Environmental Protection Agency within 60 days to either ban chlorpyrifos completely, or to fix safe tolerances for it in food residues. The 9th Circuit’s ruling came in response to a petition from environmental groups dating from 2007. One dissenting judge ... more. |
Reading the book Mindset by Carol Dweck transformed the way Tom Oswald thought about farming.
“One of the chapters talked about the difference between what we do and how we do it,” says the Cleghorn, Iowa, farmer. “For thousands of years, we’ve planted crops that harvest sunlight and use water to make something of value that people want or need.”
How farmers do it, th ... more. |
Ag retailers have always relied heavily on their state associations to stay on top of the latest regulations and legislative news to ensure they are in fertilizer and pesticide compliance. From NH3 training and certification, to the dicamba FAQs, these groups have assisted the crop production supply and service industry in promoting the sound stewardship and use of agricultural inputs.
One state associatio ... more. |
Chances are good that no matter where you live in the United States, you have a part of Mason County in your kitchen pantry.
Ideal growing conditions for specialty crops and long-standing contracts with internationally known food producers Del Monte, Weaver Popcorn, Frito-Lay and others have combined to make the 583-square-mile county with 14,660 residents the nation’s No. 1 for growing popcorn, gree ... more. |
A group of 13 House Democrats, led by Iowa’s Cindy Axne and California’s Jim Costa, is pressing party leaders to exempt family farms from a tax increase President Joe Biden has proposed on inherited assets to help pay for new child care, education and other spending.
Under Biden's $1.8 trillion package of family-related assistance, heirs would no longer receive "stepped up basis" ... more. |
Corn and soybeans are on barges headed down the Mississippi River once again, thanks to a decision by the U.S. Coast Guard to reopen the Hernando de Soto Bridge.
The bridge on Interstate 40, linking Arkansas and Tennessee near Memphis, was closed on Tuesday after a crack was discovered in a steel beam during a routine, federally mandated inspection that occurs about every two years.
After review ... more. |
In 2019, the fee for licensing a small trailer in Illinois jumped from $18 to $118.
The $100 fee increase was included in Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s 2019 Rebuild Illinois capital infrastructure plan which funds road, bridge and building projects throughout the state. A House Revenue and Finance Committee on Thursday discussed what steps could be taken to lower the fee amid a bipartisan push to do so.
&nbs ... more. |
Representatives of the United States, Mexico and Canada sit down to hash out trade disagreements this week, while President Joe Biden continues discussions with Republicans on an infrastructure package.
The online meeting Monday and Tuesday of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement’s Free Trade Commission will be historic not just because it’s the first such confab but also because all three countrie ... more. |
Corteva Agrisciencehas developed a DOT compliance guide that explains the regulations that govern the transportation of Enlist One and Enlist Duo herbicides. These herbicides are DOT regulated as an "Environmentally Hazardous Substance" and incertain quantities there are marking, placarding, shipping paper and load securement requirements.
The DOT guidance docume ... more. |
Two classes will be held at the Asmark Agricenter:
Morning Session - 9:00am - 12:00
Afternoon Session - 1:00pm - 4:00pm
No Walk-in Registrations permitted
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
... more. |
Now is the perfect time for new and limited experienced professional pesticide applicators to hone their skills by taking part in the Applicator Training Course. The course is designed specifically for those individuals with zero to three years of experience and addresses many facets associated with therole.
The four-day Applicator Training classes are held at the Applicator Training Center in ... more. |
This summer the American Agronomic Stewardship Alliance (AASA) will be inspecting bulk pesticide facilities in Illinois to assure compliance with the federal regulations governing bulk pesticide storage, containment, and repackaging. AASA will send each facility a letter ahead of time informing you of the inspection process and they will also call to set up an appointment for the inspection. You can lea ... more. |
Illinois Department of Agricultureis again coordinating the annual pesticide container recycling program. They will accept clean, triple rinsed containers and will also accept clean, cut-up minibulk containers. BUT you must call IDA ahead of time if you plan to take minibulk containers to the collection sites. Please contact Rick Severns at IDA at 217-558-4074 or Richard.Severns@illino ... more. |
Summer is approaching quickly and IFCA has several opportunities for you to sign up for one, two, and/or allof our summer outings. Mark your calendars for a much needed break away from the office. Grab a group of friends/coworkers and join us in July and August for a fun filled day at the golf outings and the MAGIE show. Look for registration brochures for these events in the mail in the coming ... more. |
This summer the American Agronomic Stewardship Alliance (AASA) will be inspectingbulk pesticide facilities in Illinois to help you assure compliance with the federal regulations governing bulk pesticide storage, containment and repackaging. AASA will send each facility a letter ahead of time informing you of the inspection process and they will also call to set up an appointment for the inspection. ... more. |
A federal appeals court on April 29 ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to quickly determine whether a pesticide linked to brain damage in children should be banned, saying the agency had delayed acting on the widely used bug-killer chlorpyrifos for nearly 14 years.
In a 2-1 decision, the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the EPA to act on a possible ban within 60 days.
... more. |
Agricultural corn seed giants started working on a containment strategy as Nebraska environmental regulators began taking stock of the pesticide and fungicide contamination at an ethanol plant that processed treated seeds almost exclusively.
Seed companies stepped in and hired a company to take over environmental cleanup at the AltEn LLC ethanol plant, capable of producing 24 million gallons per year, outs ... more. |
Illinois Senate Republicans on Wednesday harshly criticized Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, accusing him of breaking a campaign pledge to support an independent commission to redraw congressional and legislative district maps.
“What I want to say is, the gerrymandering train is on the tracks,” Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie, of Hawthorn Woods, said during a news conference. “It is ... more. |
Illinois’ backlog of unpaid bills is down to about $3.5 billion — a fraction of the nearly $17 billion the state was behind in paying four years ago.
State Comptroller Susana Mendoza characterized that as a “remarkable” achievement.
The drop in the backlog — which, at its highest point, stood at $16.7 billion in 2017 — means Illinois can pay its bills as they co ... more. |
It was hardly a surprise when the U.S. Census Bureau announced Monday that Illinois was one of three states to lose population in the last decade.
For years, census estimates and anecdotes from family, friends and neighbors have confirmed a trend of outmigration from the state for one reason or another.
Yet, it was not as bad as it could have been, with the state losing just over 18,000 people com ... more. |
USDA is considering how to regulate Bayer's developmental five-way herbicide-tolerant corn trait, which will ultimately tolerate in-season applications of 2,4-D, dicamba, glufosinate, glyphosate and quizalofop (FOPS herbicides).
USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) received a petition from Monsanto (now a legal entity owned by Bayer) to deregulate the new GM corn trait, called ... more. |
Are you in a panic about the tax law changes being debated in Washington? One proposal includes reducing the death tax exemption to $3.5 million. Illinois farmers have lived under a $4 million state exemption for many years, so if you are thinking of a threshold at which you need estate tax planning, I’ve got good news: It won’t change much.
Let’s look back at a few points you may remembe ... more. |
Farm chemical supplies are having difficulty sourcing typical herbicides as Stu reports in Thursday’s From the Farm.
COVID-19 is being blamed for a shortfall of the popular herbicides “Roundup” and “Liberty.”
“If we are seeing any tighter supplies on those two chemicals. There’s some tighter supplies on other stuff, but most of those, the Roundup and the ... more. |
The European Commission launched a review of EU rules on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on Thursday, opening the door to a possible loosening of restrictions for plants resulting from gene-editing technology.
Prompted by a 2018 ruling from the European Union's top court that techniques to alter the genome of an organism should be governed by existing EU rules on GMOs, the Commission concluded th ... more. |
A White House goal to slash U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions hinges in part on farmers and agriculture companies changing the way they manage fields and feedlots. The farm sector says it will need the government’s help to make it happen.
The Biden administration effort outlined in April has drawn support from agribusiness giants including Tyson Foods Inc., JBS SA, Cargill Inc. and CF Industries Holdings ... more. |
As of yesterday, the IL Dept of Ag has received 6 formal pesticide misuse complaints. These are complaints which IDA will investigate. Although this number is relatively low, the number of phone calls to IDA has increased substantially within the last few days. In most cases callers are just relaying concerns or asking questions even in instances where the applicator is following label directions. ... more. |
Spring is upon us and farmers, suppliers, and transporters are all busy preparing for the planting season, which includes lining up fertilizer supplies and accurately estimating inventory needs. Due to the hustle to get ready and some global inventory imports coming into the Gulf Coast slightly behind schedule, the 4Rs (right place, right time, right product, and right rate) are a high priority for our industry rig ... more. |
Some agricultural chemicals such as herbicides and fungicides are in tight supply this spring as shipping backlogs and pandemic-related delays have run headlong into higher demand from increased row-crop acres this year.
Farmers from Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and Oklahoma told DTN in emails they are hearing of higher prices, delays and shortages for he ... more. |
Farm groups are bracing for President Joe Biden to propose higher taxes on inherited assets and capital gains this week as he proposes at least $1 trillion in new spending for paid family leave, education and domestic concerns.
Also this week, the Supreme Court will debate the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency to exempt refiners from biofuel usage mandates.
Biden is ... more. |
An environmental group filed a lawsuit Thursday alleging the federal government has failed to act on petitions to protect nine species under the Endangered Species Act and hasn’t designated critical habitat for 11 other species that are already protected.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., by the Center for Biological Diversity lists a variety of plants, bees and a ... more. |
Despite an increasingly tense relationship, the U.S. and China agreed Saturday to work together to tackle global climate change, including by "raising ambition" for emissions cuts during the 2020s — a key goal of the Biden administration.
Why it matters: The joint communique released Saturday evening commits the world's two largest emitters of greenhouse gases to work together t ... more. |
Farmers have another resource to help them navigate new dicamba label rules.
The Illinois Department of Agriculture has updated its website and published a frequently asked questions page to reflect the new 2021 requirements farmers must follow – from application cut-off dates to temperature restrictions.
Those rules apply to XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology, Engenia Herbi ... more. |
President Biden is setting a goal to reduce U.S. Greenhouse Gas emissions by at least 50% over the next 10 years.
He unveiled the plan today, Earth Day, at his international climate summit with leaders from China, India and other countries.
The new U.S. target is almost double that of the nation’s earlier Paris Climate Agreement commitment.
The White House sa ... more. |
A member of the Rural Broadband Association says Congress must make sure networks are built to last to meet the growing demand for broadband and that means using a variety of technologies.
“Putting resources towards infrastructure that must be substantially rebuilt in only a few years’ time will be a waste and risk leaving rural America behind,” Jennifer Prather with Totel Communi ... more. |
If you still need to purchase glyphosate to tackle tough weeds or terminate cover crops this spring, be advised, it could be hard to come by.
“My retailers say while they have most of the glyphosate needed in-house, replacement product is very hard to get, and they’re taking care of prepaid customers first,” says Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist and owner of Crop-Tech Con ... more. |
Illinois will lose one seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Census Bureau said Monday in announcing the redistribution of the 435 congressional seats based on population shifts in the 2020 Census.
Over the past 50 years, Illinois, reflecting the results of each new census, has been allocated fewer and fewer members in Congress, as other states increased in population but Illinois either h ... more. |
Need to check the registration status of a particular pesticide product? Simply click the title headingto be redirected to theIllinois Department of Agriculture's website. There you can type in the name of a product into the search feature to view results such as the registration number/status, active ingredients, expiration date, as well as other important information.
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If you are the main contact for paying membership dues for your company you should have received an email with the annual dues invoice this past week.. We value your membership and by being a member of IFCA you are part of a network that provides a strong and unified voice for our industry. The IFCA staff takes pride in providing a collaborative effort to ensure you are represented at the state and federal levels. ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture issued a "Frequently Asked Questions" document today explaining the details on the use of Xtendimax, Engenia and Tavium for the upcoming 2021 season. Click here to view IDOA FAQ on Dicamba.
In addition to the requirements of the federally approved labels, all use of pesticides containing dicamba on soybeans in Illinois must comply with the foll ... more. |
IFCA has been working hard to connect with legislators during this spring session even with COVID-19 restrictions, and has been involved in many issues that impact our members. We work across party lines and with other organizations on bills that impact our members, and offer reasonable solutions on contentious issues. For a report on what IFCA has been working on at the Capitol this year, click here.&n ... more. |
As the spring fertilizer and planting season remains on hold for much of the state, we've received questions at IFCA about the storage of UAN in light of growers pondering whether to switch from NH3 to UAN this spring. Here is a summary of the rules for UAN storage in Illinois, as per the Illinois Department of Agriculture regulations:
1. At agrichemical facilities, UAN storage is req ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture issued a "Frequently Asked Questions" document today explaining the details on the use of Xtendimax, Engenia and FeXapan under the USEPA cancellation order. The use of Tavium is also addressed, although it is not part of the cancellation order.
IFCA believes this FAQ addresses all the questions that we had about how this affects ag ret ... more. |
Illinois Department of Natural Resources Nature Preserve Commission Sites are considered "sensitive areas" for the purpose of dicamba application to soybean. Therefore it is vital that applicators identify if any of these DNR sites are located near soybean fields where Engenia, Xtendimax, FeXapan or Tavium may be applied. IFCA worked with DNR to gain access to files of these sites that you c ... more. |
As the spring fertilizer and planting season remains on hold for much of the state, we've received questions at IFCA about the storage of UAN in light of growers pondering whether to switch from NH3 to UAN this spring. Here is a summary of the rules for UAN storage in Illinois, as per the Illinois Department of Agriculture regulations:
1. At agrichemical facilities, UAN stor ... more. |
SB2563, sponsored by Sen. Melinda Bush, started as a relatively conservative bill to make diesel emission testing throughout parts of Illinois more convenient by allowing portable onsite testing equipment. It has been amended to inject current California Clean Air Standards for diesel engines into Illinois regulations.
This legislation would require all model year 2007 and later vehicles registered i ... more. |
Area residents will get their chance this
week to speak out about how new state legislative and congressional maps are drawn this spring.
But they’ll be speaking about an amorphous concept, because there are no maps to review. There isn’t even 2020 Census data on which to base a map. That isn’t scheduled to be released by the Census Bureau until sometime in late August, the Illin ... more. |
A panel of federal appeals judges Washington, D.C., on Monday nixed a Trump administration rule that would have prevented the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from setting greenhouse gas limits on multiple polluting industries.
The rule, finalized just before President Trump left office, only allows greenhouse gas limits on power plants, exempting activities like such as oil and gas production and iro ... more. |
Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) reintroduced the Modernizing Agricultural Transportation Act, bipartisan legislation to reform the Hours of Service (HOS) and Electronic Logging Device (ELD) regulations at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).
The bill would also delay enforcement of the ELD rule until the required reforms are formally proposed by the Transportation Secreta ... more. |
Although pesticide toxicity and biodegradability has decreased overall during the last few decades, many consumers are still worried about pesticides. They are especially concerned with specific pesticides that are portrayed as dangerous by the media.
Foremost among those is glyphosate.
Glyphosate (the active ingredient in RoundUp) has drawn attention in the media in recent years, alleged by advoc ... more. |
Tom Vilsack was sworn in as USDA Secretary for the second time at the end of February. Since then, he has pushed forward advances on the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), climate and mitigation policies and equity in USDA programs. He’s also provided glimpses of ag priorities in an infrastructure package.
CFAP - Checks for $20-per-acre payments for price-trigger crops will go out in April. ... more. |
“The glufosinate molecule has essentially been a rollercoaster ride the last 12 to 18 months across the globe. What we’re seeing is a huge increase in demand on a global scale for glufosinate,” Sam Knott, Director of U.S. Central Crops for generics player Atticus LLC told AgriBusiness Global.
“When countries like China started to phase out paraquat several years ago and Mexico start ... more. |
“The glufosinate molecule has essentially been a rollercoaster ride the last 12 to 18 months across the globe. What we’re seeing is a huge increase in demand on a global scale for glufosinate,” Sam Knott, Director of U.S. Central Crops for generics player Atticus LLC told AgriBusiness Global.
“When countries like China started to phase out paraquat several years ago and Mexico start ... more. |
A northeastern Illinois farmer says this planting season is starting off much better than 2019 and 2020.
Andy Bauman farms non-GMO corn and soybeans in Pontiac. He says wet conditions the past two years delayed planting and crop emergence, but it looks like he will get started planting ahead of schedule this year, beginning next week.
“We’ve been in the 80’s for 5 or 6 days now, ... more. |
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Anhydrous ammonia is being applied around the state, and farmers and others working around and with ammonia should keep safety practices in mind. Thanks to the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association, here are some safety reminders.
Slow down! Nurse tanks should not travel more than 25 mph down the road.
Always turn nurse tank valves off at the tank source and disconnect hoses before pulling onto a publi ... more. |
President Joe Biden pitches his $2.7 trillion infrastructure package to lawmakers from both parties this week, while Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will testify before House appropriators on the heels of Biden proposing a huge increase in USDA spending.
Biden will meet on Monday with eight members of the House and Senate from both parties to discuss his American Jobs Plan. Republicans will be an especia ... more. |
Warmer weather is finally here and many farmers begin to get their planter ready to kick off another growing season. While there may be a visible flurry of activity on the farm, our waterways and streams are silently busy accommodating extra rainfall that typically falls during the season. The additional waterflow is carrying soil nutrients.
Dr. Laura Gentry, Director of Water Quality Research, Clay Bess, ... more. |
Ag Retailers Association and The Fertilizer Institute will partner with ResponsibleAg to hosta webinar on April 8that 1pm cst. The webinar topic is "ResponsibleAg Can Help You – Safety, Security and Saving Money". You can register HERE.
Things that will be discussed on the webinar:
How to ensure your agribusiness facilities comply with the most current enviro ... more. |
As the newly appointed Interim President of IFCA, I would like to take a moment of your time to introduce myself. My name is Kevin “KJ” Johnson, and I previously was working as the Director of Government and Industry Relations for the association. I look forward to working with you on current agronomic practices such aspesticide stewardship, 4R’s, the Nutrient Loss Reduction Stra ... more. |
This week is sure to be a busy one with ammonia application in Illinois. Here are a few reminders to keep foremost in your mind in working with ammonia:
1. Slow down! Nurse tanks should not travel down the road more than 25 mph.
2. ALWAYS turn the nurse tank valves off at the tank source and disconnect hoses before pulling onto a public roadway. This is required by ... more. |
The window for in-person pesticide exam opportunities is rapidly closing as we approach the 2021 growing season. If you or your employees still need to take one of the pesticide exams and not want to opt for taking the exam on-line, please make sure you find a location and register soon. For a list of locations and dates, including several in April at the Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington, please click H ... more. |
University of Illinois Extension’s Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP) has collaborated with the Illinois Department of Agriculture to offer online training courses and online certification exams to Illinois Pesticide applicators and operators. All training courses and exams are available now through at least July 2021.
“Our commercial training courses each provide several hours of instru ... more. |
The White House on Monday named members of its new Environmental Justice Advisory Council, which will work with other panels in the administration on efforts to reduce environmental inequalities.
The council, created in January by one of a several climate-related executive orders signed by President Biden, includes sociologist Robert Bullard, known as the “father of the environmental justice movement ... more. |
The Biden administration is continuing to field lawsuits filed over Endangered Species Act decisions made by the Trump administration.
The Center for Biological Diversity sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Thursday over its failure to provide protections under the Endangered Species Act for 10 species "it admitted needed them," according to the organization.
Among the species are th ... more. |
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s forecasts for corn and soybean plantings on Wednesday fell below analyst expectations, sending futures prices for both commodities up by their daily limits.
Smaller-than-expected plantings of the two main cash crops in the United States would heighten concerns about global food and animal feed supplies after importers and domestic processors loaded up on grain and ... more. |
Republicans in the General Assembly have introduced a new bill that would hand over the process of drawing new legislative and congressional district maps to an independent commission that would be required to use official Census Bureau, rather than survey estimates, to draw the maps.
The latest bill, introduced Tuesday as an amendment to Senate Bill 1325, mirrors a proposed constitutional amendment that w ... more. |
The Biden administration's ambitious plan to create a multibillion-dollar bank to help pay farmers to capture carbon from the atmosphere is running into surprising skepticism, challenging Agriculture Department officials to persuade the industry to get behind the massive climate proposal.
"There's a balance between moving really quickly and also being deliberate enough that we can bring folks ... more. |
In most cases, Illinois farmers who transport Enlist for their own use are exempt from U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) hazardous material regulations, according to Rodney Knittel, Illinois Farm Bureau assistant director of transportation and infrastructure.
“As the popularity of Enlist is increasing, you’re (farmers) going to be given documents from ag retailers. IFB wants farmers to kn ... more. |
Checking for sensitive crops before spraying a herbicide is always a good bet, but for some applicators, it's also the law.
Anyone spraying over-the-top dicamba herbicides is legally required to document that they checked a sensitive crop registry for the area surrounding the field and keep that documentation for two years. While some state- and crop-specific registries exist, for most applicators, thi ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) released its 2020 State of the Fertilizer Industry Report. TFI is the leading voice of the nation’s fertilizer industry serving member organizations though legislative, educational, technical, economic information and public communication programs. Members include fertilizer producers, wholesalers, retailers, and trading firms – including The Mosaic Company.
Ada ... more. |
Kevin “KJ” Johnson was named interim president and CEO of the Bloomington-based Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association (IFCA) Thursday. Johnson succeeds Jean Payne who retired March 31.
A farm native of Champaign and Vermilion counties, Johnson will manage the organization’s overall operations and oversee regulatory and legislative issues and development of programs promoting stew ... more. |
Today, March 31, is the end of IFCA's fiscal year and my last day at IFCA. I am retiring after 23 years with this incredible Association. I never had a job with IFCA, I had a career that I loved, working for people and companies who I was always extremely proud to represent.
My passion was fueled by you, the hard-working members of the crop production supply and service industry.& ... more. |
IFCA President Jean Payne talks to Max Armstrong with This Week in Agribusiness about anhydrous ammonia safety, water quality issues and climate change. Watch the interview here.
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The once-a-decade process of redistricting Illinois is taking place now, after the census.
In Illinois, politicians decide Congressional and state districts, and it's typically extremely partisan.
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The watchdog group "Better Government Association" has been campaigning for years for fair maps.
Now that public hearings are underway statewide, there is a lot at s ... more. |
Recently seated members of the 102nd General Assembly had introduced 6,950 bills as of March 22.
That is correct, it is not a typo and you did not misread.
Almost 7,000 proposals of some variety have been introduced. In addition, 180 Senate resolutions, 162 House resolutions, 10 Senate joint resolutions, 26 House joint resolutions, 10 Senate joint resolution constitutional amendments, and 32 House ... more. |
Protection of Illinois’ natural resources is expanding to improve the health of state-owned soil thanks to a pilot program with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).
“Soil health is one thing IDNR wants to work on,” Bob Caveny, IDNR farm program manager based in Carlinville, told participants at a March 19 Nutrient Stewardship Field Day with the Jefferson County and Frankli ... more. |
President Joe Biden is turning to his next legislative priority, a $3 trillion pair of infrastructure bills that put climate change front and center. As first reported in the New York Times on March 22, funding will be directed to the electric grid, energy-efficient affordable housing, electric vehicle charging stations, and other clean energy priorities. It follows a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus package signed ... more. |
As Democratic lawmakers and the Biden administration explore ideas for an infrastructure plan — Rep. Rodney Davis (R., Ill.) is urging them not to raise taxes to pay for it. The White House is looking at a range of options to fund a long-term recovery package, including raising the corporate tax rate and hiking taxes on the highest-earning Americans.
"After we come out of our pandemic — wh ... more. |
A bill in the Illinois House of Representatives would effectively double the estate tax, if passed, causing financial burden to family farms and small businesses.
Representative Charlie Meier of Okawville tells Brownfield HB 3920 imposes an additional estate tax and generation-skipping transfer tax on taxable transferred property valued at $4 million or more.
“They’ve worked with their ... more. |
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Friday that a tax on how far travelers go looks like a promising way to fund President Biden’s infrastructure bill.
Biden said during his first solo press conference on Thursday that he will announce the $3 trillion proposal on Friday in Pittsburgh.
The next day, his Transportation head said a mileage tax could be one way to help pay for the plan. ... more. |
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said on Friday that a Mexican plan to ban imports of genetically modified (GMO) corn would apply to grain used for human food products, not livestock feed, based on recent talks he had with Mexican Agriculture Secretary Victor Villalobos Arambula.
Vilsack said limiting the ban to food products makes a big difference to U.S. farmers, who have long relied on Mexico as a ... more. |
Tomorrow, March 26 from 10-11:30 central time, Iowa State University, the University of Wisconsin and the University of Illinois are teaming up to offera free webinar on the management of corn rootworm. Dr. Nick Seiter from the University of Illinois is one of the presenters. This webinar offers 1.5 CEUs. For more information and to register, click here:https://docs.google.com/fo ... more. |
IFCA thanks everyone who volunteered to become a classroom trainer for the new grower anhydrous ammonia training requirement. Farmers or others on the farm who transport, apply, handle or work with ammonia equipment must become certified by April 1, 2022. We encourage the trainers tobegin hosting classroom training events for growers this summer.
Please see this Frequently ... more. |
Please join the fertilizer industry for a 4R event on March 30 at 8:00 am central time. This on-line event will feature Dan Schaefer, IFCA's Director of Nutrient Stewardship, as one of the speakers discussing how the 4Rs have been proven through NREC funded Illinois research to reduce both N and P losses and improve crop productivity.This is a free event, but you must pre-register in order t ... more. |
We were so sorry to learn of the sudden passing of Randy Klenke, the co-owner of Hamel Seed & Farm Supply in Worden, IL on March 19.Randy was 62 years old.
Randy lived his entire life in the southwestern Illinois area, and not only helped manage the ag retail business but also farmed and was very active in the community, serving on the volunteer fire department for 30 years ... more. |
Illinois is following the lead of the Internal Revenue Service and extending the filing deadline for individual income taxes to May 17.
The Illinois Department of Revenue reports of 2.4 million people in Illinois have already filed their income taxes for the past year. Seventy-nine percent of those who have already filed are expecting a refund from the state this year.
April 15 is typically the re ... more. |
Farmers aren’t thinking about anhydrous safety very much at the end of March unless you’re moving into application season, but I went through training that reminded me of its importance. This wasn’t material we talk about every day or even when we pick up anhydrous tanks. I can assure you it’s important to you, your family and employees.
In the middle of February, folks from across ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture in conjunction with the University of Illinois Pesticide Safety Education Program is now offering the option to take pesticide applicator and operator exams online.
All exams are proctored through an exam proctoring service to be compliant with federal certification and licensing guidelines.
“In order to safely test our applicators and operators acros ... more. |
Add tank additives to the list of requirements necessary when spraying dicamba in Xtend-tolerant crops this year. EPA labels now require the use of an approved volatility reduction agent, often called a VRA, for applications of Engenia, Tavium and XtendiMax.
"This is not an optional inclusion," said BASF Technical Marketing Manager Tracy Rowlandson. "Every application must now include the ad ... more. |
Specialization is a defining attribute of US farming over the last 50 years. For example, share of farms that had beef cows, grew corn, grew wheat, sold hogs, and sold milk declined from 72%, 44%, 23%, 25%, and 20% to 36%, 15%, 5%, 3%, and 2%, respectively, between the 1964 and 2017 Censuses of Agriculture. Nevertheless, state shares of US farm, crop, and livestock cash receipts has changed little, impl ... more. |
Senate Democrats and their counterparts in the House on Thursday reintroduced legislation that aims to address the disparate impact environmental harm and pollution has on people of color and low-income Americans.
The Environmental Justice for All Act would authorize regulatory agencies to consider cumulative impacts in Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act decisions.
The measure would also require in ... more. |
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Thursday new metrics and guidelines aimed at transitioning the state to a full reopening, unveiling what he called a "Bridge Phase" that would allow for higher capacity limits prior to entering Phase 5.
The new phase allows for higher capacity limits at places like museums, zoos and spectator events as well as increased business operations, the state announce ... more. |
In launching the TruCarbon carbon program, Brett Bruggeman, president of WinField United, says the team is ready to learn a lot and perhaps stub its toes. This spring, the team will enroll growers via the company’s 24 retail partners, which are in the Truterra network. And by summer, the first transactions with Microsoft as the buyer will occur.
“We are on a fast pace,” says Jason Weller, ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Wednesday asked a court to throw out a Trump administration rule that could prevent setting greenhouse gas limits on multiple polluting industries.
The agency said in a court filing that under the previous administration, it “failed to provide any public notice or opportunity for comment on the central elements of the Significant Contribution Rule, renderi ... more. |
Congressional Democrats will use this week to build their case for two major priorities: a multi-trillion dollar climate and infrastructure package and a child nutrition reauthorization bill that could be used to increase the number of kids who can get free meals at school and year-round.
Also this week, the Senate is scheduled to vote Monday on the nomination of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh to be labor secret ... more. |
IFCA worked with the IL Dept of Ag to add 12 more in-person pesticide testing opportunities in April at the Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington, IL (behind the IFCA office). Please click here to be directed to the in-person pesticide testing registration page. You must pre-register to take the pesticide test in person. As spring gets closer, IDA expects hundreds of people in the lawn care industry to ... more. |
IFCA staff John Rebholz and Jason Solberg workedalongside the IL Dept of Ag inspectors this winter to teach 18 competent attendant ammonia safety courses; they finished their final class today. Thank you to all the IFCA members who attended these in-person events. It was great to see so many of you again, and help you achieve your 3-year ammonia safety certification.
If yo ... more. |
Please join the fertilizer industry for a 4R event on March 30 at 8:00 am central time. This on-line event will feature Dan Schaefer, IFCA's Director of Nutrient Stewardship, as one of the speakers discussing how the 4Rs have been proven through NREC funded Illinois research to reduce both N and P losses and improve crop productivity.
This is a free event, but you must pre-registe ... more. |
The Senate is set to approve President Joe Biden’s nominees for Interior secretary and U.S. Trade Representative this week, while the House looks to jump-start a congressional debate over immigration reform and farm labor.
The House will vote on a pair of immigration bills, including the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which would provide a path to legal status for undocumented agricultural workers ... more. |
Think back to before COVID-19 when you were running low on some materials. You could pick up the phone and contact two or three registered suppliers. One of them would have the products, and you could get them six to eight weeks later, on average.
“Today, that same process takes three months – minimum,” explains Keith Holdsworth, a senior supply chain consultant with Perfection Limited, b ... more. |
Agriculture contributes a significant portion of the world’s climate-changing greenhouse gases. In turn, changes in climate will reduce agricultural yields and make farming harder, just as increasing worldwide populations put pressure on the industry to produce more food.
There are basically two ways to reduce agriculture’s impact on climate: decrease the sources of carbon, or increase the sink ... more. |
Click Here to read IFCA's "News Under the Dome" for March. This month's newsletter breaks down legislation that IFCA is tracking for the 2021 spring session at the Illinois State Capitol.
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Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says he will continue to monitor the Phase One Agreement with China.
“Certainly it is important and necessary for us to continue to see that relationship provide the purchases we’ve recently seen,” he says.
He says he’s confident China will continue purchases if the relationship is focused on trade.
“China needs what the US can ... more. |
The $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package passed by the U.S. House Wednesday will deliver a long-awaited boost to cash-strapped Illinois, with $7.5 billion in direct aid to the state and $6 billion for local governments — roughly a third of that going to Chicago.
The aid package, which President Joe Biden is expected to sign into law later this week, is welcome news for a state that has borrowed $ ... more. |
Illinois now has the dubious honor of having the highest taxes in the United States.
The analysis by personal finance website WalletHub looked at state and local taxes, income taxes, real estate taxes, sales and excise taxes, and vehicle property taxes for the report.
The study shows the average Illinois household pays nearly $9,500 a year in state and local taxes, the highest in the nation.
&n ... more. |
The EPA will soon have a new administrator. The Senate voted to confirm Michael Regan last night.
It was not as close as many thought with a vote of 66 to 34.
Regan was previously the Secretary for North Carolina's Department of Environmental Quality and has a track record of working with farmers. He will be sworn in by Vice President Harris.
Former EPA Administrators are also calling ... more. |
EPA's past 2018 dicamba registration decision was tainted by political interference and ignored important science on the herbicide's risks, according to an internal EPA email DTN has obtained and verified with the agency.
"Over the past few years, I am aware that political interference sometimes compromised the integrity of our science," Michal Freedhoff, the new acting assistant admini ... more. |
On Tuesday, the Death Tax Repeal Act of 2021 was reintroduced (S. 617 & H.R. 1712) by Congressmen Smith (R-MO) and Sanford Bishop (D-GA) in the House and Senate Minority Whip Thune in the Senate.
While it’s not expected that a repeal will pass under the Biden administration, opponents of the “Death Tax” will be fighting against Democrats’ increased efforts to reform the tax.&nbs ... more. |
The annual sustainability report from The Fertilizer Institute highlights improvements in safety, energy reduction, and carbon capture.
CEO Corey Rosenbusch tells Brownfield the fertilizer industry’s safety rating is the highest it has been since data collection began in 2013 and 41% of all energy consumed is generated using waste heat rather than pulling from the electrical grid.
“29% ... more. |
Click Hereto read IFCA's "News Under the Dome" for March. This month's newsletter breaks down legislation that IFCA is tracking for the 2021 spring session at the Illinois State Capitol.
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Legislation backed by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group would require farming equipment manufacturers to make software required for repairs available to consumers for purchase.
House Bill 3061, introduced as the “Digital Right to Repair Act” in February by Democratic Rep. Michelle Mussman of Schaumburg, would mandate that manufacturers, by 2022, provide farmers with the same diagnostic ma ... more. |
The Biden White House has hired Wisconsin native Kelliann Blazek as a special assistant to the president for agriculture and rural policy.
Blazek’s career has included a handful of stops around Washington farm policy circles as well as work in her home state and as a food law and policy educator. Her most recent role was in Wisconsin’s Office of Rural Prosperity, where she worked under Democrat ... more. |
House Democrats look to clear the $1.9 trillion stimulus package for President Joe Biden’s signature this week, while the Senate turns to moving more of his Cabinet nominees, including his pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency, Michael Regan.
Also this week, the Senate Agriculture Committee takes its first step toward crafting a potentially transformative climate policy that could transfor ... more. |
When President Joe Biden made environmental protection a key element of his campaign, he promised to overhaul the federal office that investigates complaints from people in minority communities who believe they have been unfairly harmed by industrial pollution or waste disposal.
Although the Environmental Protection Agency acknowledges that disadvantaged communities in America are disproportionately affect ... more. |
The Biden administration said on Monday it would consider carbon border adjustment taxes to help cut greenhouse gas emissions in global trade and to combat China’s use of forced labor among Uighur Muslims in its western Xinjiang region.
Releasing a new administration trade agenda here, the U.S. Trade Representative's office said the carbon border adjustment, which consists of import fees levied b ... more. |
Legislative leaders in the Illinois House differ on what is causing the state to see continued population decline, and how to reverse the trend.
The state lost nearly 80,000 people in the year that ended July 2020, according to an analysis of U.S. Census data. That’s 22,000 more than were lost the year before and the seventh consecutive loss of population in the past 10 years. Illinois led the nation ... more. |
With warmer weather just around the corner, boaters are counting on the state to finally do something about skyrocketing trailer fees.
Lawmakers are doubling down on efforts to reverse a 555 percent increase in license plate registration fees for some small trailers.
CBS 2’s Tim McNicholas first uncovered the increase more than a year ago. Now, he is asking why it hasn’t been fixed soo ... more. |
In the annual governor’s budget address on Feb. 17, Gov. J.B. Pritzker presented a $41.6 billion budget for fiscal year 2022 that holds spending flat for education as well as most state operating spending.
Pritzker was tasked with closing a $4.8 billion deficit reported in November 2020, which would have grown to $5.5 billion including a $690 million payment towards recent borrowing from the Federal ... more. |
MAGIE 2017
August 23-24, 2017
at the McLean County Fairgrounds
1106 Interstate Drive, Bloomington, Illinois 61705
Contact IFCA at (309) 827-2774 for more information about MAGIE
Future MAGIE Dates:
August 22-23, 2018
August 21-22, 2019
August 26-27, 2020
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We hope everyone is making progress getting their annual dicamba training. To link to all the available training programs, click here.
One major change in the new dicamba labels for use on soybean is how you manage applications in the endangered species counties. Corn cannot be included as a tolerant crop in any of the buffers (downwind or omni-directional) in counties that USEP ... more. |
We are so happy to be returning to in-person safety training! If you need to renew your 3-year anhydrous ammonia competent attendant certificate, we still have a few openings in the classes that start on March 1, throughout the state.
To see the dates, times and locations of the classes, click here. We also want to thank all the IFCA members who participated in the "Train t ... more. |
The results of the 2020 nitrogen rate trials have been uploaded to the Nitrogen Rate Calculator for Illinois.What did we learn about corn'sresponse to N and how will this informationshape management decisions for spring 2021?
On Friday, Feb 26 at 9:00 am central time, IFCA is offering a webinar with Dr. Emerson Nafziger to discuss "Getting Nitrogen Right."&nb ... more. |
The annual Tier 2 chemical inventory reports are due to IEMA by March 1 each year, for your inventory the previous calendar year. To see more about the IEMA reporting requirement, click here.
Also, the Pesticide Producing Establishment reports are due to USEPA for the amount of pesticides that you repackaged and sold or distributed in 2020. If you have questions, please contact IFCA.& ... more. |
Jean Payne has announced her retirement from IFCA on March 31, 2021 after 23 years with IFCA and 17 as President. To see Jean's final President's report and a report from the Chairman on the leadership transition at IFCA, click here. Also in the newsletter are updates on pesticide issues, NH3 training and other items of importance to the IFCA membership. The newsletter is also posted at ww ... more. |
Train the Trainer Classes: Last Friday we had a great turnout for the first Train the Trainer session held in Bloomington at the Agricenter. We have two remaining schools this week, today in Rock Falls and tomorrow (Feb 19) in Effingham. These classes are for persons experienced with ammonia who want to train farmers under the new regulations for grower training and will also certify attendees as ... more. |
Senate Bill 1480was approved by the Illinois General Assembly during the lame duck session in January. The final version of the bill includes several provisions of concern for employers:
New procedures that must be followed if an employer seeks to disqualify an applicant or employee based on a criminal conviction record.
A requirement that employers report workforce demographic data to the S ... more. |
Please keep a look-out in your inbox for an email from IFCA this upcoming Monday morning about our 4R survey. The questions within the survey will ask about 2020 fall practices. It is anonymous and only 10 questions long. We are extremely appreciative for all of the member participation we’ve received on previous surveys and want to once again reiterate how important your participation is.&n ... more. |
We were saddened to learn that Ford West, the retired Executive Director of The Fertilizer Institute, passed away at the age of 73 after a 15 year battle with cancer. Ford led the fertilizer industry with compassion and strong leadership and was a dear friend to many. To see Ford obituary, click here. Please keep his family and many friends in your thoughts and prayers. It if weren't&nbs ... more. |
With fresh snow on the ground and frozen soils throughout the state, we want to emphasize the importance of good stewardship practices. Winter is still in full swing, and spreading fertilizer on frozen or snow-covered ground is a practice that should be discouraged. For any nutrients that still need to be applied, please visit with your grower customers and promote getting these applications made in the ... more. |
Pesticide products like atrazine help ag retailers and their farmer customers provide climate solutions while promoting sustainable agricultural practices that result in a safe, secure, and affordable food supply for American consumers.
But on Nov. 5, 2020, EPA published its draft biological evaluation (BE) of atrazine, simazine and propazine and inexplicably found that atrazine is likely to adversely impa ... more. |
EPA is facing a tangle of lawsuits over its 2020 registration of three over-the-top dicamba herbicides, XtendiMax, Engenia and Tavium.
Given the many legal steps ahead for them, these lawsuits are unlikely to immediately affect the legal availability of dicamba in 2021, but they could threaten the chemical's use in spray seasons to come.
The lawsuits have been brought by two different groups o ... more. |
Seeking to reach more students, Illinois agriculture educators see opportunity in the diverse student populations at urban and suburban schools. But that opportunity comes with challenges.
One challenge is finding curriculum for students more likely to be interested in food science than food production, and in indoor, even vertical, fields than rolling ones. The Illinois State Board of Education through th ... more. |
Having grown up in a farming community, then working in agriculture for more than 25 years, I have witnessed the exceptional resiliency of North American farmers many times.
After 2019, I thought I had seen our industry overcome among the most significant challenges we would ever face: Historic flooding in the spring that disrupted fertilizer applications and planting followed by poor weather in the fall t ... more. |
Major farm states are likely to lose more influence in the U.S. House because of population shifts that are expected to result in lost seats across the Midwest as well as in Pennsylvania and New York.
The results of the 2020 Census are not expected to be released before March, but analysts expect the states losing seats to include Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Minnesota. California also could lose at least ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) offers online pesticide license exams and limited in-person pesticide exams. An estimated 15,000 to 20,000 individuals are expected to take state license certification exams during the 2021 certification year.
Starting Jan. 1, IDOA began offering a few limited in-person testing sessions. Seating is limited due to COVID restrictions. Most locations allow only ei ... more. |
Farmers have made conservation headway through the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy since 2011, but there are still big challenges hindering recent progress.
During a virtual Illinois Conservation Cropping Seminar Joel Gruver with Western Illinois University says the state has already reached 14% nitrogen loss reduction with the goal of 15% by 2025 and reached 22% phosphorus loss reduction w ... more. |
Gov. JB Pritzker announced $711 million in spending cuts on Tuesday, calling it a "first step" in closing a $3.9 billion revenue shortfall in the current fiscal year's budget.
As part of those cuts, Pritzker said his office is negotiating with employee labor unions to identify $75 million in personnel cost reductions, which could include furloughs, and that he is establishing a work group to ... more. |
U.S. President Joe Biden’s pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency said he will confer with legal and policy teams to understand the options available for setting mandates to blend biofuels into the nation’s fuel mix beyond 2022.
Michael Regan also said he has had conversations with other members of the Biden administration, including Biden’s pick for the Agriculture Department, ... more. |
The EPA’s oversight branch says the agency is at risk of not achieving special local needs program goals for pesticides.
In its report, the Office of Inspector General says the program will not effectively promote risk reduction and pollution prevention without improvements such as the EPA’s insufficient management-control system of section 24.
Last fall, when EPA rolled out its new di ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) has promulgated emergency rules for the over-the-top application of dicamba in the 2021 crop season. The rules were filed with the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR). These rules became effective upon their filing on February 5, 2021, and are scheduled to be published in the Illinois Register on February 16, 2021. The emergency rules are ef ... more. |
On Friday, February 26 at 9:00 am Central Time, Dr. Emerson Nafziger will have a one-hour webinar focused on spring nitrogen management for the 2020 season. The webinar offers .5 NM and .5 SW and will also be recorded and posted at www.ifca.com. IFCA thanks NREC for funding the research thatmakes these updates possible, and GROWMARK for helping to host the webinar.
To re ... more. |
IFCA is asking all members to take time and make public comments on the draft biological evaluations for atrazine, propazine and simazine by Feb 19, 2021.
Biological evaluations are the beginning of EPA's Endangered Species Act consultation review process where the agency determines whether a herbicide may affect one or more listed species and their designated critical habitats.
EPA ... more. |
If you are going apply dicamba to soybean, or paraquat in 2021, and need to obtain label specific training, look no further. You must take dicamba training annually, and paraquat training once every 3 years. To access the on-line training for either product, visit ifca.com and click on the “Training” tab. In the drop-down menu, you will find training tabs for each product that will dir ... more. |
IFCA is hosting several opportunities for ammonia training ahead of the spring season. They are:
Classroom Training for Competent Attendants: These courses offered by IFCA/IDOA provide a 3-year certificate for industry employees and farmers who own storage tanks. Click here to see the locations and to register. We are holding both morning and afternoon classes at each location ... more. |
The House plans to take up a budget resolution this week for a coronavirus relief package, and the Senate may be close behind.
House Budget Chairman John Yarmuth, D-Ky., plans to release a fiscal 2021 budget resolution Monday. It’s expected to go to the Rules Committee on Tuesday and to the floor Wednesday.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is expected to introduce an identical budget resolution e ... more. |
Sec. of Agriculture nominee Tom Vilsack said during his confirmation hearing on Tuesday that he plans to prioritize efforts to address climate change and food insecurity, which are main issues in President Joe Biden’s stimulus plan.
Vilsack, who served as the head of the Dept. of Agriculture under former President Barack Obama, told lawmakers during his hearing that he recognizes the economic hardshi ... more. |
The Senate begins its impeachment trial for former President Donald Trump this week even as his successor pushes lawmakers to meet his demands for a $1.9 trillion package of coronavirus relief and economic stimulus measures.
The Senate and House cleared the way for Congress to pass the package without Republican support by approving a fiscal 2021 budget resolution on Friday. That was a crucial step that ha ... more. |
EPA is facing a tangle of lawsuits over its 2020 registration of three over-the-top dicamba herbicides, XtendiMax, Engenia and Tavium.
Given the many legal steps ahead for them, these lawsuits are unlikely to immediately affect the legal availability of dicamba in 2021, but they could threaten the chemical's use in spray seasons to come.
The lawsuits have been brought by two different groups ... more. |
Bayer has been struggling to finalize the settlement of claims that Roundup and other glyphosate-based herbicides cause non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer. Bayer inherited the business and the litigation as part of a $63 billion acquisition of Monsanto in 2018.
The company has said that decades of studies have shown Roundup and glyphosate are safe for human use.
Wednesday’s settl ... more. |
Anyone applying pesticides must be licensed, but those licenses expire every 3 years and renewing them in a COVID-19 world has been a challenge. Here’s how state agriculture regulators have revised their plans.
The Illinois Department of Agriculture had a great plan to renew pesticide application licenses on line.
“This year the pesticide testing program had to move to an online ... more. |
No internet connection. Connection interrupted. 404. These menacing alerts are a constant reminder of the haves and have nots of connectivity.
Even though the internet has been around for three decades, some 40% of the world is yet to get online. The Federal Communication’s Commission (FCC) estimates 19 million Americans lack access to high-speed internet. In rural areas, nearly a quarter of the popu ... more. |
Artificial intelligence already is making strides in the development of new drugs, and now the pesticide industry wants in on the action.
Switzerland’s Syngenta AG has teamed up with Insilico Medicine to use its deep-learning tools to produce sustainable weedkillers. As well as taking on some of the early-stage work traditionally conducted in a lab, AI could design molecules used in crop-protection t ... more. |
On Friday, February 26 at 9:00 am Central Time, Dr. Emerson Nafziger will have a one-hour webinar focused on spring nitrogen management for the 2020 season. CEU credits being offered will be in the form of .5NM and .5SW. The webinar will also be recorded and posted at www.ifca.com if you can't make it but want to listen later. IFCA would like to thank NREC for funding the research that ... more. |
IFCA is asking all members to take time and make public comments on the draft biological evaluations for atrazine, propazine and simazine by Feb 19, 2021.
Biological evaluations are the beginning of EPA's Endangered Species Act consultation review process where the agency determines whether a herbicide may affect one or more listed species and their designated critical habitats.
EPA ... more. |
Two classes will be held at the Asmark Agricenter:
Morning Session - 9:00am - 12:00
Afternoon Session - 1:00pm - 4:00pm
No Walk-in Registrations permitted
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
... more. |
Two classes will be held at the Asmark Agricenter:
Morning Session - 9:00am - 12:00
Afternoon Session - 1:00pm - 4:00pm
No Walk-in Registrations permitted
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
... more. |
Two classes will be held at the Mendota Civic Center:
Morning Session - 9:00am - 12:00
Afternoon Session - 1:00pm - 4:00pm
No Walk-in Registrations permitted
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employe ... more. |
Two classes will be held at the Holiday Inn:
Morning Session - 8:00am - 11:00
Afternoon Session- 12:00pm - 3:00pm
PLEASE NOTE: Session times for Quincyare different than other locations
No Walk-in Registrations permitted
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and tran ... more. |
Two classes will be held at The Pavilion:
Morning Session - 9:00am - 12:00
Afternoon Session - 1:00pm - 4:00pm
No Walk-in Registrations permitted
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
P ... more. |
Two classes will be held at the Effingham Event Center:
Morning Session - 9:00am - 12:00
Afternoon Session - 1:00pm - 4:00pm
No Walk-in Registrations permitted
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new emplo ... more. |
Two classes will be held at Poe's Catering:
Morning Session - 9:00am - 12:00
Afternoon Session - 1:00pm - 4:00pm
No Walk-in Registrations permitted
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
... more. |
Two classes will be held at the Unique Suites:
Morning Session - 9:00am - 12:00
Afternoon Session - 1:00pm - 4:00pm
No Walk-in Registrations permitted
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
... more. |
Two classes will be held at the Asmark Agricenter:
Morning Session - 9:00am - 12:00
Afternoon Session - 1:00pm - 4:00pm
No Walk-in Registrations permitted
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
... more. |
The Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association (IFCA) could not hold its popular winter convention in Peoria, Illinois, but with an optimistic start to 2021, the Association held an on-line business meeting on January 20, 2021 and announced its newly elected and re-elected board members. In the meeting, IFCA also reported on the Association’s activities, their 2021 scholarship recipients and provided an u ... more. |
As President Joe Biden was sworn in on Wednesday, the 46th president made calls for unity and less divide.
“We must end this uncivil war that pits red against blue, rural versus -- rural versus urban, conservative versus liberal. We can do this if we open our souls instead of hardening our hearts,” said Biden during his inaugural address.
Swiftly after being sworn in, the president got ... more. |
New Jersey’s House delegation upped the ante for a pandemic relief package Wednesday, calling on congressional leaders to include a repeal of a cap on state and local tax deductions.
The bipartisan push for relief from the so-called SALT deduction cap could add a new wrinkle to negotiations over President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan. It also threatens to push the price tag ... more. |
A series of orders by President Biden reimagining the regulatory process has thrilled progressives by stressing the need to craft policy that focuses on dignity, safety and equity as much as technical analysis.
The orders, signed the first day of the administration, have gotten less attention than those rejoining the Paris Climate Accord or ending the so-called Muslim ban, but could have a major impact, si ... more. |
We are learning more about new labeling laws that will be in effect this time next year regarding genetically modified foods.
It took Congress three years to set up the rules and regulations.
All foods with more than five percent GMOs will have to be labeled. Some companies are already putting that information in packaging.
A food scientist from Kansas State University describes what we c ... more. |
The Trump administration used it to bail out farmers suffering from its trade wars. Now the Biden administration wants to deploy a $30 billion pot of money in the Agriculture Department to tackle climate change, support restaurants and kickstart other programs without waiting for Congress.
Long hidden in obscurity as a Depression-era financial institution, the Commodity Credit Corp. is shaping up as one of ... more. |
The man called “the Real Governor of Illinois” by Chicago Magazine is gone as speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, but Michael Madigan's impact on the institution and the state — good or bad — will remain, observers say.
The new speaker, Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, described what he saw as the Chicago Democrat's positive influence on Illi ... more. |
University of Illinois Extension – Bureau, LaSalle, Marshall, Putnam Unit is offering three Testing-Only sessions and certification program for private pesticide applicators. The sessions will be held in Henry on Jan. 29 and Feb. 5 and at IVCC in Oglesby on Feb. 26.
Certification is required to apply restricted use pesticides. The sessions are held in cooperation with the Illinois Department of Agric ... more. |
Tom Vilsack gets a chance this week to outline his vision for a second stint at the Agriculture Department in which he will be expected to play a major role in carrying out President Joe Biden’s climate policy and racial justice agenda.
The Senate Agriculture Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for Vilsack on Tuesday and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has a hearing Wednesd ... more. |
IFCA has been in contact with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) regarding the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine to ag essential workers. Ag essential workers are in Phase 1B of the state's plan.IEMA informed IFCA that Phase 1B for essential workers will begin on January 25th.
Based on our conversations with IEMA, IFCA recommends you take these steps: ... more. |
The 101st Illinois General Assembly took historic action that ranged from passing legislation to end cash bail prior to electing a Black House Speaker for the first time.
But lawmakers ran out of time on several consequential measures — including bills that would have expanded vote-by-mail, allowed lawmakers to conduct business remotely during the pandemic and eliminated newly expanded income tax ded ... more. |
The man called “the Real Governor of Illinois” by Chicago Magazine is gone as speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, but Michael Madigan's impact on the institution and the state — good or bad — will remain, observers say.
The new speaker, Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, described what he saw as the Chicago Democrat's positive influence on Illi ... more. |
The Senate is set to confirm Treasury Secretary nominee Janet Yellen while formally starting an impeachment trial that threatens to slow down progress on President Joe Biden’s policy agenda.
Meanwhile, Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan is running into stiff resistance from Senate Republicans, who are balking at the price tag.
The Democratic-controlled Senate is still in the ... more. |
The incoming Senate Democratic majority opens new avenues for the incoming Biden administration to reverse a host of last-minute environmental rollbacks by President Trump.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other agencies have finalized numerous rules in the last several months of Trump’s presidency, but Democrats can now consider going the legislative route to essentially roll back the r ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) will offer three, in-person February sessions to train volunteers to teach growers and grower farm operators about anhydrous ammonia safety and help them comply with a new state requirement.
John Rebholz, director of safety education for the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA), is coordinating in-person train the trainer sessions for IDOA, IFCA ... more. |
Following a turbulent 2020, which included a global pandemic, hard-fought presidential race and numerous congressional changeovers, the path of U.S. ag policy is likely headed for an adjustment. The “Sonny” sided leadership of USDA and its motto to “Do Right and Feed Everyone” will see the return of the long-tenure of Tom Vilsack. Add in new and retiring ag committee members in Congress, and ... more. |
President Joe Biden’s extensive use of executive orders Wednesday to jump-start his presidency and his plans to sign several more this month demonstrate his desire to act swiftly, without waiting for congressional approval, on issues such as COVID-19.
Experts expect him to continue to leverage executive powers to advance his health care agenda. The early wave of executive actions suggests he’ll ... more. |
Click Here to read IFCA's "News Under the Dome" for January. Stories in this month's newsletter include:
• Chris Welch Elected New Speaker of the Illinois House
• McConchie Officially Elevated as GOP Leader in the Senate
•&n ... more. |
With the recent loosening of in-person meeting restrictions, IFCA in cooperation with the Illinois Dept of Ag will be hosting in-person anhydrous ammonia safety competent attendant training beginning March 1st. This course provides important safety and ammonia facility regulatory information and enables the attendee to achieve a 3-year certificate as a "competent attendant" in order to handle ammoni ... more. |
IFCA held a 1-houron-line business meeting on January 20, and we appreciate the many members who attended! If you missed it, a recording of the meeting is available on our website under the "Convention" tab or click here. At the meeting we announced the results of the board election, the 2021 IFCA board andofficers, our scholarship recipients and a short update on IFCA activities.& ... more. |
Links to on-line dicamba training for 2021 are now available. There are also some webinar options. To view the links to the Bayer, BASF and Syngenta sponsored training programs, go to the IFCA's Dicamba Training Website. Information about Illinois' additional dicamba application restrictions are included in the training slides.
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As a seasonal reminder when storing bulk pesticides, it is always a good practice prior to placing pesticides into any type of storage container to determine the compatibility of the pesticide with the storage container, plumbing, valves and other appurtenances.
Some pesticide storage containers may be used to store more than one pesticide during a given year and the storage and handling equipmen ... more. |
As a new Congress and Illinois General Assembly convenes, IFCA invites our members to participate in a short on-line update about issues that may impact our members. Pease join KJ Johnson on February 4th at 10 am central time for a live update on legislative issues in Illinois and at the federal level. Some of the topics we will cover include climate change, ag sales tax exemptions, pesticide legislatio ... more. |
Dicamba Precautions
Provided by: U of I, Purdue, OSU
Download
Guide for Keeping Weather Records
Provided by:North Dakota State University Extension Service
Download
Inversion Guidance 2017- NDSU
Provided by: North Dakota State University Extension Service
Download
&nbs ... more. |
Click image to play video.
2021IFCA Online Business Meeting
January 20th, 2021
Due to the restrictions of large assemblies, the Annual IFCA Convention had to be cancelled. In lieu of our convention, we held a one-hour Online Business Meeting which allowed our members, sponsors, and community to see the progress and financial status of IFCA and how their continu ... more. |
Please join IFCA for a one-hour annual meeting, at 10-11 am central time this morning.
Learn who your new Board leaders are, get an update on IFCA activities, congratulate our scholarship winners, see all the incredible members who will help sponsor IFCA programs in the upcoming year,and get an update from Brad Beaver at the IL Dept of Ag about the status of pesticide testing and dicamba applicat ... more. |
Dear Registrant,
This messageis a reminder email to join IFCA for the 2021 Annual Meeting for which you recently registered.The meeting will begin promptly at 10:00 am (central time). Below you will find the GoToWebinar link to use to sign in to the meeting. This is the same link that was sent on January 18th. Please try the Webinar link a few minutes prior to the beginning of t ... more. |
Click Here to read IFCA's "News Under the Dome" for January. Stories in this month's newsletter include:
Chris Welch Elected New Speaker of the Illinois House
McConchie Officially Elevated as GOP Leader in the Senate
Legislation that Moved in Lame Duck Session
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On Friday, Jan. 8, a class action complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois by a farmer’s widow on behalf of his estate.
In summary, the lawsuit alleges crop input manufacturers, large wholesalers and retailers have created an unfair market for farmers.
The plaintiff is Barbara Piper, the executor of the estate of her husband, Michael Piper, who die ... more. |
Preparation and patience are Brad Beaver’s top recommendations for successfully completing the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA)’s online pesticide certification exam. Beaver, acting chief of IDOA’s environmental program bureau, discussed needed equipment and how IDOA addressed issues with the online testing process.
Since mid-December, 780 people completed exams and another 200 e ... more. |
Since the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals first vacated the registration for three dicamba formulations back in June, the entire agricultural industry has had its eyes upon how governmental agencies and the entire marketplace would respond. From the governmental side, the answer has come. But how will the industry react now? Based upon the results from the 2020 CropLife 100 survey, dicamba’s future remains a b ... more. |
Solving the climate crisis by boosting investments in new technologies will be at the center of the Biden administration’s job creation agenda, the incoming top economic White House adviser said on Wednesday.
“I think what you are going to see across the president-elect’s rescue-and-recovery strategy is an approach that puts solving the climate crisis at the center of creating jobs,&rdquo ... more. |
President-elect Joe Biden is elevating the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to a Cabinet-level position, a move that highlights the emphasis the incoming administration plans to put on science as it inherits a public health crisis.
Biden on Friday named Eric Lander, a principal leader of the Human Genome Project, to the post and announced several other key members of the ... more. |
Back during the 1970s, a singer in one classic song said he “could see clearly now the rain is gone.” But for the fertilizer category among CropLife 100 ag retailers, the vision of 2020 following the end of the 2019 rains still left an incredibly blurry image, marked by losses in multiple areas.
In many ways, market watchers probably shouldn’t be that surprised by this performance when ey ... more. |
In 2016, Illinois lawmakers had a sticky problem that state Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch stepped up to solve, marking him as an up-and-comer in Springfield.
Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger had cut off state pay to legislators because of the General Assembly’s budget impasse with Gov. Bruce Rauner.
Munger’s move was popular. Why should legislators get paid, went the argumen ... more. |
Nutrient runoff from agricultural production is a major cause of pollution in the Mississippi River Basin and contributes to hypoxia -- limited oxygen to support sea life in the Gulf of Mexico. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set up action plans to reduce pollution in 12 midwestern states and reduce transmissions of nitrate-nitrogen and phosphorus by 45% in 2040.
Illinois agencies have estab ... more. |
Senate Democrats appear unlikely to nuke the legislative filibuster, despite intense pressure from the left in the wake of this month's two victories in Georgia.
Starting Wednesday, Democrats will control a unified government for the first time since 2010. But the slim 50-50 margin in the Senate is threatening to box in progressive hopes of going big with sweeping policies unless they can convince sena ... more. |
Joe Biden plans to move quickly to implement his agenda by issuing a series of executive orders addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and other challenges, starting Wednesday as he takes office as the 46th president in a fortified capital city.
The Senate, meanwhile, will begin the process of considering his Cabinet selections with a series of confirmation hearings beginning Tuesday.
In ... more. |
We are in the process of finalizing venues to begin train the trainer sessions in mid-February. We currently have approximately 30 potential trainers, with most of the concentration of the trainers being in central and southern Illinois. We are seeking potential trainers in the northern part of the state that would be interested in becoming a trainer. If you are interested in becoming qualified to ... more. |
Here at IFCA, we continue to focus on trying to assist our CCA members in these uncertain times. On our homepage, you will find a document listing online conferences, webinars, or meetings covering important topics for our industry. A short breakdown of each event is provided, as well as a link to the event itself. To view the current list, click HERE.
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This year we will be holding the IFCA Annual Meetingon-line. The one-hour meeting will take place Wednesday, January 20 from 10-11am. This will be a free, virtual event, with .5 PD and .5 PM CEU’s offered. Join us to learn about important updates within IFCA and the industry, a very important update from the IL Dept of Agriculture on the status of pesticide testing and potential change ... more. |
The IDOA reports that the number of both completed and scheduled on-line pesticide exams has picked up recently. With so many applicators and operators needing re-certification, we want to ensure that the process for those taking the exams is as smooth as possible. One thing that we want to make clear is that it is important that you first visit the Illinois Extension website for pesticide training and ... more. |
Following the new five-year registrations for dicamba-containing products for soybean is the need for applicators to clearly understand the requirements when using these products. One of the main hurdles needing clarification deals with the endangered species counties that require additional 57 ft omnidirectional buffers and a 310 ft downwind buffer. Dr. Hager of the Department of Crop Sciences at the U ... more. |
IFCA will also be having our Annual Meetingthis Wednesday, January 20 from 10-11am. This will be a free, virtual event, with .5 PD and .5 PM being offered. Please click here to view the agenda and register. We will give IFCA updates along with an update from the IL Dept of Agriculture on the status of pesticide testing and potential changes to the dicamba labels.
IFCA will ... more. |
One of the impacts of canceled conferences, shows, field days, and meetings has been the shortage of CEU opportunities for Crop Advisors. If you are a Certified Crop Advisor in need of CEU's, or just interested in attending online conferences or webinars providing information impacting our industry, we encourage you to go through thisdocument that contains information and links to these events. We w ... more. |
We are in the process of finalizing venues to begin train the trainer sessions in mid-February. We currently have approximately 30 potential trainers, with most of the concentration of the trainers being in central and southern Illinois. We are seeking potential trainers in the northern part of the state that would be interested in becoming a trainer. If you are interested in becoming a train the ... more. |
With the rollout of the COVID vaccines, the Illinois Department of Public Health created a "Frequently Asked Questions" document. Within the document you will find answers to questionsregarding vaccine availability, requirements/mandates, safety, and other common questions. Please click the PDF below to learn more.
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Sunday, Jan. 10, was the third day of the lame duck session for the Illinois General Assembly.
Topics on the floor of the House of Representatives at the Bank of Springfield Center included police brutality, COVID-19 vaccine distribution, and protections for frontline workers amidst the pandemic.
During open debate on the floor, Rep. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, was seen collapsed on the ground and was ... more. |
Four years after the thunder in Congress over labeling foods made with GMO ingredients, the deadline for compliance with the USDA labeling regulation is in sight — the end of 2021 — despite complaints that the rule is riddled with loopholes that exempt many foods.
Under the rule, food makers have four options for indicating GMO ingredients, ranging from saying so on the package to a fingernail- ... more. |
Under new state regulation 8 IAC 215, anyone who works on a farm and handles anhydrous ammonia must complete certified grower training by April 2022 and once every 3 years thereafter. This includes not only farm workers who apply the nitrogen fertilizer to fields, but also those who transport nurse tanks to and from suppliers and those who maintain anhydrous ammonia equipment.
Certified grower training is ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture registered dicamba products for use on soybeans in 2021 that includes restrictions that differ from the federal label.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved five-year registrations Oct. 27 for two over-the-top dicamba products — XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology and Engenia Herbicide — and extended the registration for an additional OTT dicam ... more. |
GOP lawmakers are again demanding answers from Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Employment Securities over the state’s processing of unemployment benefits.
Since COVID-19 hit Illinois, IDES has been inundated with unemployment claims from Illinoisans impacted by the state’s stay-at-home orders and pandemic-related recession.
As a result, wait times for people trying to c ... more. |
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday proposed changes in Illinois tax law that would save the state $500 million during a budget crisis.
The Democrat also froze the start of new business credits that would cost $20 million annually.
Pritzker floated the idea during the first day of the General Assembly's lame-duck session, one of five days scheduled to end the 101st General Assembly before inauguratio ... more. |
While Congress recovers from the storming of the U.S. Capitol, policy options for the incoming Biden administration opened up Wednesday when Democrat Jon Ossoff defeated GOP Sen. David Perdue in the second Georgia Senate runoff.
The Georgia victories by Ossoff and Raphael Warnock pushed the U.S. Senate into a 50-50 party split with incoming Vice President Kamala Harris serving as tie breaker. Democrats wil ... more. |
With only 12 days until the Biden presidential inauguration, agriculture is waiting to see what a shift in power will mean for agricultural policy. There is already optimism sprouting from some agricultural groups, with leaders saying the Biden Administration is taking an extremely proactive approach.
“I have been in Washington since Ronald Reagan was President, so I've seen administr ... more. |
About 3.2 million additional Illinoisans, including agriculture workers, will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine as the state moves into the 1B distribution phase, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Wednesday.
The 1B phase includes frontline essential workers and all individuals 65 and older. Among those now eligible are agriculture (ag input industry), police and public safety workers, teachers and schoo ... more. |
With new registrations being issued for the use of dicamba over soybean this past October, one of the main points we emphasize for anyone applying these products in 2021 is ensuring compliance with the listed requirements of the federal labels. One of the requirements in the labels to pay close attention to deals with downwind buffers.
There are two downwind buffers listed in the new labels.&nb ... more. |
We are cautiously optimistic that in-person competent attendant training will take place sometime in early March. There will most likely be restrictions on attendance, so once mitigation restrictions are relaxed, we will open up registration on the IFCA website.
The competent attendant online training is an alternative to the in-person training and will be open for registration starting January 18th. ... more. |
We have updated the list of upcoming webinars, conferences, or different events that are offering CEU’s on our website’s homepage.
IFCA will also be having our Annual Meeting on Wednesday, January 20 from 10-11am. This will be a free, virtual event, with .5 PD and .5 PM being offered. Please click here to view the agenda and register. We will give IFCA updates along with an up ... more. |
In its semi-annual global fertilizer outlook, Rabobank’s global farm inputs team says there has been a “demand revival” in the market. Prices have been lifted off ten-year lows—significantly supported by Brazil and India, which have been two of the top three importers of fertilizer in the past five years. In the U.S., an early harvest and increase in commodity prices in the fourth quarter le ... more. |
When it comes to 2020’s top stories in U.S. ag retail (and in any industry, for that matter), it’s hard to imagine the pandemic not dominating the headlines. In fact, it’s difficult to even recall what was happening in agriculture before mid-March, when the coronavirus changed how we live our daily lives and began consuming us to no end.
For most of us in agriculture (and the rest of the ... more. |
As most in-person events did during 2020, the annual Mid America CropLife Association (MACA) held its annual meeting during September as a virtual event. Although speakers weren’t able to impart their messages to an in-person audience, per usual, this didn’t lessen in any way the impact of what they said to attendees.
Chris Novak, President/CEO at CropLife America, conveyed a simple plea to vir ... more. |
When a new year begins in Illinois, typically dozens if not hundreds of new laws go into effect.
Not this year.
Like so many other things in 2020, the legislative spring session was stunted by COVID-19. Once the global pandemic reached Illinois in March, the General Assembly would meet for only four more days -- wrapping up the odd session during masked and socially distanced gatherings at the Cap ... more. |
Republican state Sen. Bill Brady, who stepped down as Republican leader in the Senate as efforts were made to oust him from the post, on Thursday announced his retirement from the General Assembly.
The Bloomington Republican served in the state legislature for 27 years, first in the House from 1993 to 2001 before moving to the Senate. He became minority leader in the Senate in August 2017.
Brady, ... more. |
A federal court issued a temporary restraining order on Monday barring the EPA from implementing a new rule on pesticide application exclusion zones.
A number of farm worker groups sued EPA on Dec. 16, 2020, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleging the new rule, which was finalized in October, weakened protections for farm workers.
Bruce Goldstein, president of Fa ... more. |
Farmers who believe they had crops damaged from off-target dicamba from 2015 to 2020 can now submit claims at dicambasoybeansettlement.com/ or call 855-914-4672. The deadline to submit claims is May 28, 2021. The claims period began on December 29, 2020.
It’s part of a $400 million settlement announced last June that’s designed to compensate farmers for yield losses resulting from off-target di ... more. |
State lawmakers have several major issues to tackle in their upcoming lame duck session this week. The tenuous session could face a battle over who should lead the Illinois House, decisions on billions of dollars in budget cuts and potential tax increases, and the drawing of new legislative district maps. Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s office has indicated the session could last up to January 13th & ... more. |
A new report by the Federal Communications Commission acknowledges the impact of rural broadband service on-farm productivity.
The FCC’s Office of Economics and Analytics released the new paper called “Impact of Broadband Penetration on U.S. Farm Productivity.”
In a statement Thursday, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai says this paper underscores the importance of the Commission’s top ... more. |
Georgia’s runoff election on Tuesday featuring a Senate Agriculture Committee member and the cousin of Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue will decide control of the U.S. Senate and go a long way in determining the fate of President-elect Joe Biden’s agenda.
Democrats must win both of the races to get 50 seats in the Senate. That would allow Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to break 50-50 ties after sh ... more. |
Doug Owens, the Bureau Chief of Environmental Programs at IDOA, is retiring on December 31, 2020.
Doug has been with the Department for decades, working in the containment, livestock and pesticide programs. He did a terrific job as Bureau Chief--always calm, always factual, always easy to visit with and he always gave you an answer.
Doug, thank you for your de ... more. |
The good news is that a lot of people are checking out the on-line pesticide testing program! Several hundred have successfully passed their exams. The bad news is that the site is experiencing a few glitches due to demand, and some people are getting kicked out of the program and having to log back in multiple times to complete the exam(s).
The Illinois Dept of Ag is aware of t ... more. |
All employers in Illinois are required to have their employees complete sexual harassment training by the end of the day on December 31, 2020 and then annually each year.
It is easy to accomplish this, you can utilize the State of Illinois Department of Human Rights free powerpoint program. To read about the new requirement and to download a powerpoint or pdf version of the training s ... more. |
The IFCA office will be closed on New Years Eve and New Years Day, as we all put 2020 behind us and reflect on the challenges we faced, and for the most part, overcame! We wish our members a blessed, safe and prosperous 2021. As we prepare for a new year, never hesitate to contact us if we can be of assistance on any issue you face. Happy New Year!
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Over the Christmas break, we learned that a long-time IFCA member passed away: Kenny Cruce Sr. who died on December 23 at the age of 82. To see his obituary click here.
Kenny was a valued partner and friend to many ag retailers in southwestern and southern Illinois. In his long career with Conagra/Gavilon and later K.C. Distributors, he was a direct link in the fertilizer ... more. |
The Illinois Dept of Agriculture has gone to great lengths to provide a legitimate opportunity for applicators and operators to take their pesticide exams on-line this year. Please review these tips below to help ensure a successful experience if you need to test this year:
1. The on-line exams use a proctoring service called "Proctor U" which monitors your computer activity to en ... more. |
I reached out to several House Democrats who could be considered politically vulnerable in 2022 to ask them how they plan to vote on Speaker Michael Madigan’s reelection in January.
With one exception, I didn’t make much headway.
Much has been made about the number of Democratic women who have said they will not vote to reelect the longtime House Speaker. That’s true, but it isn& ... more. |
The coronavirus aid package approved by Congress overnight Monday provides $13 billion in ag funding, much of it destined for sectors left out of previous aid packages.
The bill gives the USDA Secretary the authority to make payments to livestock producers who had to depopulate their herds due to limited processing plant capacity because of COVID-19 outbreaks. It also provides for assistance long sought by ... more. |
Under President Donald Trump, the Environmental Protection Agency became an oxymoron, run by people who'd spent their careers suing or lobbying the EPA on behalf of oil and coal companies. Trump pulled out of the Paris Accords and rolled back more than 100 protections for land, air, water, wildlife and human health.
Under President-elect Joe Biden, the cabinet choices could not be more different. He ... more. |
Only three new state laws take effect in Illinois on Jan. 1, 2021. That compares to more than 250 new pieces of legislation that took effect at the start of an unprecedented year in Illinois state politics.
The three new laws establish a price cap for insulin for those with state-regulated health care plans, offer additional confidentiality protections to stalking and sexual assault victims and make it eas ... more. |
Five days after calling the coronavirus relief bill a "disgrace," President Trump signed the massive $2.3 trillion COVID-19 relief and government spending package Sunday night.
The president's decision to sign the package into law will avert a government shutdown, restore unemployment benefits, stop evictions, provide rental assistance, add additional funding to the Small Business Administrat ... more. |
China will industrialise biotech breeding as part of a campaign to improve food security, top leaders said in a policy statement late on Friday, signalling Beijing could soon take a further step towards commercialising genetically modified (GM) crops.
According to a statement issued after the annual Central Economic Work Conference held on Dec. 16-18, China needs to make better use of science and technolog ... more. |
U.S. farmers make their living raising crops from the soil each year. Now, some are getting paid for putting something back into their fields: carbon.
Big agriculture companies including Bayer AG , Nutrien Ltd. and Cargill Inc. are jockeying with startups to encourage crop producers to adopt climate-friendly practices and develop farming-driven carbon markets. Those efforts would let retailers, food makers ... more. |
Two lawmakers have introduced legislation that would allow the General Assembly to meet and vote remotely during a pandemic or other emergency that makes in-person meetings dangerous.
Rep. Ann Williams and Sen. Robert Martwick, both Chicago Democrats, filed the legislation Monday, saying the current inability to conduct business remotely has hindered lawmakers’ ability to respond to the health crisis ... more. |
Today, the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) adopted the federal labels for Xtendimax, Engenia and Tavium for use on soybeans in Illinois. If and when USEPA approves the FeXapan label, we are confident it will also receive approval for use in Illinois.
In addition to clearing the way for the use of these herbicides on soybean in 2021, the label approvals also mean that Xtendim ... more. |
The IFCA Staff and Board of Directors appreciates the on-going support from our members that has kept IFCA going strong even though we had to cancel MAGIE, the convention and our safetytraining programs in 2020. Please plan to join us for our 1 hour on-line annual meeting on January 20, 2021; click here to see the agenda and to register for the meeting. There is no charge to attend; the meeting wi ... more. |
A new 40,000 square foot expansion has begun at Brandt’s Pleasant Plains, Ill., manufacturing facility.
The company says the larger footprint will allow for expand storage capacity by more than 30%. The space will be used for more storage of its finished dry and liquid fertilizer blends in addition to larger supplies of raw materials.
The expansion is a $1.5 investment.
“In 20 ... more. |
Five states this week sued the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over a rule that narrows the areas where farmers are required to limit human presence during the application of pesticides.
The states argue that the rule will harm their agricultural workers.
The agency's rule, finalized in October, makes it so that requirements that govern areas near pesticide applications can only be enfor ... more. |
The federal corruption probe in a Springfield bribery scandal continues, but three allies of Michael Madigan shut down the House’s own probe into the embattled House speaker and state Democratic Party chairman on Monday without taking any action against him.
The pro-Madigan vote along partisan lines infuriated the Republicans who started the House Special Investigative Committee after Commonwealth Ed ... more. |
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that the monarch butterfly is deserving to be on the endangered species list.
Wayne Fredericks is the American Soybean Association’s representative for the National Monarch Collaborative.
“As we look at the decision, they felt that it is warranted but it’s been precluded because there’s a laundry list of a lot of othe ... more. |
Citing rising COVID-19 numbers, Gov. J.B. Pritzker moved the state under Tier 3 mitigations in November, closing indoor service in bars and restaurants.
Now that the metrics are improving, when will the restrictions be loosened? Most areas of the state apparently avoided a post-Thanksgiving surge that Pritzker warned about, and a couple regions have met the requirements to move back to Tier 2 mitigations w ... more. |
Soybean farmers whose fields were injured by off-target dicamba movement in the past six years could file claims for compensation as early as late December, after the details of a $300 million settlement with Monsanto (now a subsidiary of Bayer) were finalized Wednesday.
The settlement is part of Bayer's efforts to settle ongoing lawsuits involving its herbicides, including multi-district litigation pe ... more. |
Cronus Fertilizers announced important changes to its partnership with thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions (tkIS) that will enhance the success of Cronus’ proposed Tuscola, Illinois, fertilizer plant. Cronus has extended its fixed price, lump-sum turnkey engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract with thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions (tkIS) through June 30, 2021, and is finalizing an additional o ... more. |
Attorneys debated before the Iowa Supreme Court on Wednesday a move by the state to dismiss a lawsuit by two environmental groups contending it has failed to do enough to curb pollution flowing into the Raccoon River from farms and livestock operations.
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement and Food & Water Watch sued state agencies, boards and officials last year, arguing they had abdicated their re ... more. |
The Mosaic Company, the largest U.S. phosphate fertilizer company, has also formed an organization – Ag Independence for America – and produced an ad to hit back at critics of the Commerce Department’s countervailing duties on imports.
“Foreign governments are heavily subsidizing phosphate production in their countries so it can be sold at artificially low prices aimed at forcing ot ... more. |
Last week, the Senate passed bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), John Thune (R-SD) and Pat Roberts (R-KS) to ensure the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s chief drone policy committee includes representation for agriculture, forestry, local governments and rural America.
Since it was first announced in 2016, the Drone Advisory Committee (DAC) has never included a re ... more. |
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden plans to nominate Michael Regan, North Carolina's top environmental regulator, to head the Environmental Protection Agency, according to three sources with knowledge of the discussions.
If confirmed, Regan would be the first Black man to run the EPA and would become one of the key players in Biden's sweeping agenda to fight climate change by bringing the U.S. economy ... more. |
This week, the IL Dept of Ag and the University of Illinois began offering applicators and operators the ability to sign up for on-line pesticide tests, as well as obtain on-line or self-study materials for the tests.
Click here to be directed to the page with instructions for the on-line testing process. It is extremely important that you carefully follow the directions when signing ... more. |
Illinois, Indiana and Arkansas remain the only 3 major soybean growing states who have not yet adopted the new federal labels for Xtendimax, Engenia and Tavium.
IFCA supports the adoption of the federal labels. We have had several phone calls with the IL Dept of Ag over the last six weeks urging the Department to approve the labels in Illinois. The Department continues to look f ... more. |
Lawmakers have given themselves one more week to reach a deal on a new coronavirus relief package that congressional leaders want to wrap into a government-wide funding bill for fiscal 2021.
In a sign of a possible compromise on COVID-19 relief is in the works, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said on Sunday that Democrats may not get the state and local aid they believe is needed.
Democrats &quo ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will finalize on Wednesday its overhaul of how it measures the costs and benefits of proposed new curbs on pollution, a move that is likely to sap the agency’s power to impose tough future regulations, according to a source familiar with the process.
The move is among a raft of measures the Trump administration is seeking to finalize before President-elect Joe ... more. |
At least three states plan to implement more restrictive cutoffs for dicamba use in 2021, beyond the federal labels EPA issued for XtendiMax, Engenia and Tavium this fall.
Those states -- Indiana, Illinois and Arkansas -- have fewer options to accomplish this after EPA announced that it is no longer permitting the use of 24(c) special local needs labels to further restrict federal pesticides. Now, if they ... more. |
The House on Wednesday passed a stopgap funding bill 343-67 that would give lawmakers an additional week to come up with full-year spending legislation and avoid a government shutdown later this month.
The continuing resolution would last for one week, setting a new funding deadline of Dec. 18. The Senate must still pass the CR and President Trump must sign it by Friday to avoid a government shutdown, whic ... more. |
A coalition of 11 attorneys general led by California is urging a federal appellate court to reject an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) bid to re-register an insecticide made by Corteva Agriscience, saying the move creates a loophole that allows for an indefinite “delay.”
California’s Attorney General Xavier Becerra and his counterparts including in New York and Massachusetts, told t ... more. |
A change in the funding formula for inland waterway projects could add $100 million annually to waterway infrastructure spending as the House of Representatives approved a new Water Resources Development Act on Tuesday.
The bill, commonly known as WRDA, will lower the funding cost share for the Inland Waterways Trust Fund from 50% to 35%, and increase the costs from general federal revenue for those projec ... more. |
Climate change is poised to receive a much bigger spotlight in 2021 as President-elect Joe Biden's incoming administration puts a renewed focus on tackling various environmental and energy issues.
Biden has made combating climate change one of his top priorities when he enters office and has set a goal to make the U.S. carbon neutral by 2050 while pushing different ways to reduce emissions.
Wh ... more. |
Fertilizer producers are next in line to benefit from rising crop prices, with farmers poised to plant more acres in 2021.
For the world’s handful of companies that produce potash -- a potassium-rich fertilizer mined underground from evaporated sea beds -- it is the light at the end of the tunnel following several volatile years. Bloomberg’s Green Markets pegs global potash demand at a record i ... more. |
The US drought monitor showed little week to week variation for Illinois, with the entire central portion of the state experiencing some form of drought.
Abnormally dry conditions persist in central Illinois moving up into northeastern areas. A section of moderate drought in central and eastern locales has spread into McClean county, while an oval section of severe drought in the heart of the state spread ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is extending the use of the pesticide Chlorpyrifos for some purposes in a proposed interim decision and associated risk assessments, which are open to public comment for 60 days.
Specifically, EPA is proposing: label amendments limiting application to address potential drinking water risks of concern; additional personal protection equipment and application restric ... more. |
Last year, the Illinois legislature passed a law that requires all employers in Illinois to ensure their employees have training on how to recognize and avoid situations involving sexual harassment in the workplace. Employees need to have this training completed by December 31, 2020 and must complete it each year thereafter.
The Illinois Department of Human Rights has a free PowerPoin ... more. |
Yesterday the Illinois Dept of Agriculture issued a press release announcing the new requirement in Illinois for farmers to become certified to safely transport, handle, apply or work with anhydrous ammonia in Illinois. To see the press release, click here.
Farmers and others working with anhydrous ammonia on the farm have until April 1, 2022 to obtain their initial certification.&nbs ... more. |
IFCA maintains an updated list of on-line meetings that offer CEUs for Certified Crop Advisors in thisdocumentwhich is also posted on our homepage at www.ifca.com. Keep checking the website for updates.
Here is a highlight of what is available this week:
* The Illinois CCA On-Line Meeting is tomorrow, Dec 9, and offers 5 CEUs. The cost to participate is ... more. |
Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan said Saturday he's prepared to vote for an increase in the state's income tax rate and said he's working with "building blocks" to get to 60 votes in his fight to secure another term in the leadership post he's held for nearly four decades.
His challenger for the post, state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit of Oswego, promised all Democrats running for ... more. |
A new water resources bill has taken a big step closer to approval following a House-Senate agreement on a compromise proposal.
Under a bipartisan, bicameral deal, the legislation would authorize about $9.9 billion in federal funds for 46 Army Corps of Engineers flood control, environmental restoration, coastal protection and other projects. ENR estimates the projects’ total costs, including nonfeder ... more. |
Over 93 percent of endangered species and 96 percent of their habitats are likely to be harmed by glyphosate, the ubiquitous and controversial herbicide, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported in a draft evaluation released last week.
The evaluation was conducted as part of a registration review—the agency’s routine process for renewing herbicides, pesticides, and other chemicals fo ... more. |
Republicans made a net gain of one seat in the Illinois House while losing one in the state Senate, according to certified official results from the Nov. 3 general election.
Friday was the deadline for the Illinois State Board of Elections to complete its statewide canvass of the election. Just under 6.1 million ballots were cast in the election for a turnout rate of 72.92%, which was about average for rec ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed to continue to allow uses of a pesticide that’s been linked to brain damage in children.
In a proposed interim decision dated Thursday, the EPA continued to allow uses of the chemical chlorpyrifos, which agricultural workers can be exposed to through their jobs and that the general public can be exposed to through food.
However, the publ ... more. |
One leading candidate for agriculture secretary hails from Cleveland, has the backing of progressives and has worked for years to boost food stamp programs. Another is a former senator from farm-state North Dakota who has championed production agriculture and boasts of a voting record squarely in the middle.
Three other possible selections have similarly varied backgrounds — one helped write and impl ... more. |
The window is closing fast for Congress to agree on funding the government for fiscal 2021 as well as providing more coronavirus assistance to farmers, schools and sectors of the economy hammered by the pandemic.
Lawmakers headed into the weekend with reasons for optimism that they could get to vote on a massive package that would include both the FY21 funding and COVID-19 aid measures.
A continui ... more. |
Carl Zimmerman in Earlville, Illinois, farms 1,600 acres of corn and soybeans on land that his father began farming in 1966.
Over time, the Zimmermans have increased their acres (his father started with 350), raised cattle and hogs, and built up the soil through cover crops and no-till management.
“What got us started with cover crops was growing sweet corn. Eight years ago, we decided to pl ... more. |
University of Missouri Extension weed scientist Mandy Bish unveiled the results of the group's latest research on new auxin herbicide technologies at the annual MU Crop Management Conference, held virtually Dec. 1-2.
MU weed scientists, who led the charge on early investigations of dicamba volatility and temperature inversions, have now turned some of their attention to 2,4-D-choline as its use on 2,4- ... more. |
At the 2020 Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) Conference & Expo, three industry panelists shed light on the horizon for what’s to come after the 2020 election.
In Biden’s first 100 days, ag retailers can expect Biden to fill his cabinet, address the COVID-19 pandemic, reverse Trump’s administrative policies (including many executive orders), and set forth the administration&rsq ... more. |
You can get 1 CEU in Pest Management, free of charge, by registering to attend a webinar that explains the regulatory requirements for the transfer of pesticides at ag retail facilities. The webinar is scheduled for 1 pm central time today (Dec 3) and runs for 1 hour.
If you work at an ag retail facility and are involved in managing and maintaining the containment system, repackaging into P ... more. |
The Illinois Dept of Ag has still not accepted the federal dicamba labels for the products to be used on soybean. Indiana, Minnesota and Michigan Depts of Ag also haven't accepted the labels yet. IDAis carefully weighing all options to ensure a successful use season and they have been in constant communication with IFCA and other ag groups as they perform their due diligence. If an ... more. |
There are approximately 20,000 Illinois operators and applicators who are due to re-test this winter in order to obtain a pesticide operator or applicator license for the next 3 years.
IDA has been working diligently to make the pesticide tests available on-line, for the first time ever in Illinois. We expect the IDA to release the procedures for signing up for theon-line exam(s ... more. |
Koch Fertilizer anticipates investing nearly US$140 million at its Fort Dodge plant in Iowa, US, to revamp existing production processes, which is expected to increase ammonia production capacity by 85 000 tpy. The investment also will further improve reliability as well as environmental and safety performance.
Construction is scheduled to begin in 2021 and the revamped processes are expected to be fully o ... more. |
The New York Times reported Thursday that Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., who was key to former Vice President Joe Biden getting the Democratic nomination for president, is weighing in heavily with the Biden team in favor of Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, for Agriculture secretary.
In an interview, Clyburn was also critical of former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who the Times reported is also being considered ... more. |
More changes could be ahead for glyphosate use in the U.S. after the EPA released a draft Biological Evaluation for the herbicide, which scrutinizes the pesticide's potential effect on federally listed endangered species and designated critical habitats.
The agency determined that glyphosate is "likely to adversely affect" 1,676 listed species and 759 critical habitats, the vast majority of t ... more. |
The U.S. Department of Commerce said on Tuesday it would set preliminary duties on phosphate fertilizer imports from Russia and Morocco, after launching an investigation to determine if producers in these countries were receiving unfair subsidies.
The department set https://bit.ly/363xEOO preliminary duties of 23.46% on imports from Morocco's OCP Group and other producers in the country, 20.94% on thos ... more. |
Some Chinese soybean importers and processors are looking to cancel deals signed for U.S. cargoes for December and January shipment, after crushing margins collapsed following a steep rally in Chicago futures, three trade sources said.
This is a first sign of slowing Chinese demand after a five-month buying spree that combined with dryness in top producer Brazil to add more than quarter to benchmark Chic ... more. |
An EPA proposal to gradually reduce the use of some Bt corn and cotton products in order to combat pest resistance is getting pushback from grower groups and has the crop protection industry concerned about losing products they still consider effective.
EPA is considering a three-year phasedown to an unspecified “minimal acreage cap” of single trait corn products controlling Lepidopteran ... more. |
Illinois will borrow about $3.2 billion from the federal government to shore up the state’s budget, Gov. JB Pritzker said Wednesday.
Lawmakers authorized borrowing $5 billion earlier this year as the state struggled with financial problems exacerbated by economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.
The coronavirus and mitigations put in place to help control its spread have put a dent in ... more. |
A bipartisan agreement on spending levels for fiscal 2021 is raising hope that lawmakers can agree on a government-wide spending bill before the end of the year.
Aides to Senate Agriculture Appropriations Chairman John Hoeven, R- N.D., confirmed to Agri-Pulse the two chambers reached an agreement on spending caps on the 12 individual measures that would likely be combined into an omnibus bill. The FY21 spe ... more. |
IFCA continues to stay in touch with the Illinois Dept of Ag regarding the status of the federally approved dicamba labels.
As of today, IDA and several other Midwest states have yet to adopt the labels as the State Depts of Ag continue to evaluate options for adding additional state requirements. We remind everyone that until the labels are approved, USEPA regulations state that youc ... more. |
The IFCA staff and Board of Directors wish all of our members and your families a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
We especially appreciate your membership and continued support for IFCA, and your patience these last 8 months as we have worked through many changes impacting our industry. We've had to re-schedule/postpone/cancel many events and we certainly hope that once 2021 arrives, we ca ... more. |
With year-end approaching, we know many CCAs are looking for opportunities to pick up CEUs. IFCA has compiled a list of upcoming on-line events and webinars for your consideration. Many of them are free, and some require registration. To see the list of upcoming events, click here or visit our website at www.ifca.com; we will keep the document updated as more events are added.
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The Illinois Tax Amendment failed to pass after a 55 percent no vote.
Sen. Andy Manar (D-Springfield) said he knows the voters of Illinois have spoken, and the constitution can only be changed with approval of the voters in the state, but he says he believes the tax amendment was the best way to balance the state's budget.
"It's a reasonable expectation to say the wealthiest 3 percent ... more. |
A battle on the political left is setting up over the nomination for Agriculture Secretary as liberal groups are pushing back against one of the names being floated for the position.
On Tuesday, groups representing "environmental, animal welfare, public health and sustainable agriculture" plan to release a letter calling on President-elect Joe Biden to not nominate former North Dakota Sen. Heidi ... more. |
President-elect Joe Biden is moving quickly to fill out his administration and could name top leaders for his Cabinet as early as this week.
Biden told reporters on Thursday that he's already decided on who will lead the Treasury Department. That pick, along with his nominee for secretary of state, may be announced before Thanksgiving, according to people close to the transition who spoke to The Associ ... more. |
As of early November, the main plaintiff in the several thousands of lawsuits filed against glyphosate in U.S. courts, Bayer, is working towards a settlement agreement that would in theory wipe most of them off the legal ledgers. Once this agreement is reached, it is estimated that approximately 1,800 lawsuits would still be left to work through.
But more importantly for glyphosate, what impact will all th ... more. |
As former Vice President Joe Biden prepares to address climate change across every federal agency in a new administration, a coalition of ag, food and environment groups is laying out a framework for how agriculture can address climate and sustainability.
The Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance (FACA) Tuesday laid out 40 recommendations to guide federal climate policy. The group is a consortium of ... more. |
House Speaker Michael Madigan said Friday he still has the support of a “significant number” of House Democrats and that he plans to run again for speaker.
In a brief statement issued late Friday afternoon, Madigan gave no indication that he is stepping down despite defections among some House Democrats.
“The decision on the next speaker of the Illinois House will be made at a ca ... more. |
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has awarded $1.12 million to support the University of Illinois-led research to clean agricultural drainage water through saturated buffers and denitrifying bioreactors.
The investment, part of NRCS's Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) program, was matched by numerous stakeholder partners in Illinois, Iowa, ... more. |
A regional EPA administrator says concerns brought forth by the American Soybean Association and Plains Cotton Council over new dicamba label restrictions WILL be addressed by the EPA.
The groups are suing, not to vacate the label, but to challenge the new buffer requirements and cut-off dates for over-the-top application.
EPA Region Seven Administrator Jim Gulliford tells Brownfield Ag News,
&nb ... more. |
On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced that it is has published a final rule clarifying agricultural commodity and livestock definitions in hours-of-service (HOS) regulations.
Currently, during harvesting and planting seasons as determined by each state, drivers transporting agricultural commodities, including livestock, are ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) canceled all in-person testing through Dec. 31 for individuals wanting an alternative for online pesticide license examinations. The state agency had planned to offer limited in-person opportunities, but cancelled those through the end of December due to COVID-19 pandemic. Click here for details.
Online examinations will be offered and administered through a co ... more. |
We know that Certified Crop Advisors have missed all the usual meetings and events where they can pick up CEU credits. IFCA has compiled a spreadsheet of upcoming on-line opportunities that you can check out and register for to pick up CEUs, or to catch an update on timely industry topics even if CEUs are not specifically offered.
To see the Education Opportunities spreadsheet, click ... more. |
On November 20, 2020 the State of Illinois will enact new mitigation procedures to address the increasing number of covid cases in Illinois. The mitigations are explained in detail here. Here arehow these new mitigations are affecting training and testing programs:
Pesticide Testing/Training: IDA will soon make on-line pesticide testing available in general standards and a ... more. |
We are still not certain what actions the IL Dept of Ag will take regarding the new dicamba labels. We do know there is a strong desire on the part of IDA to keep complaints low. In 2020, when a June 25 cutoff date and 85 degree restriction was on the label, IDA received only 148 dicamba related complaints, compared to over 700 complaints in 2019. However, USEPA has made it more difficult for stat ... more. |
WELCOME TO MY HOUSE -- Several congressional races have yet to be called, but we’re starting to get a better sense for what the makeup — and dynamics — will look like in the House next year. The big picture? Democrats are on track to have their thinnest majority in two decades. Here are the major storylines you can expect in each party:
IN THE DEM PARTY: It’s all about the Mods vers ... more. |
The fall veto session of the Illinois General Assembly that was scheduled to begin next week has been canceled amid a worsening COVID-19 pandemic, Democratic leaders announced this week, prompting Republicans to question the motives behind that decision.
House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President Don Harmon, both Democrats, said in a joint statement Monday that the decision was made out of concern ... more. |
EPA is taking the next step in its regulatory review of atrazine, simazine, and propazine, three widely-used herbicides used to control a variety of grasses and broadleaf weeds. Atrazine is used on about 75 million acres of agricultural crop land every year and is especially effective, affordable, and well-studied.
In September 2020, EPA announced its interim registration review decisions for atrazine, sim ... more. |
As the state once again reported a one-day high for COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, Gov. JB Pritzker announced he would extend a temporary ban on evictions and Secretary of State Jesse White announced he would be closing driver services facilities.
At his COVID-19 briefing in Chicago Friday, Pritzker said this iteration of the eviction ban will aim at excluding “tenants who may have been taking ... more. |
State regulators are reeling from a sudden apparent policy change by EPA that will make restricting pesticides -- such as dicamba -- beyond the federal label much harder for states to accomplish in the years ahead.
The policy change was announced in a single footnote, buried amid dozens of pages of regulatory documents accompanying EPA's three new dicamba registrations released on Oct. 30. The footnote ... more. |
On November 4, the American Soybean Association (ASA) and Plains Cotton Growers filed a lawsuit against the EPA and its recent registration of over-the-top dicamba products. In the suit is the claim that "some aspects of the registration decision are problematic for growers, who depend on reasonable, consistent access to dicamba for use on dicamba-tolerant soybeans and cotton."
ASA president Bill ... more. |
Arguably the most prevalent image in the just-concluded election was a photograph of House Speaker Michael Madigan.
From the statewide debate over the graduated income tax to local legislative races, Madigan's image once again was used to unite opposition to an issue or a candidate. To be associated with Madigan was reason to be rejected by voters.
It's a tactic that's been used for ye ... more. |
What exactly is the relationship between soil nitrogen, corn yield and nitrogen loss? Most farmers would be forgiven for assuming a straightforward linear relationship: more nitrogen, more grain yield and, maybe, more loss.
That’s the assumption many nitrogen management models are based on, but it turns out there’s very little published science to back up that assumption.
In a recent p ... more. |
President-elect Joe Biden has announced a number of presidential transition teams including those for USDA, EPA and the United States Trade Representative, led by a number of former Obama administration officials.
President Donald Trump continues to dispute the election with litigation in close states. His administration also is blocking Biden's staff from access to government resources.
Biden ... more. |
The House is back in session this week along with the Senate, and lawmakers face a lengthy to-do list, which includes passing a stimulus bill as well as an omnibus appropriations measure to fund the government through the rest of fiscal 2021.
Also this week, a coalition of farm and conservation groups will announce the formation of a new Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance, which on Tuesday will issue mo ... more. |
Arguing that agriculture is more of an urban issue than people many people realize, U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge says the years she spent overseeing the nation’s food and nutrition programs as chair of a House Agriculture subcommittee make her “a natural fit” to head the U.S. Department of Agriculture when Democrat Joe Biden takes over as president.
“People don’t realize that 80% of ... more. |
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announced late on Friday that due to an increase in Covid, driver services offices statewide will be closed from November 17 through December 7, 2020.
Expiration dates for driver's licenses and ID cards will be extended through June 1, 2021. However, you can renew expiring licenses and vehicle registrations on-line athttps://www.cyberd ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture has been working all summer to modify the pesticide training and testing program to offer on-line opportunities for applicators and operators throughout the State of Illinois.
If you were not able to take your operator or applicator exams last spring due to covid cancellations, and your license was extended until December 31, 2020 you must take the exams in ... more. |
Click Here to see IFCA’s perspective on the election and impact on our industry.
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Weeds resist, insects persist and fungus continues to grow — that is, unless stewardship is practiced and new tools are introduced. One of the biggest barriers to introducing new pesticides, which includes herbicides, insecticides and fungicides, is the uncertain timing and expense of regulatory approvals and review.
For perspective, each new active ingredient that hits the farmgate takes about six y ... more. |
On Thursday, October 29, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced a finalized update to requirements for the pesticide application exclusion zone (AEZ.) An AEZ is the area surrounding pesticide application equipment that exists only during outdoor production pesticide applications.
EPA has clarified and simplified the AEZ requirements based in part on input from state pesticide regulatory agencies and ag ... more. |
Democratic hopes of claiming control of state legislative chambers across the nation crashed into an immovable Republican wall in key states on Tuesday, a substantial blow to the party’s chances of wielding more influence in the decennial redistricting process ahead.
Instead of big Democratic gains, early election results appear to show Republicans picked up enough seats to win control of at least tw ... more. |
The EPA and Interior Department under President-elect Joe Biden will have a range of tools at their disposal to start undoing President Donald Trump’s deregulatory agenda on the environment, according to former agency officials, lawyers, and environmentalists.
Many of the administration’s more ambitious environmental goals, such as reviving regulations on climate pollutants from power plants an ... more. |
Joe Biden’s US election victory will encourage China to try and renegotiate Donald Trump’s trade deal, viewed in Beijing as being “twisted” in Washington’s favour, according to advisers to the Chinese government.
The phase one trade deal was hammered out after months of painful negotiations and 18 months of trade war tariffs piling up on both sides. It saw China commit to buyi ... more. |
House Republican Leader Jim Durkin said Thursday that the Pritzker administration should start with 4% across the board cuts to the state budget following the failure of the graduated income tax amendment.
After that, Durkin said Republican lawmakers are willing to negotiate with the administration to identify further cuts that can be made.
Gov. JB Pritzker said Wednesday that he plans to meet wit ... more. |
With most of the tv ads and commentary focusing on the Presidential and US Congress election results, let's take a deeper dive into what happened in Illinois on Election night…
Progressive Income Tax / Fair Tax Goes Down
After bombarding Illinois residents with tv ads and mailers, voters rejected constitutional amendment to replace the flat tax with a progressive income tax. The vote was 55 ... more. |
It would raise about $1.2 billion for the remainder of fiscal 2021 and $3.1 billion for a full year with increases imposed on the top 3% of filers. To pass muster, the amendment requires either 60% support among those voting on the question or more than 50% of those casting a ballot.
Some market participants have warned that the state’s general obligation bond ratings — all at the lowest notch ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency has narrowed a rule to protect individuals from pesticide spraying by establishing one 25-foot “Application Exclusion Zone” for all ground spray applications and limiting AEZ’s to the boundaries of the agricultural establishment.
The agency also will exempt farm owners and family members from requirements to stay out of the spray area so long as they sh ... more. |
Bayer is facing a double hit from a higher legal bill for claims relating to weedkiller Roundup as well as 9.25 billion euros ($10.82 billion) in impairments on agriculture businesses, much of it related to its Monsanto deal.
The company said the write-downs, driven by weaker demand from farmers due to low biofuel prices, plus an increase of about $750 million in the costs of settlement terms with U.S. pla ... more. |
Using City Water, Light and Power’s lead service pipe replacement project as a backdrop, officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday announced more than $113 million to modernize water infrastructure in Illinois.
“With these funds, Illinois will provide low-interest financing to communities across the state for costs associated with planning, design, and construction of e ... more. |
Four U.S. House and Senate members from Illinois and Missouri are asking the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to include construction funding to modernize and expand seven outdated locks on the Upper Mississippi River.
House members Cheri Bustos of Illinois and Jason Smith of Missouri are joined by Senators Dick Durbin of Illinois and Roy Blunt of Missouri in asking Corps leaders to include funding for the Nav ... more. |
The Trump administration on Thursday continued with a string of deregulatory decisions over the past week as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced it would "delist" gray wolfs from the Endangered Species Act, turning authority over to states to manage gray wolf populations.
With the presidential election next Tuesday, federal agencies this week have released several rules supported by farm ... more. |
There’s another sign that the health of the Chesapeake Bay is improving.
This year’s dead zone in the Maryland portion of the Bay was the second smallest since the state began monitoring it in 1985, according to the state’s Department of Natural Resources.
The only time it was smaller was in 2012.
And on Virginia side, The Virginia Institute of Marine Science said the de ... more. |
Ponding leads to high phosphorus levels, and a new study shows how variable-rate application and changes to traditional grid soil testing could save money and reduce nutrient loss.
Could variable-rate phosphorus and more specific soil testing reduce nutrient loss?
Researchers at the University of Illinois say yes, thanks to a new study of flat, tile-drained acreage. Luis Andino, lead author on the ... more. |
As we indicated in a recent Bulletin article, nitrogen applied as anhydrous ammonia in the fall is an effective source of N for the corn crop, but is also a little more subject to loss compared to N applied in the spring. One of the main factors that determines how much of the fall-applied N is subject to loss is how much of the ammonia converts to nitrate (is nitrified) in the fall and early spring, before the nex ... more. |
The Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association provides these six seasonal reminders about using anhydrous ammonia fertilizer.
This week is sure to be a busy one with ammonia application in central and northern Illinois. Here are a few reminders to keep foremost in your mind in working with ammonia:
Slow down! Nurse tanks should not travel down the road more than 25 mph.
... more. |
This week is sure to be a busy one with ammonia application in central and northern Illinois. Here are a few reminders to keep foremost in your mind in working with ammonia:
1. Slow down! Nurse tanks should not travel down the road more than 25 mph.
2. ALWAYS turn the nurse tank valves off and disconnect hoses before pulling onto a public roadway. This is re ... more. |
We've posted the new dicamba labels for Engenia, Xtendimax and Tavium on the IFCA's Illinois Dicamba Training website under "Labels & Resources." IFCA continues to communicate with the IL Dept of Ag regarding any potential additional Illinois restrictions to the use of dicamba in 2021. If such changes take place we will notify you immediately.
Here is a nice chart prov ... more. |
Last week, Verlin Perry of Timewell, IL in Brown County died at the age of 88. Verlin lived a life of service, of hard work and of adventure, which you can read in his obituary here.
We remember Verlin as a dedicated and successful independent ag retailer, having gone into business in the early 1980's owning and managing Perry Feed & Fertilizer in Timewell. He passedalong his ... more. |
Dr. Emerson Nafziger, Professor Emeritus University of Illinois, released a Bulletin late in the afternoon on October 26, outlining the process of fall anhydrous ammonia application and considerations to follow for the beginning of this fall's nitrogen application season. To see the Bulletin click on this link https://farmdoc.illinois.edu/field-crop-production/soil-temperatures-and-fall-ammonia-applicatio ... more. |
The graduated income tax amendment took center stage at a virtual forum Wednesday and, like much of the debate on it so far, centered largely on what might happen if the amendment passes or fails.
It will either open the door to more tax increases or it will not. It will either open the door to taxing retirement income or it will not. It will either provide much-needed income to the state or it won’t ... more. |
In case you missed it, Gov. J.B. Pritzker released summaries of his tax returns last week and for good measure revealed what approval of the graduated income tax amendment would mean to him.
The tax would cost him an additional $3.7 million in state taxes on top of the $6.8 million he and his wife now pay.
This is intended to make people feel better about supporting the graduated tax amendment. Bu ... more. |
After several years of low corn rootworm populations, the "billion-dollar bug" is catching eyes again in the Corn Belt.
Populations of both western and northern corn rootworm are rebounding after a mild winter and favorable egg hatch conditions this year, and they're bringing some bad habits along: growing Bt resistance.
Corteva Agriscience recently confirmed their second report of w ... more. |
Sentera, a technology company that provides agronomic insights, is partnering with Anheuser-Busch to improve nitrogen usage among growers. The pair will focus on nitrogen demands in rice production, which is critical for beer.
“While currently there are ways to systematically manage nitrogen demand, this solution enables us to get a baseline for the field, recommend a rate and closely monitor plant h ... more. |
For most of the world, it almost goes without saying that 2020 has been long on bad news and short on the good. However, for one class of popular herbicides, there is some good news!
In mid-September, EPA announced a long-awaited interim decision regarding the re-registration of the triazines: Atrazine, propazine, and simazine. Following years of research and public comments from the agriculture community, ... more. |
With temperatures falling to the 30's at night for much of central and northern Illinois, thoughts begin to turn to the yearly question "When Can I Start to Apply Ammonia?"
The following best management practices reflect what we've learned in 8 years of NREC funded research, performed on actual farmer fields over tile drainage. These BMPs are also part of the Illinois Nutrient Loss ... more. |
Two years ago, Decatur, Ill., farmer Adam Brown began dropping nitrogen rates, from 230 pounds per acre to 200 pounds.
With yield monitor data from two years of harvest, he says he’s confident the decision to reduce N rates on corn isn’t impacting his yields. In 2020, yields are averaging 226 bushels per acre — 10 bushels above his farm’s three-year average production history from 2 ... more. |
Chemical makers Bayer AG and BASF SE are pushing to keep a controversial weedkiller on the market after a federal court in June blocked its use in U.S. soybean and cotton fields.
The companies are seeking approvals from the Environmental Protection Agency that would allow farmers to continue spraying dicamba, a herbicide that can kill hardy weeds but has been blamed for drifting off fields and damaging mil ... more. |
The USDA says Illinois’ harvest made progress last week thanks to warmer and dryer than normal conditions.
Forty-five percent of the state’s corn crop has been harvested, over double of a year ago. Corn is rated 68 percent good to excellent.
Soybean harvest is past halfway complete, 34 percent ahead of last year and nearly all ... more. |
The Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association is cancelling their January winter convention & trade show, which was scheduled to occur on January 19-21, 2021 at the Peoria Civic Center.
“Our annual trade show has always been a well-attended, positive networking and educational experience for the members of the IFCA, and we are sad that we cannot proceed with planning and holding this importa ... more. |
With temperatures falling to the 30's at night for much of central and northern Illinois, thoughts begin to turn to the yearly question "When Can I Start to Apply Ammonia?"
The following best management practices reflect what we've learned in 8 years of NREC funded research, performed on actual farmer fields over tile drainage. These BMPs are also part of the Illinois Nutrient L ... more. |
Iowa State University published a Bulletin this week cautioning about soil test results taken during extremely dry conditions, as has been the case in much of Iowa and parts of Illinois. They advise waiting until moisture returns to sample, or to rely on previous years' soil tests taken in more normal conditions as a guideline, to ensure applied nutrient rates applied are not skewed when relying on test r ... more. |
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Center for Food Safety (CFS) has filed an amended complaint in their ongoing litigation challenging the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) "bioengineered" (more commonly known as "genetically engineered") food labeling rule, challenging the law's prohibition on states' labeling of genetically engineered seeds. The new filing adds claims challenging the part of the "bioengin ... more. |
FieldWatch, Inc., a non-profit company that promotes improved communication and stewardship among crop producers, beekeepers and pesticide applicators, announced that effective Oct. 1, 2020, Bob Walters has accepted the role of Chief Executive Officer.
Walters has been FieldWatch’s Director of Business Development since joining the company in 2016. He replaces Stephanie Regagnon who has taken a leade ... more. |
Illinois farmers entered the first week of October with one-quarter of both corn and soybean harvest complete.
The USDA reports as of Sunday 26% of corn is harvested, doubling progress from the previous week, but still behind the five-year average of 39%. 89% of the crop is considered mature with 73% rated good to excellent.
Soybean harvest reached 25%, up from 11% the previous but also behind the ... more. |
A group aligned with the Republican Party filed a lawsuit Monday challenging the language of a proposed Illinois constitutional amendment that creates a graduated-rate income tax.
The Illinois Policy Institute contends in the lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court that the explanation of the amendment on the ballot for voter approval is misleading and needs court-ordered clarification. The amendment wo ... more. |
A northwest Illinois farmer says staying on schedule with the lock and dam repairs on the Illinois River is key this year.
Corn and soybean farmer David Erickson tells Brownfield while there was concern if repairs would be done in a timely manner, the closures on the Illinois River are scheduled to be lifted at the end of the month.
“It looks like that schedule is holding pretty true which w ... more. |
The IFCA Board of Directors and Convention Committee have cancelled the IFCA Winter Convention & Trade Show, which was scheduled for January 19-21, 2021 at the Peoria Civic Center. "We looked at all the factors when making the decision to cancel the convention, and we are all disappointed. However, we are extremely grateful for the continued membership and sponsorship support from the IFCA memb ... more. |
As soybean harvest commences at a fast rate, fertilization is next on the "to do" list.
As we continue to work to reduce nitrogen losses in Illinois, fall application of anhydrous ammonia following the IFCA 4R Code of Practice and University of Illinois guidelines is so important! The research conducted by NREC, and many years of nitrogen rate trials in farm fields throughou ... more. |
Ag retail employees who need to obtain their certified competent attendant certificates or renew their certificates for this fall's ammonia season can take the on-line training program to accomplish this regulatory requirement. So far, nearly 200 people have successfully completed the on-line certification. This is only a temporary certificate that expires on January 1, 2021. IFCA continues to ... more. |
Applying anhydrous ammonia in the fall to provide N to the corn crop the following year has a long history in Illinois and in other parts of the Corn Belt where rotation, tillage, and manure management practices allow it. Fall application means getting a major field operation done when soil conditions are generally more favorable than they are in the spring, and it helps to spread the work load across more mo ... more. |
The House Special Investigations Committee II had its first substantive hearing last week and frankly nothing happened (or didn’t happen) that should have come as a surprise to anyone.
This is the committee looking into whether House Speaker Michael Madigan has engaged in conduct unbecoming a la
wmaker. (Spoiler alert: The Republicans say “yes,” the Democrats say “no.”)
&nbs ... more. |
A Kendall County area Illinois state representative has announced her candidacy for Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives against Mike Madigan.
Illinois state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego, announced she is running for the Democratic nomination for the seat on Thursday after a July deferred prosecution agreement for ComEd revealed Madigan as "Public Official A."
An investig ... more. |
Inland waterway stakeholders are banking on bipartisanship to get a major bill across the finish line in a lame duck session.
The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which sets policy for water projects for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is authorized every two years. It passed the House earlier this summer by a voice vote, and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved it unanimousl ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency is taking comments on a plan that would phase out many of the existing Bt corn and cotton plant protection traits.
The agency wants to implement many recommendations from a scientific advisory panel that are designed to delay insect resistance to the plant protection traits and prolong the effectiveness of plant protection products.
The EPA says Bt resistance ha ... more. |
Growing consumption rates and disruption of global supply chains have led China to eye a sustainably focused circular economy and to search for reliable agricultural imports. This give Russia a major chance to expand trade relations with China beyond oil and gas exports, and to assert itself as a reliable, even indispensable, partner for China’s food security.
During the past few decades China has de ... more. |
Bayer's XtendFlex soybeans are now ready for a full commercial launch in the U.S. and Canada in 2021, after a long-awaited import approval came through from the EU on Monday.
The soybean variety tolerates over-the-top applications of three herbicides: glyphosate, dicamba and glufosinate (Liberty). It has been touted by Bayer as their next generation weed control platform, which will replace RR2 Xtend a ... more. |
The head of the EPA expects a decision on the re-registration of two dicamba herbicides by mid-October.
During a webinar hosted by Minnesota Farm Bureau Thursday, Andrew Wheeler said his agency is reviewing applications for Bayer’s Xtendimax and Engenia from BASF.
“We hope (and) intend to have a decision made by the middle of October on whether or not we’ll be able to license dic ... more. |
China may fall short of annual agricultural product purchasing commitments made in its Phase 1 trade deal with the United States due to “non-agricultural trade issues,” U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said on Friday.
“I’m not sure they’re going to make it, but they’re trying,” Perdue said during a town hall meeting with farmers at Edge Dairy F ... more. |
In a long-awaited announcement, the European Union Monday stated it would approve Bayer’s XtendFlex soybeans. These multi-biotech traited soybeans feature tolerance to glyphosate, dicamba and glufosinate.
This announcement likely comes as a relief to the company. Not only have they waited years for the news, with a shaky future for the XtendiMax dicamba product, the partner to Roundup Ready 2 Xtend s ... more. |
As the fall seed-buying season advances, EPA is facing a major time crunch on its dicamba herbicide decisions.
The agency had originally vowed to have a re-registration decision for four dicamba herbicides -- Tavium (Syngenta), Engenia (BASF), XtendiMax (Bayer) and FeXapan (Corteva) -- settled by early fall so farmers could buy their corresponding dicamba-tolerant seed with the certainty of in-season weed ... more. |
Four state agencies have signed a pact to protect monarch butterflies and other important pollinators whose numbers are dwindling.
Representatives of the Illinois Departments of Natural Resources, Transportation and Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency signed onto the Illinois Monarch Action Plan on Friday.
While feeding on nectar, monarchs pollinate numerous wildflowers and also se ... more. |
The Fertilizer Industry contributed more than $130 billion and nearly 500,000 jobs to the US economy in 2019, according to a new study.
Corey Rosenbusch is the president and CEO of The Fertilizer Institute.
“A lot of people probably recognize how important fertilizer is to putting food on their tables but the impact on jobs and the economy was really amazing to see,” he says.
... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute Thursday released the Fertilizer Industry Economic Impact Study. The study highlights the U.S. fertilizer industry’s importance and economic contributions to the national, state and local economies. The study found that the fertilizer industry contributed over $130 billion and nearly 500,000 jobs to the U.S. economy in 2019. TFI President and CEO Corey Rosenbusch responds, “The ... more. |
A tree you’ve never heard of could be the key to a novel COVID-19 vaccine. Currently in development, this vaccine uses a compound called QS-21 from the Quillaja saponaria tree in Chile—one that also provides valuable agricultural compounds.
“By combining biotech with this native plant from Chile, we’ve been able to on one hand discover novel chemistry that allows us to participate i ... more. |
Illinois’ money situation isn’t good and there’s the possibility it could get a whole lot worse.
At least that’s the assessment of S&P Global Ratings which assesses the credit worthiness of states among others. It basically doesn’t like what it sees in Illinois.
The company said state lawmakers “placed a sizable $5 billion placeholder” in the current b ... more. |
Editing the genes of plants and animals could help mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and other sectors, according to a report highlighting the possible uses of the technology.
Why it matters: For too long the potential of biotechnology to address climate change has taken a back seat to engineering, chemistry and energy. But new advances in gene editing could make farming more efficient and ... more. |
A Republican senator from Wyoming is hoping to make modifications to the Endangered Species Act that would prohibit litigation after a species was delisted for a five-year period while that population is monitored.
Sen. John Barrasso, chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, said states should have a chance to prove they can effectively manage a species once it has been determined ... more. |
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton warned Thursday that Illinoisans could face an across-the-board income tax hike of at least 20% if voters reject a proposed constitutional amendment to shift the state from a mandated flat-rate tax to a graduated-rate tax based on income.
For weeks, Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritkzer’s administration has cautioned that severe budget cuts could be on the way if voters don’t ... more. |
With airlines threatening to lay off thousands of workers, this week could be pivotal if there is going to be a preelection deal on another major coronavirus relief package.
House Democratic leaders have been preparing a $2.4 trillion proposal that could be put on the House floor this week, but it wasn’t clear whether the bill was primarily intended to jump-start negotiations with the White House or ... more. |
The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture joined Congressman Rodney Davis (R-Taylorville) to speak with Central Illinois farmers Monday morning.
Sonny Perdue returned to the Beaty family farm in Rochester for the first time in three years and discussed the impacts of COVID-19 on farmers. He touched on policies and relief programs created in the nation’s capital to help those working in the agriculture indust ... more. |
State agencies have been ordered to identify steep budget cuts that can be made if Congress fails to come through with more COVID-19 relief money.
At a Chicago news conference on Tuesday, Gov. JB Pritzker said he is ordering state agencies under his control to identify 5% cuts that can be made to the current state spending plan and 10% cuts that can be made to the budget that lawmakers will pass next year. ... more. |
Illinois lawmakers are free to pursue their own investigation into House Speaker Michael Madigan’s role in a bribery scheme involving utility giant Commonwealth Edison, as long as they don’t specifically ask witnesses what information they’ve shared with federal investigators or a federal grand jury.
That was the word late Thursday from John Lausch Jr., the U.S. Attorney for the Northern ... more. |
Growers and retailers in Illinois, the largest U.S. soybean growing state, breathed a sigh of relief as reports of drift injury dropped sharply from last year’s record 700-plus dicamba-related complaints.
“Given that our cut-off was June 25 and it’s nearly one month later, we are optimistic that dicamba complaints may end up below 100 in 2020 which is a significant improvement,” Jea ... more. |
New legislation has been introduced in both houses of Congress that would effectively replace key parts of the Federal Insecticide Rodenticide and Fungicide Act (FIFRA). The bill is called the FIFRA Reform and Children’s Health Protection Act of 2020 (H.R. 7940, S, 4406) and was sponsored by Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., and Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M. If enacted, then this legislation would in effect replace EPA scie ... more. |
On August 26, the U.S. EPA and the USDA announced the Next Gen Fertilizer Challenges, a joint EPA-USDA partnership and competition to advance agricultural sustainability in the U.S. The competition includes two challenges that seek proposals for new and existing fertilizer technologies to maintain or improve crop yields while reducing the impacts of fertilizers on the environment.
While speaking at a virtu ... more. |
The USDA’s condition rating on corn improved slightly over the past week, while soybeans held steady.
61% of U.S. corn is in good to excellent shape as of Sunday, up 1% on the week, with 95% of the crop dented, compared to the five-year average of 90%, and 59% of the crop mature, compared to 49% on average, and 8% harvested, compared to the usual rate of 10%.
63% of U.S. soybeans are called ... more. |
After 7 years, the US Environmental Protection Agency says the widely used herbicide can stay on the market with some new restrictions. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced this final decision on Sept. 18, during an event in Missouri attended by farm-group leaders and local lawmakers.
Atrazine is one of the most commonly used herbicides in the US. Farmers spray it on crops such as corn, sorghum, and ... more. |
Lawmakers look to move a compromise stopgap funding bill this week to keep the government operating until December, even as much of the nation’s attention is focused on the Supreme Court opening created by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
One of the last remaining issues still being negotiated into the weekend with the funding bill was the replenishment of the Agriculture Department's Co ... more. |
Lawrence Wagenbach passed away on September 7 at the age of 81. He was a life-long farmer and also the founder of Akron Services, an IFCA ag retail member. Our thoughts are with the Wagenbach family and son Tim, who manages Akron Services. To read about Lawrence's remarkable life and faith in God, his obituary is here.Please keep the Wagenbach family and the employees of Akron Serv ... more. |
You must be wondering how pesticide license training and testing will look like for the upcoming testing cycle. Let us share with you what we know.
The Illinois Department of Ag and the University of Illinois Pesticide Safety & Education Program (PSEP) have been working very hard the past few months to ensure that operators and applicators can achieve 3-year certification and licenses, taking ... more. |
If any of your employees have anhydrous ammonia competent attendant certificates that have expired, or you have new hires who plan to work with ammonia this fall, IFCA has an IDA approved on-line training and testing program that will provide a competent attendant certificate that is good until December 31, 2020.
So far, over 200 people have successfully taken the on-line competent attendan ... more. |
Last week the IL Dept of Ag gave an update on the dicamba misuse complaints in 2020. Here are the highlights:
IDA has received a total of 334 pesticide misuse complaints. 305 of those complaints are agriculture-related. 149 of the 305 ag related complaints were attributed to dicamba.
To IDA's knowledge there were no complaints filed that were attributed to over the top use of ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture has announced the return of the “Fall Cover for Spring Savings” program for 2020.
Growers with crop insurance coverage through USDA’s Risk Management Agency are encouraged to plant acres to cover crops in the fall of 2020 followed by an insurable crop in 2021. Eligible applicants then receive a $5 per acre premium discount on verified acres on the fo ... more. |
Big changes could be coming to Bt corn and cotton management in the years ahead, according to a newly released draft of proposed Bt regulations from EPA.
The agency released a document this week outlining steps it is considering taking to help the agricultural industry slow the spread of Bt resistance in lepidopteran pests such as corn earworm, fall armyworm and western bean cutworm.
The plan prop ... more. |
Veteran state Sen. Terry Link, a once-powerful Lake County Democrat whose legacy has been tainted by a federal tax evasion charge and ties to a corruption scandal, is resigning Saturday.
The resignation is effective at 9 a.m., Link said in a two-sentence letter delivered late Friday afternoon to the secretary of the Senate, Senate leaders from both parties and other officials. &n ... more. |
Ag officials have lowered their estimates for this year’s corn crop.
In the U.S. Department of Agriculture Illinois Crop Report released Friday, officials said this year’s corn acreage is estimated at 10.9 million acres, up 4 percent from last year and the harvested area, forecast at 10.7 million acres, is up 5 percent from 2019.
Based on Sept. 1 conditions, however, the Illinois corn ... more. |
Illinois is one of the last states to apply and be approved for a federal program providing an additional $300 in unemployment assistance per week to qualifying residents.
Gov. JB Pritzker announced this week he instructed the Illinois Department of Employment Security to submit an application “despite serious concerns about the unfairness” of the program. The Federal Emergency Management Agenc ... more. |
The six members of a special investigative committee formed to determine if House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, should be disciplined convened for the first time at the Statehouse on Thursday.
The meeting lasted about 30 minutes, with Republicans proposing a charge against Madigan that he “engaged in conduct which is unbecoming to a legislator or which constitutes a breach of public trust.&rdqu ... more. |
President Donald Trump’s allies in Iowa launched a pressure campaign seeking his support for the ethanol industry in recent weeks, ultimately leading to his decision this week to gut a program granting waivers to oil refineries from biofuel requirements, according to two sources familiar with the events.
The push, led by Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, came as Trump’s Democratic presidential rival J ... more. |
On Thursday, Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh, joined by the Attorneys General of Delaware, Virginia, and the District of Columbia, filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency over its failure to require Pennsylvania and New York to develop and implement plans to achieve 2025 Chesapeake Bay restoration goals.
The suit says that EPA has abandoned its responsibility to ensure that cer ... more. |
The Trump administrations carries out a major piece of its regulatory reform agenda this week, while some lawmakers hold out hope for breaking an impasse over a coronavirus relief package.
After the administration won a preliminary court decision on Friday, reforms that take effect Monday will streamline the federal environmental review process by imposing time and page limits on analyses conducted under t ... more. |
NH3 Competent Attendant On-Line Training
Anyone needing to renew their Competent Attendant Certificate to handle anhydrous ammonia or work on ammonia equipment can access this online training by clicking here. This training will also fulfill the certification requirement for any new hires. Click here for the flyer on the on-line program; there will be no classroom events offered this fal ... more. |
There are a lot of circumstances and questions that arise about how to deal with employees who may test positive, may become ill, how and when they can return to work and the impact on fellow employees they may have been in contact with. Ag employees are essential workers and the CDC provides exceptions to the standard quarantine procedures for the general public. To help provide answers to common quest ... more. |
On Tuesday, September 2, the Grain & Feed Association is extending an invite forIFCA members to join the grain industry on a free webinar designed to address the many questions ag employers have about managing COVID issues in the workplace, especially as contact tracing and COVID cases increase inrural Illinois at the same time a busy harvest and fertilizer season is in store.
... more. |
IFCA is on track to offer on-line training to anyone needing to renew theirCompetent Attendant Certificate to handle anhydrous ammonia or work on ammonia equipment this fall. This training will also fulfill the certification requirement for any new hires. We plan to have the program ready on September 1. Click here for a flyer on the on-line program; there will be no classroom events offered ... more. |
IFCA thanks the Illinois Department of Agriculture, The Agricultural Container Recycling Council (ACRC)and all of our retail members who hosted this summer's pesticide container recycling events. The program wrapped up last Friday.
We especially thank Rick Severns at IDA who organized the program and also fielded phone calls from retailers who desired to bring mini-bulks to recycl ... more. |
Earlier today we let our members know of the sudden passing of IFCA member and friend, Pat Hodges. Pat's obituary is now available with information on services and links to send condolences to his family and friends. Pat's obituary is here.
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There continue to be opportunities for Certified Crop Advisors to pick up CEUs despite not going to in-person meetings. Below are several free, upcoming webinars and you don't have to be a CCA to join in.
September 3, 10 - 11:45 am: Managing Phosphorus in Conservation Cropping Systems - 1.5 CEU NM
Speakers are Dr. Heidi Peterson (Sand County Foundation); Dr. Fabian Fernandez (U ... more. |
Our hearts were broken this past weekend when we learned of the sudden passing of Pat Hodges with Squibb Taylor.
Pat was larger than life in so many ways: in his knowledge of the compressed gas industry, in his relationships with distributors, in his passion to help ag retailers and in his dedication toeducation and safety in the anhydrous ammonia and propane industry. For IFCA ... more. |
Welcome to the first ever VIRTUAL MAGIE Showcase!
On the days listed below, we will feature videos that MAGIE 2020 exhibitors createdto share information about their products and positive messages about our industry.
In just a few minutes each day, you can participate in MAGIE by watching and sharing these videos with your co-workers and colleagues. We miss seeing everyone, but these s ... more. |
From the desk of Leslie Forrest, IFCA Director of Office & Membership Programs: As I sit here in front of my computer writing for the last day of this Virtual MAGIE experience, I have been reflecting back on the last 16 MAGIE shows I helped organize. What a ride it has been and the show has always been my opportunity to put faces with the names I see on paperwork and the voices I hear on the pho ... more. |
Following the recent scandal that appears to implicate Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, a group of Illinois Democrats announced sweeping ethics reform proposals Thursday.
Democratic lawmakers from both the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate believe their proposals would dramatically increase transparency and "take meaningful strides" toward restoring public trust in sta ... more. |
Longtime Illinois Sen. Terry Link has been charged with felony income tax fraud, court records show.
Terry is the latest lawmaker ensnared in a sprawling federal corruption probe.
Prosecutors allege that in October 2017, Link under reported his income on his federal tax return for the previous year, according to charging documents filed Thursday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of ... more. |
An intense windstorm known as a derecho swept through the northern corn belt Monday and couple of Illinois farmers are thankful to see minimal crop damage.
While scrolling through social media photos of flattened corn fields and downed grain bins in neighboring Iowa, north central (Deer Creek) Illinois farmer Mike Wurmnest tells Brownfield,
“We were on the lucky side. Here we didn’t ha ... more. |
The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) ruled Tuesday afternoon on Governor JB Pritzker's mask mandate on if businesses should receive fines for not complying.
JCAR could have overturned the fines. They voted on a motion to oppose and suspend the emergency order, but it did not pass. The motion needed eight yes votes to suspend the mask mandate rules, however, six lawmakers voted yes to susp ... more. |
Three formulations of dicamba were abruptly taken off the market this year, but there is a chance they could come back for use in 2021.
The Administrator of the EPA, Andrew Wheeler, says that the reregistration review of three dicamba products that were part of a California court case earlier this summer is ongoing. "The companies that manufacture dicamba have already applied for a new license," ... more. |
With the United Nations (UN) projecting that the world population will reach 8.5 billion by the year 2030 and 9.7 billion by 2050, an increasingly pressing question is how will we provide enough food for this many people without putting more pressure on our already strained resources and planet? One potential solution being investigated is that of crop plants, which can now be precisely enhanced using advanced tech ... more. |
During a workshop Tuesday, research staff for the Department of Pesticide Regulation presented new mitigations on four neonicotinoid pesticides.
The draft regulation takes a tiered approach based on the level of threat to bees. It would prohibit applications during bloom and limit them to just one of the four active ingredients (AI) per season. Additional measures would apply when managed pollinators are p ... more. |
Mexico will gradually phase out use of the herbicide glyphosate by the time the current administration ends in late 2024, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday, following a ministerial spat over the product.
Acknowledging differences between his agriculture and environment ministries over the herbicide, which is used in brands such as Roundup, Lopez Obrador said the government would immed ... more. |
The head of the U.S.’s busiest port said China is on track to buy less than one-third of the American agricultural products it promised to purchase in 2020, the first year of a trade pact between the world’s two biggest economies.
“The phase-one trade deal set lofty expectations for purchases that had not been witnessed by American agriculture producers ever -- what we’ve seen so fa ... more. |
IFCA would like to express our heartfeltgratitude tothe following MAGIE Exhibitors. They went above and beyond and donated their booth fee back to the IFCA so that we can continue to support our membership through these challenging times.
AAK Mechanical, Inc.
Adams Fertilizer
AGCO Application Division
Agri-Cover, Inc.
Altorfer, Inc.
Ameren Energy Efficiency Progra ... more. |
To help keep essential ag industry employees healthy and to comply with statewide COVID management policies, we are moving the fall ammonia competent attendant training classes to an on-line program only. IFCA is working with the Dept of Ag to have the program ready by September 1, 2020. Click here to see information on how the on-line NH3 training and certification program will work.
&nb ... more. |
IFCA thanks our retail members for your great response to our spring 2020 4R survey! We nearly doubled the number of acres reporting on fertilizer use trends and how these applications align with the IFCA 4R Code of Practice relating to rate, timing, soil testing and split applications of nitrogen. We are compiling the results and will share the report soon, showing 4R trends in Illinois for two f ... more. |
We have rescheduled the July 30 golf outing in Pontiac, which was rained out. We are now holding this event on August 26 at the Pontiac Elks Golf Course. We will be teeing off at 8 am in a scramble format. Many of the originally scheduled golfersare able to make this work but we still have room for a few more! Please email Leslie Forrest at leslief@ifca.comor call our office at 3 ... more. |
The IL Dept of Ag reports they have received 125 pesticide misuse complaints attributed to dicamba applications this season. Some of these complaints are directed at application that occurred after the June 25 cut-off date in Illinois. USEPA has indicated they hope to reach a decision soon on the registration of the 4 dicamba products that have been approved in the past for over the top applications on ... more. |
Bloomberg is reporting this week that the administration's “rapid-fire escalation of attacks on China – from bans of WeChat and TikTok to sanctions on Hong Kong's top official – underscore that it has dropped past restraint and decided to make confronting Beijing a priority less than 90 days before the U.S. election.
The president's increasingly aggressive stance has opened ... more. |
“I need to be able to look myself in the mirror every day,” was how Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-Glen Ellyn) explained to me recently why she decided to call for House Speaker Michael Madigan’s resignation.
“More importantly,” the freshman suburban Democrat said, “I had to look at my daughters and remind them what it means to do what’s right.”
Costa Ho ... more. |
Businesses could face fines of up to $2,500 if they fail to enforce rules requiring face coverings and limiting crowd sizes under new emergency rules announced Friday by Gov. JB Pritzker.
The new rules, which will face a bipartisan legislative panel next week, immediately came under fire from some Republican lawmakers and retailers for targeting businesses with penalties.
Those developments came o ... more. |
The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) last week determined cheap fertilizer imports may harm U.S. fertilizer producers.
The commission says cheap phosphate fertilizers imported from Morocco and Russia are allegedly subsidized by their governments. As a result, the U.S. Department of Commerce will continue with its countervailing duty investigations.
The investigation could lead to ... more. |
The Protect America’s Children From Toxic Pesticides Act of 2020, introduced on Tuesday by Sen. Tom Udall, a New Mexico Democrat, and Rep. Joe Neguse, a Democrat of Colorado, would overhaul the nation’s framework for regulating the sale and use of pesticides to safeguard public health and the environment, the legislators said in a press call with a panel of experts.
Current regulations are base ... more. |
The U.S. and China will be discussing trade again in less than two weeks. Multiple media reports say August 15th will be the date when the two countries discuss China’s compliance with the Phase One bilateral trade deal signed earlier this year.
The Phase One deal called for China to boost purchases of U.S. agricultural goods to about 36.5 billion dollars, and total U.S. goods by 200-bill ... more. |
The chief ag economist for Wells Fargo says Tesla is the biggest threat to farming, “No matter what you set for a blend rate in the United States you can’t force a Tesla owner to buy any ethanol,” says Dr. Michael Swanson who was on the Danforth Plant Science Center ‘Ag Tech Next’ series Tuesday. He was asked if electric vehicle production and increased fuel efficiency standards will i ... more. |
The Trump administration is expected in the coming days to lift Obama-era controls on the release of methane, a powerful climate-warming gas that is emitted from leaks and flares in oil and gas wells.
The new rule on methane pollution, issued by the Environmental Protection Agency, has been expected for months, and will be made public before Friday, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke ... more. |
Seated at his kitchen table, finishing off the remains of a Saturday breakfast, Hunter Hollingsworth’s world was rocked by footsteps on his front porch and pounding at the door, punctuated by an aggressive order: “Open up or we’ll kick the door down.”
Surrounded on all sides of his house, and the driveway blocked, Hollingsworth was the target of approximately 10 federal and state wi ... more. |
IFCA and the IL Dept of Ag were hopeful that we could have in-person classes for the fall anhydrous ammonia competent attendant training. But because of the on-going concerns over the health of essential workers in our industry, IFCA and IDA have come to the conclusion that it is just too problematic to have in-person training at this time. The last thing we want is to havesomeone potentially expo ... more. |
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One of the chief complaints of crop biotechnology detractors is most of the products that reach the market are designed to sell more herbicides. Yes, large genetics/crop protection corporations have a major commercial incentive to produce herbicide-resistant seeds to drive their chemical sales.
However, without the financial incentive of accompanying pesticide sales, many useful traits cannot generate enou ... more. |
Gov. JB Pritzker said Monday that Illinois faces the prospect of having to make deep spending cuts over the rest of the fiscal year if Congress does not pass an economic relief package that helps states make up for the massive loss in revenue they’ve seen since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I continue to do my part to make calls, to make sure that people understand that Republican-led st ... more. |
The Center for Food Safety (CFS) led a coalition of groups in a lawsuit aimed at a USDA rule allowing manufacturers to use QR codes read by smartphones to disclose genetically engineered ingredients in food.
According to a statement released by the group on Wednesday, “The final regulations, issued in 2019, include provisions which will leave the majority of GMO-derived foods unlabeled; discriminate ... more. |
By end-May, imports were running behind 2017 levels - rather than 50% ahead as needed - and while orders for China’s main farm import, soybeans, have started to pick up, scorching levels of buying would be needed to hit the mark.
Add in a rapid deterioration in U.S.-China relations, an upcoming U.S. election, a global pandemic and questions over just how much soybeans China actually needs, and farmer ... more. |
The Agriculture Department is looking into the origins of mysterious packages of seeds with Chinese mailing addresses delivered to recipients who say they never ordered them.
With tensions running high between the U.S. and Beijing on issues including defense and trade, some recipients of the seeds asked via Twitter and Facebook postings last week if there could be a nefarious intent like spreading invasive ... more. |
Over-the-top dicamba products, Engenia, FeXapan and XtendMax spent time under the court’s microscope, resulting in EPA issuing a final cancellation order for these products. The same plaintiffs sought vacatur for Enlist Duo herbicide this year.
Since 2017, the National Family Farm Coalition and the Natural Resources Defense Council have argued in court that allowing over-the-top dicamba application o ... more. |
Legislation authorizing the Army Corps of Engineers to boost the nation’s water infrastructure, protect waterways from emerging contaminants, and bolster coastal shorelines sailed through the House Wednesday.
On a voice vote, the House used a procedure reserved for mostly non-controversial legislation to pass the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (H.R. 7575), which lays out a two-yea ... more. |
Democrats and Republicans are still far apart on the next coronavirus relief package. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows tried to get Democrats and Republicans to reach an agreement during nearly three hours of meetings Saturday. Mnuchin told reporters Republicans are willing to pass something quickly to deal with short-term issues and come back to the larger i ... more. |
The Trump administration and House Democrats have yet to reach a coronavirus relief deal, and billions in agriculture funding and food assistance increases hang in the balance as the high-level talks move slowly.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows have been working over the last week to get to some ... more. |
Crops in Illinois continue to look good as August begins.
USDA reporters say the state’s corn is rated 59% good and 17% excellent, with 96% of corn silking, 43% in the dough stage, and 1% already dented. Seventy-six percent of the soybeans are either good or excellent, with 52% of the beans setting pods.
Illinois farmers are continuing to make hay, with 26% of third crop hay finished, ... more. |
Residents from several states, including Illinois, have recently received unsolicited packages in the mail containing seed. Some of these packages are believed to be from China as they have Chinese writing on them. As of right now it is unknown if the seeds are those of an invasive species that could potentially impact our agricultural industry or environment. For this reason, it is recommended that anyone who rece ... more. |
Federal prosecutors recently answered the question about whether Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, the nation’s longest serving statehouse speaker, is a subject of a criminal investigation into influence peddling to benefit an energy utility. He is.
The looming question now is whether the Chicago Democrat will actually be charged — and if the 78-year-old is charged, when and with what pos ... more. |
With the 2020 Midwest AG Industries Exposition (MAGIE) on hold for one year because of the coronavirus pandemic, CropLife IRON is proud to present a special online version of this year’s event instead. In the slideshow above, you will find information on some of the equipment, products, and services that would have been on display at the fairgrounds in Bloomington, IL, had this been a normal summer show seaso ... more. |
It takes 10 to 12 years and around $300 million to bring a new pesticide, including herbicides, fungicides or insecticides, to market. While much of that time and money is spent in a lab and on in-field testing, EPA and other governmental agency reviews have started to take a bigger piece of that pie.
In addition, products have to re-register every 15 or so years with updated data. Dicamba, for example, is ... more. |
Senate Republicans look to finally move into talks with Democrats on a new coronavirus relief package this week, but Majority Leader Mitch McConnell suggests it could take a few weeks to reach a deal.
A major deadline is looming Friday with the scheduled expiration of the $600-a-week in enhanced unemployment benefits that were provided as part of the $2 trillion CARES Act enacted in March.
Republi ... more. |
Heading into 2020, Jean Payne, president of Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA), says it was a priority for her members to emphasize pesticide stewardship.
“In 2019, we ended up being the state that led all states in a record number of dicamba complaints. So going into 2020, we had it on the forefront of our to-do list to get that number of complaints down.”
As of mid-J ... more. |
Bayer, BASF and Corteva Agriscience continue the fight to preserve postemergent dicamba use. The companies are contesting the results of a June 3 decision by three judges on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which vacated the registrations of their dicamba herbicides, XtendiMax, Engenia and FeXapan.
On Monday evening, the three companies filed separate petitions asking for an "e ... more. |
India and the United States are closing in on a trade deal, India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday, after two years of negotiations.
“In the long term, I believe we have a quick trade deal which has some of the pending matters built up over the last couple of years, which we need to get out of the way quickly. We are almost there,” Goyal said at the U.S.-India Business Cou ... more. |
A leader in both agriculture and natural resources says there needs to be a continued relationship between the two sectors.
Colleen Callahan is the former director of Illinois Rural Development for the USDA and now serves as the Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. She says the ag and natural resources departments work toward similar goals.
“Because when we talk about th ... more. |
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit today denied a petition to vacate the registration of Corteva Agriscience's Enlist Duo herbicide, a 2,4-D-choline and glyphosate premix designed for use over 2,4-D-tolerant Enlist crops.
The court ruled that EPA only needed to fix one oversight with the Enlist Duo registration regarding the herbicide's risk to monarch butterflies. The herbicide' ... more. |
A central Illinois farmer says he understands both sides of issues surrounding dicamba use.
Alex Head who farms near Decatur tells Brownfield he has seen yield loss from dicamba drift on his non-GMO soybean crop.
“It is a great tool to have and it kills weeds, but the fact that it doesn’t stay on target is a little bit frustrating.”
On the other hand, Head also gro ... more. |
An ag economist says the impacts of COVID-19 will be felt in the ag industry for quite some time.
Purdue University’s Allan Gray says the pandemic will likely continue to impact demand as well as farm income.
“This sort of fits and starts that we’re seeing right now on how we’re trying to open our economy and then the virus flares back up again and now maybe we’re slo ... more. |
The USDOT has extended the deadlines to renew expired or expiring CDLs, endorsements and medical cards until September 30, 2020 to allow flexibility to the states, especially those states continuing to deal with COVID outbreaks.
In Illinois, all the driver service facilities are open for business, and most doctor's offices are accepting appointments for CDL medicals. We encourage ... more. |
In the past several weeks, IFCA lost two wonderful gentlemen who were part of the IFCA family. Please take a moment to remember them with us and keep their families in your prayers.
Larry Wenthold, who spent his 43-year career at River Valley Cooperative, passed away on July 10 at the young age of 69. Larry was an active member of the IFCA, committed to his community, thei ... more. |
With so many industry meetings being cancelled, it may be a challenge for Certified Crop Advisors to find opportunities for CEUs. Next week the InfoAg program is hosting several virtual CEU opportunities free of charge. To see the listing of topics and speakers, click here. The first session is July 28. IFCA thanks The Fertilizer Institute and the InfoAg team for making these opportunities a ... more. |
Today is the first day for the annual pesticide container recycling program. IFCA thanks IDA for organizing this program and all of our retail members who host the recycling events. To see the list of locations and the schedule, click here. There is nocharge to bring clean, triple-rinsed non-bulk pesticide containers to these events.
If you have portable refillable contain ... more. |
Jean Payne was worried. “The last thing you want to think about are high nitrates in the city’s water supply when the (Illinois) legislature is in session,” says Payne, president of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA), which represents fertilizer companies and dealers. Yet, that’s what the IFCA and farmers faced during the spring of 2013 during the Illinois General Assemb ... more. |
With 60 million acres of Xtend cotton and soybeans and rising herbicide-resistance problems across the crop spectrum, dicamba use in U.S. agriculture is at or near record heights this year.
Yet the chemical's future has never been less certain.
The most pressing question facing farmers and the industry is whether two companies, BASF and Bayer, will be able to get new registrations approved for ... more. |
As we witness many summertime events cancelling due to ongoing COVID-19 precautions, it was perhaps no surprise that the Midwest AG Industries Exposition (MAGIE) was one of them. While some states with more flexible COVID-19 policies may be able to move ahead with large events, the “Restore Illinois” plan doesn’t give much hope for any gatherings over 100 people to occur until a vaccine or widespr ... more. |
EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler says the agency is proposing to retain current ozone requirements that were set in 2015.
“Current scientific information continues to support the conclusion that the primary standard established in 2015 protects public health with an adequate margin of safety.”
He says from 2017 to 2019, ozone concentrations across the country fell four percent.
&nbs ... more. |
Crop conditions showed little variation last week even with above average temperatures statewide.
Corn is rated 61% good to excellent, the same as the previous week. While soybeans dropped four percentage points at 59% good to excellent.
As of Sunday, the USDA reports 36% of the corn crop is silking, compared to the five-year average of 52% with 1% reaching the dough stage. Meanwhile, 37% of the s ... more. |
Talks on a coronavirus relief package will heat up this week as Senate Republicans prepare to bring out their proposal this week with an eye toward getting the massive legislation passed ahead of the August recess.
The House, meanwhile, will start debating its 12 appropriations bills for fiscal 2021, which begins Oct. 1, and also is set to clear the Senate-passed Great American Outdoors Act, which would pe ... more. |
The coronavirus pandemic sent shockwaves through the ag industry and two economists are sharing what they think could happen as the sector recovers.
Purdue University Ag Economist Jayson Lusk projects that retail food prices will continue to fall.
“Mainly because we’ve seen meet prices already start to fall,” he says.
But, he says there will also be scrutiny over anti-co ... more. |
The plan has three tiers of general and industry-specific mitigations that officials say can be acted upon to prevent a renewed spread of COVID-19.
“Opening up our economy does not have to come with a spike in cases. Other countries have done it successfully while reducing cases and infection rates. But that requires vigilance on the part of all of us," Pritzker said. "It’s imperative ... more. |
President Trump finalized a major overhaul Wednesday of one of the country’s most consequential environmental laws on the grounds that it has slowed the construction of highways, pipelines and other major projects across the country.
The sweeping changes to the 50-year-old National Environmental Policy Act, which opponents have vowed to fight in court and reverse if Democrats regain control of the ex ... more. |
Following months of speculation about a wide-ranging investigation, federal prosecutors have charged ComEd with a years-long bribery scheme involving the company’s arrangement for jobs, contracts, and payments to allies and associates of Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
ComEd will pay a $200 million fine as part of a deferred prosecution agreement to end the federal probe, admitting it sought ... more. |
As July gets underway, state regulators, weed scientists, agronomists and farmers are reporting off-target dicamba injury to crops and plants for the fifth summer in a row.
This year, some of the most widespread symptomology and crop injury is being reported in Iowa, where scientists told DTN that weather conditions, court rulings and planting dates combined into a "perfect storm" to produce off- ... more. |
The state of Illinois saw slight decreases in the number of people filing first-time unemployment claims as well as the number of people receiving continuing benefits during the week that ended July 4.
But those gains were more than offset by increases in the number of people applying for and receiving benefits under another program designed for people who don’t qualify for traditional unemployment b ... more. |
Crop hybrid technologies have contributed to the significant yield improvement worldwide in the past decades. However, designing and maintaining a hybrid production line has always been complex and laborious. Now, researchers in China have developed a new system combining CRISPR-mediated genome editing with other approaches that could produce better seeds compared with conventional hybrid methods and shorten the pr ... more. |
The work has been planned for years and area agricultural experts say the effect on farmers should be minimal.
Still, the idea that the Peoria Lock Dam and indeed, the Illinois River waterway, is closed to barge traffic for a four-month repair job, is a major development and change.
“It is going to cost more money, but they (farmers) have been aware that this is coming,” said Patrick K ... more. |
Illinois’ state climatologist says it is a little early for drought concerns even as above average heat covers the state.
Trent Ford tells Brownfield heavy spring rains have helped maintain deep layer soil moisture so far this summer.
“And because it was somewhat dry during planting I think, this year especially compared to last year, crops have really established a good rooting depth ... more. |
Thursday, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (D-IL) helped pass a comprehensive Agriculture and Rural Development funding bill out of the powerful House Appropriations Committee that would deliver more than $152 billion in agriculture and rural support.
“Democrats are building up our rural communities, and this package reflects the critical investments that rural America needs to recover from COVID-19 and bu ... more. |
Among the deaths reported Sunday are 14 residents of Cook County, two from DuPage County and one from Will County.
In all, the state has now confirmed 153,916 COVID-19 cases since the outbreak began and 7,187 deaths.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity rate stands at 3%, up from 2.3% last Sunday.
As of Saturday night, 1,342 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital ... more. |
Bayer shares fell more 6% on Tuesday after a U.S. judge questioned part of the German company's proposed settlement to deal with future claims relating to allegations that its widely used weedkiller Roundup caused cancer.
Last month Bayer agreed to pay as much as $10.9 billion to settle close to 100,000 U.S. lawsuits related to Roundup.
That included $1.25 billion to support a separate class a ... more. |
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday his not currently thinking about negotiating a "Phase 2" trade deal with China as relations between Washington and Beijing sour over the coronavirus pandemic and other issues.
Trump, asked by reporters aboard Air Force One about the possibility of second phase trade deal following implementation of a Phase 1 agreement this year, said "I don't th ... more. |
IFCA's Summer 2020 Newsletter is available now and features the following topics:
1. Update on the 2020 pesticide misuse complaints as of July 6, plus the final tally on 2019 investigations
2. Explanation of the forthcoming farmer anhydrous ammonia safety training requirement coming soon
3. IFCA 4R report including summary of nitrate and atrazine levels in Lake Springfield i ... more. |
The annual pesticide container recycling program schedule is set, with the first event on July 23. IFCA ag retail members host these locations throughout the state, working with IDA to ensure safe recycling of empty, triple-rinsed pesticide containers. There is no charge to participate in this program. To see the schedule and learn how to prepare to bring your containers to these sites, click here ... more. |
Governor JB Pritzker has donated another $51.5 million of his own money to a committee working to make the fair tax happen.
The contribution to Vote Yes for Fairness, a committee headed by the governor's former deputy campaign manager, was reported late Friday in a filing with the State Board of Elections, according to the Associated Press.
The money is in addition to the $5 million donation t ... more. |
The number of Illinois workers receiving state unemployment benefits fell by more than 29,000 during the last week of June as many businesses resumed operations after 14 weeks under a stay-at-home order brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday there were 676,338 people in Illinois receiving continuing unemployment benefits during the week that ended June 27. That was ... more. |
Illinois revenues took a $1.1 billion hit during the just-concluded fiscal year, the result of the economic chaos caused by the COVID-19 virus.
But along with the bad news came some glimmers of hope, the legislature’s Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability said. State revenues actually showed a slight uptick in June, and personal income tax collections did well despite massive unempl ... more. |
USDA’s crop condition ratings for Illinois corn and soybeans dropped a bit during the first week of July.
After a week of temperatures nearly four degrees above normal and average rainfall for the state, USDA rated corn 61% and soybeans 63% good to excellent, both down from the high sixties the week before.
As of Sunday, 10% of the corn crop is silking, compared to 1% the week before and the ... more. |
Guilty pleasure time — one of my favorite television shows from a few years back was called “Life After People.” For those unfamiliar, this program looked at what would happen if humanity suddenly disappeared, chronicling how things would be for the planet once we as a species were not around.
Not that it’s quite the same but given how much of an aberration 2020 is turning out to be ... more. |
The House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis unveiled a comprehensive plan, Solving the Climate Crisis: The Congressional Action Plan for a Clean Energy Economy and a Healthy, Resilient and Just America, on Tuesday (June 30).
The action plan calls for:
-Reaching 100% clean, net zero emissions economy-wide in the U.S. by no later than 2050.
-Establishing interim targets to assess progress and reduce p ... more. |
Senators are privately discussing agricultural provisions in the next major coronavirus relief bill, which has taken on new urgency as cases have surged anew throughout much of the country.
Neither the House nor the Senate have any regular sessions scheduled over the next two weeks, but Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and his colleagues already have started discussing potential agriculture ... more. |
The House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee on Monday approved the fiscal year 2021 Agriculture appropriations bill without amendments.
Click Here to read more.
Total discretionary funding in the legislation is $23.98 billion, an increase of $487 million above the fiscal year 2020 enacted level.
The committee earlier released the bill and a summary of it.
In an opening statemen ... more. |
White House trade adviser Peter Navarro on Monday walked back on his earlier remarks that the U.S.-China trade pact was “over”, stoking volatility in markets already frazzled by the coronavirus pandemic.
Navarro said his comments were taken “wildly out of context”, while U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed in a tweet the deal with China was “fully intact”.
&ld ... more. |
House Democrats plan to schedule a vote before July 4 on a comprehensive infrastructure measure that aims to modernize freight corridors, reduce traffic congestion and promote climate change resilience infrastructure.
Ahead of its floor consideration expected as soon as June 30, House floor managers are considering amendments to the 10-year, $1.5 trillion measure.
The infrastructure bill would add ... more. |
Beginning July 1, the Rock Island Engineer District is temporarily closing the Dresden Island, Marseilles, Starved Rock, Peoria and LaGrange locks on the Illinois Waterway to facilitate needed repairs and maintenance. The closures, which will be conducted simultaneously to limit impacts to navigation, are scheduled to last through late October.
During the closures, no vessels will be able to pass through t ... more. |
Less than a week after opening to customers for the first time since mid-March, businesses will be required to raise the minimum wage of workers to $10 on July 1. This is the second increase in minimum wage this year.
“Anytime the minimum wage goes up, prices go up,” John McPeek, manager of Mackie’s Pizza, said. “It’s going to cause the price of food at local restaurants to go ... more. |
Bayer recently announced it would settle all Roundup, dicamba drift and PCB water litigation cases between $10.1 and $10.9 billion. At the same time, the company said this settlement is not an admission of fault, but rather a cost-effective way to end this “distraction.”
“It has been a long journey, but we are very pleased that we’ve achieved justice for the tens of thousands of peo ... more. |
Governor JB Pritzker has announced the first round of grant recipients for Connect Illinois funds set aside for broadband expansion.
$50 million in state grants will be matched by $65 million in non-state funding for 28 projects estimated to reach more than 26,000 homes, businesses, and farms across Illinois.
The funds have been released as part of the $420 million Connect Illinois plan with the g ... more. |
Syngenta announced today plans to build a new R&D Innovation and Customer Experience Center in the heart of the US Corn Belt.
The 90-acre site will be located in Malta, Ill., DeKalb County, about one hour west of Syngenta’s global and North America Seeds offices in Downers Grove. The site was selected for its location, soil type and accessibility, and will provide facilities for large-scale event ... more. |
Late on Thursday, June 25, a panel of judges on the Ninth Circuit denied a motion by BASF to stay and recall their June 3 mandate vacating three dicamba registrations, including BASF's Engenia herbicide.
The move puts dicamba registrants back where they started the month: with three of four over-the-top dicamba herbicides no longer federally registered for use.
For now, farmers and commercial ... more. |
The House will vote on a $1.5 trillion infrastructure bill that likely has no future in the GOP-controlled Senate but does provide a blueprint for what Democrats may try to do if they win control of the Senate in November.
The Moving Forward Act includes authorization for $100 billion in spending for broadband expansion as well as $300 billion for roads and bridges, $100 billion for public transportation, ... more. |
Only a fraction of conventional row crop farmers grow cover crops after harvest, but a new global analysis from the University of Illinois shows the practice can boost soil microbial abundance by 27%.
The result adds to cover crops’ reputation for nitrogen loss reduction, weed suppression, erosion control, and more. Although soil microbial abundance is less easily observed, it is a hugely important m ... more. |
We wanted to offer some final clarity on the important dates involved in the Illinois Special Local Needs labels for Engenia, Xtendimax, FeXapan and Tavium as well as the USEPA cancellation order of July 31, 2020 for Engenia, Xtendimax and FeXapan.
1. June 25, 2020 Illinois Cutoff Date: For Engenia, Xtendimax, FeXapan and Tavium, private and commercial applicators in Illinois cannot ... more. |
It may seem the only news these days focuses on COVID 19 cases, the fight against inequality or President Trump’s reelection challenges, whether Joe Biden or Josh Bolton. Truth be told, Washington, DC, is slowly trying to take care of other business.
There will be a “phase four” economic stimulus bill as talks accelerate, though no word on whether the price tag will be billions or t ... more. |
Gov. JB Pritzker has signed a $43 billion state budget that relies heavily on a federal loan to make up for tax revenues that have plummeted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
State lawmakers approved the budget plan last month, mostly along party lines, during a special session in Springfield.
“The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the enormous role government plays in keeping communities safe and p ... more. |
Bayer AG said on Tuesday it will scrap a nearly $1 billion project to produce the chemical dicamba in the United States, but said the move is unrelated to a federal court decision that blocked sales of weedkillers based on the product.
The German-based company is moving to save cash as it wages an expensive legal battle to fight allegations that another product, its glyphosate-based weedkiller Roundup, cau ... more. |
Central Illinois Republican lawmakers expressed frustration Thursday about what they see as Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s failure to include the legislature in determining how to reopen Illinois amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking during a McLean County Chamber of Commerce “State of the State” webinar, lawmakers said the governor has not adequately recognized differences among regions when outlin ... more. |
The Illinois Waterway, which provides a navigable connection between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River, includes eight lock and dam sites that are long overdue for significant repairs. In order to facilitate repairs, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, (USACE/Corps) Rock Island District developed a consolidated repair schedule that included a short closure to locks in 2019, followed by two extended closures in ... more. |
The Senate Agriculture Committee will hold a landmark hearing this week on a bipartisan plan to accelerate the development of agricultural carbon markets, and the panel also is set to act on a measure to reauthorize federal grain standards and export inspections.
The Growing Climate Solutions Act , whose sponsors include the committee’s top Democrat, Debbie Stabenow, and GOP committee member Mike Bra ... more. |
On Friday, judges in California with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against a petition to halt all use of Engenia, FeXapan and XtendiMax dicamba herbicides. Instead, it will allow farmers to use existing stocks of the dicamba products under specific rules of EPA’s cancellation order.
EPA’s final cancellation order on the three dicamba formulations provided the following guidance:
... more. |
With ammonia side-dress wrapping up, now is a good time to make sure you have made all the necessary upgrades to your ammonia facility as well as your nurse tanks and or application equipment. The final deadline to have all ammonia upgrades in place is December 31, 2020. To assist our members in understanding the changes in the current ammonia rules, IFCA prepared a compliance guide to assist you in u ... more. |
Ever since the unfortunate ammonia release in April 2019 in Beach Park, IL that resulted in injuries to emergency responders and citizens, IFCA has been working closely with the IL Dept of Ag, IL Farm Bureau and the Corn and Soybean Associations to develop rules that will require farmers and farm employees or family members who transport, apply or work on ammonia equipment to be trained and certified on the safe ha ... more. |
After last week's headlines on dicamba, this week it is nice to only report that USEPA is sticking to their commitment to allow commercial applicators and farmers to use existing inventory of the dicamba products Xtendimax, Engenia and FeXapan. In Illinois, applicators have until June 25, 2020 to apply these products to soybean. Tavium, while not affected by the USEPA cancellation order, must also c ... more. |
As a sure sign that life is slowly returning to normal, the Illinois State Police announced that fixed and portable scales are back into operation. IFCA would like to thank the State Police for their assistance these past several months, they were extremely practical and pragmatic on enforcement issues and very helpful to the IFCA staff when we asked for their assistance on interpretations and other issues th ... more. |
Because of ongoing COVID restrictions on large gatherings, IFCA had to make the difficult decision to cancel MAGIE 2020. To keep the spirit of MAGIE going strong, we’ve asked our exhibitors to create short, fun videos for IFCA to share with you throughout the month of August. Even through these unique times, the MAGIE exhibitors have continued to give tremendous support to IFCA. Please che ... more. |
Great news! IFCA will still host two annual golf outings this summer and we have moved them to different locations to keep things interesting. After such a crazy and unpredictable year, it’s time to take a little break, grab your clubs and a group of friends/coworkers and help support future ag leaders. By participating in the golf outing your donation makes it possible for IFCA to award f ... more. |
An emergency motion was filed late last night, June 11, asking a federal court to halt all dicamba use and hold the EPA in contempt of court for its decision to allow farmers to use existing stocks of three dicamba herbicides.
If the judges agree, the motion could once again leave farmers without many dicamba herbicide options to use over millions of acres of dicamba-tolerant soybean and cotton this summer ... more. |
Late on June 8, USEPA issued a cancellation order for the use of Xtendimax, Engenia and FeXapan. This will allow for use of existing stocks of these products until July 31, 2020.
The ag industry argued intensely for some reasonable path forward, given that farmers legally planted Xtend traits and retailers legally purchased product for application to soybean in Illinois. Cancellation ... more. |
At a time of turmoil in our country and in our industry, it is even more meaningful today to remember and honor a man who embodied integrity, a strong sense of purpose in good times and bad, and an unwavering belief in all that is good about life, and especially agriculture.
Glen Brandt, the founder of Brandt Consolidated, died peacefully yesterday at the age of 94. He did not just start a ... more. |
IFCA wants our members to know that we are very concerned and disagree with what occurred with the US federal court ruling that vacated the Xtendimax, Engenia and FeXapan labels on June 3. We do not support the ruling and the disruption it has caused. But your Association's mission is to provide factual information to our members based on what we know, so that you can make informed business decision ... more. |
Three members of the Illinois Legislature want lawmakers to return to Springfield for an emergency legislative session to address criminal justice reform and rebuilding communities in the wake of “protests and subsequent civil unrest” in recent days.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports that in a letter to House Speaker Mike Madigan and Senate President Don Harmon, Representatives Kam Buckner, Curtis ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released on Thursday a proposed overhaul of how major clean air rules are written by changing the cost-benefit analysis process, a move that would affect the stringency of future regulations.
The new proposed cost-benefit analysis would focus on weighing only the economic impact of a proposed rule without taking into account possible benefits such as public health t ... more. |
Farm groups are looking to the Trump administration to quickly appeal a ruling blocking the use of dicamba herbicide and issue guidance on how the industry should address the issue.
Some states have told farmers they can no longer apply the herbicide over the top of crops as a result of the ruling last Wednesday by the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacating registrations for several formulations, Bay ... more. |
Illinois tax collections fell another $341 million in May as the state continued to grapple with the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.
The legislature’s Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability said almost all revenue sources showed a decline compared to the same period in 2019.
The decline represented almost good news for the state compared to the huge drop in A ... more. |
For nine years now, The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) has annually honored growers and their ag retailers through its 4R Advocate Program. According to the association, this program acknowledges forward-thinking individuals who serve as excellent examples of the 4Rs (right time, right place, right rate, and right source). Since 2012, TFI has honored 90 advocates in 22 different states that farm more than 215,000 acres ... more. |
On June 1, the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association announced its board made the decision to cancel the MAGIE 2020 show, which was scheduled for August 26-27 at the McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington, Ill.
MAGIE is one of the biggest outdoor farm shows dedicated to the ag retail and commercial applicator market.
IFCA provided the following statement:
There are a ... more. |
On the heels of the decision to remove registrations for Engenia, FeXapan and XtendiMax herbicides, states—and ultimately, farmers are waiting for EPA to provide guidance. The decision was issued by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit late Wednesday night.
“USDA stands ready to assist its federal partners in meeting that goal,” says USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue. &ldquo ... more. |
The recent decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to vacate the registrations of XtendiMax, Engenia and FeXapan has generated many questions about herbicide options to control weeds in dicamba-resistant soybean. Tavium, a premixture of dicamba and S-metoachlor, remains in the marketplace and may be applied to dicamba-resisant soybean. Keep in mind all restrictions with resp ... more. |
State-owned Chinese firms bought at least three cargoes of U.S. soybeans on Monday, even as sources in China said the government had told them to halt purchases after Washington said it would eliminate special treatment for Hong Kong to punish Beijing.
The purchases, totaling at least 180,000 tonnes of the oilseed, were for shipment in October or November, the peak U.S. soy export season when American soyb ... more. |
A federal appeals court ruling on dicamba herbicides issued Wednesday has thrown the agricultural industry into confusion.
A panel of judges for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that EPA's approval of the use of XtendiMax, Engenia and FeXapan on an estimated 60 million acres of Xtend soybeans and cotton is vacated -- or ended -- effective immediately.
DTN is working to fig ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture, the lead regulatory agency for pesticides in Illinois, issued a short statement late this afternoon that states that due to the 9th US Circuit Court Ruling that immediately vacates the registrations for Xtendimax, Engenia and FeXapan, that these products cannot be sold, distributed or applied in Illinois effective June 3, 2020.
Only Tavium, a dicamba contai ... more. |
Although we told you in yesterday's email that the exemption to allow overweight loads during the pandemic had ended, IDOT has now reinstated the exemption until June 28 to continue to allow supplies critical during this period to take advantage of larger loads. This is also very important for the livestock industry. This extension allows up to 90,000 lbs on five axles or up to 12% above legal loads ... more. |
MAGIE 2020 IS CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19
The decision to cancel MAGIE did not come lightly for the IFCA staff. The MAGIE experience that we have all grown to love over the last 39 years will not be the same if we were to proceed with MAGIE 2020.
Stay tuned for short videos from our exhibitors and IFCA members during the month of August that we will be featuring on our Facebook ... more. |
The IFCA Board of Directors and staff has made the difficult decision to cancel MAGIE 2020. The show was scheduled for August 26-27 at the McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington, IL.
There are a variety of reasons for cancelling the show, all of them due to the changes brought to our lives by COVID-19. The main reason is we simply can't guarantee a safe environment for the &quo ... more. |
The emergency oversize and overweight waiver granted by Illinois DOT on April 12 for essential industries during the pandemic expired on May 29, 2020. All loads without a permit must return to their normal allowances (80,000 lbs) and axle limits.
Also, the Secretary of State offices are re-opening this week statewide but are going to focus on expired drivers licenses and vehicle transactio ... more. |
In the process of revamping the State's unemployment insurance website to handle the increase in unemployment claims due to coronavirus, the State's website experienced a data breach in which approximately 32,000 people's names, social security numbers and addresses were made accessible.
At least one IFCA member reported receiving a letter this week from the IL Dept of Employment Secu ... more. |
Yesterday the Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announced that driver service facilities will begin to reopen on June 1.
However, they will be limiting their services to licensing new drivers, assisting those with expired drivers licenses and ID cards and vehicle transactions. You cannot get license plates at this time, that will still have to wait. To see the full announcement ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity released detailed guidance on how businesses may begin to reopen once the regions of the state reach "Phase 3" of the Restore Illinois plan. To see the detailed guidance and procedures the State is asking businesses to follow for various sectors of the economy (offices, restaurants, salons, etc) click here. Phase 3 is expected to b ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced Thursday that Illinois’ unemployment rate jumped 12.2 percentage points, from March to April, to 16.4 percent amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
While statewide employment data was released Thursday, metro area employment, including the Danville area, won’t be released until next week.
Nonfarm payrolls shed 762,200 jobs in Apri ... more. |
The language of the graduated income tax ballot measure is finalized after the House joined the Senate in approving it Friday.
It will read: “The proposed amendment grants the State authority to impose higher income tax rates on higher income levels, which is how the federal government and a majority of other states do it. The amendment would remove the portion of the Revenue Article of the Illinoi ... more. |
A bill to expand Illlinois’ vote by mail program cleared the state Senate on Friday, and now heads to Gov. JB Pritizker for his signature.
The governor has said he supports the legislation that would expand mail-in voting, only for November’s election. The Senate vote on SB-1863 was 37-19. In August, ballot applications would automatically be sent to anyone who voted in the 2018, 2019 and 2020 el ... more. |
In an Executive Order signed Tuesday by President Trump, federal agencies are encouraged to make attempts at “rescinding, modifying, waiving, or providing exemptions from regulations and other requirements that may inhibit economic recovery.”
The President announced the executive order at a cabinet meeting at the White House, telling Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao the order “gives you t ... more. |
Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA)Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Counsel Richard Gupton released the following statement in support of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published final rule updating hours of service (HOS) rules:
“This is welcome news. An update to HOS rules has been a priority for ag retailers for a l ... more. |
The Illinois River is expected to crest on Tuesday, putting some farmers and rural residents in a similar situation as 2019.
Pike-Scott County Farm Bureau Executive Director Blake Roderick tells Brownfield, the short-term rain forecast is only about an inch, but their concern is the rain further north.
“It’s when it rains in Chicago, Springfield and Peoria where it doesn’t swell ... more. |
Early Sunday morning the Illinois Senate passed a budget package authorizing $42.8 billion in general revenue spending next year.
Much of that remains tentative, depending on the progression of the pandemic and potential congressional action that could send more financial aid to states. The House approved the budget bill late Saturday night.
Local lawmakers, from opposite parties and chambers, vie ... more. |
The long-term trend of annual rainfall taken across Northern USA and Southern Canada for over a century reveals a steady increase. Redirecting some seasonal spring flood water through pipes into water tables would bypass frozen ground and enhance summer agricultural production. That production would influence future seasonal agricultural bulk transportation along North American inland waterways.
Nort ... more. |
American farmers say China needs to do more to meet the commitments it made in a high-profile initial trade agreement with the U.S.
U.S. customs data shows Beijing purchased $3.1 billion of U.S. agriculture during the first three months of the year, well shy of the quarterly amount required to reach the $50 billion a year promised in the January agreement. China's data suggests the purchases, which wer ... more. |
A report by China’s state-run media says some “hawkish voices” within the Chinese government are calling for the phase one trade agreement with the U.S. to be invalidated and renegotiated.
China’s Global Times says President Trump’s criticism of China over its handling of the coronavirus outbreak has created a “tsunami of anger” among government trade officials.&nb ... more. |
Temperatures over most of Illinois dropped to the upper 20s or low 30s on Saturday morning, May 9. This resulted in damage or even death to emerged and emerging corn and soybeans. The extent of damage was closely tied to when fields were planted.
Corn planted during the warm part of April—the first week—was up and growing (slowly) by May 1, with limited leaf area. In some fields, emerged stands ... more. |
Illinois lawmakers will return to Springfield Wednesday to resume a spring session interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.
However, with the specter of the pandemic still looming over the proceedings, it will be anything but a normal session. The House will relocate to the Bank of Springfield Center to conduct its business so that members and staff can maintain social distancing. The Senate plans to meet ... more. |
The state has seen some of its largest daily increases in COVID-19-related deaths this week, as Gov. J.B. Pritzker warned business owners and local governments of consequences they will face if they defy his stay-at-home order.
Pritzker said there are no “easy decisions” in a pandemic and he sympathizes with local elected leaders struggling with difficult choices.
“But what I don ... more. |
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published a final rule on Thursday updating hours of service (HOS) rules to increase safety on America’s roadways by updating existing regulations for truck drivers.
“America’s truckers are doing a heroic job keeping our supply chains open during this unprecedented time and ... more. |
On Thursday, Secretary Sonny Perdue announced a final rule updating and modernizing the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) biotechnology regulations under the Plant Protection Act.
According to a statement from USDA, the Sustainable, Ecological, Consistent, Uniform, Responsible, Efficient (SECURE) rule will “remove duplicative and antiquated processes in order to facilitate the devel ... more. |
An agronomist says planting progress in the western part of Illinois is the opposite of what it usually is this time of year.
Brent Titus is with UPL. “Northwestern Illinois is nearly 100 percent planted,” he says. “We get around the Quad Cities and their halo almost everything is in. But as we move south, the weather has caused guys to not be able to go as much. W ... more. |
Farm groups are eagerly awaiting the release any day of USDA’s requirements for $16 billion in direct payments to compensate producers for the market losses caused by the coronavirus crisis.
The White House Office of Management and Budget on Friday completed its interagency review of the rule for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, which is expected to include limits on individual payments. Th ... more. |
This week our industry lost a wonderful man, John Buerk. John worked for 38 years for the Harbrand family of companies and lived in Pana, Illinois. John lost a short and sudden battle with cancer on May 12. We will miss his warm smile and his love for the fertilizer industry. John was 84. His obituary is here. Please keep his wife, Carolyn, and his children and grandchildren in y ... more. |
We know that you have been anxious to receive your face coverings from FEMA. IFCA submitted an order to FEMA for all of our retail and distribution members back on April 21. But nothing has shown up yet. We were able to reach someone at the Dept of Homeland Security this week and they were extremely apologetic for the delay. They also could not tell us when the face coverings might arrive.&n ... more. |
If you have a CDL and received a cancellation letter from the Secretary of State because you were unable to renew your medical card, you can continue to operate at this time as part of an essential industry. However, as more doctor offices are opening up, you should try to get your medical performed as soon as possible and be ready to get your updated medical to the Secretary of State when their offices open. ... more. |
This week NREC published its 2019 Annual Report. The report provides a summary of the NREC projects and results from the research. NREC is funded by a 75 cent per ton fee on bulk fertilizer sold to the end user, which is collected by the ag retailers and remitted to NREC for the program (thank you ag retailers and farmers for your support). IFCA participates in several NREC projects, featured on p ... more. |
This week we asked the Illinois Department of Agriculture for guidance on how the 45-day after planting dicamba cut-off date works if only part of a field is replanted. Here is the guidance IDA provided:
If only a portion of the field is replanted, that does not reset the 45-day application restriction for the entire field. If the replanted areas can be clearly delineated and applica ... more. |
Yesterday Governor Pritzker released the "Restore Illinois" plan outlining the circumstances under which Illinois citizens and businesses can start to resume normal operations. As IFCA and many other organizations ponder whether or not we will be able to have our summer shows, including MAGIE on August 26-27, we will work closely with all of our exhibitors and members to keep you informed. As ... more. |
In 2019, IDA issued 100 monetary penalty notices to applicators for dicamba misuse. Some of the errors uncovered in the investigations had to do with misses on the recordkeeping requirements. To help our members avoid common recordkeeping mistakes and better understand what IDA expects when reviewing your records, we have prepared a simple guidance document to help you better document critical items suc ... more. |
If any of your employees are needing to take CDL exams including the endorsement exams, the Illinois Secretary of State offices in Springfield, Marion and West Chicago are open to assist. We understand that the Springfield office is not experiencing any kind of lengthy delays in providing tests, especially in the afternoons. Click here for a fact sheet on the CDL offices and their hours of operation. &n ... more. |
During the busiest time of year for row crop agriculture, the COVID-19 pandemic threw in a completely new set of considerations for how ag retailers do business with their farmer customers.
In the last two weeks of March, an AgProfessional.com poll asked, “How concerned are you that coronavirus will impact your business?” Only 19% said not concerned or unsure.
We followed up that first ... more. |
After years of unsuccessful legislative and citizen-led efforts to strip the General Assembly of the power to draw congressional and legislative district boundaries, the coronavirus shutdown appears to have doomed any chance of constitutional redistricting reform before the state’s maps are set for another decade.
Going into the spring legislative session, backers of change were hoping to make one mo ... more. |
The ruling came the same day House Republicans attacked Pritzker on another front, renewing demands for details on state prison inmates released early because of COVID-19 fears.
Pritzker signed an order earlier this month allowing furloughs for elderly inmates or those with health conditions, who are considered “medically vulnerable” to contracting and spreading COVID-19. Roughly 36,000 people ... more. |
In the midst of a global health crisis, the agri-food sector is pressing forward determined to do what it does best—feed the world. After all, empty grocery store shelves don’t simply restock themselves.
COVID-19, however, is rapidly exposing our food system’s susceptibilities and disconnects. Could this pandemic catalyze a rethinking and transformation of the current centralized model? W ... more. |
On April 28, the Association of American Pesticide Control Officials (AAPCO) sent EPA a letter asking that the agency consider banning postemergence use of four dicamba herbicides -- XtendiMax (Bayer), Engenia (BASF), FeXapan (Corteva) and Tavium (Syngenta) -- when it makes its decision on their current registrations, set to expire in December 2020.
"Based on application dates of dicamba complaints in ... more. |
The full Senate returns to Washington for the first time since March, setting the stage for a partisan battle over the next big coronavirus aid bill and a growing list of requests from agriculture and other sectors for relief.
Separately, the agriculture sector is eagerly waiting for USDA to release rules and schedule signup for $16 billion in direct payments that are intended to compensate farmers for the ... more. |
On April 21, IFCA sent in an order to FEMA for face coverings for all ag retail and fertilizer/chemical distribution facilities in Illinois. FEMA initially said it would take 7-10 days for facilities to receive the shipments. Right now, FEMA reports they are having some issues with the US Postal Service, so it may take a few extra days. But keep an eye out for them, they will hopefully begin arriv ... more. |
The Illinois Secretary of State opened up a hotline for people to call in order to schedule a CDL skills/driving test. However, it is going slowly since the Sec of State is first re-scheduling hundreds of driving tests for those who had one scheduled before the offices shut down; they are calling those people directly to re-schedule their test. It could take a little while for them to get to others.&nbs ... more. |
Beginning on April 29, 2020 the Illinois Secretary of State has established a CDL hotline to call in order to schedule a CDL Skills/Road test at any of the three offices now open to accommodate CDL needs: West Chicago, Springfield and Marion.
The number to call is 217.785.3013. There were nearly 600 CDL road test appointments that had to be cancelled due to the Stay at Home order, so ... more. |
The Illinois Secretary of State has announced they will open three offices thisweek to accommodate persons needing CDL services. See the announcement here. The offices will only be open for that purpose, and the three offices opening for this will be:
1. Secretary of State Office in Springfield (2701 South Dirksen Parkway)
2. Secretary of State Office in Marion (1905 Rendle ... more. |
China agreed to buy 136,000 tonnes of U.S. soybeans, the U.S. Agriculture Department said on Friday morning, the third straight day in a row an export deal with the world’s top soy importer has been announced.
Chinese buyers have booked 606,000 tonnes of U.S. soybeans this week - all for delivery in the 2019/20 marketing year - as futures prices fell to an 11-month low due to fallout from the coronav ... more. |
Watching a lot of television during the recent coronavirus lockdown period, it’s pretty clear to me that the agricultural industry has become the new “favorite target” of the U.S. legal profession. Worse still, I don’t foresee this changing anytime soon, so the marketplace should be prepared to address this kind of intense scrutiny going forward.
Of course, most people probably don& ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture and University of Illinois Extension Pesticide Safety Education Program have made changes to pesticide applicator requirements because of COVID-19.
All applicator trainings and testing clinics are cancelled through May 31st. Refunds will be issued for those who were registered, and new regulations have been set.
Licenses that expired at the end of 2019 are no ... more. |
The Trump administration published a final rule Tuesday rolling back Obama-era environmental protections.
The final rule, written by the Engineers Corps and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), redefines the scope of waters federally regulated under the Clean Water Act, passed under President Obama in 2015. The changes effectively remove limits on the amount of pollution that can be dumped into small str ... more. |
The Supreme Court has ruled that a pollutant that makes its way to navigable waters through groundwater may require a permit under the Clean Water Act.
In a 6-3 decision, justices said a permit is required for a direct discharge of pollutants or its “functional equivalent.”
Southwestern Indiana Farmer Mark Seib says the ruling creates a lot of questions.
“The ... more. |
As COVID 19 deaths surpass 50,000, the states fuss over “reopening” their respective economies, and meat processing plants are closing and reopening left and right, this week total new federal spending to rescue businesses and individuals impacted by the is now just shy of $3 trillion.
And before President Trump’s signature is even dry on the latest nearly $500-billion economic “sti ... more. |
The Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission on Monday repealed a controversial emergency rule stating that if front-line workers are infected with COVID-19, it would be presumed to be a result of their work duties.
A Sangamon County judge last week issued a temporary restraining order blocking the new rule, which would have granted benefits to workers deemed essential who contracted the new coronavir ... more. |
Illinois farmers made expansive planting progress last week pushing both corn and soybean planting ahead of the 5-year average.
Soybeans planted reached 18%, compared to 2% last year and 4% on average. When looking at data from the last decade, this is the most progress made on soybean planting, topping 2012 by 5 percentage points.
The USDA reports as of Sunday, 37% of the Illinois corn crop is pl ... more. |
A southern Illinois judge delivered a setback to Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday, issuing a temporary injunction allowing Republican state Rep. Darren Bailey to ignore the governor’s stay-at-home order.
The ruling by Clay County Circuit Court Judge Michael McHaney came in a lawsuit filed by Bailey, a Republican from the small town of Xenia, which challenged Pritzker’s authority to issue e ... more. |
The Illinois Secretary of State has announced they will open three offices next week to accommodate persons needing CDL services. See the announcement here. The offices will only be open for that purpose, and the three offices opening for this will be:
1. Secretary of State Office in Springfield (2701 South Dirksen Parkway)
2. Secretary of State Office in Marion (1905 Rendlem ... more. |
Yesterday Governor Pritzker announced new guidelines for the Illinois “Stay in Place” order, effective May 1, 2020. One of the guidelines requires employers to provide face coverings to employees if the employees cannot maintain safe social distancing requirements. It also requires all Illinoisans over the age of 2 to wear face coverings in public places if you cannot maintain social dista ... more. |
FEMA reached out to our national organizations, The Ag Retailers Association (ARA) and The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) last Friday to make us aware of an opportunity to secure facecoverings for essential industries. FEMA has contracted with the Hanes Company to make the face coverings and ship them directly to ag retail and distribution locations, at no charge to the facilities. These face coverings do n ... more. |
In an effort to keep essential agriculture employees and customers safe and healthy during this pandemic,IFCA was part of an effort with the Illinois Corn Marketing Board and the Illinois Soybean Association Checkoff Program to help supply sanitizer to the ag retailers and distributors. Ethanol plants are transitioning to produce sanitizer, and IFCA helped to coordinate pallet shipments of the sanitiz ... more. |
The on-line pesticide testing for commercial and private applicators is going very well and IFCA thanks the IL Dept of Ag for making this option available for those who need to become certified applicators ahead of the spray season. IFCA has posted the instructions for requesting an on-line exam under our COVID 19 Resource section on the IFCA website. This resource section has many helpful documents inc ... more. |
No Resources available at this time.
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The Agricultural Retailers Association provides the following update from D.C. regarding important federal actions effecting its members during the public health crisis related to COVID-19:
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a memorandum detailing expanded temporary enforcement guidance on respiratory protection fit-testing for N95 masks in all ... more. |
There was some tangible legislative fallout from the coronavirus outbreak last week.
The task force charged with making recommendations for beefing up state ethics laws missed its end of March deadline for delivering its recommendations.
The task force was formed after the spate of federal raids and wire taps of state and local officials last fall. It seems like a lifetime ago now, but it was a pr ... more. |
China on Thursday raised estimates for its corn imports in 2019/20, on prospects that shipments of the grain from the United States will increase under the Phase 1 trade deal.
China’s corn imports in 2019/20 were seen at 4 million tonnes, up 1 million from the forecast in the previous month, after Beijing exempted extra tariffs on a list of U.S. products, including corn and sorghum in March, the coun ... more. |
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he has directed his agriculture secretary to expedite help to farmers, especially small farmers, hurt by the economic disruption caused by the new coronavirus outbreak.
On Twitter, Trump also said he expects Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue “to use all of the funds and authorities at his disposal to make sure that our food supply is stable, strong, and s ... more. |
A U.S. Senator and member of the Senate Ag Committee says lawmakers are waiting with bated breath for guidance from USDA on COVID-19 relief for agriculture.
Minnesota Democrat Tina Smith tells Brownfield she’s been in close contact with Ag Secretary Perdue about the hardships facing cattle producers.
“After prices being so good at the end of 2019, to see this precipitous drop has just ... more. |
From top to bottom in the fertilizer supply chain, the COVID-19 message is the same: Supply is good. Inventories are good. Let’s not get sick.
Brian Waddell, sales and procurement manager for Harbrand, which supplies fertilizer to a network of 15 retail locations in central Illinois, says he’s not concerned about spring fertilizer supply because distributors and retailers started positioning fo ... more. |
The EPA has approved a herbicide for use with soybeans, giving farmers another tool as they fight herbicide resistant weeds.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the registration of the use of isoxaflutole on genetically engineered soybeans.
"We’ve heard from farmers across the country about the importance of having new means available to combat economically-damaging ... more. |
How does a small-town English major with no farm background wind up as president of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association, simultaneously becoming recognized as one of the premier ag regulatory authorities in Illinois?
Jean Payne laughs at her winding path. “No one in my family farms. I grew up around ag, but not in it, and I certainly never aspired to have a career in ag!”
... more. |
One question we get asked a lot is this: "What procedures should I follow if one of our employees may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19? Do I have to then quarantine the entire office or plant for 14 days if other employees were around this potentially exposed employee?"
Today the Cyber & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Centers for Disease Control ... more. |
There have been six ammonia releases reported this spring, and four of those were related to the ammonia hose. Please follow the steps below to ensure proper hose management and safe ammonia transport and application:
1. Always inspect all ammonia hoses for any nicks, cuts, soft spots or any slippage between the coupler and the hose itself.
2. Follow the replace b ... more. |
IFCA continues to update our "Frequently Asked Questions" document and we also post all the pertinent regulatory relief announcements under our COVID Resource Section under "In the News" on the IFCA website. The list grows longer each week, and if you have any questions about the various relief provisions please do not hesitate to contact our staff.
The one area where r ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture is working to develop an on-line testing option for persons seeking to become newly certified pesticide applicators, but who missed the opportunity to test in General Standards and Field Crops or other categories before testing was cancelled. As soon as we learn that this option is available we will let you know (we expect it to be available shortly).
... more. |
A big thank you to the American Trucking Association who has published a great resource guide for navigating through the COVID-19 impacts on the trucking industry. This guide also provides links to each State, and the state guidance on trucking rules within the state.
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The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) goes into effect tomorrow, April 1, 2020. Employers with less than 500 employees are covered by this Act. It provides guidelines and financial assistance for employers who need to allow employees to be absent from work to care for children home from school, to care for sick family members, who are ill themselves, etc. due to the impacts of COVID-19. &n ... more. |
The U.S. coronavirus stimulus bill would add $14 billion to the Agriculture Department’s Commodity Credit Corp spending authority, and authorize another $9.5 billion for U.S. farmers hurt by the fast-spreading pandemic, according to a copy of the bill’s text.
The $2 trillion bipartisan legislation, set for a Senate vote on Wednesday, is aimed at alleviating the devastating economic impa ... more. |
Illinois reported 1,105 new COVID-19 cases with 18 more deaths Sunday, bringing the total number of cases to 4,596 and 65 deaths.
The Sangamon County and Morgan County public health departments each reported one additional case Sunday.
The number of confirmed cases in Sangamon County was 13 with one death.
According to Jeff Wilhite, Sangamon County spokesman, the new case was a woman in h ... more. |
The Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association is preparing applicators for safe spraying of dicamba herbicides this growing season.
President Jean Payne tells Brownfield several questions were answered about the state’s new application rules for 2020 at their spring board meeting, including the 85 degree temperature restriction.
Payne says applicators must use the weather.gov website to d ... more. |
The president of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association senses optimism on the ag retail side of things.
“I think their pre-pay seasons for the 2020 crop year were good,” said Jean Payne. “We had a pretty decent fall fertilizer season for both dry fertilizer and ammonia.”
Payne believes the industry is in a good position from a supply standpoint. We have not ... more. |
North America’s biggest farm suppliers are accelerating shipments of fertilizer, seeds and agricultural chemicals to crop-growing regions in an unprecedented race against the coronavirus that threatens to disrupt planting season.
The timing could not be worse for farmers preparing to plant crops. Disruptions in deliveries of fertilizer, seeds or chemicals could reduce harvests and incomes for U.S. fa ... more. |
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way ag retailers are doing business in 2020. But what will be the lasting effects of virtual sales, no on-farm visits and less face-to-face interaction?
If you look to the consumer market, you may say there will be an uptick in e-commerce, as many more Americans are ordering necessities online.
So, is ag retail different? Yes and no.
Yes, ag retail ha ... more. |
More than 114,000 workers in Illinois filed first-time unemployment claims in the week ending March 21 as the United States saw its biggest one-week spike in recorded history with 3.2 million workers filing for benefits.
The U.S. Department of Labor said the seasonally-adjusted number was due entirely to the COVID-19 outbreak, which has forced bars and restaurants to close, halted public gatherings and sev ... more. |
The Senate has passed a roughly $2 trillion coronavirus response bill intended to speed relief across the American economy. This is the third aid package from Congress and is meant to keep businesses and individuals afloat during an unprecedented freeze on the majority of American life.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., described the legislation, known as the CARES Act, as necessary emergency ... more. |
There’s plenty of nutrient loss management research data available, but it doesn’t do much good if it isn’t disseminated to farmers to show there’s proof in the pudding.
Jennifer Woodyard, University of Illinois Extension watershed outreach associate, said that’s where Extension and other partner organizations come in.
Woodyard spoke of her outreach work for a ... more. |
IFCA has summarized the most frequently asked questions about the regulatory relief being provided by the state and federal government to help agriculture, an essential industry, manage through the COVID-19 pandemic.
The IFCA FAQ is two pages and contains links to more detailed information. We know it's a challenge to wade through all of the guidance documents so we hit the high points ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture just issued a "Frequently Asked Questions" document explaining how the pesticide dealer, applicator and operator licenses will be managed during this time. The IDA FAQ can be viewed here: https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/agr/Pesticides/Pages/Cancellations-FAQ.aspx
The Illinois Secretary of State also has a FAQ to answer many questions about li ... more. |
The statewide "stay at home" order is effective 5 pm March 21 until April 7. Essential industries and activities are exempt from the order, including agriculture. Posted below are the the Illinois order, DHS guidance and a FAQ from the IL Sec of State on changes to driver and vehicle services. IFCA prepared a template letter for ag activities which is not required to be carried, but can ... more. |
EPA's interim registration approval of glyphosate in January now faces its first court challenge, as a number of food safety, farm worker and environmental groups have asked a federal appeals court to review the decision.
The Rural Coalition, Organizacion en California de Lideres Campesinas, Farmworker Association of Florida, Beyond Pesticides and the Center for Food Safety filed a petition for review ... more. |
In a letter sent to President Donald Trump on Wednesday, The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) President and CEO Corey Rosenbusch requested that the federal government recognize fertilizer and all agriculture inputs as “essential services” in order to ensure that American agriculture can remain operable and unfettered.
“The next six to eight weeks will be crucial to our members and their farmer ... more. |
Unprecedented. Unpredictable. Uncharted territory. Fluid situation. Those are just some of the terms being used to describe the coronavirus and its impact on the current state of the world. Closer to home, U.S. ag retailers are trying to navigate through the COVID-19 crisis, while simultaneously ramping up operations ahead of #plant20.
“Unlike many businesses, it’s simply not an option to shutd ... more. |
Meat has been among the most in-demand items at supermarkets as people stock up on essentials amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
That has people up and down Illinois’ livestock supply chain – especially producers of beef and pork – trying to keep up. Industry leaders say the Illinois factories processing beef and pork are running at normal capacity with multiple shifts a day to keep shelves and ... more. |
Although many Illinoisans are being urged to work remotely from home during the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, that does not appear to be an option for state lawmakers.
A spokesman for Senate President Don Harmon said in an email that Article IV, Section 5 of the Illinois Constitution says sessions of each house of the General Assembly must be open to the public unless two-thirds of the members vote to clos ... more. |
The State of Illinois has been making some very helpful decisions to facilitate on-going commerce in Illinois. The state agencies that rely upon the most have contacted IFCA directly to keep us informed of provisions they are making to help with certain regulatory requirements that cannot be normally processed during this national emergency. Here is a summary:
1. The IL Dept of Ag wil ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) has an informative checklist for growers to serve as a reminder to keep safety in mind when handling anhydrous ammonia.
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IFCA has taken calls from the media, from our members and from farmers concerned about how COVID-19 measures may affect the supply chain this spring.
Keeping employees in the ag input manufacturing, distribution and retail supply chain healthy, and reducing the spread of the coronovirus is the most important thing we can do to keep spring on schedule.
Many manufacturers and di ... more. |
With all pesticide training and testing clinics cancelled and all testing suspended for the time being, the IL Dept of Ag is taking the necessary steps to assure that we have licensed pesticide applicators and operators for the spring 2020 season. Here is what we know:
1. If you are currently a licensed applicator/operator and recently took your exams before the testing was suspended ... more. |
Click Here to read IFCA's "News Under the Dome" for March. Stories in this month's newsletter include:
-Jerry Costello II Appointed Illinois Director of Ag.
- IFCA Heads to Capitol Hill.
- Cong. LaHood, Sen. Anderson, and Rep Unes Receives IFCA “Friend of Ag” Award. Kessler Receives “Babe Woodyard” Leadership Award.
- Governor Pritz ... more. |
As a precaution against the spread of COVID-19, the upcoming dicamba training classes in Illinois have been cancelled. This includes classes that Bayer was offering in Steelville, New Berlin, Litchfield and Carbondale.
On-line training programs can be utilized to provide proof of training for the use of dicamba on soybean in 2020. We have updated the Illinois Dicamba Training Website ... more. |
The Illinois Dept of Ag and the University of Illinois have cancelled the commercial and private applicator training and testing clinics scheduled in March. You also cannot take the pesticide tests at the IDA office in Springfield or Dekalb at this time.
We are all hopeful that with proper care and precaution to curtail the spread of COVID-19, that classes and testing can resume in A ... more. |
IFCA had to cancel the remaining anhydrous ammonia competent attendant class scheduled for March 27 in Bloomington. However, you can go on-line to take the IFCA/IDA temporary training program, and upon completion you will receive a 90-day training certificate. IFCA has waived the on-line training fee until April 5, 2020. For those who take the temporary training, watch for the fall ammonia trainin ... more. |
In the days and weeks to come, we will all know more about the extent of COVID-19 in Illinois, the USA and other countries. We can likely expect many more disruptions to our workplaces and our normal lives. In addition to delays in pesticide licensing and training programs, other regulatory requirements such as drug and alcohol testing for employees, permit applications for your business, impacts to the ... more. |
On Friday, two states cancelled in-person trainings offered through the state departments of agriculture.
The Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association has announced postponed and cancelled events.
Provided by IFCA: “Due to the COVID-19 virus, the IL Dept of Ag and the University of Illinois have temporarily suspended all the commercial and private applicator training and testing clinics ... more. |
Hours after saying he was "seriously looking at" closing the state's bars and restaurants amid the coronavirus outbreak, Gov. J.B. Pritzker did just that Sunday afternoon.
Three days after expressing frustration at long lines outside bars as revelers continued to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in public, Pritzker said all bars and restaurants are ordered to close to dine-in customers as of c ... more. |
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued a nationwide Hours of Service (HOS) waiver for motor carriers hauling relief supplies for Coronavirus/COVID-19.
The FMCSA made the declaration shortly after President Trump declared a nationwide state of emergency over the Coronavirus outbreak on Friday, March 13.
The emergency waiver suspends HOS regulations in all 50 state and Wa ... more. |
New regulations involving drones could limit farmer access to these technologies. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing a new rule that would require any drone user to connect to the internet and broadcast a signal to alert others of its presence and identification.
Some fear this could limit drone use on farms and ranches because of limited internet access.
Others suggest FAA req ... more. |
A new bill from Senate Democrats would roll out $20 billion in funding to remove cancer-linked “forever chemicals” from water as it contaminates supplies across the country.
The legislation, rolled out by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s (D-N.H.) office Thursday, targets a class of chemicals known as PFAS used in everyday products, ranging from nonstick cookware to raincoats. They’ve been dubb ... more. |
A draft settlement of lawsuits alleging a connection between Roundup exposure and cancer has been agreed to by Bayer and lawyers representing “tens of thousands” of plaintiffs, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing “people familiar with the matter.”
The newspaper reported the settlement “appears poised to end up” in the $10 billion range, but also that the deal ... more. |
Canada on Friday formally approved the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), taking the last legislative step to implementation of the deal to replace the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
The trade deal, ratified by the Mexican legislature last June and by Congress in January, was formally ratified by the Canadian Senate Friday, and shortly thereafter received royal assent, ... more. |
The inspector general of the EPA is planning to look into whether EPA acted properly when it registered dicamba in 2016 and 2018, as well as review states' use of Section 24(c) labels, often used for dicamba in recent years.
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) functions as an internal government watchdog for all the major federal and state agencies. Each government agency, including EPA, has an O ... more. |
The EPA wants to work with state pesticide regulators on its review of dicamba herbicides as the registration deadline approaches this December, according to an article from Agri-Pulse on Wednesday.
“We need to have certainty for our growers,” said Alexandra Dapolito Dunn, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, at the Association of American ... more. |
Because of state guidance to avoid large gatherings, IFCA has cancelled the March 27 anhydrous ammonia training class in Bloomington.
BUT, we have talked to the Illinois Department of Agriculture, and for those needing competent attendant certification prior to the spring 2020 ammonia season, you can take the IFCA on-line competent attendant course free of charge from March 16 through April 5, 20 ... more. |
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office said statewide adult-use cannabis sales totaled nearly $35 million in February.
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation on Wednesday said the legalized recreational marijuana pulled in $34,805,072.01 and dispensaries across the state sold 831,600 items over the 29-day period.
Sales to Illinois residents totaled $25,615,371, while sales to ... more. |
Sunshine Tuesday greeted thousands of Illinois agricultural leaders and FFA members and advisers from across the state for the 50th Agricultural Legislative Day at the Capitol.
Addressing gathered leaders in the Illinois State Library, Gov. J.B. Pritzker recalled last year’s historic flooding. At a White House meeting, Pritzker said he sought President Donald Trump’s support for more flood figh ... more. |
Eight senators from states bordering the Missouri River below the dams introduced legislation Thursday that would require the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to reduce the risk of floods and improve protections on the lower Missouri River.
The legislation comes almost a year after a "cyclone bomb" and rapid snow melt caused billions of dollars in flood damage in Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska with leve ... more. |
he U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, launched a new initiative, “Feed Your Mind,” to help consumers better understand foods created through genetic engineering, commonly called GMOs or genetically modified organisms. “Feed Your Mind,” aims to answer the most common questions that consumers ... more. |
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, who insists he’s optimistic about a farm economy rebound this year, faces a pair of congressional hearings this week where he is certain to face further grilling about trade prospects and future of the Market Facilitation Program.
Interior Secretary David Bernhardt will be among other members of President Donald Trump’s cabinet called to Capitol Hill this wee ... more. |
A Chicago man in his 60s is hospitalized in serious condition after contracting COVID-19. Also, a Missouri woman who traveled on an Amtrak train from Chicago to St. Louis last Wednesday tested positive for the virus, according to the rail agency.
Officials announced Sunday that a Chicago man in his 60s is the seventh person in Illinois to contract coronavirus and warned that more cases are likely to crop u ... more. |
Jerry Costello II has some decorating to do in his office.
The new director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture still has framed pictures stacked against a wall in his mostly empty corner office in Springfield. You could forgive him, though; he’s been on the job since just last Monday.
Among the few things on Costello’s desk are a family portrait and an old dairy cowbell passed d ... more. |
Just a friendly reminder that IFCA, GFAI and ISTA annual legislative breakfast is March 4th(Wednesday), 8:15am breakfast and 8:45am discussion, at the Sangamo Club in Springfield. Click Here to see the invite. Meet local legislators and hear IFCA discuss issues pertaining to the needs of ag inputs industry. All IFCA members are welcome to come. Please RVSP leslief@ifca.com if you would lik ... more. |
University of Illinois researchers delving into the interaction of nitrogen and corn and soybean production continue learning more about a complex system.
“We need to explain to people on the outside looking in. (Nitrogen losses) are not simply farmers overapplying fertilizer,” said Lowell Gentry, U of I agriculture researcher. Gentry shared his latest research results at a recent Nutrient Rese ... more. |
The biofuel industry is eagerly anticipating a decision from the Trump administration on future small refinery exemptions this week, while Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue heads to Capitol Hill for a grilling on the Market Facilitation Program, food stamps and other issues.
This week also is a pivotal week for the presidential campaign. Voters in 16 states and territories, including Texas and California, ... more. |
Recreational marijuana sales in Illinois generated more than $10 million in tax revenue in January, according to the Illinois Department of Revenue.
The state collects sales tax and a cannabis excise tax on recreational marijuana sales. January sales generated more than $7.3 million in cannabis tax revenue, and more than $3.1 million in sales tax revenue.
Recreational marijuana sales started Jan. ... more. |
Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced more than $1.8 million in Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) grants to five organizations that will use market-based approaches, including water quality trading, to enhance nonpoint source excess nutrient reduction efforts in the Great Lakes basin. This action supports EPA’s 50th anniversary celebration and its February theme of protectin ... more. |
All eyes are on Illinois this season. The No. 1 soybean-producing state holds the distinction of logging the nation’s most dicamba drift complaints – doubling each year over the past three years to reach 724 in 2019 – despite strengthened label restrictions on Bayer and BASF’s dicamba formulations.
Under pressure to bring down those numbers, Illinois Department of Agriculture has in ... more. |
Minnesota wheat and soybean farmer Tim Dufault summed up his reaction to the Trump administration’s trade war with China.
“We are now nearly two years into a trade war that we were told would be good and easy to win,” Dufault told the House Ways and Means Committee hearing Wednesday. “Time and again, we have been told to hold out for a deal that would make all the pain worth it. And ... more. |
Democratic lawmakers on Thursday rolled out an environmental justice bill that aims to address inequities faced by marginalized communities.
“For far too long, communities of color, low-income communities and tribal and indigenous communities have not been a meaningful voice in the decisionmaking process impacting their well-being. Not with this bill,” Rep. Donald McEachin (D-Va.) said during a ... more. |
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday appointed former state Rep. Jerry Costello II as the next director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
Costello, a Democrat from Southern Illinois, served nearly eight years in the General Assembly from 2011 to 2019. During that time, he chaired the House Agriculture and Conservation Committee and was a member of the House Environment Committee.
He also served o ... more. |
This afternoon Gov. Pritzker appointed Jerry Costello II as the Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture pending Senate approval. Click here to read the press release.
IFCA has a long and positive working relationship with Jerry over the years. He has served in the Illinois House, and also as the Chairman of the House Agriculture & Conservation Committee. We look forward to ... more. |
This afternoon Gov. Pritzker appointed Jerry Costello II as the Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture pending Senate approval. Click here to read the press release.
IFCA has a long and positive working relationship with Jerry over the years. He has served in he served in the Illinois House, and also as the Chairman of the House Agriculture & Conservation Committee. ... more. |
On Friday, March 20 at 9:00 am Central Time, Dr. Emerson Nafziger will have a one-hour webinar focused on spring nitrogen management for the 2020 season. We will offer 1 CEU in Nutrient Management. The webinar will also be recorded and posted at www.ifca.com if you can't make it but want to listen later. IFCA would like to thank NREC for funding the research thatmakes these updates pos ... more. |
Even though the weather is still cold, it’s getting closer to dusting your golf clubs and stocking up on golf balls. IFCA has scheduled our summer scholarship golf outings and picked two new locations for them. We are excited to announce the golf outings will be in Pontiac and Auburn, IL. Put together your foursomes now so when it’s time to register you will be all set. The dates ... more. |
If you intend to apply to apply dicamba to soybean in 2020, you MUST receive your dicamba certification again this year. As the winter winds down, so do the number of classes on the calendar. There is no cost to attend the training, and you can register for a class by going to theIFCA Dicamba Training website. On-line dicamba training will also be accepted this year, but we encourage anyon ... more. |
The deadline of March 1 is looming for the annual Tier II chemical inventory reports and the USEPA Pesticide Production reports if you repackage pesticides for distribution or sale.Be sure to get these reportsin on time to avoid possible penalties. If you need assistance please contact IFCA.
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The spring anhydrous ammonia safety schools are currently underway. There are six classes remaining throughout the state, including one tomorrow at the Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington, IL. These classes are taught by IFCA and the IL Dept of Ag, and those who attend will be certified as competent attendants. Clickhereto see the list of upcoming classes and to register on-line.
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Just a friendly reminder that IFCA, GFAI and ISTA annual legislative breakfast is March 4th(next Wednesday), 8:15am breakfast and 8:45am discussion, at the Sangamo Club in Springfield. Click Here to see the invite. Meet local legislators and hear IFCA discuss issues pertaining to the needs of ag inputs industry. All IFCA members are welcome to come. Please RVSP leslief@ifca.com if you would ... more. |
A top aide to Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan inquired about jobs for political insiders at Commonwealth Edison, the state-regulated electric company under federal investigation for its hiring activities and lobbying influence, according to a report.
Emails obtained by WBEZ show that former Madigan Chief of Staff Tim Mapes had a direct line of communication with those doing the hiring at ComEd.
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It's been tried via petition drive a couple of times without success. Now the focus is going to be on the General Assembly doing something about it.
The "it" is what is popularly known as the fair maps amendment which tries to get the politics out of the once every decade process of drawing new political maps in the state. It has been the goal and dream of good government types forever to cha ... more. |
As we turn the page to a new decade, it’s useful to take a look back at how phosphate and potash markets fared in 2019, as well as what we’re watching for in 2020.
After marching higher in 2018, wholesale phosphate and potash prices came under pressure last year as increasing supplies outpaced tepid demand. Exacerbating the price impact was a common feature of many commodity markets: Buyers pul ... more. |
After a first year marked by major legislative victories, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday plans to look ahead to his second year in office with a State of the State address that will focus in part on “rooting out corruption” and rebuilding education.
The Democratic governor also has a laundry list of state problems to focus on, including pension reform, property taxes — and perhaps, a bur ... more. |
Two European Commission departments are at war over how much action is needed to make the EU's farming system more environmentally friendly.
Agriculture is one of the most fundamental components of the EU budget and receives about €59 billion of subsidies each year. Politically protected farmers, however, have long avoided tough, binding targets to go green, despite producing about 10 percent of E ... more. |
In the first case involving dicamba, a jury sided with the plaintiff and found Bayer and BASF responsible for $15 million in actual damages and $250 million in punitive damages. The case was tried in Cape Girardeau, Mo. and involved damages to a peach orchard.
Bader Farms, the plaintiff, sued in civil court for damages that occurred to peach trees starting in 2015 when Xtend cotton seed was launched. Bader ... more. |
A coalition of 21 agriculture groups says the industry is doing its part to control greenhouse gas emissions and wants a seat at the federal policy table as Congress focuses on climate change, but largely avoided using that term at a Wednesday briefing.
Instead, members of the newly formed Farmers for a Sustainable Future used terms like "climate smart," sustainability, climate policy and climate ... more. |
President Donald Trump this week goes to India, where he is expected to press Prime Minister Narendra Modi on protectionist moves that may have played a role in scuttling plans to announce a bilateral trade agreement.
U.S. negotiators had been in talks with their Indian counterparts for months and have made progress on agriculture and other issues, and Trump raised the possibility that he could announce at ... more. |
University of Illinois researchers delving into the interaction of nitrogen and corn and soybean production continue learning more about a complex system.
“We need to explain to people on the outside looking in. (Nitrogen losses) are not simply farmers overapplying fertilizer,” said Lowell Gentry, U of I agriculture researcher. Gentry shared his latest research results at a recent Nutrient Rese ... more. |
February 14was the deadline for bills to be introduced in the Illinois Senate and House. Click Here to see the bills that have the most impact on the ag input industry. IFCA is actively meeting with the bill sponsors on these pieces of legislation. Next week, IFCA will provide a full list of bills we are watching this session in “IFCA News Under the Dome.” If you have immed ... more. |
Click on"CT Inspection Facilities"to view CT facilities that are certified to perform testing for the Nurse Tank Inspection Program.
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Not only has the number of pesticide misuse complaints with the Illinois Department of Agriculture dramatically increased each year, but there is a now shift from IDA issuing warning letters (which was mostly the case in 2017 and 2018) to IDA issuing violation notices to applicators. Many of the violation notices include monetary penalties of $750 or $1000 for misuse findings in 2019 dicamba investigations. ... more. |
The U.S. Census Bureau started collecting responses to the census in remote regions of Alaska in early January. But the census count is still weeks away for the rest of the country.
The census happens every 10 years and is mandated by the Constitution. It counts the total number of people in the country and where they are living on April 1.
“There are nine quick questions, it’s not goi ... more. |
In life, most things/trends tend to appear in shades of gray, with equal parts black/bad and white/good in evidence. There are a few topics, however, that always seem to divide observers into black or white camps, with no gray anywhere to be seen. Examples of this would include such hot-button topics as religion, abortion, and, more recently, impeachment.
For those in agriculture, it’s pretty clear t ... more. |
After this year, Corteva Agriscience will no longer manufacture or sell the pesticide chlorpyrifos. The company says this is in response to demand decline–not public or regulatory concern. Corteva is not the only manufacturer of the insecticide.
Corteva said it secured enough supply to meet current demand through the end of this year, and farmers who bought chlorpyrifos from Corteva in 2020 wil ... more. |
The state is accepting applications for the first $50 million in disbursements of a $420 million grant program aimed at increasing internet access across the state.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced the release of funding Wednesday at Ridgely Elementary School in Springfield, noting that the rights to “health care and education and economic opportunity” are all “tied to digital connectivity&rd ... more. |
Soybean farmers in Illinois cannot catch a break.
After a promising trade deal with China last month gave farmers hope amid an intense trade war, the deadly Wuhan coronavirus currently overwhelming China is also damaging its economy.
The country’s economic slump is now sowing fears that China might not be able to buy all of the $32 billion of U.S. agricultural goods it promised for 2020, inc ... more. |
China on Thursday said it would halve additional tariffs levied against 1,717 U.S. goods last year, following the signing of a Phase 1 deal that defused a bruising trade war between the world’s two largest economies.
While the announcement reciprocates the U.S. commitment under the deal, it is also seen by analysts as a move by Beijing to boost confidence amid a virus outbreak that has disrupted busi ... more. |
Illinois Gov. J. B. Pritzker on Friday offered a full-throated case for why his state’s primaries should supplant Iowa’s caucuses as the nation’s first presidential nominating contest, repeatedly emphasizing the importance of electoral diversity in the candidate selection process.
“I do not think Iowa should go first,” Pritzker told POLITICO at the 10th annual State Solutions ... more. |
President Donald Trump is proposing increases in spending for high-speed internet and other types of rural infrastructure as part of his fiscal 2021 budget.
The budget scheduled for release on Monday will include $25 billion for a new "Revitalizing Rural America" grant program for high-speed internet and transportation projects, according to an administration source.
No details of the pr ... more. |
Not only has the number of pesticide misuse complaints with the Illinois Department of Agriculture dramatically increased each year, but there is a now shift from IDA issuing warning letters, which was mostly the case in 2017 and 2018, to IDA issuing violation notices to applicators that also include monetary penalties of $750 or $1000 for misuse findings in 2019 dicamba investigations.
... more. |
OSHA requires you to complete and post in your workplace OSHA form 300A (Summary of Work-Related Injuries & Illnesses) every year. The notice must be displayed from February 1 to April 30 of each year in a conspicuous place where employee notices are generally posted. Employers must post OSHA Form 300A even if they had no recordable injuries or illnesses. Click here to access the 300A ... more. |
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is extending the compliance date for Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) from February 07, 2020 until February 07, 2022. This delay will allow FMCSA additional time to complete the development of the Training Provider Registry (TPR). This extension will also allow State Drivers Licensing Agencies more time to modify their information technology (IT) systems i ... more. |
THIS CLASS IS FULL.
PLEASE SIGN UP FOR THE MARION OR CHARLESTON CLASSES
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation trai ... more. |
Classroom training is well underway for the upcoming dicamba application season. On-line training modules are also now available from BASF,Bayer and Corteva. You can attend any class or take any of the on-line training programs in order to receive a 2020 dicamba application training certificate. To see the list of upcoming classroom events and to find the links to on-line training programs c ... more. |
The spring anhydrous ammonia safety schools will begin on February 25. There are nine upcoming classes available throughout the state. These classes are taught by IFCA and the IL Dept of Ag, and those who attend will be certified as competent attendants. Click here to see the list of upcoming classes and to register on-line.
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FMCSA Drug & Alcohol encountered a rough start due to a system overload and technical issues when it was initially launched in early January, although seems to be running smoother now. The clearinghouse is a secure online database that gives employers real time information about CDL holder’s drug and alcohol program violations. As an employer of CDL drivers, make sure you have registered in ... more. |
As a state legislator Jack Franks was known for speaking frankly about the state’s troubles.
It helped propel him to a new elected post in 2016: Chairman of the McHenry County Board.
After he left the legislature, House Speaker Mike Madigan’s office received a complaint from an employee alleging Franks sexually harassed her.
That complaint was made in November 2018. Madi ... more. |
A lack of communication led to healthcare providers and first-responders exposing themselves to a toxic gas after the release of an agricultural fertilizer that created a fog in April in Beach Park, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released Thursday afternoon.
In addition, more than twice as many people — including homeowners, commuters, police and fire fi ... more. |
Environmental provisions are a major focus of House Democrats’ new infrastructure plan, which includes proposals relating to water, electric vehicles and rail investments.
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) said at a Wednesday press conference that the plan “has major initiatives that will really encourage clean energy and address climate change.”
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This week kicked off what could be a three-week trial concerning a southeast Missouri peach grower, Bayer and BASF. The trial is at the U.S. District Court Eastern District of Missouri Southeastern Division in Dunklin County, Mo. and centers on whether damage to a peach farm is from dicamba drift or natural causes including a spreading soil fungus.
While Bader Farms, plaintiff, and Bayer and BASF are under ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has re-approved a chemical used in Bayer's Roundup weed killer despite concerns over its health risks.
The agency is doubling down on its claims that the chemical, glyphosate, doesn’t pose a danger to humans despite thousands of lawsuits that attribute cancer to Roundup.
“The EPA found there was insufficient evidence to conclude that glypho ... more. |
With the number of off-target dicamba complaints in Illinois rising annually and the upcoming registration expiration, 2020 could be a crucial year for the product’s future in soybean production.
The topic was among many discussed during the annual Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association Convention and Trade Show, including changes in the Illinois labels such as no applications after June 20 and ... more. |
As the presidential primary season kicks off this week, President Donald Trump will use his State of the Union message to try to sell the public on the strength of the economy and the progress he’s made on trade policy.
Tuesday night’s address to Congress, which will come just ahead of Trump’s expected acquittal in the Senate impeachment trial, will be themed the “Great American Com ... more. |
Soybean farmers in Illinois cannot catch a break.
After a promising trade deal with China last month gave farmers hope amid an intense trade war, the deadly Wuhan coronavirus currently overwhelming China is also damaging its economy.
The country’s economic slump is now sowing fears that China might not be able to buy all of the $32 billion of U.S. agricultural goods it promised for 2020, inc ... more. |
For the third year in a row, a number of Maryland delegates are sponsoring a bill that would ban the use of a pesticide that some argue causes harm to young children.
The General Assembly bill to ban chlorpyrifos was first read on Jan. 16 and would apply to insecticides with the chlorpyrifos in them as well as seeds that have been treated with it.
The bill would also require that the Department of ... more. |
Cronus Fertilizers announced today that Titan Chemicals Holding, an entity controlled by Keyman-Avunduk Investment Company AG (KAIC) has become the majority shareholder for its Tuscola, Illinois Ammonia project.
KAIC brings additional financial backing and industry experience to advance the planned facility. Upon completion, the Tuscola facility will be one of the largest of its kind in the United States ... more. |
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday that there are no plans to suspend Illinois' automatic voter registration program as election officials work to contain the fallout from more than 500 people being mistakenly registered.
A "programming error” by Secretary of State Jesse White's office led to 545 people — who indicated they weren't U.S. citizens — being registered through the ... more. |
China’s purchases of U.S. agricultural products will not impact its imports from other countries, a commerce ministry official said on Tuesday.
China welcomes the entry of competitive U.S. products into its markets and hopes the United States could create conditions to facilitate exports to China, Li Xingqian told a news conference.
China will expand imports based on market conditions and in ... more. |
The discussion is too little too late for many in the ag community. They had the opportunity to share their disappointment recently that the California Environmental Protection Agency did not open up a broader conversation about alternatives to chlorpyrifos before it made the decision last year to cancel product registrations.
The agency’s Department of Pesticide Regulation, in partnership with CDFA, ... more. |
President Donald Trump is expected to sign the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement this Wednesday, according to a White House official and an administration official.
Senators from both parties came together last week to pass one of Trump's foremost legislative priorities -- the revised North American Free Trade Agreement -- just days before his historic impeachment trial formally began..
Am ... more. |
The U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement will take two major steps toward reality this week when President Donald Trump signs the U.S. implementing bill into law and the Canadian government starts to move its companion legislation.
Trump will sign the measure at a White House ceremony on Wednesday in what could be a welcome distraction for Republicans from the Senate impeachment trial that resumes this week. ... more. |
The troubled 2015 Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule introduced by the Obama administration in 2015 to define which waters are regulated by the Clean Water Act was officially replaced today by the Navigable Waters Protection Rule. Farmers, ranchers and other industry groups expressed their gratitude on Thursday.
“President Trump is restoring the rule of law and empowering Americans by removing undue bur ... more. |
Former Illinois Sen. Martin Sandoval has been charged with bribery and filing a false tax return, according to an indictment filed in federal court Monday.
Sandoval stepped down from his officer earlier this month, announcing his resignation in November, more than two months after federal agents raided his offices in suburban Cicero and at the Illinois State Capitol.
In 2018, Sandoval - who was ch ... more. |
As Bayer continues its mitigation to reach a settlement, Dow Jones is reporting the company could settle its glyphosate (Roundup) legal cases for a sum around $10 billion. A settlement would mean the end of the company’s legal battles concerning glyphosate.
Bayer, who bought the inventor of glyphosate, Monsanto, is dealing with under 50,000 plaintiffs who claim the product has caused cancer. So far, ... more. |
With both recreational and medicinal use of marijuana now legal in Illinois, what do you need to do as an employer to protect your company and your employees in this new era? At the IFCA convention last week, we had a great speaker (Jay Shattuck) explain the Illinois regulation and provisions available to employers to manage this issue. We recommend that your company's drug use/drug testing/drug fre ... more. |
Thank you to the 1,000+ plus IFCA members who attended our annual convention last week in Peoria! You helped make this another successful event for our industry. The educational programs featured at the convention are now available for download on the IFCA Convention website, click here: https://ifca.com/convention/presentations
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Classroom training is well underway for the upcoming dicamba application season. On-line training modules are also now available from BASF and Bayer. You can attend any class or take any of the on-line training programs in order to receive a 2020 dicamba application training certificate. To see the list of upcoming classroom events and to find the links to on-line training programs click on IFCA&# ... more. |
Each item below is linked to a pdf version of the slideset presented.
Tuesday
Dr. Larry Steckel - 2019 Weed Management in Tennessee: We Have a Problem
Dr. Aaron Hager - The New Era of Herbicide Resistance--and You Thought the Last Era was Difficult
Dr. Emerson Nafziger -Nitrogen Responses in the Unusual 2019 Season
Steve Hancock - Electricity: Keeping Applicators and Facilities Safe & ... more. |
Individuals
Casey Watkins
Ag-Land FS, Inc.
Ross Dowell
Agrium Wholesale, Inc.
John Niemeyer
Akron Services
Ben Martin
Sam Martin
Neil Stoller
Brandt
Neal Haarmann
Eric Gordon
Kenneth Vincent
Christian County Farmers Supply Company
Mark Bauman
CHS - Shipman
Regan Wear
Zachary Belleville
Joe Huebener
Bryan McMurtrie
Conserv FS
Dave Mottet ... more. |
IFCA convention is just a week away. The AG-SOLVE PAC is having its annual live and silent auction at 3:30 on Wednesday on the convention floor. We have a great list of live and silent auction items. Click here to see everything that will be auctioned off. We want to thank all of the companies that donatied to this year's auction.
I would also like to invite everyone to attend the AG-SOLVE brea ... more. |
Chinese Vice Premier Liu He is set to sign a landmark, partial trade deal in Washington this week that could be crucial to reviving a farm economy that has been dependent on an infusion of government payments to offset the damage from the U.S.-China trade war.
The details of the “phase one” agreement had not been released ahead of the signing of the agreement, scheduled for Wednesday. But Trump ... more. |
Taking another step to completing the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the Senate Finance Committee voted 25-3 on Tuesday to advance the trade deal to the full Senate.
USMCA has been a priority for most agricultural groups as a way to provide some certainty on tariffs and trade with two of the country's largest buyers of agricultural commodities. After nearly a year of negotiating between the Trump admini ... more. |
Governor JB Pritzker, D-Illinois, has sought and accepted the resignation of the director of the Department of Agriculture.
John Sullivan's resignation was accepted over the weekend.
Sullivan formerly served as a senator for the 47th Senate District from 2003 to 2017.
During his time in the Senate, John served as chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Conservation Committee and worked ... more. |
Production of Illinois’ two most valuable crops fell by roughly one-fifth last year, according to final crop yield numbers released Friday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Corn and soybean growers saw production drop 18.6 percent and 20.4 percent respectively compared to 2018.
Farmers harvested just over 1.8 billion bushels of corn, down from more than 2.2 billion the year before. Soyb ... more. |
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, has thrown his support behind the United State Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA), which he deemed “a new NAFTA,” the agreement that went into effect between the three countries in 1994.
Flanked by the presidents of the Illinois Farm Bureau and the Illinois AFL-CIO at a press conference at Brandt Consolidated in Springfield Sunday, Durbin said that Mexico and Can ... more. |
A powerful former Springfield lobbyist and close friend of House Speaker Michael Madigan once sought leniency for a state worker in a disciplinary case by arguing that the worker “kept his mouth shut” about an unspecified rape downstate.
In the previously undisclosed, 2012 email, ex-lobbyist Michael McClain urged two top aides to then-Gov. Pat Quinn to avoid firing the worker, also telling them ... more. |
Environmentalists and politicians worry Chesapeake Bay cleanup efforts could be weakened, if not doomed, days after the federal official overseeing that work called an agreement to reduce water pollution an “aspirational” goal and not rules to be enforced.
They say the federal Environmental Protection Agency, through its Annapolis-based Chesapeake Bay Program office, plays a central role in gui ... more. |
Fourteen states, the city of New York and the District of Columbia have asked a federal court to vacate the latest EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers action on the waters of the United States, or WOTUS, rule and apply a significant nexus test when regulating waters across the country.
A new federal lawsuit alleges the agencies failed to follow the Administrative Procedure Act when completing a rule that ... more. |
Extension of Compliance Date for Entry-Level DriverTraining (ELDT)
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has made notice of proposed rulemaking in order to extend the deadline from February 07, 2020 to February 07, 2022 for Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT). This extension would allow more time for FMCSA to develop an electronic interface that will receive and store tra ... more. |
This Dicamba Label Training will be held during the IFCA Annual Convention at the Peoria Civic Center, and will take place in room 402.
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If you employ CDL drivers, and they operate commercial motor vehicles on a public highway, you are required to register in the new Federal Motor Carrier Administration Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse as of January 6, 2020. The purpose of the Clearinghouse is to conduct and manage pre-employment and annual drug & alcohol queries on your CDL employees.
HOWEVER, we just received wor ... more. |
You must pre-register by January 14, 2020 in order to get the discounted rate for the IFCA convention. We are looking forward to another great trade show, informative educational sessions and warm hospitality thanks to our IFCA sponsors and members. Go to www.ifca.com and click on "Convention" to see the program schedule, list of exhibitors,and to register. For assistance with regi ... more. |
As the pesticide training and testing season is now underway, with nearly 400 people attending the general standards training yesterday in Champaign, IL, there remains some confusion over the operator/applicator/dicamba/paraquat certifications. We will try to make it clear below.
1. In 2020, if you apply Xtendimax, Engenia, FeXapan or Tavium for any crop use, including post-emerge on soybea ... more. |
On February 13, the Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council is hosting a research forum at the I-Hotel in Champaign to provide updates on new and on-going nutrient research projects in Illinois.The event is free to attend and provides 5 CEUs: 2.5 in NM, 2 in SW and .5 in PD. To see the agenda and to register for this event, click here.
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Clearinghouse Set to Open January 6 - Are You Ready?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) new Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse is set to become operational on January 6, 2020. Employers who use CDL drivers in safety-sensitive functions, such as operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs), are required to register in the Clearinghouse for the purpose of conducting pre-emp ... more. |
It's our pleasure today to share good news with our members. It's news that will save you money and time.
As of January 1, 2020,please removetheFT or FS license plates on any fertilizer trailers or self-propelled spreaders/sprayers. IFCA initiated legislation (HB 2669) to remove the registration requirement that has been in effect for decades. Normally, ... more. |
It's our pleasure today to share good news with our members. It's news that will save you money and time.
Effective January 1, 2020 you will no longer be required to register and display the FT or FS license plates on any fertilizer trailers or self-propelled spreaders/sprayers. This year IFCA initiated legislation (HB 2669) to remove the registration requirement that has been in eff ... more. |
Illinois will end the decade with the largest population loss in the country during the 2010s, according to newly released census estimates.
Only four states — excluding the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico — experienced population loss since 2010.
Illinois lost over 159,700 residents, or about 1.3% of its population, between 2010 and 2019. West Virginia followed with a loss of 60, ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Justice Department said a federal appeals court should reverse a lower court verdict finding Bayer AG liable in the case of a California man who blamed its Roundup weed killer for his cancer.
The government said in a friend of the court brief filed on Friday that glyphosate, the weed killer's active ingredient, is not a carcinogen and as a result a warni ... more. |
When the Illinois House followed the Senate and approved a bill that would legalize the possession and sale of recreational cannabis, Gov. J.B. Pritzker tweeted the monumental legislation would “have a transformational impact on our state.”
On June 25, Pritzker signed the legislation making Illinois the 11th state, along with the District of Columbia, to legalize its use beginning Wednesday. Il ... more. |
Snow has now fallen throughout much of Illinois, and temperatures have dropped going into the last weeks in 2019. With the recent Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy biennial report highlighting P and N levels in Illinois waterways, this is a good time to review the application of nutrients on frozen and/or snow-covered soils.
Last spring, after a short and often-muddy fall fertilizer season, a consi ... more. |
The EPA made a combined announcement today on two topics: the management of hemp production and the future of atrazine use.
The agency recently registered 10 pesticides for use on hemp, to help alleviate the current dearth of products that are legal and safe to use in the fast-growing industry of commercial hemp production.
The agency also laid out a proposed interim registration decision on atr ... more. |
The effort to ban the use of chlorpyrifos products in agriculture continues to expand. Other states are following California’s example in prohibiting the use of Chlorpyrifos in agricultural production. The California Environmental Protection Agency announced back in October that the sale of chlorpyrifos will no longer be allowed beginning February 6th next year.
New York will now be the latest state ... more. |
Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law Wednesday a bill consolidating downstate police and fire pensions, something he and other proponents said was merely a first step in the state dealing with its crushing pension burdens.
At a signing ceremony in Chicago, Pritzker said the consolidation was a “banner accomplishment in Illinois history.”
“For more than 70 years — that’s ... more. |
After a bitter impeachment fight, a bipartisan effort in Congress has resulted in the House passage of the USMCA trade agreement.
“We’re going to show the American people that we can do something in a bipartisan way that will benefit our farmers, our manufacturers and put a deal in place with our two great trading partners Canada and Mexico that will last for generations,” Congressman Rod ... more. |
Finding a law that reduces regulation and cuts costs within Illinois’ 255 new laws isn’t easy.* Many of them raise the cost of operating in Illinois by increasing monitoring or reporting standards or by adding safety requirements. Others simply increase fees or fines. Take a look at the full list provided by Illinois’ Senate Democrats and you’ll know what I mean.
But a particular la ... more. |
Veda Reed said she was up early on that day to take patients to dialysis treatments and left her Beach Park home around 4:15 a.m., but she was a few minutes late. As she drove to pick up her patient on Green Bay Road, she came upon what she thought was fog.
“I went further, and I saw car lights from a stalled car, and then all of sudden, my chest started feeling bad,” Reed said in June, her voi ... more. |
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The House today passed the new North American trade pact, delivering President Donald Trump a major legislative victory just a day after his impeachment in the lower chamber.
Passage of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, moves Trump significantly closer to fulfilling his campaign promise of updating NAFTA with Mexico and Canada. It’s also a win for Democrats, who wanted to demonstrate they c ... more. |
With snow blanketing much of Illinois, temperatures at freezing and winter officially beginning this Saturday, it is becoming more problematicto spread nutrients with the assurance that it is the "right time" to do so.
In the past decade, a constantly monitored river in east-central Illinois has revealed spikes in dissolved reactive phosphorus following snow-melt or major r ... more. |
IFCA would like to thank the many members who are participating in our annual sponsorship program for 2020. Your extra support of IFCA is greatly appreciated, and helps us provide exceptional hospitality at the upcomingIFCA Convention(Jan 21-23 in Peoria) as well as at the MAGIE show, summer golf outings and IFCA training events. To see the list of current sponsors in 2020, click here. ... more. |
Tomorrow, December 17, 2020 at 1:00 pm Central Standard Time, CropLife is hosting a webinar sponsored by Syngenta on the Design, Management and Cleaning of Pesticide Bulk Tanks. Scott Birchfield of Syngenta and Jean Payne of IFCA are the speakers on the webinar. This is part 4 of a series of webinars designed to help you ensure compliance with federal regulations pertaining to your bulk pesticide facili ... more. |
Illinois’ pension debt topped $137 billion in June, a $3.5 billion increase from the previous year.
But while the figures look alarming, the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability said they are a continuation of what’s been happening for years with the five state-funded pension systems.
“The aggregate unfunded liability has been growing significantly over the pas ... more. |
Three consecutive years of off-target dicamba injury is taking its toll on the agricultural industry.
Leo Reed even has a name for it: dicamba fatigue.
"States recognize that both we and the [EPA], we're all suffering from dicamba fatigue -- staffing shortages and issues and processing a huge number of complaint cases again this year," said Reed, an Indiana state pesticide regulator ... more. |
CropLife magazine has published its annual CropLife 100, a listing of the largest U.S. ag retailers ranked.
Companies included in the 2019 ranking were limited to independent dealerships and cooperatives offering fertilizer, crop protection products, seed, and custom application services.
Overall, the nation’s top ag retailers saw their revenues in 2019 increase an impressive 6%, i ... more. |
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released its Pesticide Data Program Annual Summary, detailing results from 2018 tests of residues on produce and other items.
The report shows that more than 99% of the samples tested had “pesticide residues well below the benchmark levels established by the Environmental Protection Agency,” according to a USDA news release. Almost 48% had no detecta ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) has selected Corey Rosenbusch as its new President and CEO. Rosenbusch, who currently serves as President and CEO of the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA), will start work at TFI on February 6, 2020. Rosenbusch succeeds Chris Jahn, who left TFI in October to lead the American Chemistry Council.
“Corey’s strategic and entrepreneurial mindset will be a tremendous as ... more. |
New York will restrict the use of the toxic pesticide chlorpyrifos, but will rely on regulations rather than legislation to accomplish the goal.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D) Dec. 10 vetoed a bill (A.2477/S.5343) from the state legislature that would have entirely phased out the chemical by the end of 2021. At the same time, he directed the state Department of Environmental Conservation to issue its own phased- ... more. |
The U.S. Midwest produces at least a third of the world's corn and soybean supply each year. Feeding the world requires a lot of fertilizer, mostly in the form of nitrogen and phosphorus. While nitrogen can literally be pulled out of the air, phosphorus has to be mined from finite phosphate rock reserves and treated to be made available to plants. Most of the world's phosphate rock is in Morocco, and at som ... more. |
As the climate crisis facing the planet becomes more immediate — fueled by powerful images that include devastating floods in Venice and uncontrollable wildfires in the Amazon — companies are waking up to the role they play in climate change and announcing plans for ways to reduce their carbon footprint.
But one company was very much ahead of the curve. Walmart has been focused on sustainabilit ... more. |
In what is setting up to be an historic week on Capitol Hill, the House is poised to ratify the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement after a bitter debate over the impeachment of President Donald Trump, and lawmakers also are rushing to pass legislation to fund the government for fiscal 2020.
Also in the mix is a possible tax extenders package that could include a renewal of the $1-a-gallon tax credit for bi ... more. |
Mexico’s deputy foreign minister, Jesus Seade, said on Saturday he sent a letter to the top U.S. trade official expressing surprise and concern over a labor enforcement provision proposed by a U.S. congressional committee in the new North American trade deal.
Top officials from Canada, Mexico and the United States on Tuesday signed a fresh overhaul of a quarter-century-old deal, aiming to improve enf ... more. |
FMSCA to Announce Delay in Driver Training Rule
The following article may be of interest. FMCSA will soon announce a two-year delay of the entire ELDT rule. Because this is a timely matter, with the rule becoming effective on Feb. 7, IFCA wanted to share this information as soon as possible. Please note that we have not yet seen the official Federal Register notice, but all information indicates it is ... more. |
Dicamba Label Training: If you intend to apply to apply dicamba to soybean in 2020, you MUST attend dicamba label training again this year. Today the first classroom event is at 2:00 pmin Mt. Vernon following the private applicator clinic. There is also a class on Friday (Dec 13) in Champaign and a class next week in Springfield. All of these classes are taught by Dr. Bill Simmon ... more. |
Articles in this month's "News Under the Dome".
-IDOA Issues New Dicamba Label for Soybeans IN 2020
-IFCA Members Host Legislators at Their Facilities
-Illinois Announces $23.5 Billion on Road Plan
-Illinois State Senate President John Cullerton to Retire
-Clean-Up Bill on Marijuana/Employer Rights Heading to the Governor
-Illinois State Rep. Luis Arroyo Accused of Bribing Senator for Bi ... more. |
Nearly five months after announcing its intention to “review strategic alternatives” for the company, Pinnacle Agriculture Distribution has chosen to go the way of acquisition. It has signed an agreement to be acquired by J.R. Simplot Co. pending regulatory review.
Pinnacle Ag, currently ranked #6 in the CropLife 100, features 135 storefronts in 26 states, according to the 2019 CropLife 100&nbs ... more. |
Please mark your calendars to attend the IFCA 4R Field Day on Thursday, December 12. This will be an "indoor" field day but we will have footage of 4R field practices from the fall of 2019 to illustrate how nutrient placement can help reduce losses.
The meeting will be held at the Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington, IL. If you need some CCA credits before year-end, this is anoth ... more. |
The Office of Indiana State Chemist, the pesticide regulatory agency for Indiana, recently announced an additional label restriction for users of the herbicide dicamba.
State Chemist and Seed Commissioner Robert Waltz has determined his agency will be forwarding FIFRA Sec. 24 (c) special local need registration requests to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for Indiana specific labels for the use of ... more. |
Agricultural data, according to Ryan Humpert, has become a risk management tool that, for growers, is worth its weight in gold and pork bellies.
“We are living in a day and age where data has become a commodity in of itself,” Humpert, Senior Sales Executive with Agworld, says. “A phrase often heard is that ‘data is the new oil.’ Much like oil, data has become both powerful and ... more. |
A state lawmaker who appears to be in the crosshairs of federal investigators will resign Jan. 1.
Sen. Martin Sandoval, D-Cicero, hasn’t made a public appearance – including skipping all of the Illinois General Assembly’s veto session this fall – since the FBI raided his home and Springfield and legislative offices on Sept. 24.
Sandoval’s resignation letter:
&ldq ... more. |
A new report released Tuesday calls for urgent reinvestment in the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
“Protecting the Illinois EPA’s Health, so That It Can Protect Ours” was written by Mark Templeton, heading a team from the Abrams Environmental Law Clinic at the University of Chicago Law School, as well as former IEPA and U.S. EPA staffers Mary Gade, Doug Scott, and Bharat Mathur ... more. |
The United States and China are close to agreement on the first phase of a trade deal, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday, after top negotiators from the two countries spoke by telephone and agreed to keep working on remaining issues.
Trump said Washington was in the “final throes” of work on a deal that would defuse a 16-month trade war with Beijing, but also underscored Washington&rs ... more. |
Farmers have been using dicamba over-the-top of soybeans and cotton since 2017. The herbicide is approved through 2020, and this year and next year will weigh heavily on the herbicide’s future.
“The first year with dicamba, 2017, we had 246 dicamba-related complaints,” says Jean Payne, president of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association. “In 2018 we had 330 and in 2019 we& ... more. |
Federal trucking regulators are near completion of a formal notice that implementation of the Entry Level Driver Training rule that was set to take effect on a limited basis Feb. 7 will be delayed by up to two years.
The notice is “in the pipeline,” said a DOT official who asked not to be identified.
“There is a Federal Register notice forthcoming,” the official said about ... more. |
Seeking to alleviate the growing burden of property taxes for Illinois homeowners, a group of legislators is considering a host of options that include consolidating school districts and allowing voters across the state to dissolve units of local government.
The legislative task force, created this summer by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, has a Dec. 31 deadline to deliver its recommendations. Its report is expected t ... more. |
Lawmakers return from the Thanksgiving break with a long to-do list important to agriculture that includes keeping the government funded and potentially debating the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, all of which is competing for attention with the House impeachment battle.
Also, the biodiesel industry is lobbying lawmakers to pass a tax extenders bill in December to revive the $1-a-gallon tax credit that expi ... more. |
Online Anhydrous Ammonia Safety Awareness Program
IFCA in cooperation with Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Corn Growers Association and Illinois Department of Agriculture have developed a new online anhydrous ammonia safety awareness program for farmers. Funded by a grant from the Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council (NREC), the online program consists of five training modules covering Properties an ... more. |
On January 21 at the IFCA Convention in Peoria, we are having a special regulatory workshop to bring you the latest federal and state compliance updates on CDLs, Drug Testing,Risk Management Plans, Homeland Security, OSHA enforcement, ammonia regulations and electrical safety. Click here to see a flyer on the topics and speakers. You can see the entire IFCA convention program and book your h ... more. |
IFCA manages the Illinois Dicamba Training website, and we have updated the site with new information on the Special Local Needs labels for Xtendimax, Engenia, FeXapan and Tavium. To see the SLN labels that include the June 20, 2020 cutoff date, 85 degree temperature restriction and other protective measures for using these products in Illinois, go to the "Resources" section of the website.&nb ... more. |
This week, Illinois EPA and the Illinois Dept of Ag released a Biennial Report that outlines the state of water quality in Illinois, the progress being made on implementation of the 2015 Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, and the challenges that remain in our goals to reduce N and P losses to water in Illinois.
IFCA joined with Illinois Farm Bureau, the Illinois Sierra Club and the Illinois ... more. |
Click Hereto read IFCA's "News Under the Dome" for November. Stories in this month's newsletter include:
-IDOA Issues New Dicamba Label for Soybeans in 2020
- IFCA Members Host Legislators at Their Facilities
- Illinois Announces $23.5 Billion Road Plan
- Illinois State Senate President John Cullerton to Retire
- Clean-Up Bill on Marijuana/E ... more. |
IFCA is currently accepting nominations to fill two seats on the IFCA Board. Carl Kessler with Syngenta and John Musser with Stephenson Service Co. are retiring from the board in January 2020 after serving two full 4-year terms. The board nomination form was included in your 2019 Fall IFCA newsletter. Any member of IFCA can nominate a fellow IFCA member to serve on the board. We are seeking ... more. |
On December 12, IFCA is hosting our 3rd annual 4R meeting to provide an update on research and policy developments related to nutrient issues in Illinois. The meeting, from 9:00 to 1:30 pm, will be held on December 12 at the Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington and is free to attend. You can pick up 3.5 hours of CEUs in Soil & Water and Nutrient Management. There are some very interesting findings ... more. |
At the IFCA Annual Meeting on January 22, 2020 we will award five $1,000 scholarships to students in either junior college or a four-year university who are studying for a career in the agribusiness sector. We encourage IFCA members with students in college to submit an application. Go to www.ifca.com to download the scholarship application.
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It's cold out and that slows down the ammonia application process. But please keep in mind that utilizing an air compressor to pump air into ammonia tanks to increase tank pressure is strictly prohibited in the Illinois ammonia regulations.
Air is the primary cause of stress corrosion cracking of steel in ammonia tanks. With ammonia being a closed loop system, it is also likely ... more. |
NREC recently updated its Cover Crop Guide, including more guidance based on research performed on Illinois farms. Please click on the link provided to read over the newversion of the cover crop guide, "Considering Cover Crops? - Let this guide be your guide to success"
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Harvest delays and a warm start to October didn’t give farmers many opportunities to apply fall fertilizer.
But it appears applicators still have time to catch up this month, weather permitting, to hopefully avoid a repeat of a shortened fertilizer season last fall, according to Jean Payne, president of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association.
“We really had one to two days ou ... more. |
The curtain rises up on act two of the veto session Tuesday with lawmakers back to (maybe) tackle some of the issues that weren’t really addressed the first week.
The future of a ban on flavored tobacco and vaping products will be on the line, as will consolidation of downstate police and fire pension systems.
The General Assembly also has a whole new issue to deal with if it chooses — ... more. |
House Democrats kick off their public impeachment hearings this week amid pressure from farm groups to finalize a deal with the White House to act on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
The House returns from a one-week recess on Tuesday facing the Nov. 21 expiration the continuing resolution that has been funding the government since fiscal 2020 started Oct. 1. The House and Senate have yet to even agree on ... more. |
The lack of adequate broadband width to properly power computers for homes, schools and businesses is a problem in some rural areas but also in some bigger cities, according to Matt Schmit, new director of the Illinois Office of Broadband in the state’s commerce department.
Schmit, 39, a native of Red Wing, Minnesota, who has served in his home state’s Senate, took his post with the state of Il ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture is busy studying the USDA’s new hemp guidelines released last week.
Jeff Cox tells Brownfield there are 170 pages to sort through.
“There’s a few surprises. There are a few things that we don’t quite understand yet. But overall it is what it is so we will continue to determine how it is going to effect our current hemp program.”
... more. |
About $500,000 of road improvements is wrapping up on the Illinois State Fairgrounds, the first phase of millions of dollars of improvements that will be undertaken on the fairgrounds in the coming months
In addition to more road resurfacing, the fair will be starting the next round of improvements to the Coliseum, as well as take on long-deferred maintenance on other fair structures.
Weather perm ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture last month drew a line in the sand for 2020 dicamba herbicide applications, cutting them off at June 20 and 85 degrees F. But how did it land on that date? And that temperature?
“We didn’t take the decision lightly,” says Doug Owens, head of IDOA’s Bureau of Environmental Programs. “Director Sullivan ultimately had to approve that decisio ... more. |
For those who business in the agricultural marketplace, change is an almost constant variable. Year in and year out, ag retailers and their grower-customers must deal with such changes as weather patterns bringing too much heat or moisture, soil conditions, insect/weed/disease pressures, and even unanticipated trade environments. And through it all, ag retailers and their grower-customers are expected to deliver cr ... more. |
Harvest season is always hectic, but late spring planting this year will mean an especially busy time for farmers over the next few weeks. The Illinois Department of Labor urges farmers not to forsake safety as they race to bring in the 2019 crop.
“Harvest season reminds us how important farmers are to Illinois’ economy and our way of life. But this busy time also brings additional risks to agr ... more. |
With an ongoing federal probe of lawmakers fueling a drive for new ethics reforms in Springfield, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Thursday said he’s “absolutely committed” to looking into a ban on legislators also working as lobbyists.
But the Democratic governor warned there’s not enough time to tackle all ethical problems plaguing the state during the veto session next week.
And ju ... more. |
The House could vote on the U.S., Mexico, Canada Agreement (USMCA) as soon as next week, according to House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.).
In an exclusive interview with Pro Farmer policy analyst Jim Wiesemeyer and Farm Journal news director John Herath for the DC Signal to Noise Podcast, Peterson said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wants to get the USMCA vote on the fast track.
&nb ... more. |
Even after three big losses in court trials and a plunge in market value, Bayer AG isn’t close to settling tens of thousands of U.S. lawsuits claiming its Roundup weedkiller causes cancer, according to a lawyer who won one of those cases.
Aimee Wagstaff, who helped persuade a jury to award $80 million in damages to a Roundup user earlier this year, said more trials loom in 2020 and Bayer “doesn ... more. |
On October 17, 2019, the UI College ACES put out a news release that described an effort to gather yields from a lot of Illinois corn and soybean fields in 2019. We’re doing this because of the unique opportunity we have to try to get a handle on how planting date affected yields in 2019, so we know better what to expect if and when planting is this late again.
Although late planting is nothing new ... more. |
This time of year, Illinois farmer Nathan Wentworth is on the phone to his chemical retailer as soon as the dust from the combine settles.
"If we're in the middle of October or later, as soon as a bean field is harvested, we're having it sprayed with herbicides," he said. "It's a core component of our weed control program, because we're minimum-till."
Fall burnd ... more. |
Considering Cover Crops?” is a newly-published guide for Illinois farmers that provides a comprehensive resource to the most recent research for effectively incorporating a cover crop ahead of corn, soybeans and wheat.
The guide outlines comprehensive tactics for cover crop use as part of a nutrient management strategy. Research results from planting to termination of cover crops are included.
... more. |
The United States and China on Friday said they made progress in talks aimed at defusing a nearly 16-month-long trade war that has harmed the global economy, and U.S. officials said a deal could be signed this month.
The Chinese Commerce Ministry on Friday said the world’s two largest economies had reached “consensus on principles” during a “serious and constructive” telephone ... more. |
Bayer, the world’s largest maker of seeds and pesticides, said U.S. farmers were unperturbed by lawsuits seeking damages from Bayer for an alleged cancer-causing effect of glyphosate-based herbicides.
“There is extremely strong support among farmers, who are imploring us to keep this crop chemical - which is systemically relevant for the preparation of fields - on the market,” Chief Exe ... more. |
The liquid herbicide paraquat is widely used throughout North America as an effective herbicide and pre-harvest crop defoliant, but can be fatal if accidentally ingested in small quantities as well as cause eye damage and irritation to skin.
So, in response to the serious risks associated with paraquat, the EPA has already pursued significant manufacturer labeling and training changes. Now, for growers, th ... more. |
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said Tuesday his department was opening “a new economic opportunity for America’s farmers” with the issuance of long-awaited rules governing legal hemp production and a path for state and tribal governments to submit regulatory plans for review.
The USDA is setting the minimum rules, allowing states to impose more restrictive requirements. One official s ... more. |
Excessive rains and an October snowstorm have stalled the harvest in the U.S. grain belt’s northern tier, one more blow to farmers already struggling with the effects of planting delays and a trade war that has pressured commodity prices.
The corn and soybean harvests are especially delayed in North Dakota and Minnesota - precisely the states suffering the most from the U.S.-China trade war due to th ... more. |
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are an ongoing source of controversy, with environmentalists fearful of the dangers associated with altering the DNA of plants and animals. Yet many scientists believe that GMO foods can help to end malnutrition worldwide, and that a crop known as Golden Rice could have already prevented millions of deaths if its use had not been restricted.
White rice is the staple fo ... more. |
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in a Clean Water Act case with major implications for agriculture,
The Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which had been under discussion for nine months before its release last week, would expand the H-2A program to year-round workers and cap wage rate increases, while offering legal status to existing agricultural workers who are undocumented.
In return ... more. |
State lawmakers have worked over the past decade to bring various forms of gambling out of the shadows and onto the tax rolls, from legalizing video poker at bars and restaurants in 2009 to authorizing sports betting this spring.
But the latest turn in a sprawling federal probe into public corruption from Chicago to Springfield has shined a light on a type of gambling that has flourished in a gray area of ... more. |
It is with a heavy heart that we share with you that Mark Tarter, co-owner of Tarter Feed & Fertilizer in Canton, Illinois passed away on Sunday. Mark was 59. He had battled cancer for over a decade, many times overcoming serious setbacks but always keeping his sense of humor and zest for life. We send our condolences and prayers to his mother Marilyn Tarter, brother and business partner Kevin ... more. |
According to NASS, Illinois producers harvested 36 percent of the corn crop and 52 percent of the soybean crop by October 20. That’s still behind the average pace of harvest, but harvest continues in many areas this week, and as it progresses, fields in many areas are becoming available for fall field work to begin.
Many producers in central and northern Illinois have fall anhydrous ammonia appli ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating insur ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating insur ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating insur ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating insur ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating insur ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating insur ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating insur ... more. |
Illinois lawmakers must change state pension laws and allow for new taxes, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Wednesday.
The freshman mayor unveiled her budget proposal Wednesday. In it, she specifically relies on $50 million in revenue from a new progressive real estate transfer tax, which would have to be approved by the Illinois General Assembly and governor. She also said the state must rethink its the ... more. |
Harvest will likely be rushed this year as a result of the planting delays this spring. This means a shorter window in which to gather crops and prepare fields for next year. With this time crunch, your customers may overlook or forget some basic best practices for fall operations. In the case of nitrogen application, these best practices can make the difference between a boosted 2020 yield and loss of this valuabl ... more. |
California agriculture has officially lost a major insecticide that has long been a tool to combat insects that plague fields. On May 8, 2019, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that his administration planned to ban chlorpyrifos. On Oct. 10, it was announced that California and Corteva Agriscience reached a deal to halt the sale of chlorpyrifos on Feb. 6, 2020. Producers can continue to use remaining supplies ... more. |
The state’s bill backlog will soar to $19 billion in five years if additional tax revenue isn’t found, the Pritzker administration said Wednesday.
That would mean the estimated bill backlog would more than triple from $5.9 billion, the amount it is projected to be at when the current fiscal year ends June 30.
The prediction is contained in an annual report that must be produced by the ... more. |
The Iowa Supreme Court will weigh in on legal questions that could be crucial in deciding whether Des Moines Water Works can seek damages from drainage districts in three north Iowa counties for nitrate-laden drinking water.
Federal Judge Mark Bennett filed an order Monday sending the questions to the Iowa Supreme Court, given the case's state importance and "the novelty" of the utility's ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing changes to the Application Exclusion Zone language in federal pesticide law that would expand exemptions and lessen regulatory requirements for ag operations.
The changes, announced Thursday in an EPA press release, would expand AEZ exemptions under the existing Worker Protection Standard to a producer’s immediate family, limit AEZ applicability to a f ... more. |
Private exporters reported the sale of 264,000 tonnes of U.S. soybeans to China for delivery in the 2019/20 marketing year, the U.S. Agriculture Department said on Thursday, amid hopes for a partial trade deal between the world’s two largest economies.
That marked the first U.S. government confirmation of a soybean sale to the top buyer of the oilseed since President Donald Trump said on Oct. 11 that ... more. |
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You might call it chutzpah. Gov. J.B. Pritzker is using the annual release of his income tax returns as ammunition in his campaign to get the state to adopt a graduated income tax.
Documents released today indicate Pritzker and his wife, M.K. Pritzker, had total income of $6.027 million last year. A total of $5.55 million of that was taxable, on which the Pritzkers paid federal income taxes of $1.882 milli ... more. |
Richard Gupton Senior Vice President, Public Policy & Counsel at Ag Retailers Association explains the EPA-proposed revisions to regulations of coal ash that could impact ag retailers, their farmer customers and the availability of gypsum in the latest AgPro Podcast.
ARA is encouraging retailers to submit comments by the Oct. 15 deadline.
The proposed changes to the Resource Conservation and R ... more. |
When you hear the term ‘organic’ it likely evokes some kind of strong emotion. For consumers, it’s a positive reaction, but for many conventional farmers it provokes animosity. For Michigan farmer Joel Layman, it was a tough row to hoe when switching his farm, employees and family to organic from conventional production.
“I remember driving home and thinking ‘How am I going to ... more. |
The Trump administration, in an effort to mend fences with the powerful corn lobby, proposed a new formula on Tuesday to boost biofuels demand, but the proposal instead only provoked more consternation from the industry.
Corn and soybean farmers have been angered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to greatly expand the number of exemptions given to smaller refiners from blending b ... more. |
When Robert Blair first got an aerial glimpse of his 1,300-acre dryland operation, he knew images of his fields would be a game-changer. Like many in the rolling Palouse Hills, the Kendrick, Idaho-based farmer grows wheat, barley, lentils, chickpeas, and alfalfa, as well as cows. Unlike many, Blair prefers to be at the bleeding edge of technology. But it’s not easy. Thirteen years after he first started using ... more. |
In January-July this year, the supply of nitrogen fertilizers from Russia to the world market increased by 5.8% to 7.882 million tons, according to the materials of the Federal Customs Service.
Sales of potash fertilizers grew by 1.4% to 4.751 million tons, while complex fertilizers decreased by 12% to 5.995 million tons. Exports of anhydrous ammonia increased by 9% to 2.704 million tons.
In monet ... more. |
Mark Tuttle cuts straight to the point when describing the field and weather conditions he has faced this year on his farm in southern DeKalb County.
“In one word, I’d say: ‘miserable,’” said Tuttle, who grows corn, soybeans and wheat on about 1,000 acres near Somonauk, about 25 miles southwest of Aurora.
Historic flooding and heavy spring rains that left wide swaths ... more. |
Bayer expects the number of claims in the United States related to Roundup herbicide to have surged in the third quarter, as the German drugs and pesticides maker tries to reach a settlement after earlier court rulings against it.
"With the substantial increase in plaintiff advertising this year, we expect to see a significant surge in the number of plaintiff filings over the third quarter," the ... more. |
With much of the 2019 soybean crop still in the field, the state of Illinois pushed the 2020 soybean season into the limelight last week.
Late on Friday afternoon, October 11, the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) announced that it has submitted additional label restrictions for dicamba herbicides used with the Xtend cropping system in 2020. Under this Section 24(c) Special Local Need (SLN) label, ... more. |
With another government funding deadline looming a month from now, Senate Republicans want to advance a fiscal 2020 domestic spending package as soon as this week that would include funding for departments and agencies critical to agriculture and the food industry.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has teed up votes on a pair of FY20 spending packages, one of which is expected to include the S ... more. |
Let's review the main points to keep in mind as fall ammonia season approaches. A few minutes of preparation can prevent a lot of headaches and expense that occurs if accidents happen.
1. For ag retailers, you need either a Class B CDL with hazmat endorsement to pull nurse tanks or a Class B Restricted Farm Service CDL. You DO NOT need a Class A CDL or a tanker endorsement. ... more. |
With the recent cool temperatures, combined with memories of a miserable fall application season last year, many retailers are asking about the start date for fall ammonia applications. IFCA began posting the previous day's 4 inch soil temp at noon on our homepage at www.ifca.com.
Last year, IFCA worked in concert with the University of Illinois to provide guidance on the appropriate t ... more. |
Today we ask that everyone take a moment to smile and remember Bill Whitworth, who passed away on Sunday.
Bill embodied the best of the fertilizer industry. In his role at Potash Corp, he was a salesman extraordinaire but more than that, he was an authentic, reliable, deeply charismatic man who embraced every day with vigor both in his professional career and his personal life.
... more. |
Illinois’ governor demanded Wednesday that a state senator step down as chairman of the Transportation Committee while he is under federal investigation for possible bribery and fraud involving state construction work.
J.B. Pritzker told reporters in Oak Lawn that Sen. Martin Sandoval, a fellow Democrat, should be removed if he doesn’t relinquish the post. Pritzker is concerned about the integr ... more. |
Top U.S. officials will welcome a high-ranking Chinese delegation starting Oct. 10 for the latest round of trade talks aimed at easing tensions between the world’s two largest economies, the White House confirmed on Monday.
“The two sides will look to build on the deputy-level talks of the past weeks. Topics of discussion will include forced technology transfer, intellectual property rights, se ... more. |
There’s some good news for corn and soybean farmers here in Illinois.
Governor JB Pritzker has announced a $2.2 billion commitment from Taiwan to purchase Illinois corn and soybeans.
The purchase will be made over the next two years.
The Illinois Director of Agriculture said the trade partnership is especially meaningful, given the difficult year farmers have faced.
Illinoi ... more. |
The White House sent a notice to Congress on Monday stating that President Donald Trump is ready to sign a trade deal with Japan.
"I am pleased to report that my administration has reached an initial trade agreement regarding tariff barriers (the "agreement") with Japan and I intend to enter into the agreement in the coming weeks," the notice said.
The notice did not mention sp ... more. |
As Illinois embarks on a massive gambling expansion of up to six new casinos and the addition of slot machines and table games at horse tracks, revenue from the state’s 10 existing casinos last year dropped more than 3% , continuing a decadelong slide.
The loss in revenue from casinos, however, was more than offset by a continued increase in the state’s take from video poker and slot machines a ... more. |
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he was revoking California's power to enforce more stringent limits on vehicle carbon pollution than the federal government, sparking a battle with the state that has led a revolt against the Environmental Protection Agency's rollbacks of dozens of environmental regulations.
The long-expected move seeks to neuter California's resistance to Trump's pr ... more. |
People who consume marijuana medically or recreationally may be exposing themselves to unknown health risks from toxic pesticides.
The EPA would ordinarily evaluate pesticide safety but has never done so for marijuana because the plant is illegal under federal law. So, states with legalized marijuana industries have been tasking newly created cannabis regulators, health officials and others with setting te ... more. |
Pro- and anti-glyphosate companies and organizations lined up to praise — or bash — the active ingredient in the most widely applied herbicide in the world, in comments submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency [the first week of September.]
The subject was a Proposed Interim Decision (PID) issued by EPA in May, a critical step in the multiyear process to re-register the herbicide.
&nbs ... more. |
Here’s what we know in Illinois in September 2019: The Illinois Department of Agriculture had received 937 total herbicide complaints as of Sept. 13. Of those, 708 were related to dicamba.
In 2018: 330 dicamba-related complaints. In 2017: 246 dicamba-related complaints. Before in-season dicamba, from 1989 to 2016, total ag and non-ag complaints averaged about a hundred a year.
Clearly, tho ... more. |
Leader – by definition, is a person (or organization) with commanding authority or influence. This certainly describes the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA).
It’s no secret that IFCA is at the forefront of ag retail safety. Jean Payne, IFCA President, credits the forward-thinking leaders of the organization for paving the way in fertilizer industry safety. Formed in 1965 as th ... more. |
The Senate is expected to clear a stopgap spending bill this week that will keep the government operating and trade-aid payments flowing to farmers after the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.
The continuing resolution, which the House passed overwhelmingly on Thursday, 301-123, is expected to be the signed by President Donald Trump. There is little appetite in the nation’s capitol for a second governmen ... more. |
A U.S.-China trade deal appeared elusive on Friday after Chinese officials unexpectedly canceled a visit to farms in Montana and Nebraska as deputy trade negotiators wrapped up two days of negotiations in Washington.
Chinese officials were expected to visit U.S. farmers next week as a goodwill gesture, but canceled to return to China sooner than originally scheduled, agriculture organizations from Montana ... more. |
The Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council (NREC) is now in its 7th year, and the projects that NREC has invested in relative to nitrogen management are resulting in a much greater understanding of nitrogen movement in the soil and uptake by the crop.
It has long been a challenge to assure widespread compliance with voluntary standards when it comes to the application of anhydrous am ... more. |
As of this week, the number of formal pesticide misuse complaints filed with the IL Dept of Ag has exceeded 900. Of the 900 complaints, 893 are attributed to agricultural pesticides and of the 893 ag related complaints, 708 are attributed to dicamba. One interesting fact that IFCA learned is that 488 individuals filed the dicamba complaints this year, and only 46 of those had also filed a complaint last year. ... more. |
Region 5 USEPA is out visiting Illinois ag retailers to check their level of compliance with the Risk Management Plan (RMP) for anhydrous ammonia. Please take some time to review your RMP. If you use the Asmark myRMP program (which USEPA endorses) it will provide you access to all the mechanical integrity requirements as well as other required elements of the RMP. But as with all regulations, you ... more. |
House Democratic leaders are aiming to push through a stopgap spending bill this week after threatening a fight with the White House, and potentially with some of their own rural members, over a plan that could jeopardize farmers’ trade aid payments.
A continuing resolution needs to pass by Oct. 1 to keep the government funded into the new fiscal year. House Appropriations Chairwoman Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., ha ... more. |
The Starved Rock Lock and Dam on the Illinois River is one of the areas scheduled for a full 14-day closure, beginning Sept. 21, for repairs. (Photo courtesy of USACE)
The Illinois Waterway provides a navigable connection between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River and includes eight lock and dam sites that are long overdue for significant repairs, notes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). In order to ... more. |
The West Geneva County Cooperative in Geneva, Ala., was the 3,000th agricultural facility audit for ResponsibleAg.
“The 3,000th audit milestone is significant because it is indicative of the value ResponsibleAg provides to agricultural facilities and their commitment to safety and compliance,” Tim McArdle, EVP, Chief Operating Officer and General Manager of the Brandt Retail Agronomy division, and Ch ... more. |
The U.S. Agriculture Department confirmed on Friday that private exporters bought 204,000 tonnes of U.S. soybeans destined for China.
The USDA announcement came a day after two traders with knowledge of the deals said that Chinese private buyers have purchased more than 600,000 tonnes of U.S. soybeans for shipment from October to December. Those are the largest deals by Chinese private importers in more than a y ... more. |
While most of us can’t imagine going one day or even one hour without access to high-speed internet, internet options in rural areas are often few and far between.
“How can farmers run their small business without high-speed internet service? We have internet in rural areas, but it’s not adequate to run today’s technology,” Illinois Department of Agriculture Director John Sullivan s ... more. |
House Democrats are weighing a short-term spending plan that could temporarily freeze the Trump administration’s trade relief payments to farmers.
The House Appropriations Committee is circulating among members a draft continuing resolution that leaves out language requested by the White House to ensure that the Agriculture Department can continue distributing checks to farmers and ranchers burned by Presi ... more. |
China has announced that it will exclude imports of U.S. soybeans, pork and other farm goods from additional trade war tariffs, opening the door for significant purchases of agricultural products.
The official Xinhua News Agency reported on Friday that China's National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce made the exemption in response to the U.S.’ decision of postpone an incr ... more. |
An environmental group representing leaders in the beekeeping industry has filed a lawsuit contesting the Trump administration's rollback of pesticide restrictions, citing major risks to honeybee hives.
The lawsuit, filed last week by Earthjustice, accuses the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of reauthorizing the use of the pesticide sulfoxaflor against the concerns of beekeepers who warn that the chemi ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture is still dealing with a record setting number of pesticide misuse complaints. There are 853 total ag related complaints, 648 of which are attributed to suspected dicamba symptoms (mostly in non DT soybeans but also in other plants).
IFCA would like to thank all of our retail members who completed the IFCA 2019 dicamba use survey--we had 238 responses, ... more. |
Farmland prices are holding steady and close to a third of farm managers report prevented-planting claims this year, according to a survey released this week at the Farm Progress Show.
The mid-year survey, conducted by the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers and released Wednesday, found that farmers who made prevented-planting claims through the U.S. Department of Agricultu ... more. |
Reports of off target movement of dicamba have increased this year in parts of the Midwest, but so has the use of the herbicide.
In Illinois the number of misuse complaints have nearly doubled from 2018, while reports in Missouri have gone down.
Jean Payne with the Illinois Chemical and Fertilizer Association says they surveyed their applicator members and in central Illinois where they have seen ... more. |
On January 1, 2020 you will no longer be required to register your nurse wagons, fertilizer buggies, floaters or sprayers or display license plates to operate them on Illinois highways, thanks to legislation initiated by IFCA and that is now state law.
We have had a few questions come up related to this regulatory relief.
1. You must still display the license plates thi ... more. |
State transportation officials say this year’s 19-cent-per-gallon gas tax increase means millions more dollars to help fix aging downstate roads.
Illinois Department of Transportation engineers broke down how the money will be distributed for an audience at the Decatur Club during the Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce breakfast Wednesday. It was welcome information for business owners and city lead ... more. |
The annual pesticide container recycling program continues until September 13 at various locations throughout the state.
Did you know that you can take most triple-rinsed, cut-up minibulk containers to these collection sites as well? The recycler cannot take the old "asset" tanks but most other minibulks such as caged tanks will be accepted. However, you MUST call Rick Sever ... more. |
Germany will ban the use of glyphosate herbicides at the end of 2023. The country is making the decision as part of an environmental protection program the government cabinet agreed to this week, according to Dow Jones.
Glyphosate, owned by German ag and pharmaceutical company Bayer, has come under fire in the U.S. over the past year with claims the pesticide causes cancer. Germany’s concerns, howeve ... more. |
In an evening-long event on climate policies, Democratic candidates said farmers and agriculture can be a solution to climate change, but criticized large scale agriculture and food production at the same time.
On Wednesday, CNN hosted a marathon town hall with pre-selected questioners asking 10 Democratic presidential candidates about climate change. Hurricane Dorian provided a backdrop for the town hall ... more. |
After the worst start to a cropping season in decades, mid-season lack of rain in parts of Illinois, and season-long low crop ratings, it’s time to take a look at what comes next as the 2019 cropping season moves into its final stages.
Corn
To no one’s surprise, various crop tours in recent weeks have confirmed that corn yields in parts of Illinois are likely to be disappointing. If th ... more. |
Lawmakers return from their extended summer recess facing pressure from farm groups to ratify the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement and staring at an Oct. 1 deadline to pass a stopgap spending bill and avoid another government shutdown.
USMCA backers are pressing White House and House Democrats to reach a deal that will clear the way for President Donald Trump to submit the implementing legislation to Con ... more. |
China’s exports unexpectedly fell in August as shipments to the United States slowed sharply, pointing to further weakness in the world’s second-largest economy and underlining a pressing need for more stimulus as the Sino-U.S. trade war escalates.
Beijing is widely expected to announce more support measures in coming weeks to avert the risk of a sharper economic slowdown as the United States r ... more. |
IFCA and the IL Dept of Ag kicked off the week with the first anhydrous ammonia safety school at the Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington today. But there are plenty of other opportunities to sign up for the upcoming schools the remainder of this week. This course provides important safety and ammonia facility regulatory information and enables the attendee to achieve a 3 year certificate as a "compete ... more. |
GOP Rep. John Shimkus announced Friday he will not seek reelection for Illinois’s 15th Congressional District next year.
Shimkus, who has served in the House since 1997, said while his tenure in Congress has been “an honor of a lifetime” he is looking to spend more time with his family.
“As Illinois candidates begin to circulate petitions next week, now is the time for me t ... more. |
The USDA Economic Research Service on Friday updated their net farm income forecast for 2019. The agency expects net farm income to increase $4.0 billion or 4.8% from 2018 to $88 billion in 2019. If realized, inflation-adjusted net farm income would remain slightly below its historical average of $90.1 billion. USDA data notes the increase in government payments and flat expenses are the driving forces behind the i ... more. |
The U.S. EPA has announced the receipt of 10 pesticide applications to expand their use on hemp. The 10 requests are the result of the December 2018 Farm Bill provisions that removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, legalizing hemp for commercial use and production.
“EPA is taking the next step toward registering crop protection tools for hemp in time for use during the 2020 application and g ... more. |
Ten Democratic presidential contenders will make the case for their respective climate agendas Wednesday when they compete for the title of top environmental candidate.
The seven-hour forum on CNN, with each participant speaking separately, will offer White House hopefuls the chance to emerge as the leading supporter of environmental defense and climate action in the wake of Washington Gov. Jay Inslee&rsqu ... more. |
Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday signed the final three bills of the 599 sent to him by the Illinois General Assembly during the spring legislative session.
Per the final tally, Pritzker signed 591 of the bills into law, while vetoing seven and sending one back to the General Assembly with an amendatory veto. The General Assembly will return in late October and early November to discuss new legisla ... more. |
For the third straight year, a volatile pesticide is damaging crops across the Midwest and South, despite federal and state efforts to lessen the drift.
Since 2017, farmers have sprayed an increasing amount of the weedkiller, called dicamba, on soybean and cotton crops genetically engineered by agribusiness company Monsanto to withstand being sprayed by the herbicide.
But each year, dicamba has dr ... more. |
I have to admit — following a generally chaotic spring and early summer season across the agricultural landscape, it was very nice to finally settle in for the fall trade show season. Admittedly, given how much “bad” news has come out about agriculture in the past few months, I had my doubts that the first summer show to kick off the season — the Midwest AG Industries Exposition (MAGIE) &mda ... more. |
Hemp means different things to different people.
The National Hemp Association is using the Farm Progress Show to clear the air about this versatile crop.
Geoff Whaling, chairman of the association, said many people get confused when differentiating between marijuana and hemp.
“Hemp is cannabis but it is not marijuana,” Whaling said. “Marijuana has THC, whereas hemp does ... more. |
The Illinois River moves 40 million tons of goods every year and in 2020 six locks and dams will be shut down along it for much needed maintenance.
The construction will take place from July to October.
“The current lock and dam system was built in the 1930’s, so its life has been extended much longer than what it was originally planned.” said Patrick Kirchhofer, the manager for ... more. |
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is doing away with an enforcement tool that has been used in the past to get states and localities into compliance with environmental laws.
Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark announced Wednesday in an internal letter obtained by The Hill that the agency will no longer utilize Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs) in settlements with state and local governm ... more. |
The EPA received 10 pesticide applications to expand their use on hemp. The 10 requests are the result of the December 2018 Farm Bill provisions that removed hemp with a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration of no more than 0.3% on a dry-weight basis from the Controlled Substances Act, legalizing hemp for commercial use and production.
“EPA is taking the next step toward registering crop protectio ... more. |
China announced on Friday that it will impose additional tariffs on $75 billion of U.S. goods in retaliation for President Donald Trump’s latest planned levies on Chinese imports. The measures include an added 5% tariff on soybeans and 10% on American pork as of Sept. 1. Corn and cotton products were also on the list.
November soybean futures in Chicago erased early gains and closed down 1.4%, extend ... more. |
President Donald Trump said Sunday that a trade deal with Japan “is done in principle.”
“We have been working on a deal with Japan for a long time,” he said at the G-7 summit alongside Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and teams from both countries. “It involves agriculture and it involves e-commerce and many other things. It’s a very big transaction, and we’ve ag ... more. |
Once again, most major soybean states are dealing with a deluge of dicamba injury allegations this summer, with two states already reporting a record level of complaints.
But, unlike last year, the EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs is not getting routine updates from state regulators on these injury reports. Last year, representatives from the federal agency participated in weekly conference calls wit ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture has recorded over 100 more dicamba-related complaints than in 2018, and it’s not done counting.
With 455 dicamba-related pesticide complaints submitted to the Illinois Department of Agriculture as of Aug. 16, the 2019 growing season has leaped ahead of 2018’s total of 336 dicamba complaints.
Aaron Hager, University of Illinois weed scientist, says ... more. |
Scouts on the eastern leg of the Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour made their way through Illinois today. Brian Grete, leader of the eastern leg and Pro Farmer editor, says the crops he sampled were “definitely subpar.”
“Normally you roll through there and you see consistency and 200+ bu. yields,” he told U.S. Farm Report host Tyne Morgan. “There’s some out there but not enou ... more. |
This year’s Illinois corn crop could be as much as 17 percent smaller than last year’s crop, while soybean production could fall as much as 21 percent, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said this week.
Those numbers were part of a highly-anticipated report in which the USDA revised its most recent crop production estimates in light of this year’s unusually wet planting season that delaye ... more. |
Cooper Garlisch, age 2 ½, was not about to lose the Cutest Little Farmer contest. Climbing atop his red toy tractor, he scooted himself across a stage at the Illinois State Fair with gusto, drawing cheers from an audience that seemed to appreciate the showmanship.
His dad, Scott Garlisch, watched with amusement, soaking in one of the sweeter events of the annual celebration of all things agriculture ... more. |
EPA decided in July not to ban the insecticide chlorpyrifos, and now, environmental groups have petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Seattle to review that decision.
In July, EPA said it will expedite what is an ongoing review of chlorpyrifos in response to public concerns raised. The agency has until 2022 to complete its review.
Groups filing the petition include the Leag ... more. |
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared an agriculture disaster in Illinois following historic flooding across the state.
The declaration covers all 102 counties in Illinois and will provide federal resources to farmers and agri-businesses affected by flooding during the spring planting season. Low-interest FSA emergency loans may be used to restore or replace essential property, cover production c ... more. |
The Trump administration has told companies not to warn customers about products that contain glyphosate, a decision targeted at a California regulation that requires labels to warn consumers that the Roundup ingredient is potentially cancer-causing.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says it will no longer approve labels warning glyphosate is known to cause cancer. The chemical, marketed as a weed k ... more. |
It’s not uncommon for many Illinois farmers to ship much, or even all, of their commodities along the Illinois River. So a plan to close the river in 2020 for lock and dam repairs could have a huge impact.
“They’re going to need to re-route, predetermine and plan to not be able to use the river for up to 4 months,” said Kirby Wagner, Assistant Director of Transportation and In ... more. |
State agencies are investigating dead fish and an unusual green color in the Salt Fork River first noticed by residents last week.
The intense green color of the river, which is low after weeks with no significant rainfall and with hot summer temperatures, was first noticed Wednesday and Thursday by nearby residents who reported it to local agencies, including the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
... more. |
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Aug. 14 issued a long-awaited proposal to make changes to its hours-of-service rules that would increase truck drivers’ flexibility with their 30-minute rest break and with allocating time in a sleeper berth.
The proposal also would extend by two hours duty time for drivers encountering adverse weather and expand the current 100 air-mile “short ... more. |
Eleven state attorneys general are pushing back against an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposal they say would weaken the process for determining whether pesticides are harmful to endangered species.
The comments submitted by the Democratic attorneys general come the same week as a new rule from the Department of the Interior that would dramatically roll back the Endangered Species Act (ESA).&nbs ... more. |
“MAGIE continues to be a show that celebrates the commercial application industry,” says Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA) President Jean Payne. “We look forward to seeing you Aug. 21-22 at this year’s MAGIE show, where, once again, the best equipment our industry has to offer is on display along with the companies and people who make our industry great.”
Pay ... more. |
Don't forget to register for the 2019 MAGIE show on Aug 21 & 22 at the McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington, IL to avoid the long lines at the show.
Simply go to the MAGIE link on the IFCA website to see the layout, list of exhibitors, accommodations and to register on-line. Join us for another great show that is designed for the ag retailer industry, with lots of great exhibitor disp ... more. |
As of today, August 6, the Illinois Department of Agriculture reports that they have received a total of 457 formal pesticide related complaints since January 2019. Of those 457 complaints, 277 are dicamba related. IDA processed 65 dicamba-related complaints just yesterday. To put this in perspective, prior to the advent of dicamba application on soybean, the number of agriculture pesticide relate ... more. |
Illinois companies will no longer be allowed to ask job applicants or their previous employers about salary history under a measure Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law Wednesday.
Advocates say asking applicants about their salaries at previous jobs helps perpetuate a wage gap between men and women doing the same jobs. Illinois lawmakers passed two previous versions of the legislation, but Pritzke ... more. |
Controlling the spread of plant viruses has just got harder with the demise of neonicotinoid seed treatments putting the emphasis back on pyrethroids for vector control. Oilseed rape growers have been denied neonics for a while, but until this season sugar beet and cereal growers have been able to benefit from the protection they offered.
[In fall 2019] the importance of [Barley yellow dwarf virus] BYDV ri ... more. |
Researchers who monitor algae blooms on Lake Erie face an interesting scenario this year.
Normally, farmers in the western basin have thousands of acres of corn and soybeans planted by now. Because of excessive rains from last fall through early summer, that’s not the case this year, so the farmers likely didn’t fertilize their fields as much.
Some fertilizer, which contains phosphorus ... more. |
The pesticide chlorpyrifos, usually sold under the brand name Lorsban, has long been controversial.
The pesticide, owing to toxicity studies, has been banned in many places, including multiple European countries; several states, including California and New York, have begun the process of local banning. In 2015, President Obama attempted to ban the pesticide in the US, but since taking office, the Trump ad ... more. |
“MAGIE continues to be a show that celebrates the commercial application industry,” says Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA) President Jean Payne. “We look forward to seeing you Aug. 21-22 at this year’s MAGIE show, where, once again, the best equipment our industry has to offer is on display along with the companies and people who make our industry great.”
Pay ... more. |
Approximately two weeks ago, only a few (11 reported as of July 16) dicamba-related complaints had been filed with the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA), and some held aspirations that the magnitude of off-target issues would be less this year than during the two previous seasons. Today, it appears those hopeful aspirations are being replaced by the harsh reality that the magnitude of off-target issue ... more. |
An Illinois state senator has been indicted on federal charges that he took more than $250,000 in salary and benefits over a three-year period from the Teamsters while doing little or no work, prosecutors announced Friday.
In a news release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago said Thomas E. Cullerton of Villa Park was indicted by a federal grand jury on 39 counts of embezzlement from a labor union ... more. |
A new campaign has been launched by EU environmental groups to ban all pesticides by 2035.
Civil society organisations from across the EU have submitted a proposal to the European Commission for a European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) calling for new legislation to phase out pesticides.
The campaign has been started by a cross-sector alliance of civil society organisations covering the environme ... more. |
For many years, the countries of North America have conducted their trade using the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) as their guide. Late last year, however, President Donald Trump nixed this deal in favor of a new one – the U.S., Mexico, Canada Agreement (USMCA). This agreement was initially signed by all three countries back on November 30, 2018. Now, according to V.M. (Jim) DeLisi, Chief of Fanw ... more. |
China is stepping away from further U.S. farm imports after President Donald Trump ratcheted up tensions with its biggest agricultural trading partner last week
The Chinese government has asked its state-owned enterprises to suspend purchases of U.S. agricultural products, people familiar with the situation said. Also, privately run Chinese crushers that had received retaliatory-tariff waivers on American ... more. |
The Trump administration’s trade negotiations pick up this week with both China and Japan, while the Agriculture Department starts accepting applications for the latest round of trade assistance being offered to farmers as compensation for the impact of retaliatory tariffs.
Also this week, the Senate must clear a House-passed budget agreement that will set spending levels for fiscal 2020 and 2021 a ... more. |
After a spring spent focusing on possibly bringing a graduated income tax to the state, Illinois lawmakers will soon be turning their attention to the other big tax bill affecting the state’s residents, property taxes.
Specifically, they’ll be looking at ways the state can provide some relief to property taxpayers, even though property taxes themselves are imposed by local governments and the ... more. |
When U.S. Congress legalized hemp in the 2018 Farm Bill, it allowed Colorado’s burgeoning hemp industry to thrive even more.
The number of acres registered for hemp cultivation in Colorado jumped from 12,024 in 2017 to 30,950 in 2018, according to the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Data for this year’s acreage is not yet available, but it could exceed 60,000 acres as the number of regist ... more. |
The EPA is on track to finalize a new waters of the United States, or WOTUS, rule by sometime this year.
The agency sent the final rule to the White House Office of Management and Budget on July 12 for an interagency review. OMB reviews are limited to 90 days but there is no minimum period of review.
At the end of 2018, the agency released a proposed rule that would include just six categories o ... more. |
The 2019 Illinois corn crop reached 50% planted during the first week of June, more than a month later than the average of the past five years. The soybean crop reached 50% planted a few days later than corn, and more than three weeks later than the average of the past five years. May rainfall was above normal over most of Illinois, and June brought near-normal rainfall over much of the state. Still, the late pla ... more. |
A California judge will slash a $2 billion judgment against Bayer AG, which had been awarded to a couple who both developed cancer after decades of using Roundup to kill weeds.
The damages award announced in May marked the largest to date in the litany of lawsuits tying the top-selling herbicide to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. But in a tentative ruling late Thursday, Alameda County Superior Court Judge ... more. |
The telephone talks between U.S. and Chinese trade negotiators went well last week, potentially leading to an in-person meeting next week and an increase in Chinese imports of U.S. soybeans, according to Chinese and U.S. sources.
President Donald Trump, speaking Friday about the call between U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and their Chinese counterparts, sai ... more. |
A group of U.S. House Democrats on Tuesday unveiled a climate change plan they said featured a “more realistic” goal to cut carbon emissions to net zero by 2050 rather than by 2030 as envisioned under the Green New Deal introduced early this year.
Solar and wind companies have criticized the Green New Deal, introduced by Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Edward Ma ... more. |
It's no secret that it's been a very rough year so far on the entire Mississippi River System. Never-ending rains have kept water levels high, closing many locks and dams more than once and shuttering the St. Louis Harbor numerous times, virtually stopping any traffic north or south of there. In fact, the Lower Mississippi River (LMR) has experienced continued flooding events since February 2019.
... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday that it will not ban the use of chlorpyrifos, rejecting a request from environmental groups to prohibit the pesticide.
The action came in response to an appellate court decision earlier this year ordering the agency to respond to a petition from environmental groups that sought to ban the widely used pesticide. Research has shown that chlorpyrifos, w ... more. |
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Don't forget to get registered for MAGIE and avoid the long lines at the show. Simply go to the MAGIE link on the IFCA website to see the layout, list of exhibitors, accommodations and to register on-line. MAGIE is August 21-22 at the McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington. Join us for another great show that is designed for the ag retailer industry, with lots of great exhibitor displays and ... more. |
As of today, the Illinois Department of Agriculture reports that they have received a total of 211 formal pesticide related complaints since January 2019. Of those 211 complaints, 171 are agricultural related, and 59 of the 171 ag complaints are dicamba related. However, today is IDA is processing an additional 20 dicamba-related complaints that came in over the weekend. To put this in perspective ... more. |
The next Asmark Institute Applicator Training Course on August 27-30 at the training facility in Bloomington is full! But there are still some seats available for the next two upcoming courses, which are September 3-6 and September 10-13. To see more on the course and to register, click here:https://www.asmark.org/TrainingCourses/applicator-training.cgi
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IFCA is hosting a golf outing at Fox Prairie Golf Course in Windsor, Illinois tomorrow (July 30). We can still fit in some additional golfers if you can join us! Lunch begins at 11:00 am with shot-gun start at noon. If you need a break from the stressful spring and summer season, this is your chance! To register last-minute for the outing, please call our office at 309.827.2774.
... more. |
After a spring spent focusing on possibly bringing a graduated income tax to the state, Illinois lawmakers will soon be turning their attention to the other big tax bill affecting the state’s residents, property taxes.
Specifically, they’ll be looking at ways the state can provide some relief to property taxpayers, even though property taxes themselves are imposed by local governments and the r ... more. |
When U.S. Congress legalized hemp in the 2018 Farm Bill, it allowed Colorado’s burgeoning hemp industry to thrive even more.
The number of acres registered for hemp cultivation in Colorado jumped from 12,024 in 2017 to 30,950 in 2018, according to the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Data for this year’s acreage is not yet available, but it could exceed 60,000 acres as the number of register ... more. |
The Trump administration’s trade negotiations pick up this week with both China and Japan, while the Agriculture Department starts accepting applications for the latest round of trade assistance being offered to farmers as compensation for the impact of retaliatory tariffs.
Also this week, the Senate must clear a House-passed budget agreement that will set spending levels for fiscal 2020 and 2021 and ... more. |
Pesticide Container Recycling & Unwanted Pesticides Disposal
IDA is again coordinating the annual pesticide container recycling program. They will accept clean, triple rinsed containers and will also accept clean, cut-up minibulk containers. BUT you must call IDA ahead of time if you plan to take minibulk containers to the collectionsites. Please contact Rick Severns at ID ... more. |
The EPA is on track to finalize a new waters of the United States, or WOTUS, rule by sometime this year.
The agency sent the final rule to the White House Office of Management and Budget on July 12 for an interagency review, . OMB reviews are limited to 90 days but there is no minimum period of review.
At the end of 2018, the agency released a proposed rule that would include just six categories o ... more. |
The 2019 Illinois corn crop reached 50% planted during the first week of June, more than a month later than the average of the past five years. The soybean crop reached 50% planted a few days later than corn, and more than three weeks later than the average of the past five years. May rainfall was above normal over most of Illinois, and June brought near-normal rainfall over much of the state. Still, the late plant ... more. |
The telephone talks between U.S. and Chinese trade negotiators went well last week, potentially leading to an in-person meeting next week and an increase in Chinese imports of U.S. soybeans, according to Chinese and U.S. sources.
President Donald Trump, speaking Friday about the call between U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and their Chinese counterparts, said: ... more. |
A group of U.S. House Democrats on Tuesday unveiled a climate change plan they said featured a “more realistic” goal to cut carbon emissions to net zero by 2050 rather than by 2030 as envisioned under the Green New Deal introduced early this year.
Solar and wind companies have criticized the Green New Deal, introduced by Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Edward Mark ... more. |
It's no secret that it's been a very rough year so far on the entire Mississippi River System. Never-ending rains have kept water levels high, closing many locks and dams more than once and shuttering the St. Louis Harbor numerous times, virtually stopping any traffic north or south of there. In fact, the Lower Mississippi River (LMR) has experienced continued flooding events since February 2019.
I ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday that it will not ban the use of chlorpyrifos, rejecting a request from environmental groups to prohibit the pesticide.
The action came in response to an appellate court decision earlier this year ordering the agency to respond to a petition from environmental groups that sought to ban the widely used pesticide. Research has shown that chlorpyrifos, whi ... more. |
With the July 15 application cut-off date approaching, retailers may be curious about whether the "stop applying" provision on the labels for Extendimax, Engenia, FeXapan and Tavium also applies to sales of these products after July 15.
IFCA consulted with the IL Dept of Ag on this question. There is no "stop sale" order on these products after July 15. Howev ... more. |
The bill that removes the registration and license plate requirement for fertilizer wagons and self-propelled floaters and sprayers is on Governor Pritzker's desk. We remain in contact with the Governor's office to encourage his signature on the bill as soon as possible. Once he signs the bill it is effective immediately--we will keep you posted.
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We know everyone has been super busy this late spring and summer, but if you happen to be ready to start parking your sprayers for a day or two, come join us at the IFCA Golf outings! The first outing is July 23 at the Spring Creek Golf Course in Spring Valley, and the second outing is August 30 at Fox Prairie Golf Course in Windsor. To see the registration form and details click here.
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Every beach along Mississippi's Gulf Coast is closed for swimming as the entire shoreline is now under the same water warning tied to a blue-green algae bloom. CBS Biloxi affiliate WLOX-TV reported that Pascagoula's two beach testing sites on the east and west stations joined a list of 19 other beaches Sunday morning.
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) issued a stateme ... more. |
Glyphosate is banned in Austria. A report from Dow Jones says legislators there outlawed the key chemical in Roundup. Bayer – which acquired Roundup in its purchase of Monsanto last year – has lost several lawsuits in the U.S. alleging the herbicide causes cancer.
Bayer says regulators, including the U.S. EPA and the European Chemicals Agency, have declared glyphosate to be safe and not carcino ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture has set aside $400,000 for a Prevented Planting Cover Crop incentive program.
Brian Rennecker with the department tells Brownfield the program was created to encourage farmers to maintain good ground cover after a challenging planting season.
“With that you will get a $5 per acre incentive check submitted to you once it has been proven that those ... more. |
The American Chemistry Council (ACC) has announced that Christopher L. Jahn has been selected to become its next president and CEO, effective late October 2019. Jahn currently serves as president and CEO of The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) and will succeed Cal Dooley who has led ACC since 2008. Dooley announced his retirement in April, 2018.
“I’m honored to have been chosen to lead ACC, one of th ... more. |
Because of flooding throughout Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker wrote a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue Wednesday urging Perdue to issue a disaster declaration for farmers in the state.
In a news release today about the letter, Pritzker said: “For months, our state has been battling historic flooding, causing untold damage to homes, businesses, and farms across Illinois, for our farmers ... more. |
The EPA National Compliance Initiative (NCI) prioritizes the enforcement of the Risk Management Program (RMP) regulations on specific chemical facilities, including ag retailers handling anhydrous ammonia.
Ag retailers that store and/or handle anhydrous ammonia are required to comply with the RMP regardless of the NCI.
The purpose of the NCI is to reduce accidental releases at industrial and chemi ... more. |
As a reminder, dicamba-resistant soybean fields that exist in counties that might harbor endangered terrestrial dicot plant species and that will be treated with dicamba must have an in-field, 57-foot omnidirectional buffer. The new 57-foot buffer will occur on three sides of the field and be in addition to the required 110-foot downwind buffer. Non-sensitive areas, as defined in the renewed labels, can be in ... more. |
House Democrats say there's little to no chance that Congress will take up President Trump's replacement for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) before the end of summer.
With only three more weeks scheduled to be in session before the August recess, House Democrats from across the spectrum are demanding that the trade pact with Mexico and Canada be renegotiated, citing concerns with th ... more. |
The Trump administration is looking this week to increase the heat on Congress to approve the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement while making progress with China in the wake of the recent meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin plan a conference call with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He and perhaps o ... more. |
Farmers will pay more for pesticides if tariffs are raised on chemical imports from China.
Leadership at CropLife America joined the ranks of U.S. businesses concerned about possible new tariffs on imported products from China. For more than a week, companies have been testifying before the U.S. Trade Representative's panel on the 25% proposed tariffs against as much as $325 billion in imported Chinese ... more. |
Custom application might seem too hands-on for a degree program.
Custom applicators are the ones spraying pesticides and fertilizers on the fields atop massive agricultural equipment.
In reality, the job requires plenty of skills beyond driving a spray vehicle, skills that may be learned best in a college setting.
This fall, Parkland College will offer the first custom-applicator degree p ... more. |
The Trump administration is in no mood to bow to China on trade, and U.S. farmers should not expect the massive Chinese soybean export market to open up soon, a deputy secretary at the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicated in St. Paul on Tuesday.
"We're in a period right now where it is up to China whether they are going to come back to the table and negotiate in good faith," said Steve Ce ... more. |
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been given the green light from the White House Office and Management and Budget (OMB) on a proposal to expand the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program’s Personnel Surety Program (PSP) . DHS received the authorization in late May to expand the program to cover CFATS facilities in risk Tiers 3 and 4, which consists of more than 3,000 CFATS fac ... more. |
The US Environmental Protection Agency is taking another stab at revising its process for assessing the risks of pesticides to endangered species. The move comes after manufacturers of three organophosphate insecticides urged the agency to abandon an approach established in 2015.
The EPA used the method to evaluate chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and malathion. During the final days of the Obama administration, th ... more. |
While President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping have agreed to meet at the G20 Summit in Japan next week, the U.S. agriculture industry remains skeptical that the ongoing tariff battle between the two countries will end anytime soon.
U.S. soybean exporters said exports are down by 12 million metric tons compared to last year, which is largely because of the trade standoff with China.
&l ... more. |
President Donald Trump and his top trade negotiator head to the Group of 20 summit in hopes of restarting negotiations with China before the trade war escalates further while simultaneously making progress in talks with the Japanese on reducing their barriers to U.S. farm exports.
Trump, who is threatening to slap tariffs on an additional $300 million in Chinese imports, plans to meet directly with Chinese ... more. |
The Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association says they preferred the original June 30th state dicamba application deadline.
“It was the number one thing our members recommended after the previous two seasons as to how to best manage the stewardship of this product. Having said that, we understand the pressure that [Illinois Department of Agriculture] Director Sullivan was under and all of the thi ... more. |
IDA is again coordinating the annual pesticide container recycling program. They will accept clean, triple rinsed containers and will also accept clean, cut-up minibulk containers. BUT you must call IDA ahead of time if you plan to take minibulk containers to the collectionsites. Please contact Rick Severns at IDA at 217-558-4074 to inform him of what type and how many mini-bulk containers y ... more. |
The Asmark Institute Applicator Training Center will be busy next week with the first applicator training class of the season. This one-of-a-kind training center features 4 days of hands-on training on everything aprofessional applicator needs to know to be effective, safe and present a professional image for your company. There are courses for beginning applicators and a refresher course for expe ... more. |
Golf Outings:This year we are having two golf outings to help support the IFCA scholarship fund. You should have received a registration form in the mail. The outings are July 23 at the Spring Creek golf course in Spring Valley and July 30 at the Fox Prairie course in Windsor. Please send in your registration form to IFCA or call our office to register.
MAGIE:& ... more. |
Under the Illinois Special Local Needs label for dicamba use on soybean this year, don't forget that you are required to check the location of DNR Nature Preserve Commission sites, which are sensitive areas and must be protected accordingly as a sensitive area. IFCA has a feature on our websiteto help you identify these DNR sites, and you can download location maps to your application software. ... more. |
On July 1, the fuel taxes outlined in the state budget go into effect. The gasoline tax will increase by 19 cents and diesel by 24 cents. On a related note, IFCA is working with the Governor's office to expedite his signature on HB 2669 which removes the registration and license requirements for fertilizer trailers and self-propelled implements of husbandry. While not many floaters or sprayers ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture announced today it will extend the deadline for dicamba application on soybeans in Illinois for the 2019 growing season until July 15th.
Ag Director John Sullivan says the decision was not taken lightly but hopes it will provide relief to farmers pressured by planting decisions from extreme wet weather.
Anyone who planted before June 1st will remain s ... more. |
Trent Lawrence had a rude awakening last week. Overnight, mice had gotten into the greenhouse on his farm and eaten several dozen trays of seedlings he was planning to transplant into a field.
Lawrence and his wife, Jami, work a 26-acre farm outside of Delavan, about 30 miles south of Peoria, in Tazewell County. For the past several years, they’ve been growing organic peppers, tomatoes and a va ... more. |
Click Here to read IFCA's "News Under the Dome" for June. Stories in this month's newsletter include:
-IFCA's Spring Legislative Session Wrap Up.
-Bill Removing Registration and License Plates on Anhydrous Nurse Wagons and Floaters Heads to Gov. Pritzker.
-Illinois Department of Ag Extends Dicamba Application to July 15th.
-Illinois Passes Constitution ... more. |
This week, President Donald Trump announced an executive order telling regulators to simplify how they regulate genetically-modified organisms (GMOs), namely crops and animals.
The response was immediate, as all the usual suspects leapt into action. Nearly every major news organization wrote articles. Farm industry groups released glowing statements praising the order. Anti-GM activist groups and med ... more. |
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators wrote the U.S. Department of Agriculture asking the department to speed up cover-crop guidelines from the 2018 farm bill and allow haying and grazing on prevent-planted acres earlier than normal.
In a letter to Bill Northey, USDA's undersecretary of Farm Production and Conservation, the senators called on USDA to allow more flexibility on "the arbitrary No ... more. |
Farmers across the Midwest know all too well the pervasiveness of waterhemp. One weed turns into two, and eventually catapults into a dominating force if left unchecked in fields.
This week, University of Illinois weed specialists found waterhemp has overcome yet another herbicide group: Group 15, which includes encapsulated acetochlor, S-metolachlor, metolachlor and dimethenamid. This marks the seve ... more. |
The White House steps up its campaign to get Congress to approve the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement this week, dispatching U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer for hearings on both sides of Capitol Hill.
Also this week, the House will start debating a five-bill package of fiscal 2020 spending measures that includes funding for the Agriculture Department, Food and Drug Administration, Interior ... more. |
President Donald Trump on Tuesday was expected to sign an executive order meant to streamline regulations and cut costs associated with biotechnology, the White House announced.
The order would pressure international trading partners — including China — to lift barriers in the biotech industry, which creates products such as pesticides and genetically engineered plants bred to resist dise ... more. |
Congress will soon decide whether to ratify the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the tradeOpens a New Window. deal that would update NAFTA in several ways. Most importantly, the new pact would significantly strengthen intellectual propertyOpens a New Window. rights.
Without strong IP rights, the industries that enhance our lives would cease to function. Congress can set the stage for year ... more. |
A smartphone could fit in the space between James McCune’s index finger and thumb as the Illinois farmer describes the height of crops stunted by incessant rain and unseasonably cool weather.
“Corn’s not supposed to be this tall” in mid-June, McCune, who can trace his family’s farm roots as far back as 1857, said. “It’s supposed to be this tall,” as he gestur ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Ag has accepted revised 24(c) Special Local Needs (SLN) labels from the four registrants of dicamba for the products Engenia, FeXapan, Xtendimax and Tavium. To download the base labels and the new SLN labels click here. This area on the IFCA website has many helpful resources on dicamba stewardship.
We want to make it crystal clear how the new July 15, 2019 ... more. |
Click Here to read IFCA's "News Under the Dome" for June. Stories in this month's newsletter include:
-IFCA's Spring Legislative SessionWrap Up.
-Bill Removing Registration andLicense Plates on AnhydrousNurse Wagons andFloaters Heads to Gov. Pritzker.
-Illinois Departmentof Ag Extends Dicamba Application to July 15th. ... more. |
The U.S. Congress on Monday approved legislation providing $19.1 billion in emergency funding for disaster recovery efforts throughout the United States, including Puerto Rico, sending it to President Donald Trump to sign into law.
Final passage came as the Democratic-led House of Representatives voted 354-58 for the measure, which lawmakers and Trump had haggled over for months. It was approved by the Rep ... more. |
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed the discovery of unapproved, genetically modified (GM) wheat plants growing in an un-planted agricultural field in Washington state.
There was no evidence the wheat had entered the food supply, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said in a statement on Friday. The wheat is resistant to glyphosate, a widely used herbicide commonly refe ... more. |
One of the most pressing questions as planting continues into June after a very wet May is whether or not the high rainfall amounts over the past month have affected the amount of nitrogen fertilizer needed for the corn crop this year. This is a complicated question, related both to concern about how much early-applied N might be lost and to decreased yield potential from late planting that might lower the need for ... more. |
Mexico and the United States have agreed on a deal to stop the flow of illegal Central American immigrants from coming into the U.S., President Trump tweeted late Friday. The president said the deal suspended steep tariffs on imported Mexican goods that would have gone into effect on Monday.
The tariffs raised fears that they could cripple some American businesses and raise prices for American consumers on ... more. |
An 816-page bill introduced and passed by the General Assembly over the weekend will, if fully realized, transform Illinois into the gambling capital of the Midwest.
The legislation legalizes sports gambling; sanctions six new casinos, including one in Chicago; increases the number of video gambling machines as well as the maximum bet; and transforms the state’s horse racing tracks into “racino ... more. |
Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law Wednesday a $40 billion budget package, representing an increase in state spending of $1 billion from the current fiscal year that ends June 30.
In recent years — back when Springfield was split between Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Democrat-controlled state House and Senate — the idea of lawmakers passing a state budget plan was not a foregone conclusi ... more. |
The June 30 cutoff date for applying in-season dicamba to soybeans in Illinois remains in place, according to the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
Doug Owens, head of IDOA’s Bureau of Environmental Programs, says they’ll continue to review the situation but are sticking with June 30 for now.
“The weather’s not cooperating with anybody right now,” Owens says. &ldquo ... more. |
President Donald Trump heads to Iowa this week to shore up his rural base and promote the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement, fresh from dropping a threat to impose new tariffs that farm groups and lawmakers feared could jeopardize congressional approval of the North American trade pact.
Trump will be in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on Tuesday to visit the Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy ethanol plant, where he’l ... more. |
There are several important compliance requirements for Illinois ammonia facilities and nurse tanks that go into effect on December 31, 2020. Click below to viewtheNH3 Rules Compliance Guide or to download the regulations (8 IL Adm Code Part 215).
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New Location!
Need a day to unwind after this hectic and unpredictable 2019 spring season? Enjoy a relaxing day with your peers on the golf course. Your participation will help benefit our future leaders in agriculture with a college scholarship. Download the registration form and send it in to the IFCA office. 2019 Golf Registration Form
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Need a day to unwind after this hectic and unpredictable 2019 spring season? Enjoy a relaxing day with your peers on the golf course. Your participation will help benefit our future leaders in agriculture with a college scholarship. Download the registration form and send it in to the IFCA office. 2019 Golf Registration Form
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In a year when good news has been in short supply, we have some welcome news for our members today.
Yesterday, HB 2669 passed the Senate unanimously,removing the requirement for license plates on fertilizer wagons (nurse tanks & buggies) and self-propelled fertilizer and pesticide application equipment when laden with load. The bill isnow on its way to the Govern ... more. |
As the legislature completes their work this week on the state budget and spending plan, the plain truth is that there will be many fee increases set in motion to come up with funding to improve Illinois' road, bridges and other infrastructure. The bills being debated are passing on mostly party-line votes, and while the business community is working diligently to balance the needs of the State with attem ... more. |
In a letter sent to Democratic leaders in Congress on Wednesday, President Trump urged lawmakers to approve the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement before taking up infrastructure legislation.
In the letter sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) President Donald Trump wrote: “Before we get to infrastructure, it is my strong view that Congress sh ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture plans to keep the June 30th dicamba application cutoff deadline despite producer requests to extend it.
Doug Owens with the department says delayed planting has some farmers concerned but right now the deadline is firm.
“We are not thinking about extending that cut off date. We are monitoring the situation with the weather and we will make det ... more. |
Gov. J.B. Pritzker Wednesday defended his proposed tax increases to pay for a capital bill against critics who said they will disproportionately hurt the poor.
Pritzker acknowledged some of the proposed taxes might be considered regressive, but he said they also represent a stable source of income.
"In order to put an infrastructure bill together, you've got to have various reve ... more. |
Gov. J.B. Pritzker Wednesday defended his proposed tax increases to pay for a capital bill against critics who said they will disproportionately hurt the poor.
Pritzker acknowledged some of the proposed taxes might be considered regressive, but he said they also represent a stable source of income.
"In order to put an infrastructure bill together, you've got to have various reve ... more. |
Illinois lawmakers paved the way for higher taxes on the state’s richest residents, approving a constitutional amendment to do away with the flat income tax that will go before voters during next year’s presidential election.
The state’s House of Representatives on Monday voted to approve a constitutional amendment that would allow for higher tax rates on the top earners, the center ... more. |
As we prepare for another year with the Xtend soybean system, we thought it would help to briefly summarize some of the most important things we've learned about dicamba as a result of research our outstanding graduate students have conducted during the past several seasons.
1. Dicamba can be detected in the air following treatment.
This isn't really any grand new finding; we' ... more. |
In response to legal action, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is cancelling registrations for 12 pesticides containing neonicotinoid. Cancellations are part of a legal settlement brought forward by environmentalists and bee keepers.
Product cancellations include:
•Meridian 0.20G
•Meridian 0.14F
•Avicta Complete Corn 500
•THX_MXM_FDL_TBZ FS
•Adage Delux ... more. |
This week, Doug Owens, Bureau Chief of Environmental Programs at IL Dept of Ag, provided an interview with Brownfield Network,discussing the June 30 dicamba application cut-off date.Click here to listen to the interview.
IFCA, IDA and Illinois Farm Bureau were among the organizations that worked in partnership with the dicamba registrants (Bayer, BASF, Corteva and Syngenta) ... more. |
We were so saddened this week to learn of the passing of Dave Junge, the creator and owner of Junge Control. Dave was battling pancreatic cancer; he was only 62.
We remember Dave not just for the innovation and improvements that he brought to our industry, but for his optimism, his great smile and laugh, and his passion for agriculture. He never missed a MAGIE show or IFCA conve ... more. |
Illinois House Republican leadership will brief their members Monday on a balanced budget proposal that they say the governor’s office won’t listen to, according to an internal caucus memo obtained by Capitol News Illinois on Friday.
“While Governor Pritzker has been occupied hosting cocktail parties, the House Republican Caucus budget team has been working diligently to ensure we a ... more. |
After weeks of untimely rain stymied his plans, a window of opportunity finally opened late last week for farmer Marty Marr to resume planting.
"We're finally getting things opened up and dry a little bit," Marr said. "We just need some warm temps and sunshine to get better planting conditions to work with."
Marr, who farms corn and soybeans in Logan, Morgan and S ... more. |
The Trump administration has reached a deal with Canada and Mexico to lift steel and aluminum tariffs immediately, marking a significant step forward on the path to approval of the new North American trade pact.
The deal clears a major hurdle to ratification of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement in all three countries and moves President Donald Trump closer to realization of a signature trade achieveme ... more. |
The Agriculture Department is rushing to finish a new trade assistance package for farmers hurt by the ongoing trade war with China, while congressional negotiators this week look to pass a long-stalled disaster aid package before the weeklong recess for Memorial Day.
USDA has yet to release critical details of the aid package, expect to say that it will total $15 billion to $20 billion and will incl ... more. |
Some provisions that advocates for recreational marijuana legalization have said are the most important facets of their bill faced the stiffest questions at a legislative hearing Wednesday.
“Throughout all of the work we’ve been doing, there’s been three real themes that have arisen on why we should be doing this,” said state Sen. Heather Steans, Senate Bill 7’s sponso ... more. |
After months of pondering, Gov. J.B. Pritzker today began briefing state lawmakers on his much-anticipated capital plan, and it’s both big and expensive—$41.5 billion over six years, to be financed in part by a doubling of the state's tax on gasoline.
According to background documents obtained by Crain’s, Pritzker wants to pair just under $25 billion in state spending (mostly ne ... more. |
Every six to eight years, the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) conducts its Aerial Application Industry Survey of operators and pilots. "With our growing numbers, embrace of environmental protection technologies and techniques and an infusion of younger operators and pilots, NAAA's 2019 industry 'census' demonstrates the industry is well-positioned to work hand in hand with ag re ... more. |
In a move to protect workers, public health and the environment, the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) announced today that the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) is acting to ban the use of the pesticide and toxic air contaminant chlorpyrifos in California by initiating cancellation of the pesticide.
CalEPA and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) also ann ... more. |
Two Democratic state senators Thursday pushed back at the notion the state can forgo revenue increases because tax collections are higher than expected.
Sens. Toi Hutchinson of Olympia Fields and Don Harmon of Oak Park said the state still needs additional revenue from things like a tobacco tax increase and a new tax on plastic bags to finally eliminate the state's budget deficit.
Harmon calle ... more. |
The House and Senate are pursuing a deal on disaster aid with just two weeks left until the self-imposed deadline of Memorial Day and little sign of progress on the major reasons for the impasse.
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, meanwhile, continues a trip in Asia this week where he has been attending a G20 meeting of agriculture ministers and making the case for a trade agreement with Japan. He also wi ... more. |
China said on Monday it would impose higher tariffs on a range of U.S. goods, striking back in its trade war with Washington shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump warned it not to retaliate.
China’s finance ministry said it plans to set import tariffs ranging from 5 percent to 25 percent on 5,140 U.S. products on a target list worth about $60 billion. It said the tariffs will take effect on June ... more. |
Here’s how the Illinois Department of Ag will handle misuse complaints this year, plus a look at managing planting delays with a June 30 cutoff for dicamba.
The Illinois Department of Agriculture is heading into the 2019 growing season ready to field complaints about off-target drift and damage from dicamba.
While not many complaints have been received so far in 2019, Doug Owens, chief of th ... more. |
While California growers have been expecting this moment for a while, the California Environmental Protection Agency has officially (CalEPA) announced the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) the sunset of chlorpyrifos in the state.
This announcement follows restricted use by California Department of Pesticide Regulation last fall.
Chlorpyrifos is used on more than 800,000 acres and 60 crops i ... more. |
The cost of owning and operating a vehicle in Illinois would increase dramatically under a proposal in the state Senate aimed at paying for repairs to crumbling roads and bridges.
The legislation, introduced this week by Democratic Sen. Martin Sandoval of Chicago, would more than double the state’s gas tax to 44 cents a gallon, double the driver’s license fee to $60 and raise the vehicle regist ... more. |
A state representative from southern Illinois has resigned from the legislature to become the director of law enforcement for the state Department of Natural Resources.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday announced that he appointed Jerry Costello II to the post. The Smithton Democrat has served in the Illinois House since 2011. Pritzker says his experience as a police officer and in Operation Desert Storm &ldqu ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency plans to review new science on a number of high-profile pesticides in the coming months to support any possible decisions.
In a May 6 interview with Bloomberg Environment, Alexandra Dapolito Dunn, EPA’s assistant administrator for chemical safety and pollution prevention, said the agency won’t shy away from re-registering disputed pesticides, as long as they& ... more. |
The Mississippi River at the Quad Cities in Iowa and Illinois reached a new record high and it's disrupting efforts to move ag product on the river.
The situation is so bad the CME says it is affecting corn and soybean shipping stations. You can read the release from CME Goup here. It says the shipping stations are unable to load due to high water levels and flooding. The National Weather Service ... more. |
Dennis McTaggart of Champaign, IL passed away Tuesday at the age of 65. Dennis was the co-owner of Farmers Ag Service in Gifford and Royal, IL since 1983. Dennis was an IFCA member and had a compassion for working in the Ag retail business. Click here for his obituary IFCA would like to send our condolences to hiswife Carol.
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NH3 Emergency Response Wallet Cards
If you have a reportable quantity (RQ) release of anhydrous ammonia equal to or greater than 18 gallons/100 pounds, you have 15 minutes of knowledge of the release to contact the National Response Center, theIllinois Emergency Management Agency, your LEPC and local emergency responders (fire department, police). Every year at both spring and fall NH3 safety sch ... more. |
On March 1, 2019 the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) announced it will require Special Local Needs labels (referred to as 24(c) labels) during the 2019 growing season for the four commercial dicamba-containing products labeled for use in dicamba-resistant soybean varieties. The Special Local Needs labels include five elements, one of which is a June 30 application deadline. IDOA recognizes t ... more. |
The weather delays this spring have been a huge challenge.Our industry's commitment to stewardship is often tested when conditions make it difficult to conduct normal operations. But it is our resolve to do the right thing, even when it is difficult, that makes the IFCA organization so successful in terms of managing pesticide and nutrient policy so that we have the trust of other organization ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating insur ... more. |
The Mississippi River has reached record high levels in the area of Rock Island, Illinois, as melting heavy snowpack coupled with rain has caused widespread flooding, a national hydrologist said on Friday.
Heavy rain in the central United States brought the river’s level to a new peak of 22.7 feet at Rock Island, just topping the 1993 record of 22.63 feet, according to hydrologist Justin Palmer ... more. |
There is now a June 30 cutoff date for the herbicide which cannot be sprayed if there is a residential area immediately adjacent to the field or neighboring and it is down wind on the day you want to spray. The crop also cannot be sprayed if there is a sensitive soybean crop down wind.
“The cutoff date is just meant to bring closure to a season,” Jean Payne explains. “That ... more. |
2020 Democrat Bernie Sanders unveiled a multifaceted, comprehensive plan to help revitalize rural farming communities and break up big agriculture corporations like Bayer-Monsanto and John Deere by enacting "Roosevelt style trust-busting laws."
"Agriculture today is not working for the majority of Americans. It is not working economically for farmers, it is not working for rural commun ... more. |
The Trump administration’s trade negotiations with China return to Washington, while lawmakers look to close a long-sought, bipartisan deal on disaster aid.
President Donald Trump said Friday he’s expecting an “historic” agreement with China to be reached in the near future. Vice Premier Liu He is leading the Chinese delegation this week. On Sunday, he raised the stakes for th ... more. |
The Mississippi River at Grafton is expected to crest at 31.8 feet at 1 p.m. Monday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service’s advanced hydrologic prediction service on Saturday.
Grafton, which is 40 miles north of St. Louis, does not have flood walls or levees and Mayor Rick Eberlin said water was beginning to encroach upon City Hall, the Associated Press reported.
“We are ... more. |
On March 1, 2019 the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) announced it will require Special Local Needs labels (referred to as 24(c) labels) during the 2019 growing season for the four commercial dicamba-containing products labeled for use in dicamba-resistant soybean varieties. The Special Local Needs labels include five elements, one of which is a June 30 application deadline. IDOA recognizes t ... more. |
There are many exemptions from sales tax for products purchased for use in agricultural production. But although it is clear that farmers are exempt when purchasing seed, fertilizer and chemicals, it is always recommended by the IL Dept of Revenue that ag retailers maintain a document, signed by the farmer, that they are purchasing these items for use in their agricultural production operation.
... more. |
Wally Furrow of El Paso, IL passed away last Saturday at the age of 86. Wally had a stellar career in Illinois agriculture and was active in many agricultural endeavors. He was the owner of Sun Ag, Furrow Winery and also Furrow Trucking. He served in the 1990's as the State Director of USDA Rural Development. Wally was involved in both the IFCA and the Grain and Feed Association of Illin ... more. |
This week the Illinois Senate passed legislation to set into motion a graduated income tax for Illinois. The House of Representatives will now take up the bill. Many ag groups including IL Farm Bureau are urging opposition to this legislation. The fact sheet on the legislation and details on how to contact your state representative ishere. If you have questions about this or any other ... more. |
1929 was a busy year.
The first car radio is made, sunglasses were invented, Switzerland invented the chain saw, London installed the first public telephone booth, the first academy awards or Oscars honoring film industry achievement and Popeye sailed into comic strips.
Locally, after 2 years of construction the US 60/62 bridge opened on the Mississippi River connecting Illinois and Miss ... more. |
The smart money says that if Illinois lawmakers are going to legalize sports betting this spring, it’s going to be part of a larger gambling expansion deal that also includes new casino licenses and expanded betting options at horse tracks.
Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker did not want to squander the opportunity to bring in new state revenue through legalized sports betting, made possible by a U. ... more. |
The White House is ramping up pressure to reach a trade deal with China in the next two weeks, warning that the U.S. is prepared to walk away from the negotiations.
“It won’t go on forever,” Mick Mulvaney, President Donald Trump’s acting chief of staff, said Tuesday at an event in Los Angeles. “At some point in any negotiation you go, ‘we’re close to getting ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said on Tuesday that glyphosate, a chemical in many popular weed killers, is not a carcinogen, contradicting decisions by U.S. juries that found it caused cancer in people.
The EPA's announcement reaffirms its earlier findings about the safety of glyphosate, the key ingredient in Bayer's Roundup. The company faces thousands of lawsuits from Roundup use ... more. |
U.S. farmers have fallen about halfway behind their average corn planting pace at this time of the year.
In its Crop Progress Report on Monday, the USDA pegged U.S. corn planting at 15% complete, behind the 27% five-year average.
As of Sunday, Iowa farmers have 21% of that state’s corn crop planted vs. a 26% five-year average. Illinois farmers have 9% of their corn seeded, behind a ... more. |
The Senate has approved a graduated income-tax structure that charges a rate of 7.99 percent for the most affluent residents.
The fair tax plan would replace the current flat income tax system in place. The proposed amendment would need voter approval to move forward. If passed in the Senate and House it would appear on the 2020 ballot, according to the Illinois Policy Institute.
The pla ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture received more than 360 applications to grow and process industrial hemp in the first two days applications were accepted.
Ag director John Sullivan said in a news release Wednesday afternoon that he was “pleased” with the outcome, but not surprised, since there had been an “incredible amount” of interest from potential hemp growers and pr ... more. |
Two people remain hospitalized days after two large containers of liquid anhydrous ammonia leaked while being hauled on Green Bay Road near 29th Street in Beach Park, authorities said.
Lake County Sheriff's Sgt. Christopher Covelli said the two civilians who remain hospitalized have been upgraded from critical to serious condition and have been moved out of the intensive care unit.
The remai ... more. |
President Donald Trump said on Friday it is possible that the United States and Japan could reach a new bilateral trade deal by the time he visits Tokyo in May, but he and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe cited areas where they differ on trade.
Trump and Abe held one-on-one talks in the Oval Office prior to a White House dinner to celebrate the birthday of Trump’s wife, Melania. While making ... more. |
Bayer AG on Wednesday asked a California appellate court to throw out a $78 million judgment it was ordered to pay to a school groundskeeper who claimed the company’s weed killers gave him cancer.
In a filing in California’s Court of Appeal, First Appellate District, the company said that there was “no evidence” that glyphosate, a chemical found in the company’s Roundup ... more. |
Although glyphosate has been in use in crop fields since 1974, debate over the safety and continued use of the herbicide has never been more intense than now. And the scope of these attacks is spreading.
In reality, says Bob Reiter, Global Head of Research and Development, Crop Science Division for Bayer, glyphosate never should have been come under such fire from regulators around the world. “ ... more. |
The Trump administration resumes negotiations with China this week in pursuit of an elusive trade deal, while Congress returns from its two-week Easter recess with a long to-do list that includes a disaster aid bill that is stalled in the Senate.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will be in Beijing for a new round of negotiations that start on Tuesday. Vice ... more. |
Click Here to read IFCA's "News Under the Dome" for April. Stories in this month's newsletter include:
-Updated Key State Legislative Issues IFCA is Watching This Spring Session
-Removal of Registration and License Plates on Anhydrous Nurse Wagons & Floaters One Step Closer to Becoming Law
-IFCA Members Educate Lawmakers on Ag Input Industry at Agribusi ... more. |
Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s removal of toilets from an Astor Street mansion to gain a property tax break, a move that gained notoriety during his recent election campaign, is under review by federal prosecutors, WBEZ-FM 91.5 reported Wednesday.
The report, attributed to an unnamed “law enforcement source,” said Pritzker, his wife, M.K., and his brother-in-law, Thomas Muenster, w ... more. |
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s budget proposal, including his call for legalizing recreational marijuana, will be among the top issues Illinois state lawmakers will face when they return to the Capitol on Tuesday, following their two-week spring break.
Pritzker, a Democrat who was elected to his first term in November, came into office in January facing a backlog of unpaid bills totaling roughly $8 billi ... more. |
IFCA has provided the following bulletin late last week:
With the 2019 spring season just beginning, seven ammonia releases have already occurred in the state of Illinois. The latest incident took place yesterday in Beach Park, IL. Beach Park is roughly 50 miles north of Chicago, just near the Wisconsin border. A grower was transporting two side-by-side ammonia nurse tanks behind an ammonia tool-bar with ... more. |
With the 2019 spring season just beginning, sevenammonia releases have already occured in the state of Illinois. The latest incident took place yesterday in Beach Park, IL. Beach Park is roughly 50 miles north of Chicago, just near the Wisconsin border. A growerwas transporting two side-by-side ammonia nurse tanks behind an ammonia tool-bar with his tractor at 4:30 in the morning when the incident occur ... more. |
Gov. J.B. Pritzker is defending his proposal to address the state’s $134 billion unfunded pension liability.
Pritzker’s proposal for the coming budget restructures pension payments and pays less than what’s required in the coming years.
Despite critics, including some unions and Democrats, opposing the governor’s pension proposal seeing it as the state again kicking the can ... more. |
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, along with his wife and brother-in-law, reportedly is under federal criminal investigation for a questionable property tax appeal that has hung over him since last year’s gubernatorial race.
Pritzker – a Democrat who took office earlier this year – has been the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation since last October, although no criminal charges have b ... more. |
Click Here to read IFCA's "News Under the Dome" for April. Stories in this month's newsletter include:
-Updated Key State Legislative Issues IFCA is Watching This Spring Session
-Removal of Registration and License Plates on Anhydrous Nurse Wagons & Floaters One Step Closer to Becoming Law
-IFCA Members Educate Lawmakers on Ag Input Industry ... more. |
Illinois Department of Natural Resources Nature Preserve Commission Sites are considered "sensitive areas" for the purpose of dicamba application to soybean. Therefore it is vital that applicators identify if any of these DNR sites are located near soybean fields where Engenia, Xtendimax, FeXapan or Tavium may be applied. IFCA worked with DNR to gain access to files of these sites that you can ... more. |
The Illinois Farm Bureau has issued a state-wide Action Alert opposing SJRCA 1, the effort to establish a progressive income tax in Illinois. This legislation proposes to amend the State Constitution to mandate a progressive tax structure; it does currently specify a tax rate but the Governor's proposal is to create six different levels of income tax rates between 4.75% and 7.95%, as follows:
... more. |
A key supporter of an initiative to legalize adult recreational marijuana in Illinois said substantial bill language will be filed soon, and the issue could be one of the first discussed by state lawmakers when they return to the Statehouse from their two-week spring break next week.
In a recent interview for the Capitol News Illinois, state Sen. Heather Steans, a Chicago Democrat, said she hoped to ... more. |
A pair of bills under consideration by lawmakers in Springfield would strip the state of its authority to regulate endangered species that are protected at the federal level but that might require further protections within Illinois.
Farming advocates say the legislation would eliminate unnecessary permits, allowing landowners to focus on implementing conservation measures spelled out under federal g ... more. |
Brown Farms planted signs in their Decatur, Illinois, fields last spring. The wooden markers identifying the soybean field as non-GMO or LibertyLink were visual reminders that the crop within was sensitive to certain herbicides.
This year the farm has the option of calling on the power of digital signs, as well, said David Brown, who farms with his brother, Joe, and son, Chase.
They plan ... more. |
Brown Farms planted signs in their Decatur, Illinois, fields last spring. The wooden markers identifying the soybean field as non-GMO or LibertyLink were visual reminders that the crop within was sensitive to certain herbicides.
This year the farm has the option of calling on the power of digital signs, as well, said David Brown, who farms with his brother, Joe, and son, Chase.
They plan ... more. |
For Earth Day, the team unveiled additional steps to their Illinois Monarch Project (IMP) – an agriculture action plan that will enhance monarch preservation efforts.
The group spent over two years developing the plan, which includes adding 150 million more milkweed
Sixteen organizations and state agencies with ties to agriculture unveiled an action plan for monarch conservation as ... more. |
For anyone interested in autonomous farming, the next week or two will be an interesting time for the evolution of the science and the technology. This spring, Craig Rupp and Kyler Laird are beginning their audacious journey to plant 10,000 acres of soybeans with a single, autonomous tractor and 18-row planter.
Rupp is CEO of Sabanto Ag, the company formed in October 2018 to test the notions of new p ... more. |
A wall street credit rating agency is warning that Illinois could face another debt downgrade if lawmakers adopt Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s budget plan.
Fitch Ratings said in a news release Tuesday that the plan Pritzker presented last week “would not materially address the state’s structural budget issues in the current fiscal year or the next.” The warning comes four days after S& ... more. |
While members of the General Assembly debate allowing recreational marijuana in Illinois, the state’s Department of Agriculture is preparing for legalization.
The department has asked for $8 million for the costs of regulating the cannabis industry, should lawmakers move ahead with to make drug legal for adults.
“We don’t know what the final bill would look like,” ... more. |
On Thursday, the International Trade Commission released its assessment of the projected economic impact of USMCA, President Trump's proposed replacement for NAFTA. The report shows the new deal is projected to boost the U.S. economy by .35% when fully implemented. The ITC’s findings are likely to further fuel the trade debate as USMCA makes its way through Congress.
Click Here to read more ... more. |
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday signed legislation barring local governments from establishing what is known as right-to-work zones.
The bill prohibits laws barring employers and labor organizations from signing contracts that require workers to join unions or pay dues.
“From the start, right-to-work was an idea cooked up to lower wages, slash benefits and hurt our working families. Right-to-wo ... more. |
Bayer said on Friday it would comply with a U.S. federal judge's order to enter mediation with a plaintiff who claims the company failed to warn against an alleged cancer risk from its Roundup weedkiller.
Bayer has seen billions wiped off its market value since August, when a first U.S. jury found Bayer liable because Monsanto, acquired by Bayer for $63 billion last year, had not warned of the alleged ... more. |
Guidelines for growing hemp in Illinois, which were created by the state department of ag, have been approved.
Jeff cox with the department says the rules were approved without objection by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules during a hearing on Tuesday and they will now be filed with the Secretary of State.
He says upon acceptance the rules will take effect and the department will begin a ... more. |
The Ohio Attorney General filed a motion in the Drewes Farm Partnership v. City of Toledo case seeking to intervene as a plaintiff alongside the Drewes Farm Partnership. The motion argues that the state of Ohio has a significant interest in the protection of Lake Erie, along with a significant interest in supporting Ohio’s agricultural, environmental, and natural resources laws.
The motion further ar ... more. |
Gov. J.B. Pritzker tried marijuana himself, “a long time ago.”
But it won’t be long before Illinois residents are able to smoke it legally, if the freshman governor gets his way.
The Chicago Democrat hopes to get a recreational marijuana bill passed before the end of the spring legislative session as part of an ambitious first year plan.
“I think the bill that will ... more. |
We want you to have a good understanding of how to approach the grocery aisle when making your fruit and vegetable purchases. If you are buying organic because you think there were no pesticides used throughout the farming process—think again! If you want to tighten the purse strings on your grocery budget and buy conventional, don’t sweat it! There are a lot of reasons why you don’t need to be st ... more. |
Senate appropriators had trade woes and the promise of industrial hemp on their minds Thursday as they sought assurances from Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue of better times for farmers in their states.
Perdue testified before the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee on the president’s $15.7 billion request for discretionary funding for the Agriculture Department. The request is more tha ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has rejected a petition filed by environmental groups that asked the agency to withdraw the Iowa Department of Natural Resources' authority to manage a program designed to limit water pollution.
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, the Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club and the Environmental Integrity Project filed a petition in 2007 asking for tougher fines, p ... more. |
As farmers approach spring planting season, they have a new resource to help with compliance of dicamba label requirements that stipulate a downwind buffer adjacent to nature preserves.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) has added a section to their Natural Resources Awareness Tool for Applicators map for nature preserves. Visit bit.ly/ChemicalDriftAwareness and click on “INPC Sites ... more. |
The nation's state pesticide regulators are fighting back after EPA's recent announcement that it is considering limiting states' ability to place additional restrictions on federal pesticides.
Rose Kachadoorian, president of the Association of American Pesticide Control Officials (AAPCO) and an Oregon pesticide regulator, and Leo Reed, an Indiana pesticide regulator, penned a letter urging EPA ... more. |
China's approval process for biotech crops is beset by regulatory hurdles and delays that have cost U.S. companies billions of dollars and added to challenges for American farmers.
Industry groups and members of Congress have been urging the Trump administration to press China to make its regulatory process for approving agricultural biotech products more transparent and timely.
High-level tal ... more. |
BASF Hosting Additional Dicamba-Specific Webinar Training
Asin-classroom, label-required dicamba trainingwrapsup and the new growing season approaches, you may find that yourself or one of your employees still has not gone through training. With this thought in mind, BASF has scheduled three additionaldicamba-specific webinar trainings for those who have not yet attended trainin ... more. |
On November 2015 USEPA revised the worker protection standards to implement more protection for agricultural workers and pesticide handlers. Most of the revised WPS standards became effective on January 2018. The WPS requires commercial pesticide handler employers to provide specific information and protections to workers, handlers when WPS-labeled pesticide products are used on agricultural establishment ... more. |
During the February 28 opening evening of the 2019 Commodity Classic show in Orlando, FL, The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) acknowledged five pairs of growers and ag retailers as 4R Advocates for the upcoming growing season. Now in its eighth year, the 4R Advocate Program has recognized more than 80 growers/ag retailers, farming more than 176,000 acres in 20 states.
“Farmers rely on trusted retail ... more. |
The Agriculture Department this week releases the eagerly anticipated 2017 Census of Agriculture, which will provide fresh clues to consolidation trends in farming and measure the growth of small-scale and urban production and beginning farmers.
Thursday’s scheduled release of the census, which is conducted every five years, was delayed because of the 35-day government shutdown that started in ... more. |
When a new study reported that legal marijuana could have dire circumstances for the Midwest, it marked the latest in an onslaught of public relations attempts to affect the outcome of the legalization debate in Illinois.
On one side, the cannabis industry, investors, social justice advocates, and mostly Democratic lawmakers are calling for an end to what they consider a destructive war against a rel ... more. |
5G has the potential to disrupt a huge number of industries, including one of the world's oldest: Farming.
Next-generation 5G networks can be 100 times faster than 4G, making communication between devices and servers much quicker. 5G can also carry much more data than other networks.
That makes the technology ideal for transmitting information from remote sensors and drones, key tool ... more. |
A new report sees few reasons for optimism in the U.S. agricultural sector, pointing to the global slowdown impacting demand, the continued trade war with China and flooding in the nation’s farm belt.
“U.S. agriculture will face challenges in 2019 as slowing domestic and global economic growth rates, trade talks continue and weather casts uncertainty in the short- and long-term markets, & ... more. |
Although glyphosate has been in use in crop fields since 1974, debate over the safety and continued use of the herbicide has never been more intense than now. And the scope of these attacks is spreading.
In reality, says Bob Reiter, Global Head of Research and Development, Crop Science Division for Bayer, glyphosate never should have been come under such fire from regulators around the world. “ ... more. |
Oregon lawmakers heard testimony Tuesday on a set of bills that would restrict pesticide use in an attempt to protect both humans and the insects that pollinate our crops.
House Bill 3058 and Senate Bill 853, nearly identical, would ban all uses of the insecticide known as chlorpyrifos within Oregon. The bills also would add a commonly used group of insecticides, known as neonicotinoids, to a list of ... more. |
While the grandstands are still empty at Fairmount Park, horses, with riders mounted, gallop around the dirt track, which is muddy from the previous night’s rain.
There are about 475 horses that train at any one time at the racetrack as they get ready for the 2019 season that starts on April 16. By opening day, 600 to 700 horses will be registered at the racetrack before reaching the 900-horse ... more. |
U.S. and Chinese negotiators wrapped up their latest round of trade talks on Friday and were scheduled to resume discussions next week to try to secure a pact that would end a tit-for-tat tariff battle that has roiled global markets.
The two sides offered few details of the progress as Chinese Vice Premier Liu He concluded three days of meetings with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Tr ... more. |
Last week, Dan Schaefer, IFCA's Director of Nutrient Stewardship, was honored as the 2018 Ag Leader of the Year at a banquet hosted by the Champaign News Gazette. Dan was nominated by a committee of Champaign County farmers who have previously won this award. Dan is the first non-farmer to earn this recognition. The committee of farmers selected him to recognize the leadership he has provided ... more. |
Dicamba Training:Last week was the end of classroom training for dicamba label training in Illinois. Anyone who still needs training is nowlimited to the on-line training being offered by Bayer and BASF. The links to the training websites are listed at http://www.ifca.com/illinoisdicambatraining.These on-line training programs are also a great refresher if you took the trai ... more. |
The University of Illinois has published a detailed guidance bulletin on spring nitrogen management, available both on FarmDocand by clicking here. With so many delays this spring, management of N will be very important to ensure agronomic return as well as protection of the environment. Nitrate levels in several of the central Illinois drinking water supply lakes are already above 5 ppm which is ... more. |
KJ Johnson, IFCA's Director of Government & Industry Relations, has been doing a great job for IFCA at the State Capitol this year. With over 6,000 bills introduced, it hasn't been easy! Thanks to KJ, a bill is advancing in both the Illinois House and Senate to remove the license plates on fertilizer trailers and floaters/sprayers. As you may know, all fertilizer trailers have been req ... more. |
The fall of 2018 and so far in 2019, there have been limited opportunities to apply nitrogen fertilizer. Average rainfall through the first 25 days of March ranged from a little less than normal in the northern half of Illinois to an inch or more above normal in south-central Illinois. But temperatures have averaged 3 to 4 degrees below normal, which slowed drying. There were several days in the first week of Mar ... more. |
The U.S.-China trade negotiations return to Washington this week amid signs of progress, while Senate Republicans seek to move forward with a long-stalled package of disaster aid eagerly awaited by a growing list of farmers.
Beijing’s official news agency, Xinhua, reported Friday that U.S. and Chinese negotiators were studying the text of a possible final agreement after talks last week that in ... more. |
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs says he wants American tariffs on Canadian exports of steel and aluminium products removed as soon as possible so that a revised North American trade deal can be ratified.
In an exclusive interview with iPolitics on Wednesday, Ted McKinney said he personally wants the tariffs removed and knows there a ... more. |
“Our lawsuit is holding the state to a higher standard — for us, for our kids and our grandkids,” he said.
Kirk Leeds, CEO of the Iowa Soybean Association, said his group is disappointed "another potentially divisive lawsuit is being filed by those opposed to agriculture in Iowa."
"Lawsuits do absolutely nothing to improve water quality in this state,&quo ... more. |
It’s on to the full House for a measure that would give local governments the ability to assess their own gas tax of up to 3 cents a gallon.
House Bill 102 had already been approved by the House Revenue and Finance Committee. An amendment to allow local government to tack on up to 3 cents a gallon to the state’s current 19 cents a gallon was approved in committee Thursday.
&l ... more. |
Democratic lawmakers said Thursday the only alternatives to a graduated income tax the state has are to make cuts across the board, including to schools and social services, or raise the income tax by 20 percent on everyone.
Sen. Don Harmon, an Oak Park Democrat, said over the next several weeks, lawmakers will begin moving a resolution through the House and Senate to put a referendum on the ballot i ... more. |
With renewed attention to implementation and regulation, new plant breeding technologies such as gene editing could make an important contribution to global food security, say a group of plant geneticists and economists.
The authors, from several institutions including the University of Liege, Belgium, and the National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Pakistan, catalogue several n ... more. |
Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said Wednesday that the administration “has learned from the past” that it should consult with Congress before proposing an infrastructure plan, but stopped short of saying when consultations would start.
Appearing before the Senate’s Transportation-HUD appropriations subcommittee, Chao indicated there could be support from the White House for hi ... more. |
The number of people impacted by flooding across the Midwest continues to branch out as logistical issues surface.
Feed and ethanol shipments stalled in recent weeks across Iowa and Nebraska, forcing some plants to shut down or reduce output. An estimated 20 percent of the nation’s ethanol production was impacted by the flooding.
Crop shipments also slowed down the Mississippi Rive ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is publishing a list of 40 chemicals to begin the prioritization process - the initial step in reviewing chemicals in commerce under the amended Toxic Substances Control Act.
"EPA continues to demonstrate its commitment to the successful and timely implementation of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act," said EPA Administrator A ... more. |
A majority of the Illinois House of Representatives has indicated its support of a resolution to slow down legalization of recreational marijuana in the state.
Sixty of the 118 members of the House have signed on as co-sponsors of a resolution to slow legalization to give more time to consider the societal impact of and data from other states.
Rep. Grant Wehrli, a Republican from Napervi ... more. |
U.S. negotiators head to China this week to resume face-to-face trade talks, and the Senate is expected to consider a long-stalled disaster aid bill amid demands to expand it to include assistance for losses from the Midwest flooding.
Also this week, a committee of scientific advisers assigned to develop recommendations for revising the federal dietary guidelines will hold its first meeting on Thursd ... more. |
A bill introduced this week in the State Senate would double the Illinois gas tax, from 19 cents to 38 cents per gallon, and hike vehicle registration fees to pay for repairs to roads, bridges and transit systems.
Senate Bill 103, proposed on Wednesday by Sen.Martin Sandoval, D-Chicago, could create almost $2 billion in additional revenue annually. The bill also proposes increasing driver’s license ... more. |
In an effort to kick-start discussions on legal sports betting in Illinois, state Rep. Mike Zalewski has filed four different proposals.
The Riverside Democrat said the proposals will be discussed at a hearing of the House Revenue Committee next week.
“What we have learned the last few months is there is great interest and agreement in the gaming industry to bring sports betting and its econ ... more. |
After months of denials and vague language, EPA has confirmed it is considering limiting the ability of states to restrict pesticide use beyond the federal label.
State regulators are expressing alarm at this development, particularly those dealing with widespread dicamba injury, which appears to be the catalyst for EPA's announcement.
At issue is Section 24(c) of the Federal Insecti ... more. |
Part of the enjoyment of eating food is knowing that it’s safe. Governments and farmers around the world help ensure the safety of food crops. This includes regulating pesticides and ensuring their responsible use. Traces of pesticides that can remain on food crops at harvest time are called residues. They are strictly regulated.
Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) are a trading standard and a measur ... more. |
Please join the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association, Grain and Feed Association of Illinois, and the Illinois Seed Trade Association for its annual "Illinois Agribusiness Breakfast and Legislative Update" at the Sangamo Club on Thursday March 21 at 7:30am, with a short discussion at 7:45am. There arestill a handful of seats still available. If you would like to attend, please RS ... more. |
Illinois farmers and pesticide applicators may start using a new online sensitive crop registry the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) now requires for dicamba applications.
Stephanie Regagnon, president of FieldWatch Inc., told FarmWeek the company’s CropCheck platform for Illinois is operational. This year, FieldWatch is extending its sensitive crop pilot program to Illinois, Indiana and North Car ... more. |
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he was in no rush to complete a trade pact with China and insisted that any deal include protection for intellectual property, a major sticking point between the two sides during months of negotiations.
Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping had been expected to hold a summit at the president's Mar-a-Lago property in Florida later this month, but no d ... more. |
China isn't the only trade issue Washington D.C. is working on too.
At some point this year, Congress is expected to vote on the USMCA agreement between the United States, Mexico and Canada. The agreement still needs an up or down vote from both chambers of Congress.
“In terms of votes within the caucus, I can’t tell you,” said House Ag. Committee Chairman, Collin P ... more. |
Along with it, the agency has received some flak from farmers about potential controversial waterway rules like Waters of the United States (WOTUS). Then, there’s an argument across farm country about the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). It’s a standard which now has oversight under the EPA when it comes to the amount of biofuels blended, Renewable Identification Numbers (RINS) and potential waivers to ... more. |
General Mills, ADM, Cargill, McDonald’s, and The Nature Conservancy are among 10 companies and nonprofit organizations that are forming a national market by 2022 to incentivize the adoption of farming practices that build soil carbon and improve water conservation.
Talks for the Ecosystem Services Market Consortium were convened two years ago by the Noble Research Institute, which has c ... more. |
A lawsuit has been filed against the Lake Erie Bill of Rights not even a day after it passed.
The Lake Erie Bill of Rights was approved by voters on Tuesday, giving citizens the right to sue on behalf of Lake Erie.
The Drewes Farms from Custar in Wood County filed it in federal court in Toledo on Wednesday morning.
"While this is one very brave farmer taking action, how ... more. |
Illinois lawmakers are sending Gov. J.B. Pritzker a bill that would raise the legal age for buying tobacco and vaping products from 18 to 21 statewide, hoping the Democrat will put his signature on legislation his predecessor vetoed last year.
The Illinois Senate on Thursday voted 39-16 to approve the measure, which also would do away with penalties for underage possession of cigarettes, cigars, chew ... more. |
Before the spring legislative session is over, Illinois residents might find it pays -- literally -- to hang onto those bags you get in the store.
That’s because the General Assembly is debating bills that would put a tax on the bags that stores put your groceries and other merchandise in as you check out.
The proposals vary. Gov. J.B. Pritzker called for a 5-cents per bag tax, but ... more. |
This week, the Illinois Department of Agriculture is mailing a postcard to every licensed private and commercial applicator, and every licensed pesticide dealer, to officially inform them of the new label requirements for using Xtendimax, Engenia and FeXapan on soybean in Illinois in 2019. A violation of these new label provisions, including the June 30, 2019 application cut-off date, will be considered a vio ... more. |
If you are an interstate motor carrier and have motorized commercial vehicles that cross state lines, you must register and pay the Uniform Carrier Registration Fee. The fee is based upon the number of vehicles that operate in interstate commerce. To register, go tohttps://icc.illinois.gov/motorcarrier/ucr.aspxThis website also has a handbook you can download that explains the UCR.&nbs ... more. |
Please join the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association, Grain and Feed Association of Illinois, and the Illinois Seed Trade Association for it's annual "Illinois Agribusiness Breakfast and Legislative Update" at the Sangamo Club on Thursday March 21 at 7:30am, with a short discussion at 7:45am. There is still a handful of seats still available. If you would like to attend, please RSV ... more. |
Please join the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association, Grain and Feed Association of Illinois, and the Illinois Seed Trade Association for it's annual "Illinois Agribusiness Breakfast and Lesislative Update" at the Sangamo Club on Thursday March 21th at 7:30am, with a short discussion at 7:45am. All IFCA members are welcome to join. If you would like to attend, please RSVP to Leslie ... more. |
Illinois taxpayers are reacting to Governor JB Pritzker's graduated income tax plan, which would raise taxes on the rich to fix the state's budget problems.
As the corned beef is dished up at Manny's Deli Friday, customers are dishing out their opinions about Pritzker's state income tax plan. Two men had a friendly argument over whether the proposed graduated income tax is better than ... more. |
Click Here to read IFCA's "News Under the Dome" for March. Stories in this month's newsletter:
-IFCA Heads to the Hill.
-Key State Legislative Issues IFCA is Watching this Spring Session.
-Illinois Department of Ag Announces Special Local Needs Dicamba Labels.
-Rep. Hammond and Rep. Costello Recieve IFCA/AG-SOLVE "Friend of Agrculture" Award.
-Illinois Gov. Sigs Bill Raising ... more. |
US President Donald Trump has asked China to "immediately" lift all tariffs on US agricultural products.
In a tweet, the president said he made the request because "we are moving along nicely with Trade discussions".
Mr Trump has delayed tariffs scheduled for 1 March on Chinese goods due to progress in talks.
He has long complained about the country's ... more. |
The Illinois legislature’s financial forecasters said Tuesday they expect the state to fall about $184 million short of the revenue needed to pay for this year’s state budget.
At the same time, the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability warned the state’s economy will likely see a slowdown in 2020 which could exacerbate the state’s financial problems.
... more. |
Fearing that the government wasn’t doing enough to protect the health of Lake Erie, voters in Toledo, Ohio passed legislation that grants the lake, the 11th largest in the world, some of the same rights as a person – effectively allowing citizens to sue on behalf of the lake when it’s being polluted.
Last week, voters in Toledo approved a measure granting Lake Erie some of the same ... more. |
The loss of two congressional seats and billions of dollars in federal funding are only two of the problems facing Illinois if it cannot get all of its residents to respond to the 2020 census.
Although the official count does not start for another year, the federal government and state and local governments are ramping up their efforts to make the next census as accurate as possible.
Act ... more. |
On March 8, 2019, President Trump signed S. 483, the “Pesticide Registration Improvement Extension Act of 2018,” which reauthorizes the Pesticide Registration Improvement Extension Act (PRIA 4) through fiscal year 2023, updates the fee collection provisions and authorities available under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and addresses worker protection matters. The t ... more. |
After much anticipation, Congress passed and President Trump signed a new Farm Bill just before the holiday season, giving a Christmas gift to growers and the agriculture industry. While much of the news is rightfully focused on the benefits for growers, The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) is pleased the legislation also provides incentives to ag retailers and their grower-customers to implement 4R Nutrient Stewardshi ... more. |
State pesticide regulators are responsible for overseeing a lot of chemicals, but some expect to police only one this year -- dicamba.
"So many resources are dedicated to dicamba that it has made my program a one-issue program," said Tim Creger, a pesticide regulator with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture. As his agency has spent the past two years investigating roughly 200 complaint ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Transportation was one among a variety of related local and state groups to talk about its funding needs for Illinois’ next major capital bill, which some lawmakers say they want by the end of the legislative session.
These discussions took place in a House subcommittee on capital needs Thursday morning, one of many gatherings held recently where all industries relyin ... more. |
Dr. Bill Simmons (Emeritus Professor, UI Crop Sciences) will provide training to prepare you for the field crops exam, covering all categories on the exam. Registration begins at 8:30 am with class running from 9:00 am to Noon. At 1:00 pm, the Illinois Department of Agriculture will be present at the Agricenter to provide testing in field crops, general standards, and all categories. Anyone can sh ... more. |
Click Here to read IFCA's "News Under the Dome" for March. Stories in this month's newsletter:
-IFCA Heads to the Hill.
-Key State Legislative Issues IFCA is Watching this Spring Session.
-Illinois Department of Ag Announces Special Local Needs Dicamba Labels.
-Rep. Hammond and Rep. Costello Recieve IFCA/AG-SOLVE "Friend of Agrculture" Award.
-Illinois Gov. Sigs Bill ... more. |
Click Here to read more.
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US President Donald Trump has asked China to "immediately" lift all tariffs on US agricultural products.
In a tweet, the president said he made the request because "we are moving along nicely with Trade discussions".
Mr Trump has delayed tariffs scheduled for 1 March on Chinese goods due to progress in talks.
He has long complained about the country's ... more. |
Gov J.B. Pritzker is counting on $200 million in licensing fees from legalized sports wagering to help plug a $3.2 billion hole in next year’s state budget.
But years of failed efforts to expand gambling in Illinois suggest his plan is no sure thing.
In his first budget address Wednesday, the new Democratic governor acknowledged the issue’s history, calling on lawmakers to se ... more. |
With President Donald Trump having dropped the threat of expanded tariffs for now, U.S. and Chinese negotiators continue work on details of an agreement that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping could potentially seal later this month in Florida.
“I’m feeling more optimistic,” Ted McKinney, USDA’s undersecretary for trade, said this weekend in an interview with Agri-Pulse in ... more. |
The state of Illinois can expect to see moderate economic growth in the upcoming fiscal year that will lead to higher tax receipts for the state. But there are warning signs on the national horizon that could signal an economic downturn in 2021.
That was the message Thursday from Marty Johnson, the acting chief economist at the Illinois Department of Revenue, who briefed House committee members on wh ... more. |
As about 20 senators from a couple of Senate committees looked on recently, Matt Magalis, acting secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation, tried to lay out some of the state’s backlogged transportation needs.
The state needs $13 billion to $15 billion over 10 years just for maintenance of existing roads. That doesn’t include additional roads or traffic lanes needed to move a ... more. |
The only remaining evidence of the Scioto madtom’s existence floats in jars of ethanol tucked in the bowels of a squat warehouse in Ohio. Extracted from its jar, a madtom carcass, with its pale flesh and dull bluish eyes, looks more like a pinky-sized ghost than a venomous, bottom-feeding catfish.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature, which organizes the international species list ... more. |
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate will vote before August on a Green New Deal resolution authored by progressive Democrats.
“I’ve been reading with some amusement that our friends on the other side appear reluctant to vote on the Green New Deal,” McConnell said Tuesday, referring to the resolution freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Ed Marke ... more. |
“This is a critical year for CRISPR,” says Rodolphe Barrangou, a “CRISPR pioneer” and one of the scientists who first identified the bacteria in yogurt as a researcher for Danisco in 2007. He now leads the CRISPR lab at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. “We know it works. We know it’s real.” Now, says Barrangou, the technology’s success depends on whether ... more. |
The Senate confirmed Andrew Wheeler as EPA’s fifteenth administrator Thursday, cementing the authority of one of President Donald Trump’s most effective and prolific de-regulators.
He was confirmed by a vote of 52-47. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Me.) was the only Republican to vote against him; no Democrats voted for him. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) did not vote.
Wheeler, a forme ... more. |
Click Hereto read February edition of IFCA's "News Under the Dome". In this month's edition, IFCA gives an update on winter fly-in to DC, Gov. Pritzer signs $15 minimum wage increase,
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There are several training opportunities available for our members, to help you prepare you for spring 2019. They are:
IFCA & IDA Anhydrous Ammonia Training: Classes begin this week, with the first class in Marion tomorrow (Feb 26). There are still openings in many of the classes in order for you to receive your Competent Attendant Certification to safely handle anhydrous ammonia. ... more. |
The bad news is that many locks and dams in Illinois are in need of serious repair. The good news is that there is a plan to get this done, finally! The bad news is that in order to truly repair the locks, the US Army Corps of Engineers is going to have to shut down the Illinois River From July 1 through October 30, 2020 2020 in order to complete significant repairs to many of the locks. During th ... more. |
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue heads to Capitol Hill this week to face lawmakers eager to hear about progress on the Trump administration’s trade disputes and implementation of the farm bill.
President Donald Trump, meanwhile, says he's nearing a deal to settle his trade dispute with China after the latest round of negotiations continued into the weekend. He announced Sunday that he was ... more. |
A key trial concerning the controversial weed killer Roundup — a trade name for glyphosate — begins Monday in San Francisco. At issue is whether or not Roundup and Monsanto are responsible for a Californian man's cancer.
The maker of the controversial herbicide Roundup, Bayer's Monsanto, goes on trial again on Monday in the United States, six months after a groundskeeper won the f ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) has announced the release of its 2018 State of the Fertilizer Industry report. The report, which documents industry stewardship and sustainability quantifies fertilizer manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers’ performance record on environmental, economic and social indicators. The report also documents the fertilizer industry’s contribution to meeting the following Uni ... more. |
The Arkansas State Plant Board on Wednesday adopted a plan to allow restricted use of dicamba in 2019 through May 25.
The proposed new rule is applicable to all current (Engenia, Fexapan, and Xtendimax) and future dicamba products registered for in-crop use in Arkansas. According to a statement from the State Plant Board, changes regarding dicamba use in the proposed rule include:
• ... more. |
Acting Agriculture Director John Sullivan said the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) will announce a state restriction on dicamba use, possibly by Feb. 28.
Speaking to the Illinois Farm Bureau Governmental Affairs Leadership Conference Tuesday, Sullivan stressed action is needed to reduce pesticide misuse complaints that reached about 550 in 2018.
IDOA is considering a cut-off da ... more. |
President Donald Trump says he will extend a deadline to escalate tariffs on Chinese imports, citing "substantial progress" in weekend talks between the two countries.
Trump tweeted Sunday that there had been "productive talks," adding that "I will be delaying the U.S. increase in tariffs now scheduled for March 1."
Trump says that if negotiations progress, ... more. |
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) signed a bill into law Tuesday to raise the state's minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025.
Pritzker ousted former Gov. Bruce Rauner (R) in November and campaigned on raising the minimum wage.
The state's minimum wage is currently $8.25 an hour. It will rise to $9.25 an hour on Jan. 1, 2020, then to $10 an hour that July. After that the minimum wage w ... more. |
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Thursday he will press the General Assembly to approve a graduated income tax before it adjourns in May — with both a constitutional amendment to put before voters and companion legislation setting forth the new tax rates.
Pritzker’s ambitious timetable would set the stage for an immediate political showdown in the legislature to be followed by a protracted 17-mont ... more. |
A bill that would test a mileage tax for vehicles driving on state roads has been tabled, but that doesn't mean it's dead.
Chicago Democrat Marcus Evans last week filed House Bill 2864, establishing a pilot program for a 2.1-cent tax on every mile a vehicle is driven on state roads.
But Evans tabled the bill Tuesday, saying he wanted to send the message that he's not going to bring i ... more. |
New Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker proposed a budget Wednesday that relies partly on tax revenues from two industries that currently aren't even legal in the state, which is saddled with billions of dollars in pension obligations and other debts.
Pritzker's $39 billion proposal includes more than $1 billion from legalizing recreational marijuana and sports betting, while also imposing a tax on i ... more. |
IFCA has been working with the Illinois Department of Agriculture, the registrants, UI and thefarm organizations on proactive measures to ensure successfuldicamba application in 2019, and toreduce the number of misuse complaints. That is vital to the future use of this product in Illinois. IDA Director John Sullivan, who addressed the dicamba issue at the IFCA convention last month, sh ... more. |
To ensure our members have one more opportunity to get their applicators properly certified to apply dicamba to soybean in 2019, we are offering a Field Crop training clinic at the Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington on March 11. Dr. Bill Simmons (Emeritus Professor UI Crop Sciences) will teach the class.
The training will begin at 9:00 am, we will have lunch at noon, and the IL Dept of ... more. |
As March 1 nears, be sure to submit your annual Tier 2 chemical inventory reports to IEMA and your annual Pesticide Producing Establishment reports to to USEPA prior to the March 1 deadline. If you have questions please contact IFCA.
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Online registration for the 2019 Field Crop Training is now closed.
Walk-in registrants are welcome. Please register at the door.
Questions about registration? Please contact Leslie Forrest at leslief@ifca.com or (309) 827-2774.
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The final University of Illinois field crop training clinic was this past Monday in Champaign. IFCA recognizes that a need may still remain for those who are seeking additional opportunities for training and testing in order to apply dicamba to soybean in 2019.
On Monday, March 11, Dr. Bill Simmons (Emeritus Professor, UI) will teach a field crop training class for IFCA members at th ... more. |
This past week, Bayer, BASF and Corteva made on-line training modules available to fulfill the requirement for dicamba training prior to the 2019 application season.
IFCA recommends that our members and farmers attend classroom training as their first option, and consider the on-line training as a good refresher to take just prior to the start of season. It is extremely important that we REDUCE t ... more. |
On March 1 at 8:30 am Central Time, Dr. Emerson Nafziger will provide a one hour webinar entitled "Meeting the Challenges of Spring Fertilizer Management." IFCA organized the webinar and extends thanks to GROWMARK for hosting. Dr. Nafziger will discuss the results of 2018 research that provides an insight into proper management of nitrogen, P & K and starter fertilizer for the 2019 crop ye ... more. |
About one-third of the 18,000 licensed private and commercial applicators have completed the mandatory annual dicamba training so far.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved late last year the continued use of dicamba on soybeans for 2019 and 2020 with the annual applicators’ training requirement in place. Applicators using dicamba were also required to enroll in the training last ye ... more. |
With Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s first budget speech less than two weeks away, the Pritzker administration said the state’s financial problems are worse than expected.
In a report released Friday, former comptroller and now deputy governor Dan Hynes said the state’s budget deficit next year will hit $3.2 billion unless steps are taken to bring it under control.
The administrat ... more. |
President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping were scheduled to meet later this month. However, CNBC reports the two leaders meeting before the March 2 trade deal deadline is “highly unlikely.”
According to a senior administration official, the presidents are still planning to meet but there’s “too much work to do” in too short of a time period to flesh out a deal wit ... more. |
Congressional negotiators are trying to close a deal that could increase border security funding while funding USDA, FDA and other agencies important to agriculture for the rest of fiscal 2019 and provide disaster aid for farmers hit by the 2018 hurricanes.
Biodiesel producers also have been lobbying hard to include in the deal an extension of the industry’s expired $1-a-gallon tax credit.
& ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) President & CEO Chris Jahn and Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) President & CEO Daren Coppock today highlighted ongoing efforts by the fertilizer and ag retail industries to enhance workplace and community safety while formalizing an alliance between TFI, ARA, and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The alliance ... more. |
A new technique is sneaking in our lives, potentially changing the foods we eat every day. From growing resilient crops, to boosting flavor to tackling allergens like gluten, gene-edited food brings to the table a new opportunity to improve health and pleasure, as well as fight climate change. And, most importantly, many scientists say they’re working only with nature’s own tools. Given the impressive ... more. |
Since the 1930s, policymakers have known that rural communications is a “market failure” — something that happens when private companies cannot or will not provide a socially desirable good because of a lack of return on investment. At that time, electricity and telephone companies were simply unwilling to enter rural America: The population was too sparse and the geography too vast. As a result ... more. |
On a party line vote, the Illinois Senate Thursday approved raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025.
The bill now goes to the House, where the lead sponsor said he thinks the wage increase can pass without further changes.
“I have spoken with colleagues on both sides of the aisle. I feel very confident we will pass (the bill) as the Senate passed it,” said Rep. Will G ... more. |
Once every three years, everyone who works in our industry and is involved in making or breaking any ammonia connections, either at the storage tank, nurse tank or toolbars, must be certified by IDA as a competent attendant. IFCA and IDA are offering many classes beginning later this month to provide this certification training. To see the list of classes and to register on-line, click here. You c ... more. |
Last week at the IFCA show the temperatures were well below zero but the attendance at the IFCA convention was awesome! Thanks to all of our members (1,283) who came out to support IFCA and to visit with our exhibitors and colleagues within the industry. Attendance exceeded last year's numbers despite the record cold. We have posted all of the presentations from the convention on our website, ... more. |
The last opportunity to attend training for the field crop exam is February 11 at the Illinois Conference Center in Champaign. The February 7 class in Jacksonville is full. Please go to https://web.extension.illinois.edu/psep/index.php to register for the class. Our industry has done a tremedous job of getting their operators licensed as applicators to apply dicamba to soybean in 2019. If yo ... more. |
The first week on the job can be tough and even overwhelming for anyone. That’s certainly true for Schuyler County farmer John Sullivan in his first week as Illinois agriculture director, but for someone who loves the industry as much as he does, it was a welcome opportunity to roll up his sleeves and get to work.
Sullivan has already met with several groups and attended two major ag events, th ... more. |
Marijuana “bars” would be prohibited, and teenagers caught driving under the influence of marijuana would lose their licenses, a Springfield audience was told Monday night by lawmakers crafting a bill to allow recreational use of cannabis in Illinois.
Hearing those details pleased state Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, whose town hall-style meeting on the issue attracted close to 100 p ... more. |
As it considers raising its minimum wage to $15 an hour, Illinois has a few examples to follow.
Last Wednesday, the Illinois Senate Labor Committee had a hearing on raising Illinois’ minimum wage from $8.25 to $15. There is no agreement on how long the transition would take, or if it should be done uniformly statewide.
Legislation could be sent to the Senate floor as early as Wedne ... more. |
For experienced applicators looking for a refresher course, AGCO Corporation and Asmark Institute have partnered to offer a training program. The next offering of this training is Feb. 12 to 13 at the Applicator Training Center in Bloomington, Ill., and registration is still open.
The comprehensive, two-day course will cover these eight topics:
•reducing or eliminating off-target applications ... more. |
In life, a lot can change in five years. Children can graduate from college, car loans can be paid off, and babies can grow into toddlers.
For ag retailers, the past five years have also seen their share of changes. Primarily, however, commodity prices have remained stubbornly low, net farmer income has dropped, and once-regular agricultural export demand from countries such as China has been brought ... more. |
Paul Schrimpf and Eric Sfiligoj give a shout-out to birthday boy Dick Meister and review their times at the North Dakota Precision Ag Summit and the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association annual meeting.
Click Here to read more.
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Assistant House Minority Leader Norine K. Hammond (R-Macomb) attended the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association’s (IFCA) Convention in Peoria Wednesday.
Assistant House Minority Leader Norine K. Hammond (R-Macomb) attended the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association’s (IFCA) Convention in Peoria Wednesday.
She spoke to members and was later recognized fo ... more. |
Chinese state-owned firms bought at least 1 million tonnes of U.S. soybeans on Friday, a day after high-level bilateral talks yielded progress toward a trade deal and a Chinese commitment to buy more U.S. soybeans.
The purchases are slated for shipment between April and July, with a large share expected from U.S. Gulf Coast export terminals, three traders with knowledge of the deals said.
... more. |
President Donald Trump makes his case to the nation this week for his trade and immigration policies, while Senate Republicans look to advance Anthony Wheeler’s nomination to be administrator of the EPA.
Also this week, House Democrats will launch a series of hearings intended to focus on their policy priorities, including addressing climate change.
Trump’s state of the union message ... more. |
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday signed an executive order for Illinois to join the U.S. Climate Alliance, meaning the state will agree to advance the goals of the Paris Agreement.
The United States signed onto the Paris Agreement, a treaty that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in 2016. President Donald Trump withdrew from it in June 2017, saying the pact would hurt the U.S. economy. In respon ... more. |
There are only two remaining opportunities to attend field crop (FC)training: on January 29 at the IFCA Convention in Peoria, and on February 11 at the Illinois Conference Center in Champaign. The class in Jacksonville on February 7 is full.
We have over 200 scheduled to attend FC training at the IFCA convention on Tuesday, but we can still take more. With the frigid ... more. |
IFCA helped implement nearly 50 nitrogen rate trials throughout Illinois in the 2018 crop year. Dr. Emerson Nafziger provided a short and informative summary of the results, click here. All of these results will update the Illinois Nitrogen Rate Calculator. The trial results were unique this year especially in Southern Illinois, so please take a look as youhelp your customers plan for 2019.& ... more. |
As is often the case, the IFCA convention coincides with cold weather, but all the more reason to come indoors to the Peoria Civic Center and enjoy warm hospitality at the IFCA convention. On-line registration is now closed but you can register at the door during the show, which begins on Monday morning with the CCA session all day. We have more education sessions on Tuesday morning, a full trade show o ... more. |
Don't forget that you also have to attend mandatory dicamba training in order to apply dicamba to soybean in 2019. IFCA's Illinois Dicamba Training website lists classes that are open to anyone to attend. Today we also added two webinars to the list: BASF is providing a webinar this Saturday morning and also on Monday morning. You can also register for these webinars on the IFCA webs ... more. |
Once again IFCA and AG-SOLVE will be having an annual auction at the conventionon January 29th at 3:30 pmon the trade show floor. IFCA is very excited about the list of items that we will be auctioning. To see the list of auction itemsclick here. We want to thank all the companies who donated auction items. We couldn't do it without all their help. If you have any questions on ... more. |
The final remaining permit has been received. Mosaic Company can proceed with its phosphate project in Hardee County, Fl. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 404 permit secures 160.2 million tons of phosphate rock for future mining.
The Ona phosphate project, which the company started working on its permitting process in 2011, encompasses 22,483 acres of which 16,778 acres are permitted for mining. The ... more. |
The budget impasse that has closed down most of USDA and other agencies important to agriculture for more than four weeks reaches a new stage this week as Senate Republicans force a vote on President Donald Trump’s latest proposal to congressional Democrats.
Democratic leaders rejected the president's proposal out of hand on Saturday, demanding that Trump first allow the government to reope ... more. |
United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer did not see any progress made on structural issues during U.S. talks with China last week, Republican U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley said on Tuesday as plans emerged for higher-level discussions at the end of January.
Grassley, who held a meeting with Lighthizer on Friday, said the top trade negotiator commented positively on China’s soybean pur ... more. |
Illinois Republicans seem in an unenviable position today.
The party controls no constitutional offices in state government. Democrats have more members in the Legislature than at any time since it took on its modern size, with supermajorities in both chambers.
But that doesn’t mean local GOP lawmakers are disconsolate. They’re not thrilled at the position their party is in ... more. |
Three new agency directors and another deputy governor were named by Gov. J.B. Pritzker Thursday.
Pritzker named John Kim, a 25-year veteran of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, to head the department. He is currently chief legal counsel for the agency, but has also served as director, interim director, ethics officer and project manager for an IEPA-China pollution prevention project.
... more. |
With pro-marijuana J.B. Pritzker now in the Illinois governor’s mansion, all eyes are on his plan to legalize cannabis for recreational use. But even if approved by lawmakers, that could take more than a year to implement, and many voices are raising the call to take things slowly.
In the meantime, advocates say there’s a simple way the governor could greatly increase access to marijuana ... more. |
As over 400 people are takingthe field crop exam in Peoria today. Wow. We just want to thank you again for rising to the challenge of this significant regulatory burden imposed by the new dicamba labels.
There are still openings for the field crop training and testing clinic in Utica this Friday, Jan 18.You can also still sign up for the training at Carterville ... more. |
IFCA, under our Board of Director leadership, always endeavors to promote stewardship and address all challenges proactively. In the history of our organization there is no question that IFCA's proactive efforts have enabled us the freedom to operate and make good agronomic and business decisions.IFCA's opinion and our approach to address issues is highly respected and our suggestions are ... more. |
The IFCA Convention is January 28-30 at the Peoria Civic Center. If you need CEUs, we are offering 1.5 in NM, 2.5 in SW, 3.5 in PM, 2 in CM and 3.5 in PD at the educational sessions. We are also offering Ammonia Training and Field Crop training.
In addition to many training opportunities, we have a great trade show lined up and the Ag-Solve auction on January 29 promises to be another ... more. |
The partial government shutdown that has shuttered much of USDA, the Interior Department and other agencies heads into its third week, but President Donald Trump expressed optimism Sunday that there would be "serious" negotiations on his demands for border wall funding.
USDA announced that it had canceled release on Friday of the annual Crop Production report and the closely watched World A ... more. |
China approved five genetically modified (GM) crops for import on Tuesday, the first in about 18 months in a move that could boost its overseas grains purchases and ease pressure from the United States to open its markets to more farm goods.
The United States is the world’s biggest producer of GM crops, while China is the top importer of GM soybeans and canola.
U.S. farmers and global seed c ... more. |
The Illinois General Assembly convenes this week, ushering in the Prairie State’s third century with historic numbers of Democrats running the show and pent-up demand for action.
Can they get any work done?
Democrats have not surrendered control of either chamber of the legislature for more than 15 years, but progress has been overshadowed by scandals that sent two successive gover ... more. |
Whether you’re a farmer, commercial operator or someone mixing or loading dicamba for soybean application, you are required to undergo certification once again this year.
“I’m running in to a lot of growers who think that because they went last year, they don’t have to go to training again, and that is not the case,” said Jean Payne, Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical As ... more. |
House Democrats on Friday elected Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., as chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, a position Peterson held from 2007 to 2011 when his party last was in the majority in the House.
Since 2011 Peterson has been the committee’s ranking member. Rep. Michael Conaway, R-Texas, who served as chairman from 2015 through 2019, is now the ranking member.
“I ... more. |
Former Illinois state senator John Sullivan will be the next director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture. He was selected for the post by Governor-Elect J.B Pritzker.
Sullivan, a Democrat, represented the 47th District in western Illinois from 2003 to 2017 until his retirement. While in the Senate, he served as chairman of the Agriculture and Conservation Committee.
Following hi ... more. |
Illinois lawmakers completed the state’s 100th General Assembly in its bicentennial year, and will ring in 2019 with 253 new laws on the books .
The youngest children in cars will be required to ride in rear-facing seats, blaze pink will be acceptable for hunters’ wardrobes, opioid abuse and school safety take center stage and a Route 66 centennial planning commission will convene.
&nb ... more. |
In a world where resistant weeds run rampant, one chemical company is bringing relief to corn, soybean and rice farmers. FMC will introduce a novel rice herbicide and a corn and soybean herbicide in the next five to ten years.
“When we say new mode of action, it means there’s not a product on the market today for that crop or that use,” says Kathy Shelton, FMC vice president and chi ... more. |
The question of whether it's possible for one class of state lawmakers to pass a bill but hold it for a future governor could be tested when lawmakers come back for lame duck session, but the answer if it’s legal might have to wait on the courts.
What could happen when lawmakers return Monday for the final two days of the 100th General Assembly? That’s anyone’s guess. And there ... more. |
Licensed operators in Illinois are doing a terrific job of attending field crop training and taking the exam in order to become certified commercial applicators to apply Engenia, Xtendimax or FeXapan, or to mix and load these products in the upcoming season.There are only 4 opportunities available yet this year to take the UI training for field crops. All other classes are full. The open cla ... more. |
The first ammonia safety school for spring 2019 will be held on January 29 at the IFCA convention. We have a host of other classes posted on our website at www.ifca.com, so take a look and sign up for a class to be certified as a competent attendant to safely and legally handle anhydrous ammonia at your facility. For questions related to ammonia or fertilizer regulations, please call John Rebholz at our ... more. |
With a new Governor and lots of new members of the Illinois legislature, IFCA has several legislative initiatives in mind as well as issues that we are concerned about pertainingto laws that can help or harm our members. KJ Johnson is IFCA's Director of Government Relations and will be holding an upcoming IFCA Legislative Committee meeting soon to go over IFCA legislative initiatives.
... more. |
Every IFCA member should have received the board election ballot in the mail prior to Christmas. This year we are electing four new members of the IFCA Board: two retailer representatives,a pesticide manufacturer representative, and an equipment representative. Ballots are due back to IFCA by January 10 and the new board members will be named at the IFCA annual meeting on January 29, 2019.&n ... more. |
There are some classroom trainings scheduled in Illinois to fulfill the annual dicamba specific training requirement on the labels. Please help communicate to your grower customers that last year's dicamba training does not count! The applicator training that UI offers for both private and commercial applicators also does not count toward the dicamba training requirement.
Be ... more. |
IFCA has been organizing classroom dicamba training opportunities, similar to what we did last year. So far, there are classroom events being offered following most of the UI Private Applicator Clinics, and several of our retail members have also arranged for events to be taught by one of the registrants, and are willing to allow additional people to come in to these classes. The Dicamba Training Websit ... more. |
Dr. Aaron Hager at the University of Illinois issued a new Bulletin today that explains how to manage the new 57 foot omnidirectional buffers in counties where USEPA determines there is an endangered species that must be protected by a buffer when applying dicamba to soybean.
Click here to see the UI bulletin. The bulletin also features an updated map of the counties where the 57 foot ... more. |
This week, USEPA sent additional guidance to the State Departments of Agriculture, emphasizing that anyone who applies or mixes dicamba for application to soybean MUST be a certified applicator and no one can perform these activites under the supervision of a certified applicator--you must be a certified applicator.
To be a certified applicator in Illinois to apply dicamba in the commercial ... more. |
Clich Here to find IFCA's “News Under the Dome” for December. Included in this month's article is an update on 2018 Farm Bill, the fall veto session in Springfield, funding for the LaGrange lock,a list oflive auction itemsforthe AG-SOLVE PAC auctionand Former Secretary of Ag John Block speaking at the AG-SOLVE breakfast in January at the IFCA Convention and ... more. |
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) renewed the labels of three dicamba-containing products used in dicamba-resistant soybean varieties on October 31, 2018. These renewed labels also contain new restrictions and requirements that did not appear on the original labels. Each application must completely satisfy all label requirements and restrictions, but the following three new requi ... more. |
The most significant policy issue of 2018 looms large over the outlook for the new year. Ag leaders of both parties say actions on trade in the first half of 2019 will decide agriculture’s fate for years to come.
It’s not just the on-again, off-again haggling with China that dragged soybean markets up and down at breakneck speed, but also the lingering issues of the U.S. Mexico Canada Agr ... more. |
USDA, EPA and the Interior Department could all shut down at the end of this week unless lawmakers can reach a deal on President Donald Trump’s funding demands for the border wall.
Ahead of the funding deadline looming at the end of the week, USDA is widely expected to release a final rule spelling out requirements for disclosing biotech ingredients in food.
Also expected this week ... more. |
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel today pushed for a hike in the state’s gas tax, calling for a 20- to 30-cent-a-gallon increase to fund a major statewide transportation bill and fix the state's infrastructure, the Chicago Tribune and ABC-7 Chicago report.
Illinois already adds 19 cents a gallon to the pump price to underwrite roadwork, a fee that hasn't changed in 28 years, according to the B ... more. |
Democrats who soon will retake full control of Illinois government are expected to push for a sweeping overhaul of the state income tax, but if history is any guide, prospects for success range from don’t-get-your-hopes-up to fat chance.
Replacing the current single tax rate structure in Illinois with a menu of graduated rates that charge more to the wealthy would require a Constitutional amend ... more. |
EPA on Tuesday released a newly proposed waters of the United States, or WOTUS, rule that would erase many of the concerns farmers and ranchers had about the 2015 rule.
Under the proposal, there would be just six categories of jurisdictional waters. That includes traditional navigable waters, tributaries, certain ditches that are navigable or affected by tide, lakes and ponds, impoundments, and wetla ... more. |
Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) President and CEO Daren Coppock released the following statement on the conference report on the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Farm Bill):
“ARA is happy to see a Farm Bill move forward, however this bill represents a missed opportunity to correct some straightforward regulatory problems that would have had no budgetary impact.
“ ... more. |
Organic food has a larger impact on the climate than conventional food because of the greater area of land required to farm it.
A study published Wednesday in the journal Nature found that farming organic food can result in much higher emissions than non-organic farming. According to a press release from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, researchers discovered that farming organic peas res ... more. |
China on Wednesday made its first major purchases of U.S. soybeans since President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping struck a trade war truce earlier this month, providing some relief to U.S. farmers who have struggled to find buyers for their record-large harvest.
Trump told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday the Chinese were already buying a "tremendous amount" of U.S. soybean ... more. |
Pick a state, any state, and chances are the rules for dicamba use there could differ from its neighbors next year.
EPA released federal labels for XtendiMax, Engenia and FeXapan on October 31, and already, a patchwork of additional state restrictions is developing.
Arkansas is weighing a May 20 cutoff date, with large protective buffers for certain sensitive crops. Indiana and Minnesota ... more. |
Clich Here to find IFCA's “News Under the Dome” for December. Included in this month's article is an update on 2018 Farm Bill, the fall veto session in Springfield, funding for the LaGrange lock,a list oflive auction itemsforthe AG-SOLVE PAC auctionand Former Secretary of Ag John Block speaking at the AG-SOLVE breakfast in January at the IFCA Convention and ... more. |
By December 31, 2020 nurse tank withdrawal valves shall be protected by an excess flow valve matched to the designed flow rate.Flow capacity of the excess flow valves shall not exceed 45 GPM for 1¼” connections & 60 GPM for 1½” connections. Each valve shall be removed from service & inspected at an interval not to exceed 5 years.In Illinois alone, we have over 2 ... more. |
Of the 8 remaining training opportunities for licensed operators to take the Field Crop exam and be upgraded to the definition of "certified commercial applicator" in order to apply dicamba to soybean in 2019, 4 are already filled to capacity.
Seats are filling up quickly for the training, so we highly recommend sending any of your operators who are planning on taking the field crop exam to o ... more. |
Listed below are the upcoming spring anhydrous ammonia safety schools. You can go to www.ifca.com to register for the classes. The NH3 safety schools are offered through the combined efforts of IFCA and the Illinois Department of Agriculture. This training will meet the requirements of the certified competent attendant which requires training at least every three years.
January 29-I ... more. |
Legalizing recreational marijuana was among Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker's election pledges, and a bill in support is likely to break in the General Assembly early in 2019, he said.
You can also expect a gambling expansion plan to surface in the coming legislative session, as the state wrestles with balancing its budget, Pritzker said Friday.
In the 32 days since his election defeat of incumbent G ... more. |
What happens when you shut down parts of a major navigable waterway for nearly four months? Illinois farmers are about to find out.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has announced that in 2020, it will close or restrict six of the eight lock and dam sites on the Illinois River to make necessary repairs, including the LaGrange Lock and Dam, Versailles; Peoria Lock and Dam, Creve Coeur; Starved Rock Lock an ... more. |
State pesticide regulators confronted EPA representatives over the new dicamba registrations for XtendiMax, FeXapan and Engenia in a public regulatory meeting on Monday, Dec. 3.
Officials representing states in the Midwest and South voiced concerns about a second year of overwhelming dicamba injury complaints, as well as confusing language and requirements in the new dicamba labels, during an annual ... more. |
Just a few days after Illinois marked 200 years of statehood, state officials and experts attempted to sketch out its future on three crucial topics.
At an event sponsored by the Better Government Association and The State Journal-Register in Springfield, experts on transportation, technology and gender equity shared their thoughts on where the state needs to go in the future.
Transporta ... more. |
Chicago was the place to be for members of Illinois’ agriculture community Monday. In addition to the Illinois Farm Bureau Annual Meeting, Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker’s newly formed agriculture transition committee also met in the Windy City to begin discussions about the needs of the state’s No. 1 industry.
The first meeting of the Growing Our Agricultural Economy Committee was a grea ... more. |
It’s elemental—N, P, K, secondary nutrients and micronutrients. But with annual fertilizer sales totaling $180 billion—that’s three times more than crop protection sales, three times more than seed sales and more than two times ag machinery sales—the fertilizer industry is also quite complex.
Those stats are courtesy of Charlotte Hebebrand, director general of the Intern ... more. |
Spurred by record-low equipment costs and state-sponsored incentives, solar installation companies are flocking to Illinois. One of the fast-growing solar markets involves partnering with farmers willing to lease some of their acreage to cultivate solar energy rather than crops.
Dozens or sometimes hundreds of solar panels are lined up in fields, angled to maximize the absorption of the sun’s r ... more. |
The Trump administration is set to reduce the number of federally regulated waterways protected under the U.S. Clean Water Act in a bid to help the energy and agriculture industries, according to a media report on Friday.
The Environmental Protection Agency will propose altering the definition of what qualifies as “Water of the United States” under the regulation to remove streams that fl ... more. |
Unless U.S.-China trade talks wrap up successfully by March 1, new tariffs will be imposed, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said on Sunday, clarifying there is a “hard deadline” after a week of seeming confusion among President Donald Trump and his advisers.
Global markets are jittery about a collision between the world’s two largest economic powers over China’s hu ... more. |
The farm bill conference report could be filed as early as Monday and released the following day, a week later than originally planned. Farm bill negotiators said it took longer than expected last week to get the cost estimates and legislative text ironed out.
The bill will preserve the structure of the 2014 farm bill with a variety of enhancements to a variety of programs, including the major commod ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating insur ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating insur ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating insur ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating insur ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating insur ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating insur ... more. |
Today, Dec 4, there is a diamba training class following the private applicator clinic in Utica, IL at Celebrations 150. The class runs from 3-4:30 pm. IFCA would like to thank BASF for providing a trainer; we worked with UI and IDA to coordinate training events at all the upcoming private applicator clinics.
To see the list of available classroom training events, go to the IFCA Dica ... more. |
You should have received in the mail the registration program for the IFCA convention. We look forward to seeing you at our convention in Peoria on January 28-30.
You can register on-line for the convention and for the programs being offered including ammonia training, field crop training, the CCA session and the Ag-Solve breakfast. Click here to be directed to our home page, then cli ... more. |
Our sympathies are with the family of Edwin "Butch" North, who passed away on November 25. Butch was the owner of North's Oil Company in Dixon, Illinois. He was active in the ag retail industry, and served on the IFCA Board of Directors in the late 1990's. He was a thoughtful leader, and was dedicated to his family, tohis community and to his business. We express our ... more. |
IFCA was deeply saddened to learn of an accident on Thanksgiving morning that took the life of Drew Frese, an employee of Ag View FS in Bureau County, IL. Drew was dedicated to his job as a custom ammonia applicator, and had returned to a field that morning to finish the remaining acres for his customer before the bad weather moved in.As he was headed back to the plant,he crossed a private r ... more. |
IFCA is helping to coordinate some classroom opportunities for the required dicamba-auxin specific training. Certified applicators who apply dicamba to soybean in 2019 MUST attend the training or complete the on-line training when it becomes available.
We have coordinated some classroom training opportunities following the private applicator clinics. The first training class is ... more. |
There are 10 training opportunities for licensed operators to take the Field Crop exam and be upgraded to the definition of "certified commercial applicator" in order to apply dicamba to soybean in 2019. The new labels require the product to be applied only by certified applicators. IFCA continues to work alongside Ag Retailers Association to see if any discretion can be given to states like I ... more. |
The 25-year-old man killed when an Amtrak train collided with his tractor Thursday morning southwest of Wyanet was identified Friday morning as Andrew "Drew" Frese, of Buda.
Frese, who was struck around 9:35 a.m. at the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad crossing, was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:30 a.m. by Coroner Janice Wamhoff.
Frese was southbound, crossing from one field to ... more. |
Farm bill negotiators are looking to wrap up talks that have become embroiled in a debate over forest management as well as longstanding issues such as eligibility rules for commodity programs.
The Senate returns to work on Monday, and House members on Tuesday, to start the remainder of a lame duck session. The farm bill is high on GOP leaders’ to-do list along with a funding measure to replace the s ... more. |
Illinois could finally see the resolution to one of the longest running labor disputes in the state's history.
That's the unresolved negotiations between the governor's administration and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, the labor union that represents by far the largest bloc of state workers.
The union and Gov. Bruce Rauner's administrat ... more. |
Illinois may be able to bring in $350 million to $700 million a year in new state revenue if marijuana is legalized, says the next governor of the state.
When Governor-elect J.B. Pritzker takes office in January, the Chicago Democrat will have Democratic super-majorities in the House and Senate.
So what does that mean?
Could there be legal marijuana for recreational use? Pritzker said on ... more. |
The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) and Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association (IFCA) has been in support of extending the registration of dicamba and applauded the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) action to extend the registration through 2020. ARA supports the continued use of this new technology and supports label restrictions to ensure the best possible stewardship and use of the p ... more. |
A former state senator from the Springfield area will co-chair Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker’s transition committee to advise him on agricultural issues.
John Sullivan, a former Democratic senator from Rushville, will co-chair the Growing Our Agricultural Economy Committee with Colleen Callahan, former state director for rural development in Illinois of the U.S. department of Agriculture. Sullivan served ... more. |
Video gambling has seen significant growth in Illinois, with revenues increasing by more than 75 percent in just the last three years, a new state report concludes.
The report released last month by the state’s Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability found that video gambling racked up a net income of $1.4 billion in the fiscal year that ended on June 30, generating about $70 million ... more. |
Americans are about evenly divided on whether genetically modified foods are worse for your health and about the risk of additives like food coloring, according to a new poll.
Forty-nine percent of Americans believe GMO foods are worse for your health than non-GMO foods, according to the poll released Monday by the Pew Research Center, up from 39 percent in 2016.
The findings could influence polic ... more. |
Pharmaceutical and chemical giant Bayer has shed some $20 billion in market value in the weeks since a California court ordered it to pay $289 million in damages to plaintiff Dewayne Lee Johnson, related to his use of the herbicide Roundup.
Jurors found that Monsanto, now owned by Bayer in a $66 billion merger, had acted with malice and negligence in failing to warn Johnson, a former school groundskeeper, ... more. |
A Parma, Missouri man has been indicted after officials say he illegally applied Dicamba to crops.
Bobby David Lowrey, 51, and Lowrey & Lowrey Inc. were indicted on Nov. 13 according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in St. Louis.
According to the indictment, Lowrey owned and operated Lowrey Farms. In 2016, officials said Lowrey Farms engaged in the cultivation of cotton and soybean crops on ... more. |
Access the menu for info onNutrientUpdates,N-Rate Trials,MRTN, 4R Code, 4R Reports and more...
Access the regulations menu above for a vast repository of rules impacting ag retailers.
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U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he would nominate the acting head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Andrew Wheeler, to take on the position permanently.
Wheeler, a long-time Washington insider known to shun the spotlight, took the reins at the EPA in July after former Administrator Scott Pruitt resigned. Pruitt faced a slew of ethics controversies that included his first-class travel, round-the- ... more. |
Wondering how to manage dicamba in dicamba-tolerant soybeans in 2019? Here’s what four Extension and university weed specialists – Aaron Hager with the University of Illinois, Bill Johnson and Joe Ikley with Purdue University, and Mark Loux at Ohio State University – are recommending regarding dicamba in 2019.
Click Here to read more.
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A busy second day of the Illinois legislature’s veto session, as the chambers voted to override a number of outgoing Governor Bruce Rauner’s vetoes, while dealing with an evacuation at the Capitol Complex due to a bomb threat.
Among bills overridden in the Senate, one that adds additional regulations on ride-sharing companies and one that that would raise the age to buy tobacco from 18 to 21.
Thos ... more. |
All stakeholders need to be involved and work together to tackle water quality challenges, speakers at a roundtable discussion here at the 2018 Fertilizer Outlook and Technology Conference said on Wednesday.
While there are no easy solutions to water quality issues, the speakers said, there are several different ways to approach the daunting subject.
The discussion focused on the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB ... more. |
State Sen. Heather Steans and state Rep. Kelly Cassidy introduced legislation last March to legalize recreational cannabis in Illinois, but the bills failed in both houses of the Legislature.
A lot has since changed in Illinois politics, and the Chicago Democrats now plan to give it another try.
On Election Day, pro-pot Democrat J.B. Pritzker cruised to victory past Gov. Bruce Rauner and fellow Democrats expa ... more. |
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he may not impose more tariffs on Chinese goods after Beijing sent the United States a list of measures it was willing to take to resolve trade tensions, although he added it was unacceptable that some major items were omitted from the list.
Trump has imposed tariffs on $250 billion of Chinese imports to force concessions from Beijing on the list of demands that wo ... more. |
Food technology is booming these days. Consumers can go to the grocery store and find apples that don’t brown. In 2019, they’ll be able to shop for plant-based burgers genetically engineered to taste like beef. It wasn’t too long ago that high tech foods were perceived as frightening, but now the public is captivated by the possibility of meatless meat grown in a lab and grapes that taste like cot ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency doesn't know if the treated sewage sludge that farmers use as fertilizer is safe, according to a report from its internal watchdog.
The treated sewage known as biosolids is chock full of nutrients, which is what makes it so good at enriching soil. But it also can be chock full of pollutants, from heavy metals such as mercury and arsenic to pharmaceutical compounds, flame r ... more. |
I’ve never been shy about my passion for fertilizer. It’s a magical innovation that’s responsible for saving millions of lives from hunger and lifting millions more out of poverty by boosting agricultural productivity.
So, you can imagine my delight when I recently stepped into a warehouse in Tanzania and got a glimpse of thousands of tons of fertilizer piled as high as snow drifts. The warehou ... more. |
For the past few weeks, IFCA has been working to determine how the new dicamba labels impact the commercial application industry in Illinois. We finally have answers for you and instructions on what to do next. It is notwelcome news but there is a path forward and time is short to assure compliance for retailers who wish to provide custom dicamba application to soybean. Here is what you need ... more. |
Click Here to read this monthIFCA's "News Under the Dome". It covers Illinois election results, IFCA working Capitol Hill to pass a Farm Bill in lame duck session, and the upcoming AG-SOLVE PAC live auctionat the IFCA convention.
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Next year Republicans will control the Senate, while Democrats the House—but will anything be accomplished? Industry experts say both parties need to find common ground to tout success, and infrastructure might be their golden ticket.
“It’s really one of those rare opportunities, perhaps the best opportunity to do something in a bipartisan manner,” Mike Steenhoek, executive director of th ... more. |
Congress may swiftly resolve a drawn-out impasse on the U.S. Farm Bill now that Democrats are poised to retake control of the legislative body, the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee said on Wednesday and reported by Humeyra Pamuk on Reuters.com.
Collin Peterson, ranking member and presumptive new chair of committee, said passing the crucial agricultural legislation was going to be his top priority, ... more. |
The GOP is still in charge of the House until January, when the new Congress convenes, so the question facing farm bill negotiators is whether House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, will cut deals with his Senate counterparts to ensure a new bill gets enacted on his watch.
Conaway and ranking Democrat Collin Peterson of MInnesota, who will take over the House committee in January, plan to meet p ... more. |
For the second election in a row, Illinois voters have handed the governor’s office to an ultrawealthy but politically inexperienced businessman who promises to jump-start the state’s economy.
But Democratic Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker, a billionaire heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune and a former venture capitalist, offers a vastly different approach to boosting investment and job growth than his predeces ... more. |
Democrats did what was once unthinkable when they flipped two suburban Chicago congressional districts that had been held by Republicans pretty much since World War II.
It was territory that produced GOP stalwarts such as Henry Hyde and Dennis Hastert and where, until Tuesday, incumbents had regularly won re-election by 20 percentage points or more. But the Democratic successes didn’t extend south to the f ... more. |
The early generations of transgenic plants focused primarily on increasing productivity, either by reducing pest damage or increasing yields by minimizing the impact of weeds. These have met with fierce opposition from anti-GMO groups and some government quarters (such as Green Party members in European parliaments).
But transgenics and other modifications in medicines (ranging from monoclonal antibodies against ... more. |
A year into his second stint as EPA's Region 7 administrator, Jim Gulliford said he remains committed to compliance over enforcement in working with agriculture and other industries in the four-state region, which includes Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.
Gulliford visited with DTN last week at EPA's regional office in Lenexa, just after EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler had signed a proposed r ... more. |
Milkweed will no longer be classified as a “noxious weed” in the village of Godfrey, after an ordinance amending the definitions of weeds was approved by the Village Board Wednesday.
The issue had come up in September, when a resident noted that the plant is the only food source for the monarch butterfly. The state recently changed the status of milkweed, and the ordinance brings the village into lin ... more. |
So complex that the three new dicamba labels released by EPA last week are each around 40 pages long and accompanied by nearly 200 pages of documents detailing the herbicides' registration requirements and their potential impacts on the general population, farmers and endangered species.
States are working overtime to interpret the new XtendiMax, Engenia and FeXapan labels and struggling to take the proper f ... more. |
Illinois State Wide Races
Democrats dominated in Illinois on Tuesday night, winning all statewide offices. J.B. Pritzker defeated Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner (by 14.5 points).Nearly 700,000 more ballots were cast in the 2018 Illinois elections compared with 2014 and J.B. Pritzker may havereceivednearly all of those votes.
Pritzker won the 2018 Illinois governor’s race earning 675,000 ... more. |
We know that our retail members are in limbo regarding the final determination of what steps need to be taken to enable licensed operators to apply dicamba in 2019. IFCA has asked the registrants of the products as well as the Ag Retailers Association to inquire with USEPA this week as to whether or not an individual who has taken and passed the general standards exam would be considered "certified" ... more. |
Temperatures are dropping, leaves are falling and your chance to play a role in democracy is fast approaching.
President Donald Trump is halfway through his four-year term. And the chance to push his agenda forward — or stop it in its tracks — has arrived. In Illinois, citizens can vote in U.S. House races to help determine if Congress switches to Democratic control and for governor and o ... more. |
A flip in either or both chambers of Congress with next week’s midterm elections may reverberate into pig farms and soybean fields.
At issue in the Nov. 6 vote is President Donald Trump’s trade war with China as well as domestic entitlement programs.
The world’s second-largest economy slapped tariffs on U.S. agricultural products, including pork and soybeans. That promp ... more. |
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic challenger J.B. Pritzker said Sunday that growing Illinois’ business economy is vital to their budget plans but differed vastly on the role of tax policy to help achieve it.
Rauner said his agenda for incremental lowering of the state’s income tax, along with proposals to diminish union bargaining rights, also would lower property taxes, attract ... more. |
On October 31, the EPA announced that it is extending the registration of dicamba for two years for over-the-top use (application to growing plants) to control weeds in fields for cotton and soybean plants genetically engineered to resist dicamba.
This action was informed by input from and extensive collaboration between EPA, state regulators, farmers, academic researchers, pesticide manufacturers, and o ... more. |
The groundskeeper who won a massive civil suit against Bayer's Monsanto claiming that the weedkiller Roundup caused his cancer has agreed to accept $78 million, after a judge substantially reduced the jury's original $289 million award.
Dewayne "Lee" Johnson, a Northern Californian groundskeeper and pest-control manager, was 42 when he developed a strange rash that would lead to a d ... more. |
The political battle on climate change is shifting from the nation's capital to ballot boxes thousands of miles away.
Tuesday, voters in nine states – all in the South and West – will determine the fate of potentially far-reaching environmental measures, including whether to curb greenhouse gas emissions (Washington), increase the use of renewable fuels (Arizona, Nevada) or ban offsho ... more. |
The head of the EPA tells Brownfield they intend to have their Waters of the U.S. proposed regulation by the end of November, “And I think that’s going to be good news for farmers across the country. Our goal is to allow the property owner to be able to stand on his or her property and determine for themselves whether or not their property falls under the federal definition,” Acting EPA Administ ... more. |
EPA's announcement of new dicamba regulations comes at a time when states' ability to restrict this kind of federal pesticide label may be under threat.
In the past, states have used section 24(c) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), to pass more restrictive state regulations on federal pesticide labels. For example, the state of Tennessee used Section 24(c) to ... more. |
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he will likely make a deal with China on trade, adding that a lot of progress had been made to resolve the two countries’ differences but warning that he still may impose more tariffs on Chinese goods.
“China very much wants to make a deal,” Trump told reporters in Washington just hours after his top economic adviser expressed caution ... more. |
Nitrogen rates, forms and application timings are the focus of multi-year trials funded by the Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council.
Emerson Nafziger, University of Illinois Crop Sciences professor emeritus and primary investigator of the on-farm trials, provided his observations from the research findings in an Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association-hosted webinar Oct. 19.
... more. |
Yesterday USEPA announced that dicamba will be labeled for use on soybeans in 2019 and 2020, and indicated that all applicators needed to be "certified applicators" in order to apply the product.
The Illinois Pesticide Act outlines several categories of testing and licensing: Certified Applicators (which include commercial applicators and private applicators) and licensed operato ... more. |
On October 31, 2018the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that registration Engenia, Xtendimax and FeXapan will be extended to December 20, 2020. The announcement indicated that EPA has reviewed substantial amounts of new information and concluded that the continued registration of the dicamba products meets FIFRA’s registration standards. The Agency has also determined that exte ... more. |
Syngenta is in the process of establishing a global and North America seeds office in the western suburbs of Chicago. Approximately 50 business managers and employees will relocate from other U.S. locations, beginning in 2019.
“The U.S. Is the most important seeds market in the world, and we believe the addition of a Chicago office positions us well to support our long-term growth strategy,” sa ... more. |
In late 2017, Gov. Bruce Rauner’s reelection campaign debuted an ad featuring three Republican governors from surrounding states sarcastically saying “thank you” to House Speaker Michael Madigan for “raising Illinois taxes” and “helping create new jobs” in their states.
The ad was an opening salvo in a campaign that has seen Rauner and his Democratic critics ... more. |
U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, and his Democratic challenger, Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, trod new turf in their third debate Monday night at Millikin University, setting themselves apart not only on health care and tax reform but also on trade issues.
It was only appropriate that trade and soybean tariffs would be a major topic since Decatur once called itself "The Soybean Capital of the W ... more. |
An environmental advocacy group reports it has found small amounts of a herbicide in consumer foods including breakfast cereals, saying there is cause for concern even though the amount is within limits allowed by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Just how much, if any, of the herbicide can be considered safe is a matter of long-running scientific and legal debate. The Environmental Working Group& ... more. |
Congress overwhelmingly approved water resources legislation authorizing projects to improve infrastructure at ports, inland waterways, locks, dams and flood mitigation.
America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 authorizes more than $6 billion in spending over the next 10 years and awaits President Trump’s signature.
The legislation, approved 99-1 in the Senate Oct. 10 and b ... more. |
USDA’s most recent World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates projects Chinese beginning stockpiles of soybeans for the 2018/19 marketing year at 825 million bushels--approximately 70 percent of the volume of U.S. soybean shipments to China during all of the 2017/18 marketing year. With large inventories on hand in China, it’s no surprise U.S. soybean exports to that country are down to start the 20 ... more. |
While there's plenty of talk about a potential "blue wave" hitting Congress, not nearly as much focus has been on the Illinois statehouse - though the results of a few key races could have huge implications.
Without a friendly legislature, whoever wins the race for governor will have a tough time turning his proposals into reality.
As incumbent GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner learned the hard ... more. |
With harvest winding down in most of Illinois after another year with high to very high yields, it’s time to review some basics of fall fertilization. Neither fertilizer nor grain prices are historically high, so there’s reason to be aware of costs while making sure to cover the nutrient basics.
Nitrogen
In a webinar on October 19 organized by the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Ass ... more. |
Today, Dr. Emerson Nafziger posted a new Bulletin titled "Notes on Fall Fertilization." This written article follows up on the information Dr. Nafziger presented in a webinar on October 19, which focused on results from 2018 N rate trials and guidance on starting fall ammonia applications. The UI Bulletin can be viewed athttp://bulletin.ipm.illinois.edu/?p=4364 or downloaded from the IFC ... more. |
All indications are that we will see a new label for use of dicamba on soybeans, but it could arrive just before the current labels expire on Nov 9. As we prepare for what is likely to be a more restrictive label and mandatory training again for all applicators, the IL Dept of Ag continues to work through the 537 total pesticide misuse complaints in 2018 (330 of those are attributed to dicamba). As of O ... more. |
Please take it slow and be safe this fall. Ammonia nurse tanks should not exceed 25 mph when towed on a public highway. If you do happen to have an accidental ammonia release, the reportable quantity is 18 gallons or 100 lbs of ammonia. When it doubt, report the release to the proper authorities within 15 minutes of your knowledge of the release. If the farmer is in control of the ammonia, t ... more. |
Since 2013, the IFCA Nutrient Stewardship team of Dan Schaefer and Jason Solberg have implemented several hundred nitrogen rate trials throughout the state. The results of the trials are analyzed by Dr. Nafziger at UI and he then updates theNitrogen Rate Calculator for Illinois, to provide the Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) recommendation for nitrogen rates for corn.
Thanks t ... more. |
The continuing debates over whether the herbicide glyphosate or the insecticide class of neonicotinoids (neonics) could—or should—remain available for farmers and other users has been met with simplistic arguments both pro and con:
Pro ban: These chemicals are dangerous, they may kill bees and other life and shouldn’t be allowed near our food.
Anti ban: These chemicals have been ... more. |
What may be Illinois’ most intractable problem also happens to be its most expensive.
It’s how the state will cope with the $130 billion debt owed to the five state-funded pension systems.
The single biggest component of that debt stems from decades of underfunding the pension systems. Governors of both parties and lawmakers from both parties approved budgets that did not inc ... more. |
Producing enough food to meet the needs of a growing global population, while limiting our impact on the environment is undoubtedly one of the biggest challenges of our time. Reducing food loss and waste is and will continue to be a critical part of the solution.
Today, we produce more than enough food to feed everyone on the planet, but nearly 800 million people around the world still suffer from hu ... more. |
The Trump administration officially notified Congress Tuesday it will seek three separate trade deals with the European Union, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said the announcement is an important milestone in the process, and his office is committed to concluding negotiations with, “timely and substantive results for American workers, farmers, rancher ... more. |
Illinois lawmakers will move ahead with the idea of bringing legal sports gambling to the state, but it apparently will not be soon.
Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie, told a pair of House subcommittees Wednesday that he is working on a bill to bring sports betting to Illinois.
After the hearing, though, Lang said it will be after a new General Assembly is seated in January before he anticipates l ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency says it is on track to issue a final rule replacing the Obama administration’s 2015 “waters of the United States” rule by September 2019, but don't hold your breath.
If former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt's promises had come true, there already would be a new WOTUS rule in place. Now, in the latest semiannual regulatory agenda released b ... more. |
The Trump administration is postponing the release of two farmworker protection proposals that would roll back changes made under former President Barack Obama.
The Environmental Protection Agency will propose changes to the Worker Protection Standard (RIN:2070-AK43) and Certification of Pesticide Applicators Rule (RIN:2070-AK37) in January, according to the White House Office of Management and Budge ... more. |
Balancing logistics, weather, grain and nitrogen prices,stewardship,customer relations and public expectations is no easy task for IFCA ag retailers. IFCA understands the challenges our retail members face!
If you are looking for guidance on when to begin Fall N applications given the current cold snap, nitrogen management and rate recommendations for 2019 and what N ... more. |
When stepping outside today, the first reaction is "brrr!" As temperatures have plummeted from 80 degrees last week to highs of 50 degrees this week in much of Illinois, the next thing to think about is the 4Rs of fall fertilizer application--specifically fall ammonia applications.
Each morning, IFCA will post a map of the State Water Survey's WARM site, which has ... more. |
On Friday, October 19 at 8:30 am Central Time, Dr. Emerson Nafziger will have a one hour webinar focused on nitrogen management for the 2019 season. The title of the webinar is "Managing Nitrogen After Another Great Year" and he will share results of the 2018 nitrogen rate trials performed throughout the state. IFCA's Dan Schaefer, Jason Solberg and John Pike worked with Dr. Nafziger to im ... more. |
On October 23, IFCA is hosting a 4R Field Day in Auburn, IL from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm. Click here to see the location and agenda. Topics of discussion include the latest NREC research results including N rate trials and a look at what the tile flows at the NREC site in Douglas County are revealing after three years of research using different 4R practices and seeing the impact on N and P levels in drainag ... more. |
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EuroChem Group AG, a leading global fertilizer company, announces the expansion of its North American distribution network via the assumption of dry and liquid fertilizer transport and storage assets from international merchandising and trading firm Trammo, Inc.
The move substantially expands EuroChem’s fertilizer storage capacity in the US, and will enable the Group to strengthen its presence ... more. |
President Trump is poised to sign a bipartisan water infrastructure bill after it passed the Senate 99-1 this week.
America’s Water Infrastructure Act, the most comprehensive infrastructure legislation passed this Congress, will authorize over $6 billion in federal spending on ports, harbors and waterways.
It will also deauthorize spending on water projects that have been deemed inefficient. ... more. |
“There’s something going on. I’ve never seen anything like that.”
In his 81 years, Bill Flamm has seen many changes on his family’s Flamm Orchards in the rolling hills of Union County, Ill. But until mid-July of this year, the leaf curl and tree stress on the orchard’s peach and apple trees was foreign.
Nephew Jeff Flamm says they’ve yet to get a ... more. |
Illinois’ candidates for governor again traded accusations over leadership, taxes and alleged corruption in a debate Thursday that was their final one to be televised before the Nov. 6 election.
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic challenger J.B. Pritzker both tried to deflect attention from questions about their integrity.
The debate played out on a sensitive stage — ... more. |
Republicans who gained ground in the Illinois General Assembly two years ago with Gov. Bruce Rauner’s financial assistance have a tougher go of it this year.
Rauner and his top backers showered more than $40 million on legislative races in 2016. Against a legislative district map drawn by Democrats, the GOP picked up two seats in the Senate and four in the House, where they eliminated powerful ... more. |
The U.S. fertilizer industry employs 89,000 people and contributes $155 billion to the U.S. economy. Additionally, the industry supplies the crop nutrients needed for food production to feed a hungry world. In celebration of the role fertilizer has in our everyday life, one day—Oct. 13—is set aside to celebrate the impact fertilizer has had.
As part of marking the special day, The Fertilizer In ... more. |
The future of the 2015 waters of the United States, or WOTUS, rule may be decided in a district court in Georgia, as the American Farm Bureau Federation and supporters of the Obama-era rule have asked a court there to decide on its merits.
For the past three years, the WOTUS rule has been hung up by dozens of lawsuits and legal procedures across the country, but now a court has been asked to rule on ... more. |
J.B. Pritzker was recently endorsed by Crain’s Chicago Business. Yes, you read that right. The state’s premiere business magazine endorsed a candidate whose biggest promise is to raise taxes on the publication’s well-off subscriber base.
Gov. Bruce Rauner has called Pritzker’s graduated income tax proposal “a green light to raise taxes on everyone.”
Pr ... more. |
For decades there has been a provision in the Illinois Vehicle Code that requires that self-propelled implements of husbandry have license plates if they are going to operate on the highway laden with load. The law also states that in no case can the floaters/applicators be over 36,000 lbs whether loaded or empty, they must be operated within a 50 mile radius of their home base, and they cannot exceed 12 feet ... more. |
On Tuesday, October 23 IFCA is hosting a 4R Field Day in Auburn, Illinois. The agenda includes the latest nutrient research outcomes from the 2018 season, an update from the City of Springfield on the health of Lake Springfield and water quality, and an in-field demonstration of fall fertility and tillage recommendations. There is no cost to attend the event thanks to the sponsors, who are listed on the ... more. |
The MRNT Calculator web site provides a method to calculate the return to N application and to find the maximum return to N (MRTN) at selected prices of N and corn directly from recent research data. The MRTN approach is the regional approach suggested for developing corn N rate guidelines in individual states. Nitrogen rate trial data is provided in this web site for six states (Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minne ... more. |
On Tuesday, October 23 IFCA is hosting a 4R Field Day in Auburn, Illinois. The agenda includes the latest nutrient research outcomes from the 2018 season, an update from the City of Springfield on the health of Lake Springfield and water quality, and an in-field demonstration of fall fertility and tillage recommendations. There is no cost to attend the event thanks to the sponsors, who are listed on t ... more. |
Corn growers and ethanol producers have their fingers crossed as President Donald Trump goes to Iowa on Tuesday amid expectations that the EPA could announce a long-awaited decision to allow year-around use of E15.
It was still unclear heading into the weekend whether the EPA would make a simultaneous move to address refiners’ concerns about prices for biofuel credits, or Renewable Identificati ... more. |
Congress quietly allowed the farm bill to expire over the weekend despite House Republicans’ hopes they would come to a consensus and pass a reauthorization ahead of the Sept. 30 deadline.
The expiration was blamed on discrepancies between the House and the Senate, as well as the parties, over key provisions, including most prominently over a House provision to attach work requirements to the f ... more. |
Democratic gubernatorial nominee J.B. Pritzker has steadfastly defended the $330,000 property tax break he got in part by disabling the toilets in a Gold Coast mansion he owns — but on Tuesday the billionaire vowed to refund the money to taxpayers.
The surprise announcement comes just one day after the Chicago Sun-Times reported that the Cook County inspector general has concluded the property ... more. |
A plan to build a fertilizer plant in Tuscola is underway after a contract is signed for its construction.
Cronus Fertilizers signed a contract with Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions.
Thyssenkrupp is bringing the technical experience to build the plant.
The plant will produce over 2,000 metric tons of ammonia per day while bringing construction and long term jobs to the area ... more. |
Just as worker bees provide the hive with the substance it needs to thrive, states work to create pollinator habitat and increase awareness for an overall bigger impact in protecting pollinators.
When the Environmental Protection Agency called for individual states to develop pollinator protection plans and best management practices for pesticide risk management, states stepped up. Many created task ... more. |
For Pete Zimmerman, a Minnesota farmer, the age of gene-edited foods has arrived. While he couldn’t be happier, the hi-tech soybeans he’s now harvesting are at the crux of a long-running debate about a frankenfood future.
Zimmerman is among farmers in three states now harvesting 16,000 acres of DNA-altered soybeans destined to be used in salad dressings, granola bars and fry oil, and sold ... more. |
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner and his Democratic opponent JB Pritzker faced off in a debate hosted by ABC7 and held in conjunction with the League of Women Voters Wednesday night.
There are four candidates running for governor, but only Pritzker and Rauner will be debating. The League of Women Voters' longstanding criteria for candidates to be included requires them to be polling at 10 percent w ... more. |
South Dakota State University can proceed in a lead role with the state Department of Agriculture investigating whether herbicides are injuring trees, the state Board of Regents decided Wednesday.
The agreement ends May 31, 2020. Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska also will collect leaves. Fifty to 200 samples will be taken in each of the six states.
SDSU will lead the work w ... more. |
Canada’s PMRA—its environmental regulatory agency, part of HealthCanada—rolled out for public comment its tentative decision to phase out almost all outdoor uses of neonicotinoid pesticides over the next 3-5 years. Neonicotiniods, or neonics, are crop protection products that have become the world’s most widely used pesticide class thanks to their ability to selectively control pests that ... more. |
The National Agronomic Environmental Health And Safety School celebrated its 40th anniversary in style in August at The Asmark Institute Agricenter in Bloomington, IL. During the two-day event, attendees learned why safety is increasingly important to the ag retail marketplace and how to make their operations more safe.
Jay Vroom, retiring CropLife America president, gave the keynote address at the S ... more. |
It was on Friday, October 13, 2017when USEPA issued the revised dicamba labels for the 2018 application season. So you could wager that it might be around the same time in 2018 that the next dicamba labels may be released. It is generally expected that there will be a label for use on soybean and it may contain changes in the use instructions. It is also expected that all applicators who app ... more. |
The IFCA winter convention will be held January 28-30, 2019 at the Peoria Civic Center. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS ONE WEEK LATER THAN OUR USUAL CONVENTION WEEK. There was a mix-up years ago on the Civic Center calendar and we had to deal with it, so please make note of the dates.We will start with the CCA session on January 28 and the trade show will be January 29 & 30. In 2020 the ... more. |
There is one more opportunity this fall to secure your IDA issued competent attendant certificate to handle anhydrous ammonia and work on anhydrous ammonia equipment. On Friday, October 12 the IFCA and IDA are offering a class at the Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington IL from 8:30 to noon. Refreshments and lunch is included in the on-line registration price of $65.00 You can register on-line at the ... more. |
The strained farm bill negotiations have erupted in partisan bickering amid darkening prospects for reaching an agreement by the end of the year to replace the 2014 law that expired Sunday.
No further meetings of the four lead negotiators have been scheduled as of this weekend, although House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, has asked Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., to set ... more. |
China’s soybean processors are snapping up record volumes of Brazilian cargoes for shipment in the fourth quarter, curbing purchases of U.S. crops in North America’s peak marketing season as the trade war between Washington and Beijing intensifies.
That shift away from U.S. beans by China, which takes more than 60 percent of the commodity traded worldwide, will pile further pressure on be ... more. |
Bayer AG’s defense of Roundup weed killer may take a hit after an academic journal said Monsanto Co. didn’t fully disclose its involvement in published research finding the herbicide safe.
A correction issued by Critical Reviews in Toxicology, a journal that analyzes health risks of chemicals, may bolster arguments that Monsanto, acquired by Bayer this year, ghost-wrote safety reviews as ... more. |
Republicans are moving full speed ahead with their goal of overhauling the Endangered Species Act (ESA), with legislation that would mark the biggest changes to the landmark law in decades.
GOP lawmakers on a key House committee rammed through several bills this past week that would each lower or remove protections for animals and plants listed as endangered or threatened.
Republicans ar ... more. |
The U.S. and Canada have reached a deal on an updated North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) after negotiators in Washington and Ottawa worked furiously into the night to meet a self-imposed midnight Sunday deadline.
The White House announced on Sunday night that Canada, Mexico and the United States have reached a deal to preserve the three-nation agreement.
In a joint statement, U.S. Tr ... more. |
Billionaire Democratic governor candidate J.B. Pritzker pumped another $20 million into his campaign, extending his record-setting self-funding to more than $146.5 million, a state finance report filed minutes before midnight Saturday showed.
For the record, the latest multimillion cash infusion made last Tuesday brings Pritzker’s total to $146,550,034 since March 2017, state campaign finance r ... more. |
Harry Canterbury is a native Peorian who’s not happy with what he’s seen happen to the city.
Canterbury, the former owner of Adventure Sports Outdoors, the fishing-hunting publication, recently purchased a home in Port Charlotte, Fla.
“This was a great community. Now it’s overtaxed, suffers from high crime and there’s no place to work. It breaks my heart,&rd ... more. |
Whether you know it specifically as CRISPR or “gene editing 2.0,” this technology has already descended upon agriculture and will continue to disrupt plant breeding for years.
These new breeding techniques are distinct from GMOs because they represent a much less invasive process. It’s not unlike the copy-and-paste function on a computer — plant breeders can highlight desirabl ... more. |
The Trump administration is appealing a federal court order for the Environmental Protection Agency to ban a pesticide many farmers say would seriously hurt the agricultural industry.
The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit violated Supreme Court precedent and the law when it ruled that the EPA improperly rejected a petition in 2017 to prohibit use of chlorpyrifos, the Justice Department said in a ... more. |
The 2014 farm bill is set to expire next Sunday, leaving numerous programs in limbo while congressional negotiators continue struggling to reach agreement on a range of issues.
The four lead farm bill negotiators - the chairmen and senior Democrats of the House and Senate Agriculture committees - talked by phone last week, and their aides talked through the week.
A GOP member of the Ho ... more. |
The Trump administration is appealing a federal court ruling ordering the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ban the pesticide chlorpyrifos.
Justice Department attorneys said that the San Francisco-based Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit violated both Supreme Court precedent and the underlying law when it ruled that former EPA head Scott Pruitt improperly rejected a petition in 2017 to ban ... more. |
Some companies in California were surprised recently when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates food labeling, announced that it was considering no longer allowing food products to be labeled as “milk” unless they came from lactating animals.
Almond “milk” has become increasingly popular with consumers and essentially all almonds in the U.S. are grown in Cali ... more. |
That first gubernatorial debate last week was quite the sight, and sound, for those who bothered to tune in.
There was a lot of sound and fury, and not so much in the way of further illuminating how anyone is really going to fix the state’s myriad problems.
And if you expect a governor to conduct him/herself with a certain deportment, you probably didn’t get any answers, eith ... more. |
House lawmakers are seeking to halt …. local ordinances to ban or restrict pesticides that opponents say conflict with state and federal laws.
Local government officials …. are passing ordinances restricting the spraying of bug- and weedkillers …. at the behest of community members …. In the past year, Austin, Texas, passed an ordinance to end spraying of the insecticides ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner Friday issued an executive order eliminating 53 boards and commissions that he said haven’t functioned for years.
At the same time, Rauner issued an executive order to curtail nepotism in state government. It prohibits executive agency heads from appointing, promoting or recommending a relative to any agency or department under their control.
It is the second time ... more. |
Please consider joining the growing number of ag retail facilities nationwide who are participating in Responsible Ag to ensure that their facilities are in compliance with the many federal regulations that impact agrichemical facilities.
We are very proud of the Illinois ag retailers who are part of Responsible Ag. If you are curious who in Illinois is a member of the program, click ... more. |
The IL Dept of Ag reports that of the 521 pesticide misuse complaints that were filed in 2018 (329 of them dicamba related), they have issued 108 warning letters and 8 monetary penalties so far--nearly all of these have gone to commercial applicators. IDA is about 1/3 of the way through their workload on the complaints.
Most of the monetary penalties are the result of points carrying ... more. |
A top Trump administration official on Monday defended a plan to revamp the Endangered Species Act, saying the proposed changes would result in more effective, quicker decisions on species protection.
Deputy Interior Secretary David Bernhardt dismissed criticism by environmental groups that the plan would “gut” crucial protections for threatened animals and plants.
“Tha ... more. |
House Republican leaders have unveiled their proposal to expand the massive tax law they hustled through Congress last year. They’re aiming to make permanent the individual tax cuts and small-business income deductions now set to expire in 2026.
With midterm elections barely two months away, the second crack at tax cuts outlined Monday is portrayed as championing the middle class and small busi ... more. |
President Trump is dangling the threat of more tariffs on Chinese goods as U.S. groups warn him not to. A letter from the National Retailers Federation and more than 100 other groups says escalating a “tit-for-tat” trade war with China would only increase the harm to more U.S. economic interests including farmers, families, businesses and workers.
The groups say they support the administr ... more. |
There’s still no deal between the U.S. and Illinois’ largest trading partner Canada, but a deal inked with Mexico has farmers in the Land of Lincoln feeling more optimistic.
After months of trade uncertainty following the administration’s scrapping of the North American Free Trade Agreement, President Donald Trump announced late last month a deal with Mexico.
Trump said ... more. |
Senate and House lawmakers on Monday night reached an agreement on a bipartisan water infrastructure bill that will reauthorize billions of dollars in federal spending on ports, harbors, and waterways as well as deauthorize inefficient spending on water projects.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and committee ranking member Sen. Tom Carper(D ... more. |
Democrat gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker said Thursday the state should consider extending the sales tax to services as part of a way to bring in more revenue.
Shortly after, his campaign said Pritzker misspoke.
Pritzker appeared before The State Journal-Register editorial board Thursday in a discussion that focused heavily on state finances and taxation.
Pritzker has ... more. |
According to most market watchers, the Great Recession ended for much of the world approximately five years ago. For the fertilizer marketplace, however, the Great Recession is still ongoing, at least in financial terms.
During 2017 economists estimate that U.S. grower income dropped to $58 billion. Not too many years ago, this figure topped $100 billion. Likewise, commodity prices have remained very ... more. |
The Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association wants the EPA to set a cut-off for dicamba application next year. Association president Jean Payne tells Brownfield Ag News their suggestion of June 30th is based on feedback from professional applicators, “That would still give us flexibility in replant. But, in reality, even when we have to replant soybeans, by June 30th your soybeans are up, in the post-em ... more. |
Agriculture is one of the few areas of the American economy that sells more overseas than it buys. However, because of the trade war with China, the surplus is set to shrink.
A USDA forecast says the world's biggest agriculture exporter will see eight percent fewer exports than last year, at $18 billion in surplus. Right now, the U.S. is expected to import a $126.5 billion in agriculture products ... more. |
Bayer AG said the number of American plaintiffs alleging its recently acquired weedkillers cause cancer has risen sharply, adding to concerns about potentially lengthy and costly litigation stemming from its acquisition of Monsanto.
The German chemicals company on Wednesday also lowered its full-year earnings outlook because of delays in closing its $63 billion purchase of Monsanto, which inclu ... more. |
As a scientist who has spent his career in agricultural biotech, I’ve watched with some sympathy as the public struggles to sort out whether to embrace innovation in agriculture or continue a wariness that originated nearly 40 years ago with the introduction of genetically modified crops.
Very recently the agricultural world watched with interest as the European Union’s highest court uphe ... more. |
The two farmwomen lived, in the vernacular of the region, within spittin' distance of each other. The only thing that stood between their farmsteads was a couple hundred acres of crops and a fence.
These sisters of experience could have been a source of emotional support as they lived out their lives on the Illinois prairie. Yet for the decades that I knew, and loved them, they lived estranged du ... more. |
The harvest emergency announced by Gov. Bruce Rauner on Friday is only the second one ever enacted, but its practical effects will repeat annually without such a declaration beginning next year.
The emergency status enables the Illinois Department of Transportation to issue free permits to farmers and crop haulers allowing them to surpass gross vehicle and gross axle weight limits during the harvest ... more. |
The Illinois State Fair in Springfield saw 369,144 people walk or drive through its gates last month, an 8 percent drop compared to last year’s fair, state officials reported Friday.
Officials noted, however, that fairgoers this year appeared to spend more money than in 2017, according to an early look at vendors’ sales receipts.
This year’s attendance total was lower t ... more. |
U.S. President Donald Trump warned on Friday he was ready to slap tariffs on virtually all Chinese imports into the United States, threatening duties on another $267 billion of goods on top of $200 billion in imports primed for levies in coming days.
The moves would sharply escalate Trump's trade war with Beijing over his demands for major changes in economic, trade and technology policy. China has thr ... more. |
A Brazilian court on Monday overturned an injunction banning products containing the popular weed-killer glyphosate, knocking down a previous ruling that had been set to disrupt the soy planting season set to begin this month.
A Brazilian judge ruled last month to halt the registration of new glyphosate-based products in the country and to suspend existing registrations after 30 days, until health agency A ... more. |
The farm bill negotiators face a self-imposed deadline this week for reaching a deal that Congress could act on by the end of the month when the 2014 farm bill expires.
Meanwhile, negotiations also are underway to finish work on a series of fiscal 2019 spending packages that are needed to fund USDA, FDA, EPA, the Interior Department and other departments and agencies important to agriculture. The new ... more. |
The Asmark Insittute Signature Training Program offers “one-of-a-kind” ag specific courses developed to facilitate the learning process by immersing participants in real-life situations. The following courses are available:
Applicator Training
Ammonia Technician
DOT/EPA AG-30 Hour
Emergency Response to Agricultural Incidents
Grain Handling Safety & Operations
Nurse Tank Ins ... more. |
As of yesterday, the IL Dept of Ag has received a total of 517 pesticide misuse cases in 2018. Of the 517, 469 are agriculture related: dicamba complaints make up 328 of the 469 ag related cases. There are 48 cases attributed to lawncare.
The number of complaints officially filed with IDA vastly exceeds any other year on record, going back to the beginning of the misuse report ... more. |
Please visit the IFCA website at www.ifca.com to sign up for the fall anhydrous ammonia safety classes. The full schedule and on-line registration is easy to view and use on our website, but if you need assistance registering, call Leslie or John at the office at 309.827.2774. We've also added a late class on October 12 at the Agricenter in Bloomington to accommodate our members who bring on ... more. |
With summer almost over, IFCA has posted the dates and locations for the IFCA/IDOA fall anhydrous ammonia safety classes. This fall IFCA will host six classes, beginning on September 14. To see the dates and locations and to register on-line, click here or visit the ammonia training icon on IFCA's hompage at www.ifca.com. John Rebholz, IFCA's Director of Safety & Education, is always a ... more. |
It’s no secret that farm country is suffering from retaliatory tariffs that are the result of President Donald Trump’s trade negotiating tactics, but could the trade war push U.S. agriculture into a recession? One Wall Street analyst thinks they could.
“From an investor's standpoint, what we're seeing on Wall Street is perhaps a little naivety and a little complacency around the i ... more. |
It’s been a long road through the agriculture industry for Chris Novak. Like many ag executives, he grew up on a small farm, but his dad’s main source of income during Novak’s formative years was as a crop protection product salesperson for the former Farmland Industries Cooperative.
“His territory covered a good share of eastern Iowa, so when I was growing up, there was a reg ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner praised President Donald Trump’s economic and trade policies at an agricultural candidate forum Wednesday and said they should be replicated in Illinois.
But Democratic contender J.B. Pritzker, appearing later, chastised Rauner for not utilizing the state’s congressional leadership to get more aid from Washington and not standing up against Trump tariffs impacting the ag ... more. |
The House and Senate farm bill negotiators meet formally for the first time this week with the expiration of the 2014 law less than a month away.
The conference committee meeting, scheduled for Wednesday in the Senate’s historic Kennedy Caucus Room, site of events ranging from the Watergate hearings to a farm bill conference committee meeting for what became the 2008 farm bill.
Sen ... more. |
Governor Rauner signed the Industrial Hemp Act, Senate Bill 2298 on Saturday, Aug. 25 at the Du Quoin State Fair.
The bill adds Illinois to a growing number of states that permit growth of cannabis cultivated for non-drug uses such as paper- and fabric-making, biodegradable plastics, construction materials and health food.
The governor also signed House Bill 5749 which will ease weight-l ... more. |
Conservative Republicans are targeting the iconic Endangered Species Act for a major makeover, arguing that the decades-old law is a failure.
Their primary piece of evidence: Of the 2,493 species listed as threatened or endangered, only 54 have recovered enough to be removed from the list – a delisting success rate of less than 3 percent.
“As a doctor, if I admit 100 patients ... more. |
The U.S. and Canada are getting ready to decide on key issues as they work to strike a deal to update the North American Free Trade Agreement, Canada’s foreign minister said.
“Our officials did some work. They prepared some issues for me and Ambassador Lighthizer to take some decisions,” Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters Thursday afternoon in Washington, as she heade ... more. |
One of China's major moves in the trade war with the United States is in danger of backfiring on its own farmers.
They're facing a potential shortage of soybeans, one of China's biggest imports from the United States, after Beijing slapped a 25% tariff on them last month in retaliation for US tariffs on a swath of Chinese goods.
American farmers, who sold more than $12 billio ... more. |
Manufacturers, farmers and other industry groups plan to appeal a federal court decision that reinstated in 26 states an Obama-era rule that defined which waterways are covered by Clean Water Act regulations.
The U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina on Aug. 16 invalidated the Trump administration’s attempt for a two-year nationwide delay of the rule.
The action me ... more. |
Startling headlines about a weed killer in children’s cereal and snack bars are swamping social media and scaring parents this month.
An advocacy organization, the Environmental Working Group, said last week that it had found traces of the pesticide glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup, in certain popular breakfast cereals and snack bars.
The group is not neutral on the issue ... more. |
The number of U.S. lawsuits brought against Bayer’s (BAYGn.DE) newly acquired Monsanto has jumped to about 8,000, as the German drugmaker braces for years of legal wrangling over alleged cancer risks of glyphosate-based weedkillers.
Bayer had previously disclosed 5,200 such lawsuits against Monsanto, which it acquired in a $63 billion deal completed in June.
“The number of pl ... more. |
It’s hard to believe another summer show season is already behind us. Soon, grower-customer fields will be bristling with activity as the fall harvest gets underway.
Before putting summer behind us completely, it probably is a good time to reflect back on some of the buzz and talk that came out of the this year’s crop of ag retail equipment-oriented trade shows. Although there are several ... more. |
Illinois lawmakers are once again looking at a big expansion of gambling as a way to prop up the state’s ailing finances.
A joint hearing of House and Senate committees last week took more testimony on an expansion bill that would add six new casinos, additional gaming positions at existing casinos and slot machines at horse racing tracks.
That part passed the Senate in 2017 but ha ... more. |
Governor Rauner signed the Industrial Hemp Act, Senate Bill 2298 on Saturday, Aug. 25 at the Du Quoin State Fair.
The bill adds Illinois to a growing number of states that permit growth of cannabis cultivated for non-drug uses such as paper- and fabric-making, biodegradable plastics, construction materials and health food.
The governor also signed House Bill 5749 which will ease weight-l ... more. |
The IFCA Board and staff has been very engaged all year on the dicamba issue. We talk with the IDA every week regarding the misuse complaints and the IDA investigations, and we recently met with all the pesticide manufacturers to discuss the best path forward given the high number of complaints that farmers have filed with the IDA, the clear majority of which are dicamba symptoms on sensitive soybeans.
A ... more. |
The IFCA Board and staff has been very engaged all year on the dicamba issue. We talk with the IDA every week regarding the misuse complaints and the IDA investigations, and we recently met with all the pesticide manufacturers to discuss the best path forward given the high number of complaints that farmers have filed with the IDA, the clear majority of which are dicamba symptoms on sensitive soybeans.
... more. |
IFCAhas another great MAGIE Show planned for this year.Next weeks weather forcast looks great and will be clear and in the mid 70's. So come and check out the latest equipment in the industry. To check out the exhibitors who will be in attendance and the layout of the grounds, click here.
There is still time to pre-register on-line for the show and we will have a nam ... more. |
Don't put off getting registered for the fall IFCA ammonia safety schools. The full schedule of classes is available on our website at www.ifca.com, just click on the NH3 School tab on the IFCA hompage to see the dates and locations and to register. We added an earlybird class on August 17 in Bloomington given the likelihood of an early harvest, to help our members who may be busy with grain in Sept ... more. |
Illinois has been a hot spot for the dicamba debate in 2018. Injury complaints to the Illinois Department of Agriculture are running 20% higher than during the same period in 2017.
With re-registration of the herbicides approved for use with the Xtend technology pending and off-target movement still being reported, the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA) felt a survey of custom applic ... more. |
In an effort to promote workforce development, Ivanka Trump visited the welding program Wednesday at Lewis & Clark Community College in Godfrey.
The visit by Trump, presidential adviser and daughter of the president, was part of an effort to promote the president’s Council for the American Worker. The visit came shortly before fall classes were scheduled to begin at the education center.
... more. |
The Mexican ambassador to the United States said Tuesday that Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Mexico’s incoming president, wants the North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations to be completed before he takes office on December 1 and the Canadian deputy ambassador said Canada would welcome the agreement’s completion this year.
At the Politico Summit, Mexican Ambassador to the United Sta ... more. |
There’s a saying that big crops get bigger. According to USDA’s August Crop Production and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates, the 2018 corn and soybean crops continue to grow.
Here are the key numbers:
Corn: Production forecast at 14.6 billion bushels, down less than 1% from last year. Based on conditions as of Aug. 1, yields are expected to average 178.4 bushels ... more. |
In an effort to promote workforce development, Ivanka Trump visited the welding program Wednesday at Lewis & Clark Community College in Godfrey.
The visit by Trump, presidential adviser and daughter of the president, was part of an effort to promote the president’s Council for the American Worker. The visit came shortly before fall classes were scheduled to begin at the education center.
... more. |
State Board of Elections officials said Wednesday that federal officials investigating Russian hacking involving the 2016 election confirmed the state’s initial assessment that 76,000 voters had their personal data compromised — despite a figure of 500,000 voters contained in a recent indictment.
State election officials and representatives from the FBI and Special Counsel Robert Mueller& ... more. |
Conservationists on Wednesday notified the Trump administration that they would sue over its reversal of a 2014 decision prohibiting bee-killing pesticides and genetically modified crops on U.S. wildlife refuges.
The reversal, issued on Aug. 2 in a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service memo, suggested that neonicotinoid pesticides, or neonics, were needed for “farming practices” in refuge areas ... more. |
Dicamba drift across the landscape was the dominant call again this June and July.
Once again, Palmer amaranth control with dicamba was very good in many fields. This is the third year where there have been major issues keeping dicamba in the field, but Palmer amaranth control was good in fields where it was applied. It really dawned on me that this is not so much new, but after three consecutive yea ... more. |
EPA has been ordered to cancel chlorpyrifos registrations within 60 days, after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco ruled on Thursday the agency was not justified in maintaining the insecticide's registration "in the face of scientific evidence that its residue on food causes neurodevelopmental damage to children."
The EPA denied a petition filed by environm ... more. |
A jury ordered chemical giant Monsanto to pay $289 million Friday to a school groundskeeper who got terminal cancer after using Roundup, one of the world's most popular weed killers.
The Superior Court jury deliberated for two and a half days before finding that Dewayne Johnson's non-Hodgkin lymphoma was at least partly due to using glyphosate, the primary ingredient in Roundup. Johnson regul ... more. |
Thank you IFCA retail members for responding to the IFCA dicamba survey; your input is extremely valuable as IFCA engages with registrants, ag groups and state and federal agencies on the future of this herbicide use. August is a critical month for these discussions and your feedback as professional applicators is essential. A report of the survey results is available on our website at www.ifca.com or c ... more. |
While fact checkers dig through financial filings, voting records and the claims shot back and forth between candidates in political ads for statewide office, one thing is for sure, there's more to come.
Expect to see negative ads up to election day.
Voters got a breather after March where in the run up to the primary election the airwaves were flooded with political ads from all sid ... more. |
China intends to slap duties on U.S. shipments of some fertilizers as part of a $60 billion ramp up in a trade war between the two nations. The good news for U.S. producers is the move is unlikely to have any significant impact on their business.
It’s “no concern,” RBC Capital Markets analyst Andrew Wong said in an email. “China mostly only imports potash for fertilizer use, a ... more. |
CropLife Editor Eric Sfiligoj and special guest Allen Summers discuss The Asmark Institute and the upcoming Safety School at 2018 MAGIE Show.
Click Here to read more.
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Bayer will appeal the ruling of the General Court of the European Union in Case T-429/13. The company is concerned that the verdict, announced in May, could have far-reaching consequences for the certainty and predictability of active substance approvals in the European Union. By appealing the verdict, Bayer aims to ensure that some general interpretations of the crop protection law established by the court are r ... more. |
Crops are engineered in a number of ways. Often, they are made resistant to an herbicide, so a farmer can spray one on their fields and keep their plots free from weeds without killing the crop itself. Or they can be innately poisonous to its predators, like milkweed is, which reduces the amount of pesticides needed to keep a crop safe.
But do these things harm the environment? According to the data: ... more. |
The Trump administration has rescinded an Obama-era ban on the use of pesticides linked to declining bee populations and the cultivation of genetically modified crops in dozens of national wildlife refuges where farming is permitted.
Environmentalists, who had sued to bring about the 2-year-old ban, said on Friday that lifting the restriction poses a grave threat to pollinating insects and other sens ... more. |
China threatened Friday to tax an additional $60 billion a year worth of U.S. imports if the Trump administration imposes its own new levies on Chinese goods.
The threat comes two days after President Donald Trump ordered his administration to consider increasing the rate of tariffs it has already proposed on $200 billion a year of Chinese goods — everything from chemicals to handbags &m ... more. |
This week’s guest on Open Mic is Illinois Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. The Illinois Democrat will serve on the 2018 Farm Bill Conference Committee and discusses the many challenges of resolving differences in the respective proposals including SNAP work requirements, conservation programs and farm support payment limits. Bustos agrees the U.S. should work toward free and fair trade, but disagrees with the Tr ... more. |
We were very sorry to learn this week that Steve Smothers, an ammonia/fertilizer/seed/feed inspector in Western Illinois, passed away at the age of 64. Steve's obituary is here. We send our condolences to his wife and family and appreciate his work and dedication to the ag industry.
Also recently, John Zook who performed ammonia/fertilizer/seed/feed inspections in Centr ... more. |
Please visit the IFCA website at www.ifca.com to sign up for the fall anhydrous ammonia safety classes. The full schedule and on-line registration is easy to view and use on our website, but if you need assistance registering, call Leslie or John at the office at 309.827.2774. We've added an early class on August 17 at the Agricenter in Bloomington to accommodate our members who also have busy grain ... more. |
The second IFCA scholarship fund golf outing is this Thursday (Aug 2) at the Fox Prairie Golf Course in Windsor, IL. We had great turnout at the outing last week in Seneca, thanks everyone! The weather looks promising for this week as well and there is still time to sign up a foursome or as an individual and be paired with other IFCA members. Please contact Leslie Forrest if you can join us. ... more. |
The Illinois Vehicle Code does not require either lights or brakes on agricultural implements of husbandry trailers including ammonia nurse wagons. However, a recent change in federal law requires manufacturers of ag trailers to include lights on any trailer manufactured after June 2017. We are already seeing retailers have many issues with lights on new nurse tank trailers with obvious maintenance issu ... more. |
As of July 27, 2018 the Illinois Department of Ag has received 275 formal misuse complaints attributed to suspected misuse and/or off-target movement of dicamba. While the majority are complaints related to symptoms in soybeans, there are also a growing number of complaints where symptoms on trees will be investigated. Last year, the dicamba complaints in Illinois topped out at 246 at the end of August. ... more. |
MAGIE is now just a few weeks away! The show dates are August 22-23 at the McLean County Fairgrounds. We make it easy for you to pre-register so you don't have to register at the door. Click here to register for MAGIE. We also encourage anyone who is involved in environmental, health, safety or transportation issues for your company to attend the National Agronomic Environmental Health & ... more. |
This is just a reminder that today is the last day to sign up for the IFCA golf outing at Fox Prairein Windsor, Illinois. The outing is this Thursday, with lunch at 11am and shotgun start at noon. Either call the office at 309-827-2774 or email leslief@ifca.com to sign up.
Your participation and donations make it possible for IFCA to award five $1,000 scholarships annually to st ... more. |
The two main candidates for Illinois governor, Bruce Rauner and JB Pritzker, are spending a combined $300,000 a day on their campaigns.
According to a campaign source, Pritzker promised after the primary that for every dollar Rauner spends, he would spend two, and the second quarter reports that the candidates had to file by Monday night show Pritzker did that and more.
To put that in pe ... more. |
Army Corps of Engineers officials are expected this fall to partially open new lock-and-dam system on the Ohio River between Illinois and Kentucky after 30 years of work.
Plans are that ships and barges be able to start using the Olmsted Locks and Dam in October, replacing a system dating to the 1920s.
The project to update the locks began in 1988, with an original completion date of 201 ... more. |
As of July 15, farmers, homeowners and others filed 605 official complaints of suspected dicamba damage with state departments of agriculture across soybean growing states. That number reflects soybeans and all other specialty crops including vegetable plants, fruit trees, ornamentals, trees, etc.
However, university Extension experts estimate that not all cases of off-target movement have been reported. ... more. |
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Tuesday announced it would offer $12 billion in aid to farmers hindered by retaliatory tariffs imposed on U.S. grain, produce and meat exports as the Trump administration digs in for a protracted trade battle.
The department will use the emergency aid to assist and buy crops from farmers who’ve lost billions of dollars in sales from foreign buyers in the ... more. |
The Senate looks to finally name its team of farm bill negotiators this week while also finishing work on a $154 billion spending bill for a bevy of departments and agencies important to agriculture, including USDA and FDA.
In addition, Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler will testify on Capitol Hill for the first time since taking over the agency’s top post in the wake of Scott Pruit ... more. |
Franklin Park officials want to be able to regulate pesticides at the village level, and they have plans to ask the state to allow them to do so.
The village board may vote as soon as its next meeting on a resolution requesting that the Illinois General Assembly remove the clause from the Illinois Pesticide Act that prevents municipalities from controlling pesticide use.
&ldquo ... more. |
Crops obtained by plant breeding technique mutagenesis should fall under laws restricting the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), Europe’s highest court said on Wednesday, in a victory for environmental campaigners.
The biotech industry had argued that much of mutagenesis, or gene editing, is effectively little different to the mutagenesis that occurs naturally or is induced by radiat ... more. |
In the summer of 1973, the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries approved a version of the Endangered Species Act and sent the bill to the floor of Congress. To accompany the measure, the committee—now defunct—produced a report that offered the following analogy. Imagine that a copy of every book in the world had been deposited in one enormous building. Now imagine that a madman was somehow ... more. |
A series of public hearings begins today on the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's proposed rule on nitrogen fertilizer use.
Nitrate contamination in groundwater is a problem in some areas of the state, and agriculture officials say they're trying to prevent it from becoming worse.
The proposed rule would restrict farmers from applying nitrogen fertilizer in the fall or on frozen soils ... more. |
It’s still too early tell exactly how dicamba injury-related issues on U.S. cropland will compare to last year, but as of late July, a major improvement is not in the cards. It’s disappointing, given the unprecedented training that went on in the off-season.
In his closely watched dicamba report, Dr. Kevin Bradley, Professor in the Division of Plant Sciences at the University of Missouri, recal ... more. |
It’s still too early tell exactly how dicamba injury-related issues on U.S. cropland will compare to last year, but as of late July, a major improvement is not in the cards. It’s disappointing, given the unprecedented training that went on in the off-season.
In his closely watched dicamba report, Dr. Kevin Bradley, Professor in the Division of Plant Sciences at the University of Missouri, recal ... more. |
A Jo Daviess County cover crop experiment seeks options to tackle weather pattern challenges and provide farmers with economic benefits – an interesting task with broad implications for northern Illinois, according to two agriculture specialists.
Jo Daviess County Farm Bureau Director Greg Thoren is hosting his fourth cover crop trial on his Stockton farm, and the third one partially sponsored as the ... more. |
Like any self-respecting farmer, Zachary Lippman was grumbling about the weather. Stout, with close-cropped hair and beard, Lippman was standing in a greenhouse in the middle of Long Island, surrounded by a profusion of rambunctiously bushy plants. “Don’t get me started,” he said, referring to the late and inclement spring. It was a Tuesday in mid-April, but a chance of snow had been in the foreca ... more. |
President Donald Trump on Friday said he was ready to impose tariffs on all $500 billion of imported goods from China, threatening to escalate a clash over trade policy that has unnerved financial markets.
“We’re down a tremendous amount,” Trump said in an interview about trade imbalances with China on CNBC television broadcast on Friday. “I’m ready to go to 500.”
... more. |
Democratic governor candidate J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday he would seek to temporarily raise Illinois’ flat income tax rate and boost credits and deductions while lawmakers consider changing the state constitution to allow for a graduated income tax.
Pritzker, though, declined to say what that increased tax rate should be. During the primary campaign, he also didn’t say what rates should come wi ... more. |
Illinois Reps. Cheri Bustos, Rodney Davis and John Shimkus will help sort out the differences between the House and Senate farm bills.
Bustos, D-East Moline; Davis, R-Taylorville; and Shimkus, R-Collinsville, were among 29 Republican and 18 Democratic conferees announced this week by House leadership. The conferees were named after the House voted to go to conference. The Senate has yet to act.
Cl ... more. |
The Endangered Species Act, which for 45 years has safeguarded fragile wildlife while blocking ranching, logging and oil drilling on protected habitats, is coming under attack from lawmakers, the White House and industry on a scale not seen in decades, driven partly by fears that the Republicans will lose ground in November’s midterm elections.
In the past two weeks, more than two dozen pieces of leg ... more. |
The Senate plans to name its farm bill negotiators this week, clearing the way for the talks to begin as House members scatter for the August recess.
The House named its 47 conferees last week. The Senate is expected to have just seven - four Republicans and three Democrats. The GOP conferees will include Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who has t ... more. |
State government spent $100.4 million less than it took in during the 2018 budget year that ended June 30, even after Gov. Eric Holcomb funneled $327.1 million in additional funds to the Department of Child Services.
Data released Thursday by State Auditor Tera Klutz shows Indiana collected $15.8 billion in taxes and fees over the past 12 months, and spent $15.7 billion providing services to the stat ... more. |
The 2018 MAGIE Show is just around the corner. This year’s show dates are August 22-23 in Bloomington, Illinois at the McLean County Fair grounds. Registration is open now! Please pre-register for the show at: https://www.ifca.com/MAGIE/Registration
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Last July, lawmakers overrode Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto, passing a $36.5 billion budget that took an additional $5 billion from taxpayers and ended a more than two-year standoff between the freshman governor demanding pro-business reforms and Democrats in the General Assembly, who passed a budget with the help of a handful of defecting Republicans.
The final vote tallies were slim, but Democrats ... more. |
It’s been hot and steamy across the Corn Belt the past couple weeks. With talk of elevated overnight temperatures, there was an assumption that it could hinder pollination. As you drive down the I-55 corridor, that’s not the case, as uniform fields show promise for a record corn crop in 2018.
“We like our ear to pollinate - it's going to start at the butt of the ear move to the tip ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner discussed the threat posed by escalating trade disputes with the the Japanese ambassador to the United States on Tuesday at a machine tools facility in Schaumburg.
“We … talked about tariffs, and the importance of making sure we don’t break out in a full trade war, how tariffs can cause massive unemployment, job losses, around the world and here in Illinois,&rdquo ... more. |
The Trump administration escalated a mounting trade war with China on Tuesday by publishing a list of $200 billion worth of Chinese goods that it proposes to hit with an additional 10 percent tariff.
“Rather than address our legitimate concerns, China has begun to retaliate against U.S. products," U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said in a statement. "There is no justificat ... more. |
Frustrated by lawmakers’ refusal to consider a bill to get tougher on sources of agricultural pollution feeding Lake Erie’s chronic toxic algae problem, Gov. John Kasich on Wednesday took matters into his own hands with an executive order.
“This is just requiring farmers to figure out a way to manage their land in a more effective and environmentally friendly way,” the Republi ... more. |
The debate surrounding genetically engineered (“GE” or “GMO”) plants and animals has historically been, and still is, extremely divisive. Anti-GMO activists raise many objections, including two that often resonate with a segment of the public: (1) control of the food supply by a few multinational corporations, and (2) reliance on pesticides.
To exemplify these controversies, t ... more. |
Hundreds of lawsuits against Monsanto Co by cancer survivors or families of those who died can proceed to trial, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday, finding there was sufficient evidence for a jury to hear the cases that blame the company’s glyphosate-containing weed-killer for the disease.
The decision by U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria in San Francisco followed years of litigation and weeks ... more. |
The House takes a key step this week toward beginning negotiations with the Senate on a final farm bill, but the talks may not formally begin until August.
The House is scheduled to vote to go to conference with the Senate on the legislation, but House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway said it would probably take the rest of the month for House and Senate leaders to appoint the member ... more. |
As of July 6, 2018 the Illinois Department of Agriculture has received 142 formal complaints on alleged dicamba misuse. Calls this week continue to come in to IDA, predominantly from farmers who are requesting investigations regarding symptoms in soybeans. All but 5 of the 142 complaints are suspected dicamba impacts on soybean. This brings the total number of pesticide complaints in Illinois to 2 ... more. |
Be sure to join us at MAGIE on August 22-23, 2018 at the McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington, IL. We have another great event planned--see the latest and best equipment, enjoy lots of exhibitor hospitality and be a part of a unique industry event. Click here to register for MAGIE and to see information on exhibitors, hotels, etc. If you pre-register by August 11 you can avoid lines in registr ... more. |
Yesterday, Ohio Governor John Kasich issued an Executive Order requiring farmers to "figure out a way to manage their land in a more effective and environmentally friendly way" said the Governor. The order would trigger the writing of additional regulations affecting all nutrient sources. Farm groups criticized the order, and while the Governor did say he believes agriculture has made progress ... more. |
Several of our members who also serve the grain industry have expressed a desire for an earlier fall ammonia safety school in order to avoid conflicts with grain harvest. We have added a class on August 17 at the Agricenter in Bloomington to the current fall schedule of ammonia classes. You can register on-line for the class, and for any of the fall ammonia classes, by clicking here.
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Off-target injury associated with dicamba application in dicamba-resistant soybean was a significant problem in the Cornbelt during 2017 (A final report on dicamba-injured soybean acres). The increase in off-target problems associated with dicamba led to a record number of pesticide misuse investigations by the Iowa Department of Agriculture (IDALS) in 2017.
So how do things look at this poin ... more. |
State Sen. Sam McCann, R-Plainview, who is running as a Conservative Party candidate for governor, as well as Kash Jackson, a Libertarian seeking the office, will apparently be on the Nov. 6 ballot.
Monday was the final day for objections to nominating petitions to be filed to third-party and independent candidates, but none were filed against the McCann or Libertarian paperwork.
The Rep ... more. |
As local parties gear up for the fall campaign season, Sangamon County Democrats are hoping to use state and national politics -- specifically, Gov. Bruce Rauner and President Donald Trump -- to motivate their supporters in the coming months.
In Sangamon County, which has historically been a Republican stronghold, GOP leaders say those same forces work in their favor, because of support for both men. ... more. |
A workweek shortened by the July Fourth holiday may seem much longer to Illinois manufacturers and farmers, as products ranging from ketchup to soybeans are hit by tariffs.
On Sunday, Canada began imposing tariffs on about $12.6 billion of U.S. goods. On Thursday, Mexico is expected to increase its tariffs on U.S. pork. And on Friday, the Trump administration is set to impose tariffs on $34 billion o ... more. |
The U.S. imposed a 25% tariff on $34 billion worth of Chinese goods shortly after midnight Friday, meeting with immediate, equal retaliation from Beijing.
President Donald Trump said the total amount of tariffs could swell to $500 billion over time, enough to cover everything the U.S. imports from China. But for American farmers, the opening salvo has already turned a once-profitable outlook into a c ... more. |
The 2018 growing season feels like déjà vu, says Jean Payne, Illinois Chemical and Fertilizer Association president, as farmers and applicators watch soybeans cup and pesticide misuse claims multiply from off-target dicamba movement.
University of Illinois weed scientist Aaron Hager says he walked an off-target dicamba soybean field on June 6, about two weeks earlier than in 2017, and e ... more. |
The Senate last Thursday unanimously passed H.R. 1029, the Pesticide Registration Enhancement Act, which would reauthorize the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act (PRIA) that gives the Environmental Protection Agency the authority to collect fees to maintain the registration of pesticides.
According to a summary of the bill from the National Sorghum Producers, the bill includes an amendment from S ... more. |
For some farmers and weed scientists, puckered leaves on certain crops and other plants have become a familiar summertime sight — one that can suggest vapor from the weedkiller dicamba has moved through the air.
What many now refer to as “the D-word” is once again a topic of conversation — and controversy — as a third-straight summer of widely reported crop dam ... more. |
President Donald Trump says he’ll announce his nominee Monday to fill the pivotal Supreme Court vacancy created by the retirement of Anthony Kennedy, and farm groups are eager this week for House and Senate negotiations to begin on a new farm bill.
Whomever Trump picks for the court is expected to push the court to the right on regulatory issues important to agriculture. Trump’s short lis ... more. |
Democrats who control the Illinois General Assembly pushed back last spring against Republican President Donald Trump's hardline stance on immigration, aiming to protect Illinois residents regardless of their residency status and, in some cases, firing off direct repudiation of the nation's top executive.
Illinois is not alone. State-level legislation related to immigration increased 110 perc ... more. |
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue wrote an op-ed piece for USA Today Monday focusing on trade tensions and telling farmers he’s working on tools to help ease the burden.
“The president has instructed me to craft a strategy to support our farmers in the face of retaliatory tariffs,” he wrote.
He said U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has tools at its disposal to support ... more. |
In 2006, the regulatory program Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) was established. CFATS is overseen by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) aiming to prevent chemicals from being stolen, sabotaged or deliberately released by any bad actor, including terrorists.
CFATS is back in the news because the Congressional authorization for the program is set to expire in January 2019.
... more. |
After it was introduced in the 1970s, Roundup was promoted as an "herbicide that gets to the root of the problem."
Now, four decades later, manufacturer Monsanto will face a lawsuit that seeks to get to the root of another problem: whether the active ingredient in the weed-killer is to blame for a California man's terminal cancer. If Monsanto fails to persuade the court that its product ... more. |
Bilateral tariffs may reduce the value of U.S. farm exports to China by about 40 percent, according to a report published by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, a government think tank.
U.S. soybean, cotton, beef and cereal shipments to China may each drop by 50 percent in value, it said in a report published on its official WeChat account on Tuesday, citing results of a simulation. The pri ... more. |
An influential Chinese scientific advisory board on genetically modified crops met last week for the first time in a year, two sources said, in a sign that Beijing may be preparing to approve new biotech crops for import.
The meeting, which took place from June 20 to June 22, according to one of the sources, comes amid escalating trade tension with the United States, the world's top producer of GMO cro ... more. |
Five years ago, our Department of Agriculture partnered with Iowa State University, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and others to develop the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy as a science-based model to guide our water quality efforts. Since that time, we have regularly reviewed the progress we’re making and identified ways to do even more to protect our natural resources.
Accurately ... more. |
A group of U.S. states led by New York sued the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday, accusing Administrator Scott Pruitt of trying to illegally roll back limits on the use of climate change pollutants known as hydrofluorocarbons.
Eleven states and the District of Columbia said Pruitt violated the federal Clean Air Act on April 27 by issuing “guidance” that they said effectively r ... more. |
Hours after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against labor unions in the Janus case, the Rauner administration sent an email to state workers setting out their options in the wake of the decision.
Sent by the Department of Central Management Services, the email noted that the court decision means state employees “are no longer required to pay ‘fair share’ fees if they choose not to be a ... more. |
As of today, June 27, the Illinois Department of Agriculture continues to field many calls on alledged dicamba misuse, and is up to 66 formal complaints to be investigated by the department. Total pesticide misuse complaints in both ag and lawncare have now exceeded 160 (a "normal" year used to be around 110 total complaints). The number of official dicamba complaints have doubled in the last ... more. |
Virgil Harbach, one of the founders of H G & N - Harbrand Inc. passed away yesterday, June 26, at the age of 92.
For the many in our industry who knew Virgil, and for those who only knew his name, we can say simply that he was uniformly admired, respected and beloved for his contributions to the industry over many years. He helped form what is today's Illinois retail fertilizer indu ... more. |
Nitrogen pollution flowing out of Iowa to the Gulf of Mexico has grown by close to 50 percent over nearly two decades, a new report shows, despite hundreds of millions of dollars spent to stem nutrients entering the state's waterways.
A University of Iowa study shows the state's contribution to the Gulf dead zone spiked 47 percent to 618 million pounds in 2016, based on five-year running annu ... more. |
The Senate is planning to vote on a farm bill that sets up a clash over food stamp reform with President Trump and House Republicans.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he’ll hold a vote this week on the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, a five-year authorization of farm programs and policy, as well as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) otherwise known as food stam ... more. |
Dicamba is once again injuring non-dicamba-tolerant soybeans in 2018. As of June 15, university weed scientists estimate that approximately 383,000 acres of soybeans have been injured by dicamba so far, according to Kevin Bradley, University of Missouri Extension weeds specialist.
That’s out of an estimated 89 million acres of soybeans planted, according to USDA. Last year, dicamba damaged an e ... more. |
For almost 20 years, attendees of the annual Midwest AG Industries Exposition (MAGIE) have had the chance to arrive a few days early to learn about the latest developments in safety and regulatory
affairs. This will be the case again at the 2018 MAGIE event in Bloomington, IL. Safety School will last for a day and a half, starting Tuesday,
Aug. 21, at 7:30 a.m., and wrapping up Wednesday ... more. |
The San Fransisco Superior Court will soon hear testimony from a man dying of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma who claims Roundup (glyphosate) caused his cancer. This trial is the first of many against Monsanto under claims its widely-used herbicide lead to cancer.
Dewayne Johnson worked for a public-school system in California for two years when he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. During ... more. |
In a now-famous segment of his talk show, Jimmy Kimmel sent a reporter out to a West Coast farmers market in 2014 to ask food-conscious shoppers what they thought of GMOs. All the interviewees declared their horrified avoidance of GMOs—and then, predictably, failed to come up with an explanation for what the letters “G.M.O.” stand for.
The answer, of course, is “genetically mo ... more. |
With more than 700 soil types in Illinois, southern Illinois soils have different compositions and are conducive to different conservation practices than in central or northern regions, especially when it comes to fertilizer applications.
Those attending Nutrient Research and Education Council’s southern version of its field day at Southern Illinois University Farms were focused more on phospho ... more. |
The Senate is set to debate a popular bipartisan farm bill this week that senators from both parties are eager to pass amid the uncertainty in rural America over President Donald Trump’s trade policy.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., teed up action on the bill by scheduling a cloture vote Monday evening to begin debate on the legislation, which the Agriculture Committee approved 20-1 ... more. |
State Sen. Sam McCann, a Conservative Party candidate for governor, was joined by his running mate, Aaron Merreighn of Riverton, on Monday as they filed more than 65,000 signatures to get on the Nov. 6 ballot.
“This is about a calling,” McCann told reporters at the State Board of Elections after the petitions were filed. “This is about doing what’s right. It’s about rest ... more. |
Updates to the Illinois Anhydrous Ammonia regulations went into effect on July 1, 2016 (two years ago already!). These rules help ensure that ammonia facilities meet the national standards that govern the industry, and also take into consideration particular needs of the Illinois ammonia industry. For many of the major areas, IFCA worked with IDA to enact compliance dates that enable the industry time t ... more. |
With pesticide application season still underway in terms of herbicide, fungicide and insecticide treatments, we'd like to remind everyone that cleaning your spray equipment must be done over operational area containment.....it is a violation of the Part 255 containment rules to wash application equipment over gravel or any other area of your facility. The rules state:
Cleaning and washing of ... more. |
In the last week, the Illinois Department of Agriculture staff has been fielding 40-50 calls a day regarding pesticide misuse, mostly attributed to symptoms in soybeans. As of today (June 22, 2018) there are 25 formal misuse complaints filed alleging dicamba misuse, and the IDA has sent out dozens of complaint forms for those who are calling in, but who have not yet submitted a signed complaint. So far, ... more. |
The first applicator training class of 2018 was held this week at the Applicator Training Center in Bloomington, IL. We had students from Minnesota, Tennessee, Missouri and Illinois attend. If you have new applicators, even those who have never been in a sprayer or floater in their lives but want to learn, this is the course for them. The 3 1/2 day course covers the gamut on everything you need to ... more. |
Please join us for a day to relax and have fun at the upcoming IFCA Golf Outings: July 26 at LaSalle Senica's Oak Ridge Course and August 2 at Windsor Fox Prairie Course. Both events start at 11 am with lunch and shotgun start at noon. Click here for the registration form.
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CropLife America (CLA), the leading association for the U.S. crop protection industry, has selected Chris Novak as its next president and CEO.
“I’m pleased to announce that Mr. Chris Novak has been selected by our Board’s search committee to become just the fifth staff leader of our association in its 85-year history. Chris brings a wealth of agriculture trade association ... more. |
While EPA continues to draft a new waters of the United States rule, the wheels of justice keep turning, as a coalition of agriculture groups took federal court action in North Dakota on Friday to try to stop the 2015 WOTUS rule from ever becoming law.
Though EPA took action in recent months to delay the implementation of the 2015 rule by two years to allow for a rewrite, a case filed in U.S. Distric ... more. |
The Illinois General Assembly adjourned last week after passing a $38.5 billion budget. Also last week Gov. Rauner signed the FY19 budget into law.
The Senate and House will not be coming back to Springfield until after the November elections for fall veto session on November 13.
Click Here to read IFCA's End of Spring Session Report for 2018.
As always if you have any que ... more. |
For the first time in a while, Illinois lawmakers aren’t facing overtime duty in Springfield this summer.
With a budget passed and a commitment from Gov. Bruce Rauner to sign it, Illinois should peacefully start its new fiscal year July 1.
“I’d like to really thank the Republicans for their support and cooperation this year,” said Senate President John Cullerton, ... more. |
The Supreme Court could decide as early as Monday the landmark Illinois public employee union case, Janus v. AFSCME Council 31, a ferocious legal battle triggered by Gov. Bruce Rauner.
Unions representing government workers in 22 states, including Illinois, are braced for an adverse ruling, expecting to lose the long-standing ability to collect fees from non-members to cover the costs of collective b ... more. |
The chief of staff to powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan abruptly resigned Wednesday after an employee accused him of lewd comments and of mishandling complaints of sexual harassment.
Sherri Garrett, a $42,000-a-year account technician for the House, told a news conference in Chicago that Timothy Mapes brushed aside her complaints of lawmakers’ harassment of her and other women on ... more. |
Farmers’ ability to efficiently transport crops during harvest proved key to the General Assembly’s passage of HB 5749. Illinois Farm Bureau supported the bipartisan legislation sponsored by a Senate Republican and a House Democrat.
Sen. Dale Fowler, R-Harrisburg, and Rep. Natalie Phelps Finnie, D-Elizabethtown, sponsored the bill that would allow farmers to apply for a special permit fro ... more. |
Nearly two years after Bayer’s acquisition of Monsanto was first announced, the financial part of the $63 billion merger was finally completed Thursday.
“Today’s closing represents an important milestone toward the vision of creating a leading agricultural company, supporting growers in their efforts to be more productive and sustainable for the benefit of our planet and c ... more. |
Repairing buildings at the state fairgrounds, replacing some plumbing in the Capitol and making long-awaited improvements to the Lincoln-Herndon law office are among the public works projects that will be financed under the budget signed into law Monday.
“The things moving to the head of the line in this budget would be (road projects), also several hundred million dollars for improvements and ... more. |
Leaders of the Senate Agriculture Committee this week will seek to get a strong bipartisan vote for their farm bill draft from the panel, giving the measure momentum as it heads to the Senate floor in the following days.
Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and ranking Democrat Debbie Stabenow of Michigan released the 1,006-page Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 on Friday after reaching a deal ... more. |
This week IFCA received calls from several concerned ag retailers regarding the intense pressure they are under to custom apply dicamba to soybeans. The frustrations expressed surround the expectations that custom applicators should apply even if label conditions cannot be met, or business will be taken elsewhere. This is not a unique quandary when it comes to stewardship: those who want to do the ... more. |
The Illinois General Assembly adjourned yesterday after passing a $38.5 billion budget. The FY19 budget now heads to Gov. Rauner's desk for his signature. IFCA anticipate that Gov. Rauner will sign the budget bill.
TheSenate and Housewill not be coming back to Springfield until after the November elections for fall veto session on November 13.
Click Here ... more. |
Yesterday, the Illinois General Assembly adjourned from spring legislative sessionafter passing a $38.5 billion budget, which now heads to Gov. Rauner desk. In the coming days we anticipate that Gov. Rauner will sign the FY19 budget.
Please click here to read IFCA's End of Session Report.
The Illinois General Assemblyisn't schedule to coming back to ... more. |
MAGIE is August 22-23 at the McLean County Fairgrounds. Watch for a mailing and on-line registration later this summer.
The National Agronomic Environmental Health & Safety School is August 21-22 at the Asmark Agricenter. Go to www.naehss.org to see the agenda and to register.
The IFCA Golf Outings are July 25 and LaSalle Senica's Oak Ridge Course and Augus ... more. |
It's a rare event, but yesterday the Illinois legislature approved a budget and adjourned for the season on schedule. IFCA has a strong presence at the State Capitol to ensure that legislators are aware of the issues that impact our members, and we also field many questions throughout the session on issues that pop up regarding pesticide and fertilizer use. This year, there was once again no onerous ... more. |
As of May 25, the IDA has received 34 formal pesticide misuse complaints; 21 of these are ag related. So far, there have been no complaints filed regarding dicamba use, but IDA did share that this week, the number of phone calls they received about alleged pesticide misuse increased over previous weeks. Please review again the Dicamba Stewardship tips we have posted on the IFCA homepage here. We c ... more. |
Click here to be directed to the IFCA home page where we have details posted on the 2018 Pesticide Container Recycling Program, including the dates and locations, what types of containers are accepted and how to prepare them. This year the recycler will also accept caged mini-bulk containers if you call IDA ahead of time and let them know how many you will be bringing. Please make sure all containers ar ... more. |
House Speaker Michael Madigan on Tuesday denied retaliating against state Rep. Kelly Cassidy for her vocal criticism of his handling of sexual harassment allegations within his political and governmental organizations.
Madigan has also asked state legislative inspector general Julie Porter to investigate Cassidy’s claims, saying “myself and my staff will cooperate with any investigation i ... more. |
A massive gambling expansion bill stalled in a House committee Monday further clouding chances the bill can win approval before Thursday’s scheduled adjournment.
The lead sponsor of Senate Bill 7, Rep. Robert Rita, D-Blue Island, said he’ll keep working on the bill despite time running out on the session.
“I want to analyze it and figure out where we can massage somethi ... more. |
With about two weeks left until what may be the final deadline for a new NAFTA this year, Mexico and Canada are signaling there’s a deal to be had -- if President Donald Trump wants one.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, speaking in a Fox News interview on Sunday, said Trump’s priority is getting a good deal, even if it means disregarding “any deadlines” to let cur ... more. |
33,703.
That’s how many residents left Illinois last year.
People leave the state for a variety of reasons from weather to career opportunities.
But experts say Illinois’ population loss bucks national trends and is the opposite of what surrounding states are seeing.
Click Here to read more.
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The Illinois House has sent the governor a measure legalizing industrial hemp.
The House voted 106-3 Wednesday to allow hemp cultivation for commercial use. Hemp is a form of the cannabis plant distinct from marijuana. It does not produce any high-like effects and is often used in clothing or food.
Hemp was banned nationwide in 1937 for its relation to the marijuana plant. Former Preside ... more. |
The United States is seeking better access for imports of genetically modified crops into China as part of a trade deal currently under discussion between the two sides, said two people familiar with the matter.
The subject, long a major irritant in agricultural trade between the countries, is a main issue for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said a biotech industry source with knowledge of USDA discuss ... more. |
Beekeepers in the U.S. reported an increase in honeybee deaths over the last year, possibly the result of erratic weather patterns brought on by a changing climate, according to the scientist leading an annual survey on the insects.
U.S. beekeepers said 40 percent of their hives, also called colonies, died unexpectedly during the year that ended March 31, according to a survey released Wednesday by r ... more. |
There it was on the salt container label, the proud proclamation that the product inside was "non-GMO."
I looked at the label a second time and then a third time, not quite trusting my eyes, before telling myself, "But salt doesn't have genes. Of course it's not genetically modified. Why bother labeling it non-GMO?"
Then I realized why: some consumers will pay ... more. |
In 2017, Illinois was the top producer of soybeans among all U.S. states. Unfortunately, Illinois also broke records in the number of complaints called in to the Illinois Department of Agriculture alleging dicamba misuse.
Can we learn from the experiences in 2017? “Failure to look back, as well as forward, leaves us vulnerable to repeating mistakes if we don’t acknowledge that one of the ... more. |
In an effort to protect drinking water from nitrate pollution, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) proposed nitrogen fertilizer rule would, for the first time ever, regulate how farmers can use nitrogen fertilizer. Earlier versions of the rule were criticized by farming organizations, and last weekend Minnesota legislators voted to block implementation of the rule until next year.
MDA&rsq ... more. |
House Republican leaders pick up the pieces this week after another embarrassing defeat on a farm bill, which was weighed down yet again by controversial food stamp reforms before sinking because of an intra-party feud over immigration policy.
There are several ways the GOP could resurrect the farm bill, one of which is to bring the bill back up as a new piece of legislation, likely in June after the ... more. |
In the last farm bill, conservative Republicans demanded the biggest cuts in food stamps in a generation, leading the House to defeat the bill in June 2013. It then took Congress more than six months to put the pieces together. The same outcome is possible now after a revolt by Republican conservatives defeated a new farm bill calling for stricter work requirements for food stamp recipients and looser payment lim ... more. |
The European General Court has rejected industry evidence that the European Commission decision to restrict certain uses of three neonicotinoid insecticides – clothianidin, thiamethoxam and imidacloprid in 2013 did not have a legal basis.
The Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) expressed disappointment at the ruling. AIC said it supported the action brought by Bayer Crop Science and Syn ... more. |
Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan agreed Thursday to allow a vote on Gov. Bruce Rauner’s controversial plan to reinstate the death penalty and expand the waiting period to purchase firearms, creating a political minefield Democrats contend could hurt re-election-seeking Republicans more than themselves.
Madigan said the issues the Republican governor raised “deserve a full hearing ... more. |
Minnesota legislative agriculture committees used a little-known law to put the brakes on a Dayton administration fertilizer regulation rule and gain leverage over the governor.
The message sent by two Republican-run committees was that if Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton vetoes an agricultural policy bill, his proposal to limit nitrogen fertilizer will be delayed until a year from now. If Dayton signs th ... more. |
President Donald Trump’s team is running out of time to rewrite a trade pact with Canada and Mexico, and America’s top trade official says the countries are still far apart.
The impasse over the North American Free Trade Agreement comes as the U.S. is confronting China and sparring with its allies over U.S. tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.
“The NAFTA countries ar ... more. |
A decisive opinion issued by the U.S. Supreme Court reversed a 1992 ban on sports gambling, putting the ball in Springfield’s court.
States will be entrusted with setting their own laws involving sports gambling, following a May 14 U.S. Supreme Court ruling.
The high court, voting 6-3 on an opinion authored by Justice Samuel Alito, reversed a decadeslong federal law prohibiting sta ... more. |
Congressman Jim Banks (IN-03) today announced that he has introduced an amendment to the 2018 farm bill that would permanently repeal the Obama-era Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. The House is expected to debate the farm bill next week.
“WOTUS has been a burden not only to Hoosier famers and agriculture producers but also to our state’s economy as a whole,” said Banks. &ld ... more. |
Illinois homeowners, who already pay some of the nation's highest property taxes, should pay about 40 percent more for the next three decades to wipe out the state's crippling pension debt, according to a trio of economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
The economists argue that paying off the state's $129.1 billion in unfunded pension obligations cannot be done with revenue from new ... more. |
China is looking to boost its domestic production of soybeans, potentially becoming less reliant on U.S. farmers amid a tit-for-tat trade war between the world's largest economies.
China included lifting soybean production in a five-year plan issued in 2016, but in early April it announced that soybean farmers in China's northeastern provinces would be getting higher subsidies than its corn p ... more. |
Historically, April and May are the two months when nitrate levels in Illinois water supplies rise and can approach 10 ppm (the federal drinking water standard) or higher. Lakes Decatur, Springfield, Bloomington/Evergreen and Vermilion are all surface water supplies that provide drinking water and therefore managing nitrate levels to keep them below 10 ppm is a high priority. For the past 8 years, IFCA ... more. |
To help pesticide applicators with their obligation to identify sensitive areas when planning to apply dicamba, the Illinois Dept of Natural Resources developed a website that identifies all the designated state sensitive areas for things like nature preserves, protected land and water resources and areas where threatened and endangered species may exist. All of these would be considered "sensitive areas ... more. |
This past week we learned of the passing of Darrell Deverman, who owned Atlanta Ag Service in Atlanta, IL and served as the Chairman of the IFCA Board of Directors in 1989. We send our condolences to his family and remember his service and leadership in our industry. His obituary is here.
Ralph Allen, who was the owner/operatorof both Allerton Supply Company and Prai ... more. |
With more money come more problems. Illinois is scheduled to get $108 million as part of the Volkswagen diesel scandal settlement, but critics of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, who are preparing to disburse the funds, say Illinoisans are not getting enough input on how to apply the funds.
“They purported for over a year on their website that they were going to have public meeting ... more. |
House Republican leaders hope to pass a farm bill this week over likely unified Democratic opposition but GOP members head into the debate with divisions over critical amendments over sugar policy, crop insurance and other issues.
The House Rules Committee will go a long way toward deciding the fate of the bill when it meets at 5 p.m. Tuesday to decide which of the 103 amendments that have been filed ... more. |
The United States Department of Agriculture has proposed new guidelines for labeling foods that contain genetically modified ingredients. Food makers will be required by federal law to use the labels, starting in 2020.
The safety of genetically modified ingredients, widely known as G.M.O.s, remains a source of anxiety for some Americans despite the scientific studies that say they pose no health thre ... more. |
On Nov. 6, Illinoisans will not be voting whether to impose term limits on state lawmakers.
On Nov. 6, Illinoisans will not have a choice in half of the 157 General Assembly seats up for election.
On Nov. 7, the machine will continue steadily grinding through Illinoisans' tax dollars.
We've passed the deadline for any ballot questions that would change the Illinois C ... more. |
Instead of seven to 10 long years of waiting for the next ‘big’ jump in yield or agronomic improvement, precision gene editing technology could get it on farms in as few as three years. USDA is watching this technology, too, and has actually made it easier for breeders to bring products to market.
USDA recently announced it does not regulate or have plans to regulate any plants that could have ... more. |
Though EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers may soon release a new proposed clean water rule, two separate lawsuits in New York are seeking to derail the agencies' move.
Last week EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt told a House committee the agency is nearing completion of a new rule to replace the 2015 waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule.
Attorneys general in 10 states and the District ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Ag has announced the dates and locations for the annual pesticide container recycling program. Click here to see the schedule and information about the program. The first recycling event is July 24 in Griggsville. Thanks to all the IFCA members who volunteer their locations for these collection events.
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You should have received the annual IFCA dues renewal information in the mail, as well as the IFCA Spring 2018 newsletter. Thanks to everyone for renewing your membership in the IFCA andkeeping our Association strong and effective for the industry we love. To see a digital version of the IFCA Spring newsletter which includes many helpful compliance reminders and industry updates, click here or go ... more. |
The Applicator Training Center located in Bloomington, IL has published the training schedule for 2018. This new training center focuses on all aspects of successful pesticide and fertilizer application, including the hand's on operation of application equipment. There are classes for brand new applicators (those with no experience upto 3 years of experience) and classes for those with more th ... more. |
As the busy spray season continues, please be aware that scrutiny of pesticide applications is at a high level this year.Examples of this include the Champaign, IL basedMidwest Center for Investigative Reporting encouraging the installation of air sampling monitors to capture glyphosate, 2,4-D and dicamba in the air near schools and subdivisions. At least four of these monitors have been ins ... more. |
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House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway looks to shore up GOP support for their farm bill this week while finding the necessary votes to defeat floor amendments that target commodity programs or crop insurance.
Conaway, who hopes to have the bill on the House floor next week, expresses confidence that he will have the necessary GOP votes on final passage as long as he can defeat amendments that he co ... more. |
If you live in central Illinois, you may have spotted a small, dome-like device that resembles a flying saucer along a fence or in a neighbor’s backyard. Those devices are air samplers, specifically designed to measure pesticide drift. We’ve placed four samplers in agricultural communities to learn more about what chemicals, if any, might be drifting from corn and soybean fields onto nearby backyards, ... more. |
In keeping with our era of ideological boycotts, I will no longer be purchasing Kind bars. Or Barilla pasta. Or Triscuit crackers. Or Del Monte diced tomatoes. Or Nutro dog food.
A one-person boycott, of course, is really just a change in your shopping list. But the companies that produce these brands are guilty of crimes against rationality. All advertise on their packaging, in one way or another, t ... more. |
A bill moving through the Illinois legislature would prevent state and local agencies from weakening federal environmental and labor safeguards that were in place as of Jan. 1, 2017 – about three weeks before President Donald Trump took office.
Passed Wednesday in the Illinois Senate, the 32-21 vote in favor of the Illinois Baseline Protection Act was almost entirely along party lines: No Repub ... more. |
OSHA issued an updated Enforcement Policy to clarify the retail exemption in its Process Safety Management standard. In light of the 2016 DC Circuit Court of Appeals decision in ARA v. Dep’t. of Labor, OSHA’s new PSM enforcement policy clearly exempts specific NAICS codes from PSM, including NAICS code 424910—Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers.
Despite being exempt from PSM, the policy st ... more. |
Arkansas, Missouri and West Tennessee attracted most of the media coverage on off-target applications of dicamba last year. But the misapplications were also a problem in Midwest soybean states like Illinois. The Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association’s Jean Payne discussed Illinois’ efforts to address the issue in a presentation at The Pesticide Stewardship Alliance Conference in Memphis, Tenn. ... more. |
A little-noticed rule within the MAP-21 long-term highway authorization bill, signed in 2012, is lighting up concerns within the fertilizer industry.
“I think it’s going to be a hurdle, and I think we are going to have a lot of issues,” said John Rebholz, director of safety and education for the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association.
The lighting standard for imp ... more. |
U.S. appeals court judges appear divided over whether to allow a research center affiliated with MIT and Harvard to keep patents potentially worth billions of dollars on a groundbreaking gene editing technology known as CRISPR.
Patents on the technology that could revolutionize treatment of genetic diseases and crop engineering are held by the Broad Institute, which was challenged in court by a rival ... more. |
Neonicotinoid pesticides—these include imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, and clothianidin, and are sold under various brand names—have long been pegged, albeit not without controversy, as dangerous to long-term bee health. In 2013, the EU issued a set of restrictions on their use, but last week, after a vote, the Union enacted a broad ban on all outdoor use of the three major varieties.
This category ... more. |
A U.S. judge blocked California from requiring that the popular weed-killer Roundup carry a label stating that it is known to cause cancer, saying the warning is misleading because almost all regulators have concluded there is no evidence that the product’s main ingredient is a carcinogen.
U.S. District Judge William Shubb in Sacramento issued a preliminary injunction on Monday in a lawsuit cha ... more. |
However bad you think government might be,” Bruce Rauner tells an audience, “it’s worse.” Rauner, a Republican governor seeking reelection, has plenty of reasons to portray his state as fundamentally broken. It’s a way to explain why he hasn’t been able to make the big changes in Illinois he promised when he ran four years ago. But it’s also a great line for a knowing aud ... more. |
Before making pesticide applications this year check the FieldWatch online registry so you are aware of sensitive crops and beehives in the area. In 2017 the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship Pesticide Bureau received a record number of complaints regarding pesticide applications. Taking the time to review what is near a field prior to applications can help mitigate future problems.
... more. |
Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan may now be publicly vouching support for Democrat J.B. Pritzker for governor, but his opinion isn’t fully baked on a policy the billionaire entrepreneur heavily favors: legalizing marijuana.
Speaking to reporters on Monday after being re-elected to his sixth term as chairman of the state Democratic Party, Madigan noted he expects a “very strong effort&r ... more. |
The Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield is one of more than a dozen structures named the state’s most endangered historic structures in 2018.
The non-profit group Landmarks Illinois released this year’s list on Wednesday, saying numerous buildings at both the Springfield and Du Quoin state fairgrounds are suffering due to lack of maintenance because of Illinois’ financial prob ... more. |
The people of Illinois want fair legislative maps.
They want maps that are drawn by an independent body working on behalf of voters, not by politicians looking after themselves. They want maps that promote competitive elections instead of protecting incumbents.
They’ve said so, over and over again, in polls going back decades. They’ve collected hundreds of thousands of signat ... more. |
The AP reports that the Arkansas Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed temporary restraining orders from two circuit court judges in East Arkansas that would have allowed a group of farmers to use the banned herbicide dicamba.
The orders — from Judge Tonya Alexander in Mississippi County and Judge Christopher Morledge in Phillips County — prevented the state from enforcing a ban on the contro ... more. |
The debate over neonicotinoids’ impacts on the environment continues to rage, as evidenced by comments submitted to EPA as part of the agency’s review of the most widely used insecticides on the planet.
Manufacturers, farmers, environmentalists and lawmakers all weighed in by the April 21 deadline, not just on environmental impacts, but also on the benefits of neonics in cotton and citrus ... more. |
With field preparation underway, we remind everyone that the use of dicamba in a pre-plant burndown ahead of soybeans must adhere to all the label precautions on the product you are using; not all dicamba products are labeled for use ahead of soybeans. Even when planting dicamba tolerant soybeans, only Engenia, Xtendimax and FeXapan can be used in an immediate pre-plant situation. Other dicamba products ... more. |
IFCA has partnered with Agrible to develop an on-line platform for IFCA ag retail members to report progress on the 4Rs on custom-applied acres in Illinois. The Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (INLRS) has definitive benchmarks for progress on reducing nitrogen and phosphorus losses by the year 2025. Therefore, we have to establish a method to illustrate the progress that agriculture is making ... more. |
KJ Johnson, IFCA's Director of Government Relations, has been working hard at the State Capitol during this spring session, and has been involved in many issues that impact our members. We work across party lines and with other organizations on bills that impact our members, and offer reasonable solutions on contentious issues. For a report on what IFCA has been working on at the Capitol this year, ... more. |
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is likely to get an earful about farmers’ trade concerns when he heads to Capitol Hill this week, and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt faces a grilling by two House panels.
Perdue appears before the Senate Agriculture Committee on Tuesday. Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., has been one of the most outspoken critics of the Trump administration’s trade policy an ... more. |
Republican Sam McCann of Plainview announced Thursday that he will challenge incumbent Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic hopeful J.B. Pritzker. His running mate is Riverton resident Aaron Merreighn.
The 48-year-old McCann was elected to the state Senate in 2010. He says Rauner has "abandoned" core GOP values, especially with Rauner recently signing laws to expand public funding for abortions ... more. |
Well, it seems the current House farm bill draft is getting more controversial day by day. For example, in addition to proposed changes to the nutrition programs, the draft bill includes a provision that would allow EPA to approve pesticides without undertaking reviews now required to protect endangered species.
As expected, environmental groups are up in arms and argue that the provision is an &ldqu ... more. |
Farmers in Arkansas are fighting the state for the right to use dicamba this growing season, challenging a seasonal ban that began April 16 and runs through Oct. 31.
So far the results have been mixed, with about 200 farmers authorized to use the herbicide. But whether that permission will last until planting of soybeans and cotton begins in earnest is an open question. The issues raised, such as whe ... more. |
Since joining the Illinois Department of Agriculture in 1989, Deputy Director Warren Goetsch watched the number of annual pesticide drift complaints jump from an average 125 to 430 in 2017.
The cause? Dicamba.
“The addition of dicamba for use on soybeans and cotton has provided for some major challenges. I think Illinois was either third or fourth in the number of complaints from t ... more. |
Before his election to the Illinois House in 2012, state Rep. Sam Yingling was the supervisor of his local township in central Lake County, a job with few responsibilities beyond presiding over monthly meetings and administering town funds.
Yingling decided to run for that office after an informal fact-finding investigation on behalf of his fellow business owners, who were fed up with the area’ ... more. |
State GOP lawmakers are pushing rules to prevent the Minnesota Department of Agriculture from adopting a new requirement without legislative approval.
A bill, which has passed the House, seeks to rein in implementation of nitrogen fertilizer regulations intended to protect drinking water quality. Critics say the Department of Agriculture's rules haven't been fully vetted by the publ ... more. |
In recent years, articles on honeybees have often started with a sentence like this: “Populations of honeybees have crashed in recent years, and many researchers have pointed the blame at a class of widely used insecticides called neonicotinoids.”
In fact, that’s how an otherwise excellent article in The Scientist summarizing a recent USDA study on honeybees’ molecular respons ... more. |
"Don't tax you. Don't tax me. Tax the guy behind the tree."
That bit of doggerel is popularly attributed to late Louisiana U.S. Sen. Russell Long, the powerful chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.
It accurately sums up popular attitudes among many taxpayers who feel they pay too much in taxes, while everyone else pays too little. It also explains why elected offici ... more. |
As planting progress finally starts moving forward please keep in mind that if Spreaders/Applicators are loaded with product dry/liquid upon the roadway on the way to the field, registration along with license plates are a Secretary of State requirement. In order to avoid the SOS requirements of registration/license plates on Spreader/Applicators is to tender these units in the field of application from a l ... more. |
In the last IFCA Items of Interest we mentioned that any new trailer manufactured on or after June 22, 2017 will require lighting and reflective marking. The lighting and markings must meet the American Society of Agricultural Biological Engineers Standard (ASABE) S279.14. This new requirement will require additional upkeep of the lighting systems as well as challenges of adapting the new lighting to ... more. |
It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of IFCA member Roger Hinthorn of Evergreen FS in Arrowsmith. Roger passed away in his home on Tuesday, April 17th.
Roger worked at FS in Arrowsmith for more than 40 years. He enjoyed spending time with his family, friends, and especially his grandchildren. He was a NASCAR and sprint racing fan. Roger cheered on his beloved Green Bay Packers a ... more. |
If the weather keeps you out of the field this Thursday, please feel free to join us for the IFCA Legislative Breakfast at the Sangamo Club in downtown Springfield. This event is always well attended by legislators and we partner with the Grain & Feed Association and the Seed Trade Association to share agribusiness priorities with our legislators and regulatory officials. The breakfast begins at 7 ... more. |
Rauner administration plans to divvy up a nearly $109 million anti-pollution windfall from a legal settlement with Volkswagen are taking fire from an array of critics who fear the process has been commandeered by business interests.
Environmentalists, public health groups and some state lawmakers claim the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has shut the public out of talks on how to spend the m ... more. |
With Democrat J.B. Pritzker saying a progressive state income tax is his top priority, House Republicans are uniting behind yet another resolution pledging their opposition to the idea.
House Republican Leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs and all but one of the other 50 House Republicans signed onto the resolution pledging to oppose a graduated state income tax.
Rep. David Harris of Arl ... more. |
An Arkansas judge has issued a temporary restraining order on an herbicide ban.
The state Plant Board’s dicamba ban takes effect Monday and will run through October 31. The ban was issued after the board received nearly 1,000 complaints last summer that the herbicide drifted onto crops and caused damage.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that Judge Tonya Alexander issued the ru ... more. |
Illinois residents could enjoy lower taxes if their squabbling leaders tackle the debt-riddled state’s biggest problem -- its massively underfunded pension system. But that’s a big if.
Republican Governor Bruce Rauner, who’s running for re-election this year, says he could lower taxes by as much as $1 billion. First, lawmakers must address a crisis that’s vexed the state for y ... more. |
Manufacturers have weighed in. Farmers and retailers have stated their cases and shared their experiences. Labels have been tweaked. University extension specialists and county educators have taught until there is no more to teach. State agriculture officials and pesticide regulators have inspected, pored over data, and made decisions about the regulations and restrictions to impose for this season. Now, as is so ... more. |
A lone fifth-wheel camper surrounded by a sea of gravel and grass stands as one of the few remnants of the construction frenzy that descended upon this corner of Iowa to build the $3 billion Iowa Fertilizer Co. factory.
Thousands of construction workers swarmed here after the 2012 groundbreaking ceremony, filling this RV park and nearby hotels. They engulfed bars and restaurants across the region.
... more. |
How do spray droplets travel 3 or more miles off-target when there’s no wind? Two words: temperature inversion. That’s why Andrew Thostenson, North Dakota State University Extension specialist, says herbicide applicators need to recognize the signs and stop spraying when temperature inversions are present or setting up.
Thostenson explains that applications during an inversion will take l ... more. |
Federal wildlife agencies would consult with the Environmental Protection Agency on the effect of pesticides on endangered species in a much different way, if the farm bill introduced by House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, becomes law.
The language had been sought by the crop protection industry, which applauded its inclusion.
CropLife America said the new provision is much ... more. |
A few years ago when Congress updated the federal transportation regulations in a bill called MAP-21 (Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century), there was a requirement embedded in the bill that requires the manufacturers of implements of husbandry to put reflective tape andlights on all trailers for equipment manufactured after June 22, 2017. The lighting and markings must meet the American Societ ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture is doing their best to issue pesticide applicator licenses in a timely fashion, but they have struggled with lack of human resources at IDA and are admittedly behind in getting the licenses issued this year.
We have been getting calls at IFCA office from retailers and distributors who want to know what their options are for selling restricted use pesti ... more. |
The mass of people leaving Illinois could soon add up to another loss — one of the state’s 18 seats in the U.S. House.
The exodus dropped Illinois from the fifth-most populated state to the sixth in December, based on U.S. Census data showing that 33,703 moved out between July 2016 and July 2017.
Combined with growth in the southern and western parts of the country, that makes Illinois one of nine sta ... more. |
The Trump administration seeks to calm farmers’ fears about the escalating trade dispute with China, even as corn and soybean growers hope the crisis will at least quash White House consideration of intervening in the biofuel credit market.
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is expected to join Trump and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt in a White House meeting Monday about the biofuels market, t ... more. |
In Illinois, for example, more than 11,000 applicators have attended a classroom training for dicamba application in 2018.
1.This year is the final year for a two-year EPA registration of the three new dicamba formulations: Xtendimax with VaporGrip Technology; Engenia Herbicide; DuPont FeXapan Herbicide.
“If EPA amends the registration (beyond 2018), we will not amend it with an ex ... more. |
In April 2018, FieldWatch launched two free mobile apps (both Android and iOS), one to complement each of its sites, with the goal of making access and input easier. ( FieldWatch )
In its 10th year since being started at Purdue University, FieldWatch has grown to be in 19 states and one Canadian province with more than 17,000 users. The non-profit has created two mapping tools—DriftWatch and Be ... more. |
President Donald Trump has promised to shield farmers from the sting of China’s trade retaliation, but that embattled portion of Trump’s rural base says they just want to sell on the open market, without tariffs slapped on their products amid escalating tensions.
In interviews with POLITICO this week, several farmers across the country said they don’t want a trade war and they want ... more. |
The latest report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture says Illinois farmers are expected to continue planting more corn than soybeans despite the trend changing nationally.
The USDA's prospective plantings estimate said there will likely be 11 million corn acres planted in Illinois this year, about 200,000 fewer acres than last year, The Pantagraph reported . The USDA predicted 10.6 million s ... more. |
Illinois lawmakers return to Springfield this week from a lengthy spring break, facing a to-do list that covers everything from gun control and sexual harassment, as well as trying to approve a new spending plan for the second straight year.
They return after a primary election that did not produce any upsets that might have changed the atmosphere in the Capitol for the last scheduled eight weeks of ... more. |
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt has signed a directive giving himself more authority to determine environmental regulations for projects near regional waterways, according to a memo released Wednesday.
The internal document obtained by the advocacy group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) gives the EPA chief final decisionmaking authority over th ... more. |
The Illinois General Assembly is considering whether people should be allowed to sue to block regulatory decisions of state government. The state’s business community says that’s dangerous for the economy.
The legislation would change the rules surrounding decisions on things like construction permits. Typically, input on those decisions are limited to a state agency and a business applyi ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner opposes an increase in the state’s gas tax as a way to fund any infrastructure upgrades, but details on his plans for projects and how to fund them are light.
The Illinois Chamber of Commerce and national transportation research group TRIP say half the roads in Illinois are in bad shape. The groups reported this week that poor road conditions cost drivers across the state an e ... more. |
The head of the US Environmental Protection Agency says he is hopeful new oversight put in place regarding dicamba herbicides will keep dicamba in the farmer’s tool box.
Last October, as several states were investigating spray drift complaints, the EPA decided to classify dicamba as a “restricted use” pesticide, among other new oversight requirements for record keeping, and applicat ... more. |
Illinois Farm Bureau last week provided members information about a new Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) map denoting sensitive sites and encouraged farmers to meticulously read and follow pesticide labels.
During a webinar, Lyndsey Ramsey, IFB associate director of natural and environmental resources, warned pesticide applications will be under “a magnifying glass” after t ... more. |
The Illinois General Assembly has been out of session for the last three weeks for the Illinois primary election and Easter break. Both chambers will come back to Springfield for session beginning Monday(April 9). When the general assembly comes back from break, they will have a very busy schedule until the end of May. To see thelist of bills IFCA have been watching this spring session in Sp ... more. |
If the weather keeps you out of the field on April 19, please feel free to join us for the IFCA Legislative Breakfast at the Sangamo Club in downtown Springfield. This event is always well attended by legislators and we partner with the Grain & Feed Association and the Seed Trade Association to share agribusiness priorities with our legislators and regulatory officials. The breakfast begins at 7:30 ... more. |
Dicamba product labels require applicators to check for nearby sensitive crops and sensitive areas and follow label precautions. To help accomplish this, IFCA is recommending using Driftwatch/Fieldwatch website for the location of specialty crops and go the IDNR website to see areas designated for threatened and endangered species and other protected areas of the State.
The Illinois Depar ... more. |
Some advocates are pushing for an Illinois constitutional amendment to change how legislative districts are created in the state.
Redistricting advocates have asked lawmakers to consider their proposed Fair Maps Amendment that would form a 16-member independent commission to draw new districts, the Daily Herald reported. The commission would consist of seven Democrats, seven Republicans and two indep ... more. |
When we talk about fixing the crumbling infrastructure in our country, many think about our roads and bridges, which absolutely need our attention and investment. But one of the lesser-known issues with our nation’s infrastructure involves our vast network of rivers and waterways used to transport commodities across the country.
Locks and dams on our inland waterways play an essential role in m ... more. |
Today, Ohio EPA released the draft 2018 water quality report that outlines the general condition of Ohio’s waters and includes a list that identifies impaired waters that are not meeting their federal or state water quality goals, as well as waters that have improved to meet federal standards.
In the draft for 2018, the Agency is proposing to designate the open waters of Lake Erie’s Weste ... more. |
Its neighbor to the east may claim “The Crossroads of America” title, but by nearly any measure, Illinois is the heart of the U.S. Interstate System.
Illinois has the third highest total of interstate routes and mileage. Only New York and California have more I-designated roadways, with 7 million and 25 million more residents, respectively. Only Texas and California routes cover more mile ... more. |
Close to 11-thousand applicators have taken special training on the new requirements for dicamba herbicide use on soybeans in Illinois. There are almost 15-thousand licensed ag pesticide applicators in the state. The Illinois Ag Department says the classroom training is over but there are still online training options.
Last fall, the U.S. EPA revised the labels for Engenia, Xtendimax and FeXapan, mak ... more. |
China is still considering import curbs on U.S. soybeans in retaliation for moves by Washington to impose trade tariffs, U.S. Soybean Export Council Asia director Paul Burke said on Thursday, following a meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture.
The ministry requested an informal meeting in Beijing with the council, Burke told Reuters by phone. The meeting, which took place on Monday, was attended by the U ... more. |
As methods and applications for biotechnology in agriculture continue to advance at a rapid pace, regulators work to maintain a balance between safety and potentially rapid progress in food production. Recent clarification from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on oversight of genomic editing intends to facilitate innovation while continuing to monitor the technology for safety concerns.
Gen ... more. |
A slow-release phosphorous fertilizer offers tantalizing answers to challenges facing Illinois farmers, and a new University of Illinois soil scientist plans to study the possibilities.
Andrew Margenot, assistant professor in the College of Agricultural Consumer and Environmental Sciences, will research struvite in a multiyear project funded by the Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council (NR ... more. |
Corn and soybean futures skyrocketed following USDA projections of less than expected planted acres for both crops this year.
Allendale analyst Rich Nelson says Thursday’s Prospective Planting report was full of surprises.
“Corn down 2.1 million acres (and) soybeans down 1.2 million, then of course a sharp increase in spring wheat acres. So bottom-line for this report, I think th ... more. |
President Trump acknowledged Thursday that an infrastructure plan in Congress will likely come after the 2018 midterm elections, arguing that Democrats don't want to provide Republicans with a win.
"I've asked Republicans and Democrats in Congress to come together and deliver the biggest and boldest infrastructure plan in the last half-century," Trump told a crowd of union workers i ... more. |
IFCA Legislative Breakfast the Sangamo Club, in Springfield, Illinois.
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IFCAworks in partnership NREC, the universities and with local partners on water quality programs. This year we are assisting NREC with five projects, all of which are research oriented and look to determine the most effective and economically viable methods to reduce nutrient losses to water, through 4R practices and with cover crops. To see the Spring 2018 4R update from IFCA click here. W ... more. |
The final dicamba classroom event was March 28 in Rockford. At its conclusion, IFCA estimates that nearly 11,000 people attended the classroom training that we organized throughout the state. The IL Dept of Ag issued a press release regarding the training, complimenting the high turnout and directing people to additional resources to receive training ahead of the application season, see the press releas ... more. |
IFCA wishes everyone a happy Easter weekend! Our offices will be closed on the afternoon of Good Friday.
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If the weather keeps you out of the field on April 19, please feel free to join us for the IFCA Legislative Breakfast at the Sangamo Club in downtown Springfield. This event is always well attended by legislators and we partner with the Grain & Feed Association and the Seed Trade Association to share agribusiness priorities with our legislators and regulatory officials. The breakfast begins at 7:30 ... more. |
If you missed the spring IDA/IFCA anhydrous ammonia safety classes, or if you've just hired someone and they also missed the opportunity for classroom training, IFCA offers a temporary certification for the ammonia competent attendant. The training is on-line and available here. Once you complete the training it will issue a certificate that is good for 90 days and IFCA will submit your name to the ... more. |
Each year, IIFCA's partnership with the Asmark Institute enables our members to receive a free set of compliance posters featuring USEPA Registration Numbers, Worker Protection Requirements and USDOT Shipping Descriptions for Agrichemicals. You should be getting your posters next week. IFCA usually gets a few extras for our office, so if you determine you need additional posters, please give us a ca ... more. |
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When the waters of the United States (WOTUS) were defined in a 2015 rule under the Clean Water Act, lawsuits were everywhere, saying the definition was too broad.
When President Trump took office, he vowed to eliminate two rules or regulations for each new one. WOTUS was part of that promise.
In Washington D.C. last week, AgDay host Clinton Griffiths sat down with Scott Pruitt, administr ... more. |
A Section 199A fix will be included in a version of a spending bill currently being drafted in the U.S. House of Representatives, a source familiar with the negotiations told DTN.
Back in February, 85 House members asked leadership to include a fix on the upcoming omnibus bill. A source who spoke to DTN on background, said the final bill is expected to include the 199A fix.
This week, a ... more. |
Illinois primary voters went to the polls for the 2018 midterms Tuesday night, where Chicago-style machine politics showed it’s still got what it takes to win.
For Republicans, that means Gov. Bruce Rauner hung on, beating back a far-right challenger who ran ads that even the state GOP rejected. Rauner already has a target on his back since Donald Trump lost the state by 20 points in November. ... more. |
The Under the Dome Podcast crew breaks down Tuesday’s primary election, including the governor’s race, which is now a battle between J.B. Pritzker and Gov. Bruce Rauner in what’s expected to become the most expensive governor’s race in U.S. history.
Click Here to read more.
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A new study finds that enzymes in honey bees and bumble bees determine how sensitive they are to different neonicotinoid insecticides.
The joint study by Exeter University, Rothamsted Research and Bayer found that certain neonicotinoids are more toxic to bees than others.
As in other organisms, toxins in bees can be broken down by enzymes called cytochrome P450s. The researchers carried ... more. |
After failing to override the governor’s veto of a similar bill last year, Illinois House Democrats are again trying to create a state-funded workers’ compensation company, but businesses most impacted by the state’s high costs say the plan is not what they’re looking for.
Earlier this month, the House Labor and Commerce Committee passed state Rep. Laura Fine’s bill that ... more. |
As many speakers over the past few months have rightly pointed out, dicamba has been used within the agricultural marketplace to control weeds for several decades now. “The difference today is that we are applying it at times of the year when it was never applied before,” say most. “And that’s become the problem.”
In many cases during 2017, custom applicators working wit ... more. |
The money isn’t coming in quite like John Slayton envisioned it would for the repairs at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield.
“I really envisioned people calling me, but it has not happened,” said Slayton, chairman of the Illinois Fairgrounds Foundation.
As the list of repairs needed at both fairgrounds, in Springfield and in Du Quoin, grows, donations have no ... more. |
Broad access to these technologies is changing the world of research in ways that we can’t even begin to grasp.
Labels multiply in supermarkets faster than salmonella at a convenience-store sushi bar. It’s important to keep up; we should all be well-informed eaters. But the onslaught of clean food, natural products, sustainably produced, gluten free, butterflies everywhere, and GMO-free s ... more. |
It’s difficult to recall the debut of a weed management technology that generated more divisiveness than the 2017 introduction of dicamba-resistant soybean varieties and the accompanying use of dicamba. Damage to off-target vegetation from myriad sources of exposure resulted in not only monetary losses, but also untold costs to professional and personal relationships. Trust that took years to buil ... more. |
We feature this subject as a REGULATORY ALERT not because it is a new regulation, but on the premise that if dicamba on soybean is not carefully managed in 2018 to reduce off target movement, there is a high probability that USEPA will cancel these labels. Furthermore, there is a strong possibility that in subsequent years, the potential misuse of other dicamba products on soybean could threaten the use of di ... more. |
It's time again to take the most basic action in a democratic society. It’s time to vote. It is important to not take this opportunity to define the direction of this great state for granted. So, why should you vote? You should vote because voting it is a fundamental process and right of yours to decide of who best represents you. Voting keeps our system of democracy and leadership working on our behalf. Through ... more. |
It's time again to take the most basic action in a democratic society. It’s time to vote. It is important to not take this opportunity to define the direction of this great state for granted for granted. So, why should you vote? You should vote because voting it is a fundamental process and right of yours to decide of who best represents you. Voting keeps our system of democracy and leadership working on our beha ... more. |
It's Illinois primary election day. It's time again to take the most basic action in a democratic society. It’s time to vote. It is important to not take this opportunity to define the direction of this great state. So, why should you vote? You should vote because voting it is a fundamental process and right of yours to decide of who best represents you. Voting keeps our system of democracy and leadership ... more. |
U.S. lawmakers said on Tuesday they agreed to revise a portion of the new tax code that gave farmers a massive tax break for selling crops to cooperatives, in a win for private grain firms that were disadvantaged by the overhaul.
The agreement, which lawmakers have been scrambling to reach for months, aims to replicate tax benefits that were available to farmer-owned co-ops that existed before Congre ... more. |
Congress faces a Friday deadline to pass a $1.3 trillion government-wide spending plan and companies that buy commodities from farmers hope it will include a fix to the Section 199A tax deduction that has rattled the industry.
The must-pass omnibus spending bill offers the chance for enacting changes to the tax provision, but Republicans say Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has been ho ... more. |
Like Chicago’s downtown on St. Patrick’s Day weekend, a river of green has flowed through TV sets ahead of Tuesday’s primary vote, as governor candidates have spent tens of millions of dollars on advertising during the long campaign.
The frenzied final weekend of in-person campaigning supplements the nearly $65.7 million spent by governor candidates and interest groups on TV commerc ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency called for stepped-up efforts Wednesday to reduce nutrient pollution that contributes to algae blooms in Lake Erie but recommended no new federal regulations to accomplish the task.
A plan released by EPA's Chicago-based Region 5 office sets targets for reducing phosphorus that feeds giant algae masses that in the past decade have caused fish kills and bea ... more. |
Now is the time to improve the outdated rules at the Surface Transportation Board to make a fairer economic regulatory framework and strengthen the nation’s freight rail system.
For decades, the railroads have vehemently opposed any manner of change proposed by this independent regulatory body in charge of both the well-being of the rail industry and protection for its customers. What the railr ... more. |
Grapes, snap beans, tomatoes and watermelons are among some of the most sensitive crops to dicamba, warns University of Illinois Commercial Agriculture Educator Elizabeth Wahle.
But so are peppers, cantaloupes, cucumbers, peaches, apples, squash, broccoli, cut flowers, cabbage, kale, pecans and turnips.
In short, all specialty crops are susceptible to dicamba and other pesticide drift, W ... more. |
As farmers prepare for their 2018 crop, newly released research shows that a large majority of those whose fields drain into western Lake Erie are adhering to ag experts’ guidelines for fertilizer rates and application practices. The study concludes, however, that the recommendations themselves should be re-examined to better protect western Lake Erie from pollution resulting from agricultural runoff.
&n ... more. |
Walmart Inc’s patent filings hint that it may see a future where farmers use its drones to not only spot crop problems but selectively apply chemicals or even disperse pollen to bring shoppers the freshest and cheapest food possible.
The world’s largest retailer applied for six patents last year on drones that aim to prevent damage to crops, control pest attacks on farms and cross-pollina ... more. |
Last August the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced the Gulf of Mexico “dead zone” – an area of low oxygen (hypoxia) that can kill fish – is the largest ever measured. At 8,776 square miles, it is an area about the size of New Jersey. Scientists have determined that the dead zone is caused by nutrient pollution, primarily from agricultural and developed land runoff in ... more. |
New research from Iowa State University has revealed that Russia is funding online articles that question the safety of GMOs.
Conducted by Shawn Dorius, ISU assistant professor of sociology, and Carolyn Lawrence-Dill, an associate professor in ISU’s departments of agronomy and genetics, development and cell biology, the research was initially designed to delve into public perception of genetica ... more. |
Filed in 2017, the lawsuit brought by Monsanto against the Arkansas Plant Board has been dismissed in full by a circuit court judge in Little Rock.
The reason: in January, the Arkansas Supreme Court issued a decision that no one can sue the state under its constitution and the state can never be a defendant in its own courts. Because of that decision, there have been several Pulaski County judges who ... more. |
After cancelling session and committee hearings in Springfield Thursday, the Illinois General Assembly is off for the next few weeks. When they come back, they'll have about a month's worth of working days to pass a plan to spend about $37 billion in taxes.
The House was off this week. The Senate adjourned Wednesday and canceled Thursday. Both chambers aren’t back in session until the s ... more. |
I'm always amazed at the new research that floats across my desk on nearly a daily basis. This week, a new international study revealed scientists have found a way to make crops use 25% less water without compromising yield.
The key is altering the expression of one gene-- the gene that controls the protein responsible for opening and closing the microscopic pores on the plants leaves that let water es ... more. |
A study into the presence of neonicotinoids in Canadian waterways suggests a ban or restriction of neonicotinoid seed treatments is not necessary.
The Environmental Monitoring Working Group (EMWG) was set up to monitor the presence of imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxam in waterways after Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) 2016 decision to phase out imidacloprid in ... more. |
Political parties will be selecting their nominees for federal and state offices in Illinois during the March 20 primary. Here’s a look at the races important to Springfield-area residents. Scroll down for a list of candidates, links to profile articles about them, extended audio interviews with The State Journal-Register Editorial Board and unedited written questionnaires.
Click Here to read m ... more. |
Some farmers and consultants wonder if the timing restrictions will limit how much dicamba will be used. In some cases, producers will have an extremely narrow window to apply the product.
Matt Griggs will not spray dicamba on his crops this year. What’s more, he will not purchase any, does not want any on his farm.
“It comes with too much liability,” Griggs said during ... more. |
EU farming lobby Copa-Cogeca said [theEuropean Food Safety Authority's] report confirmed there was no justification for a total ban on the use of neonicotinoid seed treatments on all crops.
The [UK'sNational Farmers' Union]said Efsa’s assessment “failed to take proper account of what is happening to bees in real field situations”.
“Th ... more. |
Corn prices rallied this week as USDA boosted demand estimates.
The Ag Department raised U.S. corn exports by 175 million bushels to 2.225 billion bushels, reflecting price competitiveness and reduced export competition from Argentina.
Corn used for ethanol increased 50 million bushels to 5.575 billion bushels. The two upward adjustments in corn use cut domestic ending stocks by 225 mi ... more. |
Lawmakers want to put redistricting reform on the ballot, hoping to succeed where a popular initiative failed.
State Rep. Ryan Spain has introduced a proposed Constitutional amendment that would take lawmakers out of the political map-drawing business. Should it pass into law, the lawmakers that previously drew the legislative boundaries for not only the Illinois General Assembly but the U.S. Congres ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency called for stepped-up efforts Wednesday to reduce nutrient pollution that contributes to algae blooms in Lake Erie but recommended no new federal regulations to accomplish the task.
A plan released by EPA's Chicago-based Region 5 office sets targets for reducing phosphorus that feeds giant algae masses that in the past decade have caused fish kills and bea ... more. |
Snow and sleet were falling on Eldon Gould’s 500 acres this week, but he was already looking ahead to planting season; depending on ground conditions and the temperature, that could be just several weeks away.
But now the prospect of steel and aluminum tariffs was adding to the list of worries and uncertainties that come with every corn and soybean season.
“It’s the ret ... more. |
House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway looks to quell a Democratic revolt over his draft farm bill, just a week before his panel’s planned votes on it, while ethanol producers step up their efforts to head off a cap sought by refiners on the prices of biofuel credits.
Also this week, Republican leaders hope to move an omnibus spending bill that would fund the government through the rest of the ... more. |
ATTENTION!If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will maintain its permitting stance on the transportation of anhydrous ammonia domestically, according to Paul Bomgardner, chief of FMCSA’s Hazardous Materials Division.
For anhydrous ammonia in domestic transportation and described as UN1005 ammonia, anhydrous 2.2 Inhalation Hazard, a Hazardous Materials Safety Permit (HMSP) is not requir ... more. |
Companion bills in the Illinois General Assembly would negatively impact the state’s agriculture industry by allowing individuals to sue state agencies and individuals who follow state regulations.
SB 3005, sponsored by Sen. Kwame Raoul, D-Chicago, and HB 5119, sponsored by Rep. Steve Andersson, R-Geneva, proposes to amend the state administrative law and allow any person who feels adversely af ... more. |
The Supreme Court declined Monday to hear a case challenging an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that allows governments to transfer water between water bodies with few restrictions.
The decision leaves in place a ruling from the Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, which last year upheld the 2008 rule.
The Clean Water Act usually prohibits dumping pollutants into waterways re ... more. |
A U.S. judge blocked California from requiring that the popular weed-killer Roundup carry a label stating that it is known to cause cancer, saying the warning is false and misleading because almost all regulators have concluded there is no evidence that the product's main ingredient is a carcinogen.
U.S. District Judge William Shubb in Sacramento issued a preliminary injunction on Monday in a law ... more. |
Invigorated by gun control advocates who flooded the Capitol Wednesday, the Illinois House passed a series of gun control measures that included a ban the sale of bump stocks and a requirement for gun dealers to be licensed.
The measures come just two weeks after tragedies involving firearms, including the death of Chicago police Cmdr. Paul Bauer and the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, caught t ... more. |
University of Illinois weed scientist Aaron Hager said that reports of plant damage from the herbicide dicamba are something that he sees every year, but there were a few factors that made the 2017 growing season rife with complaints to agriculture officials.
“I guess in my mind, it really wasn’t a question of if we would see damage to non-dicamba soybeans," Hager said. "But how ext ... more. |
Civil War Confederate veterans from Tennessee and Arkansas and parts of Missouri could rightly be called rebels. Today’s farmers and chemical applicators who reside in those regions? Not so much.
“I hear that all the time, that they are a bunch of rebels, that we don’t know how to spray (dicamba),” says Kevin Bradley, University of Missouri (MU) Extension weed specialist. &l ... more. |
In an analysis of scientific investigation stretching over two decades, researchers at two Italian universities compiled data on genetically modified corn, soybeans, canola and cotton. This week, they released a report comparing yield, crop quality, target and non-target organisms, and biomass decomposition with non-GMO crops of the same type.
The meta-analysis was based on 72 studies from six contin ... more. |
The state Senate on Thursday voted to ask on the November ballot whether recreational use of marijuana should be legalized and taxed in Illinois.
The ballot question would be only advisory, so even if voters approve, lawmakers still would have to act.
Sponsoring Sen. Bill Cunningham, D-Chicago, said it is important to poll the public because some lawmakers are already working to legalize ... more. |
A 25-year-old southern Illinois native who has worked for the state Department of Agriculture for three years has been named the new manager of the Illinois State Fair.
Luke Sailer, who lives in Chatham, was appointed the Ag department’s Division Manager of Fair and Promotional Services, which oversees the state fairs in Springfield and Du Quoin; business services; and county fairs and horse ra ... more. |
The Trump administration this week finalizes hefty steel and aluminum tariffs that have farm groups bracing from retaliatory trade actions, and the president also is pushing forward to address complaints by refiners about the cost of complying with federal biofuel mandates.
Some lawmakers cautioned that the tariff details to be released this week could be narrowly drawn enough to limit the potential for ... more. |
The first week of Spring Ammonia Safety Schools wrapped up today in Bloomington, IL at the AsmarkAgricenter. The number of attendees for the first week was just over 300. For anyone who is still interested in attending a class and is not currently registered, there are 4 more classes next week (listed below). Make sure to sign uphere, as there will be no more classes offered in 2018 until the fa ... more. |
With the weather starting to change, we know spring is just right around the corner. That means spray season is coming quickly. IFCA has been working very hard to make sure dicamba application in 2018 is an improvement over last year.As of last week, the Illinois training classes facilitated by IFCA with trainers from BASF, Monsanto and Corteva (fomerly DowDuPont)have provided certifie ... more. |
Due to calendar changes by the Illinois General Assembly, IFCA had to reschedule the IFCA Ag Legislative Breakfast.The new date will be April 19th at the Sangamo Club in Springfield. Breakfast will start at 7:15 am and a short legislative discussion will start at 7:45 am. We apologize for having to reschedule this event but this sometimes happen trying to work around the Illinois Gen ... more. |
Every March 1, you are required to submit your Tier 2 chemical inventory reports to the IL Emergency Management Agency, your local emergency planning committee and your local fire departments.Also, pesticide production establishment reports are due to USEPA for all pesticides that you repackaged and distributed for sale in 2017. Please contact IFCA if you have any questions. Being a little late is some ... more. |
ATTENTION!If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
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Spring is just around the corner, and farmers are already preparing for the upcoming growing season. Fertilizer is probably at the top of their minds — which kind, how much, how to apply, and when and where to apply.
The fertilizer industry, especially agriculture retailers, are essential in assisting farmers with their fertilizer needs. A large percentage of the retail sector is supportive of ... more. |
USDA looked into its crystal ball this week and released its first round of numbers for many key forecasts for agriculture in 2018.
“There are a lot of factors that could shift farm income higher or lower than our current forecast,” says USDA Chief Economist Robert Johansson. “Prices may be higher due to growing global economic growth driving demand for agricultural commodities.”
& ... more. |
One out of every five Illinois legislators taking the oath of office next winter will be new to the General Assembly. Thirty lawmakers, many worn down by years of skirmishing between Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan over state finances — and just about everything else — have retired or will not stand for re-election in November.
Add to that the #Me ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner linked a strong Illinois economy to a healthy agriculture industry and promoted his budget plan during a visit Thursday to GROWMARK Inc.
“The farm economy drives prosperity for the state of Illinois,” Rauner told a crowd of GROWMARK employees and executives. “Your success is Illinois’ success. Thank you for all you do to make farmers successful.”
&nb ... more. |
Government regulations in Quebec will make it more challenging for grain producers to control pests this growing season.
Farmers may only purchase and apply the pesticides atrazine, chlorpyrifos and three neonicotinoids (clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam) if a certified agronomist deems it necessary, Isabelle Melançon, Quebec’s environment minister, announced yesterday at a hon ... more. |
An article posted last November outlined several changes made by the Environmental Protection Agency to XtendiMax, Engenia, and FeXapan labels. The intent of these label amendments is to reduce sensitive plant species exposure to dicamba primarily through physical movement (i.e., drift during the application or particle movement during temperature inversions) and via dicamba residues dislodged from application eq ... more. |
U.S. Rep. Darren Soto, D-Fla., is teaming up with U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., to allow more experts, including Certified Crop Advisors and Certified Agronomists, to act as Technical Service Providers for nutrient management.
Bost and Soto introduced the “Nutrient Management Technical Service Provider Certification Act” which gives more options for agriculture producers to access nutrient man ... more. |
An Arkansas judge has dismissed a company's challenge of the state's ban on a controversial weed killer, citing a state Supreme Court ruling that has made it more difficult to sue the state.
Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza on Friday dismissed a lawsuit by Monsanto challenging the state Plant Board's decision to ban dicamba's use between April 16 and Oct. 31. Monsanto was als ... more. |
One of Washington state’s largest beekeepers says the reintroduction of a bill to ban certain pesticides to protect honeybees is an overreaction.
“Neonics are insecticides, and bees are insects, so sloppy or careless application kills bees. But the majority of applicators use caution and don’t cause major acute kills,” says Tim Hiatt, co-owner of Hiatt Honey Co., in Ephrata.
... more. |
An article posted to the Bulletin last November outlined several changes made by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to the labels of XtendiMax, Engenia, and FeXapan. The intent of these label amendments is to reduce sensitive plant species exposure to dicamba primarily through physical movement (i.e., drift during the application or particle movement during temperature inversions) and via dicam ... more. |
President Trump’s $200 billion plan to rebuild America upends the criteria that have long been used to pick ambitious federal projects, putting little emphasis on how much an infrastructure proposal benefits the public and more on finding private investors and other outside sources of money.
Unveiled on Monday, the infrastructure program that Mr. Trump has championed since the campaign is inten ... more. |
Using funds from an income tax hike he vetoed, Gov. Bruce Rauner on Wednesday said he’d help balance the budget through a change in health insurance benefits for retired teachers and state employees — and a cut to Chicago Public Schools teacher pensions.
“The simple truth is this: We have to change the way we manage pension costs and group health expenses,” Rauner said. &ldquo ... more. |
Dronefly just released a new infographic consolidating the most interesting contemporary uses of unmanned aerial vehicles in the field of agriculture.
If you’re not familiar with these, have a look at one or two of the previous pieces we reported on. Drones are a tool like any other. They can be dismissed or misappropriated or used to one’s advantage. These days, people are finding all so ... more. |
Three years after President Barack Obama’s administration finalized the waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule in 2015, agriculture groups and states find themselves in a familiar position — back in court to block the rule.
In the latest move, the American Farm Bureau Federation and other agriculture groups petitioned the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas in Galvest ... more. |
EPA doled out hundreds of pages on the risks and benefits of neonicotinoid insecticides on Dec. 15 -- an early Christmas "gift" of sorts for farmers.
Tempting as it to ignore these data-heavy documents, most corn, soybean and cottonseed in the country is coated with these chemicals, so the majority of row-crop farmers have a serious stake in the agency's registration review of them. EPA ... more. |
The Clean Water Act regulation issued in 2015 by the EPA gave the agency broad jurisdiction over U.S. waters to include, among other water bodies, upstream waters and intermittent and ephemeral streams such as the kind farmers use for drainage and irrigation. It also covered lands adjacent to such waters.
A U.S. Court of Appeals in October 2015 blocked the rule’s implementation, but a recent U. ... more. |
IFCA works with NREC and the University of Illinois to implement nitrogen rate trials throughout Illinois, generating important date to ensure that thenitrogen recommendation system in Illinois reflects what is actually occuring with nitrogen use and uptake on corn acres throughout Illinois. We have all the 2017 N Rate Trial results posted under our Keep it 4R Crop menu at www.ifca.com, click here to be ... more. |
By the end of this week, Illinois will have over 7,000 applicators trained to apply dicamba to soybeans in 2018. We've completed over 80 class and have about 55 more on the calendar. We added four classesthat will be taught by Purdue University, thus giving those who attend theseclasses their certification to apply dicamba in both Indiana and Illinois. Those classes are Feb 26 in C ... more. |
We continue to take on-line registration for the spring anhydrous ammonia safety schools. We encourage you to pre-registerto ensure a seat in the class. Classes begin on February 27th in Southern Illinois and work theirway north. Click here to see the schedule of classes and to register. Ag industry employees must attend an ILDept of Ag approved ammonia safety class to be c ... more. |
The Illinois legislature is often unpredictable and this week that was true, as the House cancelled their weekly session early and legislators went back to their home districts. Thus, IFCA is postponing our Legislative Breakfast which was scheduled on the morning of February 15 at the Sangamo Club in Springfield. We will re-book the event in April, and will let you know the new date. Thanks for yo ... more. |
We were sorry to learn of the passing of Harry Peterson, who died on February 12 at the age of 82. Harry was born in Viola, Illinois and spent his career in the fertilizer industry in Western Illinois as a self-employed professional.Peterson-Weaver Associates was how so many in the industry knew Harry, and he served on the IFCA Board of Directors from 1978-1980. He was always jovial, remembe ... more. |
Time:8:30-10:30 a.m. CT-IL Time: 9:30-11:30 a.m. EST-IN
NOTE: This class provides certification in both Illinois and Indiana. An additional hour of education may be offered for IN applicators in attendance who need credit hours toward their license, following the dicamba training.
ATTENTION!If you do not provide a unique email address for each person ... more. |
NOTE: This training is held from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
ATTENTION!If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
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Gov. Bruce Rauner will deliver the final budget speech of his current term Wednesday, laying out his spending priorities as he heads into his bid for another four years.
To that end, the governor has set himself a formidable set of objectives that he said will be addressed in his budget plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1. This is what Rauner said during his State of the State speech two weeks ago:&nbs ... more. |
Shelly Nickols-Richardson recently was named University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) interim associate dean and director of Extension. Nickols-Richardson will succeed George Czapar, who will retire March 1 as associate dean and Extension director.
Nickols-Richardson served as the head of the ACES Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition for the ... more. |
The active ingredient in Roundup does not cause cancer, according to scientists at the National Cancer Institute. Researchers followed over 50,000 people who used pesticides to see if the ones who used Roundup developed any kind of cancer. The results were published Thursday in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Farmers, the NCI’s website states, have generally lower death rates than ... more. |
As the U.S. Senate's two party leaders were on the floor early Wednesday afternoon swooning over their bipartisan budget deal, Sen. John Thune walked briskly down a hallway in one of the Senate office buildings.
As he was approached and asked whether the budget deal contained a change for the new Section 199A deduction in the tax law, Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, kept walking but said, ... more. |
A bill has been proposed at the Illinois General Assembly that would put term limits on four legislative positions.
The State Journal-Register reports that Republican Rep. Thomas M. Bennett of Gibson City has proposed the bill. It would limit the House speaker, Senate president and the minority leader in each chamber to 10 consecutive years in their roles.
Bennett submitted a similar bil ... more. |
The process of producing better food, protecting the environment and improving animal health is advancing at a seemingly breakneck pace.
These advancements are driven in part by new scientific discoveries, genetic research, data science, enhanced computational power and the availability of new systems for precision breeding like CRISPR....
The science is moving so rapidly that some are w ... more. |
Oregon, Washington, California and seven other states sued the Trump administration Tuesday to rescue the Obama-era Clean Water Rule.
The states, joined by the District of Columbia, claim that discarding the 2015 rule’s definition of “waters of the United States” will leave them vulnerable to pollution flowing across their borders.
“I won’t allow the Trump a ... more. |
The White House will release its long-awaited infrastructure plan on Monday, which calls for spending $200 billion in federal funding over 10 years to stimulate $1.5 trillion in new infrastructure investment, as well as overhauling the federal permit process for large infrastructure projects.
The administration sees the projects including any various transportation public works, but also technology a ... more. |
This Thursdayis Illinois Fertilizer& Chemical Association,Grain & Feed Association of Illinois, and Illinois Seed Trade Association Annual Legislative Breakfast in Springfield. The breakfast will be at the Sangamo Club with breakfast at 7:30am and short discussion at 7:45. Join ag leaders and state elected officials to hear about pending state legislative issues that coul ... more. |
ATTENTION!If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
Online registration is closed for this meeting. You may still register at the door.
|
ATTENTION! If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
Online registration is closed for this meeting. You may still register at the door.
&nb ... more. |
ATTENTION! If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
Online Registration for this class is closed. You may still register at the door.
|
ATTENTION!If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
Online Registration is now closed for this class. You may still register at the door. ... more. |
ATTENTION! If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
Online registration is closed for this class. You may register at the door.
|
This event requires attendance from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm (lunch is included).
Online registration is closed for this class. You may register at the door.
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Each year, IFCA, the Grain & Feed Association of Illinois and the IL Seed Trade Association host a legislative breakfast where we share the agribusiness industry's legislative priorities with legislators and agency officials. A grant from CropLife America helps to support this breakfast (thank you CLA)!
If you would like to attend the legislative breakfast on February 15 at 7:00 am at the ... more. |
Thanks to IFCA's great working relationship with Purdue University and the Office of the State Chemist in Indiana, Purdue University has offered to teach several dicamba training classes along the Illinois/Indiana border to help Illinois applicators get their dicamba training certificates for both Indiana and Illinois, all by taking just one class. The Illinois Department of Agriculture recognizes other s ... more. |
This Friday, February 9 at 10:30 am Central Time, IFCA and NREC are hosting a webinar entitled "Responsible Nitrogen Management in 2018: Rates, Treatment and Timings." Dr. Emerson Nafziger will present information from several 2017 NREC funded projects that focused on nitrogen utilization by the crop, N movement in the soil throughout the growing season, and optimum economic return to nitroge ... more. |
Time:1:30-3:30 CT-IL Time: 2:30-4:30 EST-IN
NOTE: This class provides certification in both Illinois and Indiana. An additional hour of education may be offered for IN applicators in attendance who need credit hours toward their license, following the dicamba training.
ATTENTION!If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, ... more. |
This class provides certification in both Illinois and Indiana. An additional hour of education may be offered for IN applicators in attendance who need credit hours toward their license, following the dicamba training. The start time listed above is central time, local time or eastern time will be from 9:30-11:30 a.m.
ATTENTION! If you do not provide a unique email address for ... more. |
NOTE: This class provides certification in both Illinois and Indiana. An additional hour of education may be offered for IN applicators in attendance who need credit hours toward their license, following the dicamba training.
ATTENTION!If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a ... more. |
Finding the right combination of form, timing and additives for nitrogen applications can be perplexing.
A multi-year research project funded by the Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council and led by Emerson Nafziger, University of Illinois Extension agronomist, is aimed at finding answers to the nitrogen puzzle.
Nafziger provided his research findings thus far at the Illinois Fer ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency continues to look at whether it can approve the use of E15 year-round, EPA's Administrator Scott Pruitt said on Tuesday during his first appearance before the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
As members of Congress continue to explore possible reform to the Renewable Fuel Standard and amid pressure from petroleum refiners to waive RFS requ ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency is looking to fix what it calls the "broken" process of balancing pesticide approvals with endangered species protections, which conservationists have warned could be the start of eroding key protections under the Endangered Species Act.
“The current Endangered Species Act pesticide consultation process is broken,” said EPA Administrator Scott P ... more. |
Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law a $282 million water quality bill Wednesday, calling the legislation a "monumental step forward."
"With the science-backed Nutrient Reduction Strategy as our road map ... we’re going to continue to charge forward with our water quality efforts," Reynolds said, surrounded by supporters of the effort. "Together we have the opportunity to mo ... more. |
As the head of the federal agency controlling billions of acres of public lands and waters, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has spent the past year making bold policy proclamations to advance President Trump’s energy agenda: He would open coastal waters to drilling, shrink national monuments, lift Obama-era fossil fuel regulations and reduce wildlife protections.
But legal experts say many of the m ... more. |
The newly passed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 introduced substantive changes to individual and entity-level tax rates and deductions, many of them welcomed by individuals and corporations. One section of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) in particular--IRC § 199A Deduction for Qualified Business Income of Pass-Through Entities (Sec 199A hereafter)--is getting a lot of attention, raising questions and eyebrows f ... more. |
Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner has four main goals he would like to accomplish if re-elected in November, he told The Register-Mail Friday.
Rauner said he would like to roll back the 32 percent income tax increase that was approved by the Illinois General Assembly in the state’s budget last year, and ideally bring the income tax rate back down to 3 percent “over the next few years” instea ... more. |
On February 15 is Illinois Fertilizer& Chemical Association,Grain & Feed Association of Illinois, and Illinois Seed Trade Association Annual Legislative Breakfast in Springfield. The breakfast will be at the Sangamo Club with breakfast at 7:30am and short discussion at 7:45. Join ag leaders and state elected officials to hear about pending state legislative issues that could im ... more. |
ATTENTION! If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
This class is Full. Please sign up for another class.
|
ATTENTION! If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
Online registration for this class is closed but you may still register at the door.
|
On February 15 is Illinois Fertilizer& Chemical Association,Grain & Feed Association of Illinois, and Illinois Seed Trade Association Annual Legislative Breakfast in Springfield. The breakfast will be at the Sangamo Club with breakfast at 7:30am and short discussion at 7:45. Join ag leaders and state elected officials to hear about pending state legislative issues that could ... more. |
The city of West will receive $10.44 million in its settlement with defendants in the massive litigation spawned by the April 2013 fire and explosion at West Fertilizer Co.
The West City Council approved the settlement amount this week, which includes funds for damages not covered by insurance or grants from state or federal agencies, said Waco attorney Steve Harrison, who was among a group of attorn ... more. |
State agencies were holding nearly $2.5 billion in bills at the end of last year, pushing the state’s bill backlog to more than $9.2 billion.
The numbers are part of the first report issued by Comptroller Susana Mendoza’s office under a new state law that requires state agencies to report on bills they are holding that have not been submitted for payment.
Mendoza pushed for t ... more. |
A bill committing $282 million to water quality initiatives will head to the governor's desk, the culmination of a debate that spanned three legislative sessions and two governors.
The Iowa House of Representatives, which had dug in its heels to oppose a Senate-backed water quality plan in favor of its own, surprised onlookers by bringing up the Senate's plan for a quick vote Tuesday morning. ... more. |
A lack of science in public decision making, punctuated by a misunderstanding and dislike of GMOs, are hurdles the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development face, Director Jamie Clover Adams said.
Public pushes against GMOs and for animal welfare improvements such as “cage-free” eggs hurt food producers financially because the efforts needed to adjust to public opinion cost more tha ... more. |
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bob Daiber called Thursday for Illinois to join Missouri and Arkansas in imposing a ban on the herbicide dicamba.
“I do not believe there are safeguards in place as of this day to safely use the herbicide in its current state,” said Daiber, who is himself a farmer planting corn and soybeans.
He noted bans on the herbicide’s use in Miss ... more. |
Illinois has been losing population, and most projections show the state losing a U.S. representative after the 2020 U.S. census.
But a new projection shows that we are “dangerously close” to losing two seats in the U.S. House.
“(Illinois is) within that magic five points of potentially being on the odd side of the line,” said Kimball Brace, president of Election ... more. |
The Supreme Court of the United States ruled Jan. 22 that the proper jurisdiction for challenges to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Waters of the United States or Clean Water Rule is in federal district court, not the circuit court level.
Environmentalists consider the ruling an initial blow to the Trump administration, but the Obama era rule won’t go into effect because EPA intends ... more. |
After years of deficits and a destructive state budget impasse, Illinois is facing a massive financial crisis. For most of the candidates seeking to become Illinois’ next governor, the solution is to overhaul the tax system.
Almost all of the Democrats want the state’s wealthiest people to pay more in taxes, while Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner says he’ll try to undo a recent across-t ... more. |
Each item below is linked to a pdf version of the slideset presented.
Tuesday
Dr. Kevin Bradley - Weed Management: Lessons Learned in Missouri and Management Approaches
Dr. Aaron Hager -Managing Resistance:Successfully Staying Ahead Using our Heads
Dr. Emerson Nafziger -Grain P & K Content and Nitrogen on Corn
Dr. Tom Bruulsema -Managing Phosphorus 4R Crop and the En ... more. |
ATTENTION!If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
|
ATTENTION!If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
|
ATTENTION!If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
|
ATTENTION! If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
|
ATTENTION! If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
|
ATTENTION! If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
|
ATTENTION!If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
|
ATTENTION! If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
|
ATTENTION!If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
|
ATTENTION! If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
|
ATTENTION! If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
|
ATTENTION! If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
|
ATTENTION! If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
|
ATTENTION!If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
|
Thanks to the involvement of our retail members and county farm bureau offices, we continue to add dicamba training classes to the Illinois Dicamba Training website. Some of these classes fill up fast, so be sure to pre-register and ensure a seat in the class. This training must be completed before using Xtendimax, Engenia or FeXapan on soybeans in 2018. To see the list of classes and to register ... more. |
We are taking on-line registration for the spring 2018 anhydrous ammonia safety schools. Any employee who works with ammonia and ammonia equipment must be certified at least once every three years to handle ammonia in Illinois, and this requirement is regularly checked and enforced by the IL Department of Agriculture. Go to www.ifca.com and click on the box on "2018 NH3 Safety Schools" box to ... more. |
The Uniform Carrier Registration regulation, known as UCR, requires companies who are engaged in interstate commerce to register with the Illinois Commerce Commission and pay an annual fee based on the number of commercial motor vehicles that cross state lines.
An excellent fact sheet on the UCR and how it applies in agriculture is available here. This fact sheet was developed by the ... more. |
In our on-going efforts to reduce nutrient losses, IFCA partners with NREC and the University of Illinois to facilitate research on the 4Rs, including studying various nitrogen rates, timing and treatments and how they perform in terms of crop utilization and impact on water quality. The goal is to maximize nutrient utilization and minimize loss of nutrients to water. This program is very successful and ... more. |
A commonly asked question about the required dicamba training is whether the states will recognize training that an applicator may attend in another state, especially when the applicator might apply product in more than one state.
We have an answer for you. At the IFCA convention last week, the Illinois Department of Agriculture announced that theyWILL accept training that an Illinois appli ... more. |
We are taking on-line registration for the Spring 2018 Anhydrous Ammonia Safety Schools. Please go to www.ifca.com, you can't miss the registration box on our home page. Click there to see the list of dates, locations, and to register on-line. If you have questions about ammonia training please call John Rebholz at 309.827.2774.
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Thanks to all of the IFCA members and supporters who attended the IFCA convention last week. We increased our attendance from 2017, with 1,248 attending the 2018 show....THANK YOU!
Highlights of the convention included a personal visit from Governor Bruce Rauner, who spoke at both the Ag-Solve breakfast and the general session on January 17. He thanked our members for their lead ... more. |
Don't forget that your Tier 2 Chemical Inventory reports are due to IEMA and to your local LEPCs by March 1, 2018. This year the hazard classifications for each chemical you report on the Tier 2 are new, so be sure to refer to a new Safety Data Sheet and look for the new categories when completing your Tier 2 reports. If you don't have a new SDS, request one from your suppliers. Also due o ... more. |
After attending an Illinois dicamba training class, you will receive a certificate from the company that taught the class (i.e. Monsanto, BASF or DowDuPont). Monsanto is generating certificates via email within a few days of attending the class, and BASF is working diligently to get the certificates out very soon to those who attended a BASF class.
If you attended a class taught by Mo ... more. |
ATTENTION! If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
This training class is full, please select another date.
|
ATTENTION! If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
|
The governor of Illinois says the state’s number one farm issue is to allow producers to do their work. Brownfield’s Tom Steever talked the chief executive and a state lawmaker Wednesday in Peoria. Governor Bruce Rauner tells Brownfield his legislative agenda for farmers is shaped by the fact that there is too much tax and too much regulation.
“The key to our success and futur ... more. |
As one of the first state association meetings held each year, the annual Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association (IFCA) event in Peoria, IL, is a good gauge as to what ag retailers will spend their upcoming growing season focusing on (view slideshow above). Not surprisingly, this year looks to be a follow-up of sorts to one of the major issues of 2017 – dicamba and off-target movement. During the th ... more. |
The new in-season dicamba application requirements may seem daunting and confusing, but Aaron Hager, weed specialist at the University of Illinois, says one thing is crystal-clear. “The applicator is legally liable,” he says. “There’s a whole new list of things that now, when off-target movement occurs, applicators can be held accountable.”
With new labels, new rules and ... more. |
Arkansas lawmakers on Friday approved banning an herbicide that farmers say has drifted onto crops where it wasn't applied and caused damage, but the prohibition still faces a legal challenge from a maker of the weed killer.
The Legislative Council, without discussion, approved the Plant Board's plan to ban dicamba from April 16 through Oct. 31. A subcommittee earlier this week recommended th ... more. |
Given the early campaigning, most Illinois voters know the state is poised for primary and general elections but may underestimate the jockeying under way for 2021 and a key 2022 election.
Think legislative map.
“This year, the driving issue behind the scene in the State Capitol is who will control the legislative redistricting process in 2021,” said Kevin Semlow, Illinois Farm ... more. |
Illinois is facing a drought in some parts of the state that could impact its winter wheat crop.
Mark Schleusener, statistician for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Illinois, said as of Thursday, 55 percent of the state was abnormally dry or worse.
The southern and western parts of the state have been most affected.
“The southern part of the state is where our win ... more. |
Illinois lawmakers are gearing up to start another spring session that will include more attempts to address an issue that has remained stubbornly elusive so far.
What can the state do to rein in the cost of public employee pensions and try to address the $129 billion debt faced by the five state-funded pension systems?
A number of ideas are floating around the General Assembly, from an ... more. |
ATTENTION!If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
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Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association is committed to protecting your privacy and developing technology that gives you the most powerful and safe online experience. This Statement of Privacy applies to the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association Web site and governs data collection and usage. By using the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association website, you consent to the data practices ... more. |
ATTENTION!If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
|
ATTENTION! If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
|
ATTENTION! If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
|
We are very sorry to learn of the passing of Don Schafer, who passed away on January 8 at the age of 85. Don was a pioneer in both the fertilizer and grain industry, creating Chebanse Crop Service in 1970 and later adding the elevator business. He was admired as a businessman and cherished as a friend to many in the ag industry and in his community.
Don's obituary, including ... more. |
This training event is part of the University of Illinois Crop Management Conference. Please be sure to arrive by 4:00 pm to attend the training, which is the last topics on the day-long agenda atthe conference.
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This class is in Atrium L, which is located on the south side of the main campus.
ATTENTION!If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problem ... more. |
We've gotten some questions from our members about the new Electronic Data Logging (EDL) regulation for CDL drivers.
The good news is that over the years, IFCA worked very hard to secure a full exemption from all of the Hours of Service regulations for the transport of ag inputs to and from all distribution points. We worked with the Illinois legislature, our US congressional dele ... more. |
Click below for the rules governing the Hours of Service exemption for the transportation of agricultural inputs.
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If you have not yet pre-registered to attend the IFCA convention for the price of $80 per person, you still have time. Click here to be directed to the IFCA website. Click on the "Convention" tab where we have the schedule and on-line registration available. Please register before the end of the day on Wednesday to get the pre-registration price and avoid lines at the on-site registratio ... more. |
We just learned today that Don Schafer, owner of Chebanse Ag Service in Chebanse, IL passed away. Don had been battling cancer and doing very well, but recently he became ill. We don't have any details on his arrangements yet, but when we have them we will share the information with our members.
Don was a long standing member of both IFCA and the Grain & Feed Association of Illinois ... more. |
ATTENTION!If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
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At the IFCA Convention on January 16, we are offering a regulatory workshop from 1:30-3:15 that features experts on several very important compliance topics:
The Illinois State Police will discuss compliance with fuel trailers and other highway transportation rules
IEMA will review the Tier 2 reporting requirements and changes in the reporting requirements
DHS will review the CFATS rules for ammo ... more. |
John Rebholz, IFCA's Director of Safety & Education, has set the schedulefor the Spring 2018 anhydrous ammonia safety classes. The Illinois Department of Agriculture partners with IFCA to provide the training and issue a competent attendant certificate good for three years to anyone who attends. Persons who work with ammonia and ammonia equipment as part of their job duties are required by ... more. |
March 1 will be here before we know it, and your Tier 2 chemical inventory reports and USEPA Pesticide Producing Establishment reports are due on March 1. It's vital to get them in on time to avoid monetary penalties. For the Tier 2 reports, you must list the expanded hazard categories for the chemicals you report. These new hazard categories can be found on the Safety Data Sheets (SDS) but on ... more. |
IFCA continues to add classes to the dicamba training website.Thanks to the IFCA members who have contacted us and helped arrange for training events that will be open to anyone to attend. We recently added many classes in southern Illinois as well as other geographies, so please check the site regularly. We've already trained over 1,300 people and classes are averaging over 100 people p ... more. |
ATTENTION!If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
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DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating insur ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating insur ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating insur ... more. |
*NEW LOCATION*
Class will be held at the Knox County Farm Bureaufrom 9:00am - 12:00
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
M ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating insur ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating insur ... more. |
DESIGNED FOR RETAIL AND FARMER OWNED ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OPERATORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO:
Train employees who handle and transport NH3
a review for experienced employees
yet basic enough for new employees
Provide managers an annual review of regulations and safe operations.
Meet government regulation training standards, and document employee training.
Avoid accidents and escalating insur ... more. |
This event requries attendance from 9:00 am to 12:30 (lunch included).
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The Illinois Department of Agriculture and IFCA issued a joint press release yesterday discussing the progress on Illinois dicamba training and encouraging everyone to visit the dicamba training website to sign up for future classes. Click here to see the press release, which is also posted at www.ifca.com. Less than one month into the winter training schedule, we have already provided the mandatory dic ... more. |
IFCA wishes our members a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Thank you for supporting your Association throughout the year and in the years to come.
Our office will be closed on December 22 and 25, and on December 29 and January 1 to celebrate the holidays. We look forward to seeing you in January at the IFCA Convention, January 16-18, 2018 at the Peoria Civic Center. Click on our Co ... more. |
ATTENTION! If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
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ATTENTION! If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
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As of this week, over 1,100 Illinois applicators have received the required dicamba training and there are many more classes scheduled throughout the state. In fielding calls about dicamba training, here are answers to some of the most common questions.
1. Reciprocity. At this point, there is no reciprocity on training between the states. If you plan to apply dicamba in more tha ... more. |
Our industry enjoys a very nice Hours of Service Exemption when we transport agricultural inputs to and from distribution points, within a 150 air mile radius. The exemption is year-round in Illinois and the150 air miles applies within the state, or when crossing state lines.
The new rules for electronic log books do not apply when you are using the agriculture HOS exemption. Cl ... more. |
If you have Engenia, Xtendimax or FeXapan product remaining in inventory from the 2017 season, you will be asked by the manufacturers of the product to relabel the containers with the new Restricted Use Pesticide labels. Please be sure that your facility is a registered USEPA Pesticide Producing Establishment if you plan to relabel any of your inventory.
If you do relabel, you must en ... more. |
Please take time to check out the IFCA Convention website here and get registered for the convention. Your Convention Committee strives to bring you relevant and timely educational sessions, plus we have a great trade show planned, and an awesome silent and live auction to benefit Ag-Solve. Thanks to the many IFCA members who are contributing items to the auction. Contact KJ Johnson at our office ... more. |
Congressional Republicans are poised to sendtheir historic package of individual and business tax cuts to President Trump's desk before Christmas and alsoplan to passa new stopgap funding bill that could include disaster aid to growers hammered by this year's hurricanes.
The House could vote on the503-page Tax Cuts and Jobs Actas soon as Tuesday, sending it ... more. |
With a red pen in hand, Chrissy Bialek flips through the program on opening weekend of the thoroughbred racing season at Hawthorne Race Course in Cicero.
Her horseshoe-shaped ring catches the light from the televisions above the bar as their screens show clips from races across the country. Bialek, of Chicago, has been coming to Hawthorne for as long as she can remember.
“My dad wo ... more. |
The legalization of marijuana in Illinois has begun to take on an air of inevitability — this week’s decision by the Cook County Board to hold a non-binding referendum in March providing just the latest evidence.
But it wasn’t the high-profile decision by our left-leaning county commissioners that convinced me nearly as much as a relatively obscure pronouncement a week earlier by a ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) has named five farmer and fertilizer retailers pairs who are implementing innovative and sustainable 4R fertilizer management practices on the farm to increase production and reduce their environmental impact. These 2018 4R Advocates farm 19,250 acres of land using 4R Nutrient Stewardship practices.
“We talk a lot about 4R Nutrient Stewardship at TFI, but these pr ... more. |
The Trump administration might have unwittingly cleared a path for a legal assault in its proposal for delaying the effective date of the contentious 2015 Clean Water Rule, experts in administrative law say.
At issue are four words in the proposal released last month by U.S. EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers aimed at delaying by two years the Obama rule defining which wetlands and waterways get pro ... more. |
Clean water is a priority for all of us. When farmers manage nutrients, they are also helping to minimize the runoff of nutrients into local streams and rivers.
Farmers rely on two major nutrients in fertilizer — nitrogen and phosphorus — to help crops grow. When excess fertilizer leaves the field and enters local waterways in surface water runoff, those nutrients cause algae in the water ... more. |
Minnesota announced restrictions Tuesday on how farmers can use the herbicide dicamba in 2018, responding to complaints by soybean growers across the country that it harmed their crops this year.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture set a June 20 cutoff date for applying the herbicide and prohibited applications when the temperature or forecast high for the day is above 85 degrees. The rules are meant t ... more. |
Pre-registration for this class is closed. You may still register at the door prior to the start of the class.
ATTENTION! If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique ... more. |
Registration for this class is now closed. Please register for a future class date.
ATTENTION! If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid pr ... more. |
Retailers may soon be receiving new labels from BASF, Monsanto and Dow-DuPont along with guidance on relabeling the 2017 inventory you may have of these products. On October 13, 2017, USEPA reclassified these products to Restricted Use Pesticides and there are many other changes in the product labels. These products cannot be sold until they are affixed with the new labels.
IMPORTANT: ... more. |
ATTENTION! If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
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ATTENTION! If you do not provide a unique email address for each person registered, you will have to re-register at the training site in order to receive a training certificate. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please provide a unique email for each person registering to avoid problems.
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If you have a child, grandchild, niece or nephew attending junior college or a four year college, and they are studying for a potential career in agriculture, please have them complete the IFCA Scholarship application and return it to our office. The application is available on the homepage of our website at www.ifca.com.
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This serves as notice that the annual meeting of the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association will be conducted at 9:45 am on January 17, 2018 in Room 400 of the Peoria Civic Center in Peoria, IL.
This year, no IFCA Board members are up for election. At the annual meeting, the Association will share its financial report, update on activities, introduce current Board members and ... more. |
Attendance at the first four dicamba training classes has been outstanding. In just the first four classes offered, over 500private and commercial applicators have been trained and now comply with the training mandate of the new labels for Engenia, Xtendimax and FeXapan.
Go to www.ifca.com/illinoisdicambatraining to see the classes being offered. The classes on this website are open t ... more. |
A group of 34 House Republicans, including U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, on Tuesday asked Speaker Paul Ryan to act this month on legislation dealing with the 800,000 young immigrants brought to the United States as children and living here illegally.
Ryan has said he does not see a need to act before March, the deadline President Donald Trump gave Congress to find a permanent solution after ... more. |
Genetically modified crops are continuing to spread across the world’s agricultural land. Last year they covered a record 185m hectares, 3 per cent up on 2015.
Experts are anticipating another small increase this year, though the authoritative annual GM survey by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) will not appear until next spring.
Th ... more. |
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration new Electronic Logging Device requirements go into effect December 18. However, the agency provided a 90-day waiver for agricultural commodity and livestock transporters. But that 90-day waiver will not include transporters of farm supplies.
ELD systems synchronize with a vehicle's engine to more easily and accurately record driving time for hours of se ... more. |
Since the new labels for the new dicamba formulations were announced by the EPA in October, the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association has organized more than 30 training sessions before the 2018 spray season. So far, more than 300 farmers and applicators have attended one of these trainings, which are also being organized by the Illinois Department of Ag and other ag groups.
John Deere dealer ... more. |
Environmentalist groups said on Monday that Germany and the European Union had broken the rules when assessing the safety of the weed-killer glyphosate and that they would try to bring legal actions against the institutes involved.
Global 2000 and the Pesticide Action Network (PAN) said they had registered legal complaints with prosecutors in Vienna and Berlin, with lawsuits in France and Italy to fo ... more. |
The Department of Agriculture is working to implement the landmark biotech disclosure law passed in 2016, and a lobbyist who has followed the issue from the beginning says there are still major issues to resolve.
Click Here to listen.
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Visa, MasterCard, AmEx, and Discover credit cards are accepted forms of payment for online registration. Checks are accepted when checking in at the conference.
If you prefer to pay by check, the registration process will create an invoice from the order made using the registration form and then it will be emailed to you. If you have any issues with the invoice, please contact Leslie ... more. |
2017 IFCA Convention Schedule of Events - All Events at Peoria Civic Center
Tuesday, January 17 NREC & CCA Session, Room 400: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm (lunch provided)*
Moderated by Dr. Bob Hoeft and Jean Payne; 6 CEU applied for (NM, SWM, CM)
9:00amWeed Management: Lessons Learned in Missouri and Management Approaches
... more. |
2018 IFCA Convention registration has not been opened to the public yet. Online registration will begin December 6th.Please return here at that time to register to attend the convention.
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Hundreds of candidates were in line Monday enjoying moderate temperatures in the 40s and sunshine outside the State Board of Elections as an every-two-year event was repeated with the 8 a.m. start of filing for next year’s elections.
The filings mark a formal beginning to a 2018 election season in Illinois that could see record spending in the race for governor. Filing for offices -- including ... more. |
Nitrogen is one of agriculture’s essential building blocks. However, N in the wrong place can wreak havoc. In the Gulf of Mexico, a large hypoxic zone has formed primarily due to excess nutrients. In that zone, the amount of dissolved oxygen is too low for many aquatic species to survive, which has led to environmental concerns. The EPA’s Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Task Force set goals to reduce N ... more. |
The tools of biotechnology have been used in crop development for more than three decades. And while transgenic crops may have gotten the public's attention in the beginning, plant breeders saw other benefits — including marker-assisted breeding. But the latest tool that will allow plant breeders to reach new crop production is gene editing, and Syngenta is incorporating that new tech into its developme ... more. |
Neonicotinoid pesticides commonly used on flowering crops are not harmful when properly handled and applied, a recent University of Guelph study says.
Keith Solomon, a toxicologist and professor, and Gladys Stephenson, an adjunct professor, found that three widely used neonicotinoid pesticides do not pose any health risks to honeybee colonies, according to Tuesday’s university release.
... more. |
The three Rs have long been seen as the foundation of a well-rounded education. Now some farmers are touting the four Rs as a way to achieve a well-rounded nutrient strategy.
Illinois farmer Grant Strom discussed farmer innovation in adopting the 4R nutrient strategy in a presentation during the 2017 Fertilizer Outlook and Technology Conference held last week in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Dahinda, I ... more. |
The Indiana Pesticide Review Board has restricted all pesticides containing dicamba concentrations of 6.5 percent or more that are intended for agricultural-use.
Only certified applicators can apply these products and Hoosier growers using Engenia, XtendiMax and FeXapan will be required to complete training approved by the Office of Indiana State Chemist.
Click Here to read more.
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The European Union voted on Monday to extend its authorization for the world’s best-selling herbicide for an abbreviated period of five years, with France and Germany splitting over the move.
President Emmanuel Macron of France said after the decision was announced that he had asked government officials to draw up a plan for banning the herbicide, glyphosate, in his country within three years. ... more. |
The first dicamba training class in Illinois begins this afternoon at 3:00 pm at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield, IL, following the private applicator clinic that is also offered there today. Most of the registrants for this event are farmers, and as of today 80 have signed up for the training.
There are many future opportunities for training listed on the Illinois Dicamba Training website that w ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner on Thursday signed into law two measures targeting sexual harassment in Illinois politics, while also saying there’s far more work to do and dubbing one “hurried” and “very flawed.”
Rauner signed both a measure that will require all lawmakers, lobbyists and state employees to undergo sexual harassment training every year beginning next year, as well as ... more. |
Congressional Republicans left Capitol Hill late last week excited about the prospects for sweeping legislation which would deliver tax cuts and tax reform, as with approval of a House tax bill, the focus has shifted to the Senate, and whether GOP leaders can muster the needed votes to approve a slightly different GOP tax measure after Thanksgiving.
“This bill gives Americans more take home pay ... more. |
As roads and bridges in Illinois crumble, so too does the primary source of revenue the state relies on to fix them — the gas tax.
Illinois adds 19 cents to the pump price of each gallon of gas to underwrite road work, a fee that hasn’t changed in 27 years even though inflation has cut the purchasing power by half. And with cars getting ever better gas mileage, the so-called Motor Fuel Ta ... more. |
The director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency has stepped down to take a job at the federal level, Gov. Bruce Rauner announced Monday.
James Joseph, who has led IEMA since early 2015, will be replaced by Joseph Klinger of Springfield, who will serve as acting director.
Joseph has been appointed by President Donald Trump’s administration as regional administrator for the ... more. |
Missouri will limit the use of a weedkiller made by BASF SE after farmers complained the chemical drifted and harmed their crops, following a move by Arkansas to prohibit spray applications next year of the herbicide and rival products.
Missouri on Thursday banned sprayings of BASF's Engenia herbicide, which is based on a chemical known as dicamba, in 10 counties that had high numbers of complain ... more. |
The U.S. EPA and the U.S. Department of the Army are proposing to delay the effective date of the Waters of the U.S. rule by two years.
“Today’s proposal shows our commitment to our state and tribal partners and to providing regulatory certainty to our nation’s farmers, ranchers and businesses,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “This step will allow us to minimize co ... more. |
Illinois Dicamba Training will roll out this winter, with sessions beginning Nov. 27 and continuing until April 1, just prior to spring planting.
Illinois is following the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) parameters as it relates to dicamba use in 2018.
“We are now moving forward with one of the new requirements on this label for 2018, which is that this is a restricted-use pestici ... more. |
Monsanto Co. and nearly a dozen state and national farm groups are suing California over the state's decision to list the popular ag chemical glyphosate as a carcinogen.
"The impact on farmers could be ... very detrimental," said Kirk Leeds, CEO of the Iowa Soybean Association.
The soybean group, the Agribusiness Association of Iowa, and the National Corn Growers Associatio ... more. |
The new labels for Engenia, Xtendimax and FeXapan require that applicators be certified in order to purchase these products, and receive specific dicamba training in order to apply these products in 2018.
IFCA developed and launched an Illinois Dicamba Training website that provides resources to help facilitate this training for our members, and for private applicators. The website is www.ifca.co ... more. |
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It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of IFCA member Don Van Lyssel. Don passed away suddenly this past Saturday.
Don dedicated his career to the agribusiness industry and was a very active member of the IFCA, serving on our Convention Committee for many years. He shared his ideas freely and was very creative, particulary when it came to developing our conven ... more. |
Republicans look to advance competing tax reform plans in the House and Senate this week, and farm groups look to build on their early success in shaping the legislation.
The House will take up a bill late this weekthat the Ways and Means Committee approved on a party line, 24-16 vote Thursdayafter making a series of last-minute changes that included provisions sought by farmers ... more. |
The Illinois House Wednesday approved yet another version of property tax relief, but it is unclear if the Senate plans to take up the bill.
The House voted 75-32 on the bill that also provides increases homestead and senior citizen exemptions to help control property tax costs.
“For many of you and in my own district, the heavy weight of property taxes is the biggest concern I hea ... more. |
Senate Democrats are pushing the Agriculture Department to create a labeling standard for products made with genetically modified organisms (GMO) that is consumer-friendly.
Congress passed a law in July ordering the agency to create a national labeling standard within two years.
The law allows food producers to use QR codes that can be scanned with smartphone. In a letter Tuesday led by ... more. |
The final half of veto session is underway.
The main topic of the day was sexual harassment after an open letter alleged lawmakers have a long history of sexually harassing women under the dome.
"There are a lot of people in this building who are very nervous and they should be," Sen. Karen McConnaughay, R-St. Charles, said.
Change: Something all lawmaker ... more. |
An Arkansas regulatory panel voted Wednesday to ban the use of an herbicide for part of next year after the weed killer drew complaints from farmers across several states who say it has drifted onto their crops and caused widespread damage.
The Arkansas Plant Board on Wednesday approved prohibiting the use of dicamba in the state between April 16 and Oct. 31. The ban includes several exemptions, incl ... more. |
Certified applicators now are required to complete dicamba-specific training, and more extensive recordkeeping is mandatory when using the product.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency moved XtendiMax, Engenia and Fexapan from non-restricted-use to restricted-use pesticides that mandate the training and expanded recordkeeping.
“At minimum, you already have to be a licensed cert ... more. |
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Convention 2018 - Become an Exhibitor
Are you interested in exhibiting at the 2018 IFCA Annual Convention & Trade Show in Peoria, IL?
ExhibitorSet up: January 16 | Trade Show:January 17 & 18
IFCA’s annual Convention and Trade Show is the premier event for the Illinois crop production supply and service industry. Our ... more. |
With good soil conditions and cool soil temperatures, the anhydrous ammonia application season is in full swing. Please be sure to use N-Serve with all fall applied ammonia; this is part of theIFCA 4R Code of Practice. This past year, the water supplies had very low levels of nitrate overall, so keep up the good work on fertilizer stewardship, and follow the MRTN for nitrogen rates. IFCA jus ... more. |
The new labels for Engenia, XtendiMax and FeXapan have been accepted for use in Illinois with no additional restrictions. The major changes regarding use of these products on soybeans are:
1. The products are Restricted Use Pesticides
2. The application parameters are different including wind speed restrictions and do not spray restrictions
3. A record of application, incl ... more. |
Concerned that an appeals court stay of the contentious Clean Water Rule is at risk, U.S. EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers are working to delay the effective date of the Obama-era regulation.
The White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs is considering the proposed amendment to the 2015 standard, also known as the Waters of the U.S., or WOTUS, rule.
The Clean Water Rule, ... more. |
There are 631 fewer RMP covered processes with Anhydrous Ammonia since 2011. This translates to a reduction of right at 78 million pounds in anhydrous ammonia in reported RMP covered processes. This took anhydrous ammonia from a clear #1 in pounds in RMP covered processes in 2011 down to #3 in 2017 (see tables below). What drove such a reduction? Could it be that OSHA and EPA's process safety ... more. |
Uncertainty over how insurance companies will handle dicamba liability insurance next year is a big concern for chemical applicators.
KJ Johnson is director of government and industry relations for the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association (IFCA).
Click Here to read more.
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House Republicans’ long-awaited tax overhaul bill will keep the top individual rate at 39.6 percent forhigh-income earners and will immediately and permanently cut the corporate rate to 20 percent.
The legislation seeks to revamp the tax code in a major way for the first time since 1986, incorporating long-sought goals of congressional Republicans to keep more money in the pockets of indivi ... more. |
The last time U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood went by10282 E. County Road 1400 North in rural Bloomington, it was a United Auto Workers building.
"They were incredibly gracious and sold us the property," said Jean Payne, president of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association, which now helps run an ag training facility there. "Their philosophy is employee health and safety, so ... more. |
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner declared a statewide harvest emergency Sunday to help farmers.
At Stewart Farms in Yorkville, Illinois, the governor signed a proclamation to allow farmers to get a free permit to put 10 percent more weight onto the truck when shipping the crops.
Rauner said spring planting was delayed by wet weather and rains continue to fall at the worst time during the harvest seaso ... more. |
The Illinois General Assembly returns to Springfield on Tuesday for the final days of its fall session after spending last week wrestling a sexual-harassment quandary.
The House could take up action on legislation by House Speaker Michael Madigan to prohibit sexual harassment in the ethics law, require awareness training and put the legislative inspector general in charge of enforcement.
... more. |
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House Republicans reveal the details of their tax reform plan this week as GOP leaders mount an ambitious pre-Thanksgiving campaign to get tax bills through both chambers before the holiday.
The House Ways and Means Committee plans to release its proposal on Wednesday and move it through the panel the week of Nov. 6. The Senate GOP schedule is a week behind the House.
The House bill&rs ... more. |
What do you do with 239 dicamba-drift complaints and no real way to tell how they happened?
The short answer: you require better records next time around.
When the Illinois Department of Agriculture received 239 dicamba-related complaints in 2017, they asked questions. Was it drift? Was it tank contamination? Was it an inversion?
In many cases, there wasn’t enough info ... more. |
While this region may be the Gateway to the West, St. Louis Regional Freightway director Mary Lamie sees it as a global transportation hub.
“Essentially, what we’re doing is building a bridge to China,” she explained to St. Louis AgriBusiness Club members.
Her organization is blazing a more efficient and less expensive trail for commodities and goods coming and going th ... more. |
The fall ammonia season is fast approaching. John Rebholz, IFCA's Director of Safety & Education, prepared the following points regarding safety and compliance as you prepare nurse tanks for transportation and application:
1. If you still need anhydrous ammonia safety training for new or part-time employees, IFCA offers an online NH3 training certificate that is good for 90 days. Go to http://nh3 ... more. |
Few things in recent history have unified the agriculture community more than the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. The 2015 regulation was an easy target and timed perfectly for the election. In the wake of the 2016 election, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) announced their intention to rescind the regulation. That’s the end of it, right? Not yet.
&nbs ... more. |
The Illinois House dealt Gov. Bruce Rauner a series of setbacks Wednesday by overriding vetoes of measures that represented the Republican's political, as well as policy, disputes with Democrats.
Rauner lauded one victory, a failed override of his veto of legislation banning anti-union "right-to-work" zones.
The lowest point for the governor came when the House voted 112-0 ... more. |
The principal sponsor of a bill to gradually raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour said the votes weren’t there to attempt an override of Gov Bruce Rauner’s veto of the bill.
Instead, Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, said she’ll continue to negotiate to find a compromise that will have the support of enough lawmakers to overcome a gubernatorial veto.
Th ... more. |
Agriculture enjoys a very nice exemption from Hours of Service when our members deliver ag inputs between distribution points, within a 150 air mile radius of the point of distribution (i.e. terminal to retail, retail to farm, farm to farm). This applies to any ag input essential in producing a crop and normally we think of this as meaning fertilizers, chemicals and seed.
Delivery of ... more. |
IFCA would like to send a BIG THANKS to our members who have diligently and voluntarily held off on applying ammoniauntil the cooler weather set in. With near freezing temperatures expected this weekend, the season is now upon us and your stewardship efforts to wait until the "right time" are noticed!
As ammonia application begins, please contact us if we can be ... more. |
IFCA is laying the groundwork to ensure that our members have ample opportunity to receive dicamba label training, which is now a requirement for every private, commercial and certified operator who intends to apply Engenia, XtendiMax or FeXapan on soybeans. No other formulations of dicamba can be used on soybeans--that is a willful violation of the Pesticide Act and carries substantial penalties up to $10,00 ... more. |
On Tuesday, Oct 31 at 9:00 am central time, Dr. Emerson Nafziger is the guest on our Keep it 4R Crop webinar and will discuss the results of nitrogen source, rate and timing research performed in the 2018 crop year and funded by NREC. We realize that many of you may be in the field with ammonia application, so rest assured this webinar will be recorded and we will post the recording link on our website at www ... more. |
2018IFCA Convention
The 2018IFCA Annual Convention is January 16-18, 2018 at the Peoria Civic Center.
(The trade show dates are January17& 18, 2018.)
Watch for more information on the 2018 Convention later this year.
For immediate assistance please contact Leslie Forrest at (309) 827-2774 or leslief@ifca.com.
& ... more. |
The Peoria Civic Center
The Peoria Civic Center is a multipurpose event facility located in the heart of downtown Peoria nestled between Jefferson Street, Kumpf Blvd., Monroe Street, and Fulton Street. The downtown location is 10 minutes from the Peoria International Airport and less than a 3 hour drive from either Chicago or St. Louis. The facility is only a few blocks away the Riverfront district, ... more. |
The 2018 governor’s race is on pace to be the most expensive in U.S. history, propelled by a wealthy Republican incumbent and a billionaire Democrat who are airing TV ads and hopping private planes to campaign events more than a year before Election Day.
J.B. Pritzker, an heir to the Hyatt hotel fortune and one of the world’s richest people, is among several Democrats trying to defeat mul ... more. |
Gun control, government transparency, student loan reform and more could be on the table this week as the General Assembly begins the annual ritual of the fall veto session.
Lawmakers are scheduled to return Tuesday for what is now scheduled to be three days of sessions to begin dealing with possibly overriding bills vetoed by Gov. Bruce Rauner and taking up additional issues that have arisen since l ... more. |
The World Health Organization’s cancer agency dismissed and edited findings from a draft of its review of the weedkiller glyphosate that were at odds with its final conclusion that the chemical probably causes cancer.
Documents seen by Reuters show how a draft of a key section of the International Agency for Research on Cancer’s (IARC) assessment of glyphosate - a report that has prompted int ... more. |
October conjures images of bountiful harvests here in the U.S. Heartland, where it was my privilege to participate in the 2017 World Food Prize events.
As a panelist on the topic of agricultural innovation, I discussed the challenges testing agriculture like never before: a growing population, evolving pest pressures, shifting consumer preferences and a changing climate. Fortunately, there are ... more. |
As Europe braces for two key battles over the future of glyphosate next week, the controversial weedkiller got an early setback on Thursday when the European Parliament's Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee voted to phase it out of the bloc within the next three years. The vote — 39 lawmakers in favor, nine opposed, with 10 abstaining — carries little legal weight, but it sends a me ... more. |
There was no question what was to blame for the curled soybeans on the central Illinois farm in late June.
The farmer, the neighbor who made the application, even the investigator from the neighbor's insurance company, all agreed. Off-target dicamba movement was the culprit.
Yet the letter the injured farmer received months later from the insurance company was quite clear: "We do not find ... more. |
Farmers’ shift away from fall application of nitrogen for crops such as corn and sorghum is being reflected in changing retail practices, says Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie. “In my area of central Illinois, I know two fertilizer plants that have completely dropped anhydrous ammonia,” he says. “Their sales had shifted to spring application of nitrogen solution. While ammonia can ... more. |
The new labels for Engenia, XtendiMax and FeXapan require that certified applicators (both private and commercial) and certified operators must receive dicamba use training before they apply the product, and are required to keep a record of that training with every application record.
IFCA met last week with the IL Dept of Agriculture and with our fellow ag groups to discuss the best way to offer this ... more. |
Two years ago, IFCA supported legislation that eliminated the annual renewal requirement for pesticide applicator and operator licenses. Instead, once you pass your certification exam, you will get a 3 year license and pay $180 instead of having to do renewal paperwork every year and paying 1/3 of that fee.
It does take a little while to transition everyone to the 3 year license depending ... more. |
This past year, the Dept of Homeland Security (DHS) required re-registration in the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards program. In the ag industry, this impacts mostly ammonia facilities. Now that most IIFCA members have completed the re-registration process, they are learning that their facility may be bumped into a higher risk category, requiring additional secuirty measurers at the facility. ... more. |
You are receiving this email because your company exhibited at the 2017 IFCA Winter Convention. The 2018 Convention dates are January 16 – 18, at the Peoria Civic Center.
IFCA is excited to announce that we are moving to an online booth sign-up. We are still in the process of setting up the webpage so please be patient as we transition from paper to an electronic system. From ... more. |
Though the state of Illinois finally got a budget this summer, it still has billions of dollars in unpaid bills, and the amount keeps changing.
According to a review by the Associated Press, Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza’s office has been working to pay down the IOUs, but more of them piled up in the last three months. And an additional $9 billion worth of checks are being withheld because ... more. |
The Ohio River is closed at Lock and Dam 52 once again. That’s something we’ve been hearing over and over again in the past few months.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers say the wateris too high to lock vessels through “paired with the unconventional manner in which the wicket Dam now has to be operated prevented project staff from lowering wickets to control river elevations.&rd ... more. |
Drainage districts, once the target of a Des Moines Water Works lawsuit, could be part of the solution to cut high nitrate levels in Iowa's lakes, rivers and streams, according to a new report.
Iowa's 3,700 drainage districts already have powerunder state law to "mitigate pollution discharge" since they're "presumed to be a public benefit" that contribute to " ... more. |
The seed industry has access to rapid DNA tests to avert Palmer amaranth contamination in pollinator seed mixes, a company executive says.
Palmer amaranth is considered the most troublesome weed in the nation, according to the Weed Science Society of America.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture and Eurofins BioDiagnostics have an independently validated a DNA sequencing test, ... more. |
The agriculture industry is betting that new technology for editing the genes of plants will yield enhanced crops—and potentially reset a long-running debate over genetically engineered seeds.
Seed developers including Monsanto Co. and DowDuPont Inc. have invested in gene-editing technology, which enables scientists to make precise changes to plants’ existing DNA.
Click Here to ... more. |
Rutgers scientists have found an efficient way to enhance the nutritional value of corn – the world’s largest commodity crop – by inserting a bacterial gene that causes it to produce a key nutrient called methionine, according to a new study.
TheRutgers University-New Brunswickdiscovery could benefit millions of people in developing countries, such as in South America and ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reached an agreement with dicamba manufacturers to minimize the potential for drift damage from use in soybeans and cotton.
“Today's actions are the result of intensive, collaborative efforts, working side by side with the states and university scientists from across the nation who have first-hand knowledge of the problem and workable solutions," ... more. |
IFCA offers online training for retailers.
Registration is temporarily closed, but will be open later this week (9/29). Please check back for registration being reopened.
Anhydrous Ammonia Permit Training
This online training program is for employees at companies that have bulk anhydrous ammonia storage tanks at their facility. Illinois Department of Agriculture requires “Competent Attendan ... more. |
Please mark your calendar for the IFCA Convention and Trade Show which is January 16-18, 2018 at the Peoria Civic Center. Watch for the registration program in mid November; we are going to have a great trade show and slate of education sessions covering all of the current issues in our industry.
In 2019, the IFCA convention dates are slightly different than in the past. The dat ... more. |
On October 31at 9:00 am central time, Dr. Emerson Nafziger is conducting a webinar to provide results from the 2017 nitrogen research projects. He will discuss the corn yield response to various nitrogen sources, rates and timings from many of the N rate trials funded by NREC, and also provide an insight into soil nitrogen levels and uptake throughout this past growing season. You don't want t ... more. |
IFCA is a resource for you on all compliance issues. So if you receive an inspection directive, have a release, or get a violation letter or ticket from a state or federal agency and you are unsure of whether its accurate or correct, please call our office. We understand all of the state and federal regulations that impact ag retailers, and can assess your situation and advise you on the compliance proc ... more. |
The 2017 Tier 2 Chemical Inventory Reports will be due to IEMA, your LEPC and local fire departments by March 1, 2018. This year there is a major change in this process. The hazard categories for chemicals has been expanded. There used to be 5 major hazard categories, and how there are 24. This change was made to align the USEPA Right to Know laws with the OSHA Global Harmonization System.&n ... more. |
Opponents of the controversial Cook County soda pop tax continued Monday to press more commissioners to repeal it, even as a planned vote Tuesday to undo the tax already appeared likely to go their way.
Canvassers backed by the beverage industry took to the districts of Democrats Edward Moody of Chicago Ridge and Deborah Sims of Chicago to ask residents to urge their commissioners to repeal the tax. ... more. |
As the industry searches for the right solution for in-season dicamba some states are turning back to the users and applicators to find what they think is happening.
In Illinois 124 retailers responded to a lengthy survey from the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association about this year’s dicamba applications.
Click Here to read more.
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A new paper by three economists, published Thursday in the journal Science, challenges how the Environmental Protection Agency has justified repealing a 2015 water protection rule and contends that the Trump administration ignored hundreds of millions of dollars in benefits the regulation would have produced each year.
But EPA officials, including a career official overseeing the agency’s Natio ... more. |
Driving across many parts of the Midwest this past summer, crop field watchers were likely to find an unexpected sight among the tall rows of corn and soybeans — weeds. In many cases, weeds such as ragweed, marestail, and waterhemp were easily two to three times the height of the surrounding crops, especially in soybean fields across states such as Indiana and Ohio.
According to Dr. David Hillg ... more. |
Indiana is the latest state taking steps to restrict the use of dicamba next year.
The Indiana Pesticide Review Board will be voting on a rule that would allow only certified applicators to purchase dicamba products. If this is passed, dicamba will be labeled as a restricted use pesticide.
Todd Janzen, president of Janzen Agricultural Law believes the restricted product use will be mor ... more. |
The outcome of a U.S. Supreme Court case on gerrymandering may not be known until early next year, but many want change in Illinois regardless of the outcome.
Justices heard oral arguments Tuesday in Washington, D.C., in the case that originated out of Wisconsin, marking the first time the court has taken up political mapmaking abuses in more than a decade.
Jeff Raines, communications di ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) outlined its priorities for the 2018 Farm Bill in a letter to the leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees. TFI urges Congress to provide funding to help farmers implement 4R Nutrient Stewardship practices in their fields. In addition, Congress should make funding for 4R Nutrient Stewardship research a high priority in order to examine the impacts that these practices ... more. |
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Ag retail-serviced acres of variable rate technology (VRT), cover crops, rotational soil testing, and other phosphorus-saving strategies continue to grow in the Sandusky River Watershed and the Great Lakes Basin. Sixty-two Great Lakes Basin ag retailers participating in the Partnership for Ag Resource Management (PARM) reported 2016 sales of products and services that help keep phosphorus fertilizer on cropland, ... more. |
Jay Vroom announced today during the general session at the 2017 CLA Annual Meeting in Dana Point, CA, that he would be retiring from his position as president and CEO at the end of 2018. After nearly 30 years at the helm, Vroom reflected on his tenure and plans moving forward.
“When I stepped into this role in 1988, I don’t think I could have foreseen the challenges and triumphs the industry ... more. |
During harvest, time is a valuable commodity for retailers and farmers. If your grain-truck driver can’t keep up, it might be necessary to hire more drivers.
“One of our biggest challenges is finding reliable and qualified labor,” explains Brent Drey, a corn and soybean farmer in northwestern Iowa. “Being able to haul the grain away is probably the most important factor during ... more. |
As Arkansas pesticide regulators debated the fate of dicamba herbicides, farmer Perry Galloway sat quietly in the audience gallery through most of the day-long board meeting.
It wasn't his plan to be so quiet. Galloway, of Gregory, Arkansas, and attorney Grant Ballard had prepared earlier in the week to present the Arkansas State Plant Board with a grass-roots plan to allow farmers access to post ... more. |
The Indiana Pesticide Review Board voted to propose a rule that any pesticide product in Indiana that is intended for agricultural purposes that contains dicamaba would be considered as a Restricted Use Pesticide.
Dave Scott, pesticide program administrator with the Office of the Indiana State Chemist, said that once the rule is passed, to purchase or use dicamba products in Indiana, individuals must ... more. |
When Illinois lawmakers return for their fall session next month, they, and by extension, taxpayers, will face tantalizing questions.
Should legislators and Gov. Bruce Rauner craft a massive public works program to begin tackling a backlog of needed improvements to state roads, bridges and other capital projects?
If the answer is “yes,” how will the improvements be financed ... more. |
People gathered around to watch the first woodchip bioreactor become installed in Henry County.
“It’s definitely been a learning process it’s kind of exciting. It was something I figured would be good for the environment,” according to farmer Todd VerHeecke.
VerHeecke said he hopes that by keeping the soil clean, it will help future generations of farmers.
&nbs ... more. |
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue heads to hurricane-ravaged parts of Florida and Texas this week, while back in Washington the Senate Agriculture Committee takes the first step to finally provide Perdue with some key help at USDA.
The Senate committee on Tuesday will hold a confirmation hearing for Steve Censky to be deputy agriculture secretary, the position traditionally in charge of day- ... more. |
Illinois has the second-highest rate nationally of college freshmen choosing to leave the state to pursue higher education — a mark it hit even before the state’s two-year budget impasse — and preliminary figures this fall suggest the numbers continue to look grim.
Between 2000 and 2014, when the out-migration hit an all-time high, the number of freshmen leaving Illinois to attend c ... more. |
The IL Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy lists the planting of cover crops as a significant way to reduce nutrient losses in tile drained fields. NREC has been investing in cover crop research for the past five years, and the research has identified the steps that farmers can take to have a successful experience with cover crops. Plant them ahead of soybeans! If you have customers that ... more. |
The Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) Calculator is a key part of Illinois' nutrient recommendation system. Ensuring we are not over applying nitrogen is essential to helping us reach the 2025 goal of reducingnitrogen losses by 15%. We are making great progress toward that goal but we have to stay committed to the voluntary practices that will get us there.
Dr. Nafziger at the Uni ... more. |
Thursday, October 5 is the LAST opportunity for you to attend a IFCA/IDA class and receive acompetent attendant ammonia training certificate. The class is being offered the Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington. You can register at www.ifca.com or call our office. Any person working in the industry who makes or breaks ammonia connections or works on ammonia equipment must be certified by attendin ... more. |
In the coming days, the industry is expecting USEPA to announce changes to the pesticide labels for the over the top dicamba products (Xtendimax, Engenia and FeXapan). We will keep you informed on those actions and how it will impact the industry in terms of product use and product labels for your existing inventory.
This month, the IFCA Board of Directors had very product ... more. |
A quick rundown: as of September 13, harvest season is underway in earnest, the Arkansas Governor’s Dicamba Task Force report has been released, a spraying cutoff date (proposed by the task force and approved by the Plant Board’s Pesticide Committee) of April 15 has been proposed for 2018, Monsanto has filed a petition with the Plant Board asking the task force’s recommendations be ignored and, ... more. |
As the filing period that runs from Nov. 27 to Dec. 4 draws ever closer, the people of Illinois are getting an increasingly clearer look at prospective changes in the Illinois General Assembly.
It's hard to imagine the body, under its current top-down leadership, actually functioning as a legislative body dominated by independent thinkers, but addition by subtraction is a possibility that should ... more. |
The Oregon Court of Appeals has decided to keep blocking a voter-approved initiative that bans genetically engineered crops in Josephine County.
The appeals court last week affirmed a lower-court decision that said a 2013 state law forbidding local action against genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, took precedence over the county's 2014 ban.
That ruling by Circuit Court Judge Pa ... more. |
Congressional Republicans will join the White House in rolling out a set of tax reform proposals this week that could have implications for farmers, depending on the mix of tax rates and deductions.
The issue is likely to dominate the congressional agenda this fall as GOP leaders and President Trump try to nail down a signal achievement that could be even more difficult to nail down than heath care.
... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner has signed legislation that re-establishes an economic-development tax incentive with greater transparency.
The Republican signed the revamped EDGE tax credit law Monday. He says it’s a “bipartisan job-creation program that is innovative and competitive for business.”
The law expires in 2022.
Rauner says key parts of the plan include incentives to encou ... more. |
The race to become Illinois’ next chief legal officer is off to a furious start after Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s sudden announcement that she wouldn’t seek a fifth term.
A Republican former Miss America’s campaign has been reinvigorated. Two Democratic state lawmakers have stepped forward. And so many others are contemplating runs that news outlets are posting online trackers o ... more. |
This week’s guest on Open Mic is U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos. In this interview the Springfield native expands on her role in the Democratic Party to enhance continuity with rural Midwestern voters. Her 17th district in Illinois includes major industry, agriculture and a strong labor union base making trade a difficult issue. Bustos discusses the health care debate, tax reform, the need for a transportat ... more. |
A study from an Illinois crop advisor shows nitrogen loss through drainage tile is happening at lower rates than initially thought.
Click Here to listen.
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IFCA is utilizing the input of our retail members to determine the next steps to enhance the stewardship of this technology and improve the use of dicambanext year in Illinois. One of those principles is to educate everyone who purchases a bag of Xtend soybeans and encourage a good plan of action as to where they are planted to successfully co-exist with sensitive soybeans and other sensitive crops. &nb ... more. |
This week IFCA hosted a 4R Field Day in Hammond, IL. At this tool shed event, researchers presented the most recent and relevant findings from numerous on-farm NREC funded projects on N P K management, as well as discussions on the role of cover crops and drainage in an overall management approach to reducenutrient losses in tile drained fields. Our ag retail members made up the majority of the 80 ... more. |
The fall anhydrous ammonia schools are underway this week. Check out the calendar on our website at www.ifca.com to see the remaining dates and locations. We do take walk-ins at these schools, so feel free to join us if you want to gain valuable training on ammonia safety and obtain your competent attendant certificate to handle ammonia in Illinois.
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An important role of NREC is to invest in research that keeps our nutrient recommendation system current and representative of the production systems we have in place. NREC funded a multi-year project to collect grain samples and evaluate the grain content of P & K. The bulletin is available hereand is posted along with other UI nutrient bulletins that we've shared throughout this growing ... more. |
Click this link https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/5362271311330994179 or paste it into your brower for a Spring Nitrogen Management Webinar from Dr. Nafziger @ the UI. The Illinois Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) site has also been updated including anew Illinois map, available at this link: cnrc.agron.iastate.edu/Maps.aspx.
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On August 31, 2017, the USDOT announced they are no longer requiring transporters of anhydrous ammonia in cargo tanks to obtain a Hazardous Materials Safety Permit. This requirement had applied to ammonia transporters with MC 330/331 cargo tanks (i.e. semi cargo tank trailers).
This is welcome news. Ammonia transporters who have served the ag retail industry were under this additiona ... more. |
More good news! At the Farm Progress show this week, Illinois EPA and IL Dept of Ag released a biennial report that outlines the progress made in the last two years on Illinois' nutrient loss reduction strategy (INLRS). The strategy was put in place in July 2015.
For agriculture, they reported a 10% decline in nitrogen losses to Illinois lakes, rivers and streams. Most of t ... more. |
MAGIE was a remarkable success last week with beautiful weather and fantastic displays of equipment and technology. IFCA thanks our exhibitors for making MAGIE the platform to showcase new products for our industry to experience before anyone else sees them! We had 2,952 people attend MAGIE 2017, from all over the country and even outside of the USA. (A few probably sneaked in and brought us up to ... more. |
IFCA thanks our ag retail members who completed the IFCA Dicamba Management Survey that we made available to our retail members this past month. We had great response and we've compiled a report illustrating the feedback we received. CLICK HEREto access the report. Many retailers provided written comments as well as answering the survey questions, which werealso very helpful. We wi ... more. |
The 2017 MAGIE Show is a week away. Todayisthe last day to pre-register for the show. Click Hereto sign up. IFCA is looking forward to seeing everyone next week.
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On a mostly party line vote, the Illinois Senate Sunday rejected changes made by Gov. Bruce Rauner to a school funding reform bill.
Only one Republican, Sen. Sam McCann of Plainview, joined with 37 Democrats in voting to override Rauner’s amendatory veto of Senate Bill 1. The vote was 38-19.
The bill now heads to the House, where it faces an uncertain future. It will take at least ... more. |
As of last Friday (August 11), the Illinois Department of Ag had 214 official misuse complaints related to suspected symptoms or damage from dicamba application. It will take some time for IDA to fully investigate all the cases. IFCA stays in contact with IDA and as we learn of any trends or commonalities from the investigations we will keep you informed. For our ag retail members, if you have que ... more. |
The new Asmark Institute Applicator Training Course had its first full course two weeks ago and another full course taking place this week. To see photos of the various hands-on exercises being featured at the 3 1/2 day course, click here to be directed to the Asmark website, where under "Current News" at the bottom of their home page you can see photos of the first course that are posted to the Asm ... more. |
Fall is just around the corner which means it's time to review the status of your employees' training and be sure that each person who works with ammonia is current on their required competent attendant training. All employees who handle ammonia, work on ammonia equipment or transport ammonia nurse tanks are required to be have ammonia safety training at least once every three years. You must ... more. |
We have a great 4R learning experience planned on September 12 in Central Illinois. Updates from several NREC funded research projects that encompass phosphorus management, nitrogen management and a review of the key management considerations for those experimenting with cover crops will be featured. Click here to see the agenda and logistics. This event is free thanks to several sponsors, and CCA ... more. |
A partnership of non-profits and retailers joined together for the second year in Illinois to determine just how much nutrients are lost through tile drains. The group tested in 37 sites across a nine county geography.
“The data we collected helped growers make decisions pertaining to the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy [a voluntary program],” says Mike Wilson, with Wabash Valle ... more. |
It was USDA Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue who was asking the questions Monday afternoon, as he met several Central Illinois farmers on a five-state tour of the Midwest.
During a stop at the Evergreen FS Plant, Perdue was introduced to Stanley Weeks, a 90-year-old farmer from the Chenoa area.
“How long have you been digging in the dirt with your hands?” Perdue asked.
& ... more. |
House Republican Trey Gowdy wants to know why a scientist with the National Cancer Institute withheld evidence from a government agency showing that a widely used herbicide does not cause cancer.
Gowdy, a South Carolina congressman who chairs the House Oversight Committee, noted in a letter Tuesday to the National Institute of Health (NIH) that NCI scientist Aaron Blair was the researcher who reviewe ... more. |
A fertilizer company in southwest Indiana is moving forward with a $2.8 billion project with the help of state incentives.
Midwest Fertilizer Co. will begin construction on its Posey County manufacturing facility next year, the Evansville Courier & Press reported. Construction is projected to support more than 2,500 jobs.
The state Economic Development Corp. has offered the company u ... more. |
In Guymon, Oklahoma, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt met with farmers from Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas to discuss the repeal and clarification of the 2015 Waters of the United States rule.
With the February executive order to revise or rescind the 2015 WOTUS Rule, Pruitt is taking strides to clarify this rule by sitting down with agriculturalists across the country to hear their concerns. Pruitt has tr ... more. |
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue indicated to reporters this week that he would like to see the industry work out a fix on dicamba issues.
“I would much prefer that method rather than a prescriptive, top-down regulation,” he said, adding that he is “hoping that the industry itself and the producers themselves are working toward a resolution.”
Click here to read ... more. |
One of the participants in a roundtable discussion in Springfield on Aug. 1, Merrill Lynch financial adviser Gary Seitz, told the Illinois Republican to be bold, throw out the current tax code and start from scratch.
“I’m a believer that as the government grows, the economy slows,” Seitz said. “Take less money from the individual so they can use it for themselves to buy houses ... more. |
The fertilizer plant explosion that killed 15 people and injured more than 160 in the town of West may not have been sparked by a deliberately set fire as federal investigators claimed, according to attorneys, arson experts and a former top workplace safety official under President Barack Obama.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has been largely silent on the 2013 West Fertilize ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner followed through on his threat Tuesday and used his amendatory veto power to rewrite a school funding bill, something Democratic lawmakers said will set back funding reform by decades and could jeopardize the school year in many districts.
Rauner made multiple changes to Senate Bill 1, including how it deals with Chicago teacher pensions. Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, said other c ... more. |
A Brazilian regulator has approved the acquisition of miner Vale's (VALE5.SA) fertilizer unit by U.S.-based Mosaic (MOS.N) without restrictions, according to a notice in the official government newspaper published Tuesday.
Mosaic agreed to buy Vale Fertilizantes in December for $2.5 billion in a deal that makes Vale the largest shareholder in the U.S. company while raising money to help the Brazi ... more. |
The number of U.S. honeybee colonies rose in 2017 from a year earlier, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture survey released Tuesday.
The number of commercial U.S. honeybee colonies rose 3 percent to 2.89 million as of April 1, compared with 2.8 million a year earlier, the department reported. It said the increase was caused by beekeepers adding more bees to make up for previous years’ ... more. |
The head of the Environmental Protection Agency has discussed a federal water rule with Indiana officials, but environmental groups say they weren't included in the conversation.
Scott Pruitt met with Gov. Eric Holcomb, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and other state officials this week to discuss the federal Clean Water Rule, The Indianapolis Star reported . Pruitt also met with agriculture an ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is reviewing its directions on how to use the latest versions of the weed killer dicamba, following hundreds of reports about crop damage when traces of it drift away from application sites, an agency spokeswoman said on Tuesday.
"We are reviewing the current use restrictions on the labels for these dicamba formulations in light of the incidents that have ... more. |
The spread of Palmer amaranth in the Midwest may be partly the result of good intentions gone bad.
Escapes from seed bags used in conservation programs are one component in the increasing presence of the troublesome weed, Southern Illinois University weed scientist Karla Gage told growers at a field day here.
“It’s a seed contamination issue, and it is happening throughout th ... more. |
With the price of liquid nitrogen falling, some farmers are expressing an interest in filling on-farm UAN tanks ahead of the 2018 season.
Please be advised that in Illinois, farmers who store more than 5,000 gallons of liquid fertilizer in above ground tanks can only store it for 45 days unless they have an IDA permitted containment facility to protect against the accidental release of the produ ... more. |
Thanks to all of our members who joined us for golf this year to support the IFCA scholarship program. Each year we award five $1,000 scholarships to college students who are studying for a potential career in our industry. We will release the scholarship applications in the fall, so watch our webpage and if you are an IFCA member with a child, grandchild, niece or nephew who would be eligible for this ... more. |
MAGIE is fast approaching! If you are planning to attend we encourage you to pre-register to ease congestion in the registration lines during the show. Just go to www.ifca.com and click on the big MAGIE icon onour homepage. We look forward to seeing you at the show, August 23-24, 2017 at the McLean County Fairgrounds.
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This week, IFCA sent a survey to our ag retail members, asking for input on their experience with dicamba use on soybeans. So far the response rate has been tremendous! If you are an IFCA ag retail member and did not receive the email asking you to participate in the survey, please call our office at (309) 827-2774 and we will walk you through the process.
The purpose of this survey ... more. |
Are we meeting crop K needs?
Using the 4R nutrient stewardship approach of selecting the right source at the right rate at the right time and in the right place is just as important when dealing with a nutrient supply challenges as it is for reducing risk of nutrient loss, according to an article on NutrientStewardship.com. Potassium (K) behavior in the soil is different from nitrogen (N) or phosphor ... more. |
Palmer amaranth is giving validity to the curmudgeon's view that no good deed goes unpunished. Researchers at the University of Missouri are now finding birdseed is often packed with pigweed and many other weed seeds.
The news comes after Palmer amaranth, an aggressive pigweed species that is a scourge in southern states, was found popping up in pollinator plots across the Midwest last year. Miss ... more. |
AGCO and The Climate Corporation, a subsidiary of Monsanto Company, announced today that a definitive agreement has been signed for AGCO to acquire the Precision Planting LLC equipment business.
“Precision Planting is a strong business that plays an essential role in the growth and adoption of innovative precision ag practices that help farmers enhance their productivity,” says Mike Stern ... more. |
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) wants to include a ban on pesticides linked to declining bee health in next year’s farm bill, one of several initiatives he is pushing in the legislation to reauthorize agriculture and nutrition programs.
Thirty-one Democrats are backing a bill—the Saving America’s Pollinators Act of 2017 ( H.R. 3040)—that would suspend the approval of neonicotino ... more. |
The most important aspect of the state having a budget for the first time in two years is that it puts parameters or some limitations on the obligations that the state of Illinois is going to incur in the coming fiscal year.
For two years, the state has operated without a budget, which is not the same thing as operating with a limitation on expenses. We’re still spending money. It’s not t ... more. |
The fungus known as Southern Corn Rust is becoming an annual problem for farmers in southern Illinois.
Farmers like Randy Anderson have begun taking steps to protect their crops.
Southern Corn Rust has made its way to seven southern Illinois counties so far this year.
"With some of your later planted corn. When I say that, we're talking about corn planted in late Ma ... more. |
Illinois may have ended its historic budget impasse, but the Capitol finds itself stuck in political gridlock again, this time over school funding.
The Democratic-led Legislature and Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner are at odds over a proposal that would alter how Illinois distributes school money.
Legislators approved a required plan that re-writes the funding formula, but Rauner opposes it ... more. |
If your ammonia nurse tanks have missing or illegible data plates, they must be initially tested and then retested and reinspected every 5 years in the Nurse Tank Inspection Program in order to remain a legalhazardous material package in accordance with USDOT regulations. Illinois Dept of Ag ammonia inspectors also check the tanks to assure they are in compliance with these rules and can red tag a tank ... more. |
Last Friday, the Illinois Department of Ag hit 100 official complaints of alleged dicamba misuse. The "official" number of complaints only tells part of the story. There are also a significant number of claims being filed by farmers with their farm policy insurance agents. In an average year, IDA receives about 125 total misuse complaints for both ag applications and lawn care applicatio ... more. |
MAGIE is less than one month away, so be sure to pre-register to enjoy the $12entrance fee. After August 11 the cost is $15. You can register on-line, just go to www.ifca.com and click on the MAGIE Registration icon on our home page.
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On September 12, IFCA is helping to organize a 4R Field day to showcase the most recent findings of on-farm 4R work funded by the Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council (NREC).
Managing phosphorus losses in Illinois will be one of NREC's first publications, and you can get a preview of the research that has resulted in specific practices to reduce phosphorus losses, even from ver ... more. |
House takes up a package of appropriations bills this week that includes provisions to speed the repeal of the Obama-era “waters of the United States” rule and slash spending on next-generation biofuels.
GOP leaders struggling to make progress on their spending bills for fiscal 2018, which starts Oct. 1, have decided to combine bills that include funding for the Department of Energy and the Arm ... more. |
There is a concerted effort underway in Illinois agriculture to reduce nutrient losses and meet the goals of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, and Illinois Certified Crop Advisers are committed to playing in integral role in this effort.
There now are 64 CCAs in Illinois who have prepared for, and passed, the certification exam to become certified as a 4R Nutrient Management Specialist. ... more. |
Illinois has escaped the immediate pressure of its credit rating being downgraded to “junk” bond status — for now— Moody’s Investors said on Thursday.
Moody’s said the passage of a state budget for the first time in two years “alleviated liquidity pressure and moved the state closer to fiscal balance.”
Lawmakers overrode Gov. Bruce Rauner&r ... more. |
Monsanto Co., BASF Corp., and DuPont face a class-action lawsuit from farmers who claim their crops were damaged by the herbicide dicamba, a new legal front against producers of soybeans and cotton resistant to the weed killer.
The lawsuit stems from a wave of complaints from farmers in Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee and elsewhere who say that their crops were damaged by dicamba being sprayed on nearby fi ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner on Friday gave Democrats a hard deadline to send over a school funding bill — declaring he’ll call a special legislative session if it’s not on his desk by Monday.
Rauner has spent much of this week saying he plans to issue an amendatory veto of the Senate school funding formula bill, which passed with bipartisan support on May 31. He plans to take out what he&rsqu ... more. |
In our efforts to best assist and represent the industry, IFCA is here to listen to your feedback from the field, provide some guidance and share what we know related to pesticide use issues this application season. Here is what we know and our assessment. We hope it is helpful and we do not by any means have all the answers.
1. As of today, July19, the Illinois Departmen ... more. |
Along with the state’s first full budget in three years, Illinois lawmakers this month approved plans to pay down the enormous bill backlog that was a byproduct of the financial stalemate.
But the person who will ultimately write the checks to pay down that backlog is warning that the end of the stalemate – and the higher taxes that were approved as part of that deal – aren’t ... more. |
Some Illinois farmers participating on social media have been active over the last week with reports of alleged herbicide drift damage to crops – specifically, damage from dicamba.
First, if you think you might be the victim of spray drift and you have crop insurance, take some action.
“On the federal crop program through the Risk Management Agency, that is not a covered loss ... more. |
China has approved two more genetically modified (GMO) crops for import, the Ministry of Agriculture said, the second such move in the past month to expand access to biotech seeds as part of Beijing’s 100-day trade talks with Washington.
The two new crops, approved from July 16 for a period of three years, are Syngenta’s 5307 insect-resistant corn sold under the Agrisure Duracade brand an ... more. |
Illinois has its belated state budget, but the state Capitol’s next flashpoint in the political struggle over finances is about how to fund public education with just weeks before the first day of school.
The spending plan lawmakers enacted this month over Gov. Bruce Rauner’s vetoes ended a two-year state-budget stalemate, the nation’s longest since at least the Great Depression. It ... more. |
Farmers in Missouri can again purchase and use new dicamba formulations for over-the-top use in soybeans and cotton—with a few additional requirements.
The Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) has approved of Special Local Need label for each herbicide, Engenia, FeXapan and Xtendimax. MDA says the labels provide special provisions and safeguards including:
Click Here to read mo ... more. |
The demand for water in Illinois is likely to increase up to 50 percent in the coming decades, according to the State Water Survey.
While Illinois is not currently facing a water crisis, highly populated areas with high growth – namely Chicagoland and Champaign County – are starting to see some levels of water conflict.
In the past decade, communities across the state have sp ... more. |
House GOP leaders hope to move a fiscal 2018 budget agreement that aims to cut $10 billion by tightening work requirements on food stamp recipients, but House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway says he intends to “recycle” any such savings back into the program.
Budget Chairman Diane Black, R-Tenn., who will releases the budget blueprint on Tuesday, has faced stiff resistance from some con ... more. |
Certified Crop Advisors (CCAs) across the country routinely address pests, diseases, weeds and other agronomic issues with their farmer-customers. In Illinois, CCAs are also working closely with industry stakeholders to address and reduce the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus the state contributes annually to the Gulf of Mexico.
“CCAs are instrumental in providing guidance to farmers on the 4R ... more. |
Please take the time to join us on July 27 or August 3 for the IFCA Golf Outings. They are always fun and also support the IFCA scholarship program for students who are studying for a career in our industry. Go to www.ifca.com to access the registration form or call Leslie to register.
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IFCA and the IL Dept of Ag have announced the dates and locations for the fall anhydrous ammonia training courses. Attendance at this course will enable you to obtain a "Competent Attendant" certificate which is required by the State of Illinois for employees to work around ammonia storage tanks, nurse tanks, and tool bars. We also encourage farmers to attend as well as other employees who wan ... more. |
MAGIE will be here soon and you can register on-line to attend. The cost to pre-register is only $10 and you can avoid the lengthy lines at registration. Click here to be directed to the IFCA website and to register for MAGIE.
The National Agronomic Environmental Health & Safety School is also an important event that is held just prior to MAGIE at the Asmark Agricenter. To ... more. |
BASF has providedIFCA with a technical bulletin that explains the nature of dicamba symptoms in soybeans and impact on yield. We felt that our members would appreciate being able to share this information with your farmer customers who may be reaching out to you for information. Click here for the guidance document. It is also available on the IFCA website at www.ifca.com under "In the ... more. |
The IFCA office will be closed on July 3 and 4 to celebrate Independence Day. Best wishes to you and your families this holiday weekend. Living in a free country is something to cherish.
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IFCA continues to stay in touch with the Illinois Dept of Ag regarding complaints reported on alleged pesticide misuse. As of Wednesday this week, IDA has received only two formal complaints regarding dicamba. The number of complaints continues to grow in states to the south (Arkansas has 437 complaints; click here to see a map illustrating the counties in Arkansas where complaints have been registered) ... more. |
House Republicans look to roll out a fiscal 2018 budget blueprint this week that could cut farm bill spending to help offset the cost of increased defense spending or tax cuts.
Even as the nation was focused on the Senate’s health care debate, House negotiations continued into the weekend on the budget resolution, which is expected to include at least $150 billion in cuts to mandatory spending ... more. |
The Arkansas State Plant Board has voted to pass a proposed emergency rule to ban the use of in-crop dicamba, with an exemption for pastureland, and to expedite the rule increasing civil penalties for dicamba misuse.
The proposed rule is the first step in the process of establishing an emergency rule. The next step includes a review of the proposed rule by the governor before being submitted to the E ... more. |
House Speaker Michael Madigan Sunday outlined his own list of non-budget demands, including that Gov. Bruce Rauner sign a school funding reform bill that the governor has said he would veto.
House Republican Leader Jim Durkin accused Madigan of moving the goal posts with just days left in the state’s fiscal year, but he also said “we’ll manage it.”
The four legisl ... more. |
Green stalks have only just begun to sprout in the test fields where biotech giant DuPont Pioneer is planting rows of a new genetically edited corn. But across the street, in the company’s sprawling research campus, executives are already fretting about how to sell it to the world.
On one hand, this corn is a revolution: It will probably be the first plant to market developed through the cuttin ... more. |
When Aaron Blair sat down to chair a week-long meeting of 17 specialists at the International Agency for Research on Cancer in France in March 2015, there was something he wasn’t telling them.
The epidemiologist from the U.S. National Cancer Institute had seen important unpublished scientific data relating directly to a key question the IARC specialists were about to consider: Whether researc ... more. |
DuPont (DD.N) and Dow Chemical Co (DOW.N) have won U.S. antitrust approval to merge on condition that the companies sell certain crop protection products and other assets, according to a court filing on Thursday.
The asset sales required by U.S. antitrust enforcers were similar to what the companies had agreed to give up in a deal they struck with European regulators in March. The deal is one of several ... more. |
The nation’s first all-inclusive training facility for beginning crop protection applicators opened June 12.
The Applicator Training Center, created through a collaboration between the Asmark Institute and AGCO Corp., is the home of the new four-day course dedicated to educating individuals with little or no background in the application of crop protection products and plant nutrients.
... more. |
President Donald Trump discussed agriculture during a stop in Cedar Rapids, Iowa Wednesday night.
In a 20-minute speech before a crowd of about 250 people at Kirkwood Community College, Trump touched on several ag-related topics.
“Family farms are the backbone of America and my administration will always support the farmer.”
“We will protect the corn-based ... more. |
Access the menu for info onNutrientUpdates,N-Rate Trials,MRTN, 4R Code, 4R Reports and more...
August 23-24, 2017
Registration is now open for the MAGIE Show!
Sign up online today!
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Access the regulations menu above for a vast repository of rules impacting ag retailers.
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Click below for resources on how to comply with the WPS which was initially effective on January 2, 2017 but has been temporarily delayed. This regulation applies to ag retailers who employ handlers of pesticides.
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Next week, on June 27, NREC is hosting a field day in the Princeton area to provide an update on a wetland project located there, and will also feature updates on several other projects related to nutrient use and water quality. We encourage our IFCA members in northern Illinois to attend. Dan Schaefer, IFCA's Director of Nutrient Stewardship, will be there so bring your questions, comments and sugg ... more. |
IFCA welcomes Jack Eck to his new role at the Illinois Department of Agriculture as the Environmental Bureau Section Manager. Jack is responsible for overseeing pesticide misuse complaints and investigations as well as helping the industry with compliance. Jack is taking over for Scott Frank, who retired last year. Scott is also continuing to assist at the Department during this transition, so we ... more. |
At last week's 4R Summit in Minneapolis, IFCA was proud to be in the audience when Illinois was featured as the state with the most 4R Nutrient Management Specialists (4R NMS): 62 in all. The entire USA has 269Certified Crop Advisers with the4R NMS designation; the state closest to Illinois is Iowa with 32 4R NMS. We are more than double any other state which truly signifies that w ... more. |
The IFCA summer golf outings are a great way to enjoy the company of your peers in the industry and support the IFCA Scholarship Program. This year the golf outings are July 27 at Senica's Oak Ridge Course in LaSalle and on August 3 at the Fox Prairie Golf Course in Windsor. Click here to be directed to our website for the registration form.
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We periodically get calls from IFCA members who have customers with unwanted or unknown pesticides in their barns or tool sheds. This year, the IL Dept of Ag "Clean Sweep" program will take these unwanted pesticides from persons who reside in Champaign, DeWitt, Ford, Iroquois, Livingston, McLean, Piatt and Vermilion counties. There is no charge to bring unwanted pesticides to the Clean Sweep e ... more. |
Thanks to our partnership with the Asmark Institute, Illinois now has another specialized training center focused on assisting ag retailers with education, safety and compliance needs. A special launch event was held on June 12 for the new training center, which features many hands-on training exercises plus a training track for application equipment. Click here to see a short story on the Training Cent ... more. |
Accounts of dicamba drift in Arkansas this year remind us that stewardship of this new herbicide technology is paramount. We can't stress enough the importance of fully understanding and complying with the intricacies of the supplemental labels for Engenia, XtendiMax and FeXapan. Things are fairly quiet right now in Illinois regarding any reports of dicamba misuse, so let's try to keep it that way and ... more. |
The promise of NREC is being realized in Illinois, with on-going evaluation of testing of soil nitrate levels and crop development providing frequent updates on the status of nitrogen and recommendations on management of N to assure both profitability and environmental responsibility.
The latest nitrogen update from the University of Illinois was published on June 11 and is posted on the IFCA we ... more. |
Farmers' soybeans and cotton are again being damaged by off-target movement of dicamba, the state Plant Board was told Thursday.
It is a reprise of last summer, when the illegal application of the herbicide damaged thousands of acres of soybeans, cotton, ornamental trees and fruits and vegetables.
Investigators with the Plant Board, a division of the state Department of Agriculture, ... more. |
Seven states want the EPA to ban most uses of the pesticide chlorpyrifos, challenging the agency’s decision not to further regulate the chemical.
Attorneys general for California, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, and Washington filed objections June 5 asking Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt to make a safety determination on the use of chlorpyrifos.
... more. |
Corn planting nears the finish line and farmers are not far behind in soybean planting.
The June 5 USDA Crop Progress shows farmers have planted 96% of the corn acres, down a mere 1% from the four year average of 97%.
All but one state (Pennsylvania at 82%) has planted more than 90% of their acres. Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin came in at 91% -- lagging behind the majority of sta ... more. |
Illinois bond prices have dropped as Gov. Bruce Rauner and lawmakers remain locked in two-year stalemate over the government's budget, increasing the chance that it may become the first U.S. state ever cut to junk.
Illinois's 10-year bond yields, which move in the opposite direction as price, have soared to about 5.2 percent, or 3.36 percentage points more than top-rated municipal debt, accor ... more. |
Bickering between Democrats and Republicans that dominated state politics has again left Illinois without a budget, but lawmakers still managed to approve about 500 pieces of legislation in their spring session.
That means Gov. Bruce Rauner's desk is set to be cluttered with bills this summer, leaving him with lots of decisions to make even as he continues to tangle with lawmakers over big budget ... more. |
A federal district court judge has ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency failed to consult with the FWS before approving 59 products containing neonicotinoid pesticides that are used primarily as seed coatings for corn, canola, cotton, potato, sugar beet and other crops.
Extensive studies have concluded that the actual cause of bee die-offs and “colony collapse disorders” has bee ... more. |
Officials of the Des Moines Water Works last week announced they will spend $15 million to double the size of the utility’s nitrate removal facility. They say the upgrade is needed to handle increasing levels of nitrate in the water supply from the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers.
The Water Works board approved an $800,000 contract with CH2M, an engineering and consulting firm in West Des Moines, ... more. |
Farm groups that have worked for years to bring attention to the state of inland waterways showered praise on President Donald Trump's speech in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Wednesday in which the president talked specifically about upgrading locks and dams.
"These critical corridors of commerce depend on a dilapidated system of locks and dams that is more than half a century old, and their conditio ... more. |
The state’s budget deficit will top $6.2 billion for the fiscal year through June 30, forecasters for the Illinois General Assembly estimated Wednesday.
In a review requested by Rep. David McSweeney, the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability said if Illinois goes a third full year without a budget agreement, the state’s leviathan of past-due bills will hit $22.7 billion. ... more. |
For an overview of the Springfield legislative session this year, the good and the bad, click here.
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President Donald Trump has made waves with many groups when it comes to health care reform, immigration policy, and proposed tax cuts. However, when the administration announced its proposed federal budget, it displeased several members of the agricultural community.
At issue are the President’s call to make significant cuts to the 2018 Farm Bill and risk management programs many grower-custome ... more. |
The formal Indiana state rulemaking process to classify dicamba agricultural use pesticides as state Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs) is now underway, according to Dave Scott, pesticide administrator for the Office of Indiana State Chemist. Scott says the state Pesticide Review Board wants to adopt a restricted use pesticide classification rule for any product with at least 6.5% dicamba.
"We hav ... more. |
The Illinois Senate late Wednesday OK’d legislation that would gradually raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour. Already passed by the House, the bill goes to Gov. Bruce Rauner’s desk.
The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 30-23.
Sponsored by Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, Senate Bill 81 would raise the state’s minimum wage from $8.25 to $15 an hour ... more. |
With Congress returning from a week-long recess, lawmakers this week will push back on President Trump’s proposals to gut international food aid programs.
The House Agriculture Committee will hold its first hearing on food aid programs since the release May 23 of Trump’s fiscal 2018 budget, which proposes to eliminate the $1.7-billion-a-year Food for Peace program as well as the smaller ... more. |
More than 15 million soybean acres are expected to sport Monsanto's new dicamba-tolerant Xtend trait this year. That's one-sixth of the expected U.S. soybean acreage.
Whether you are growing them or not, do you know where they are?
This awareness will be important for growers of non-Xtend soybeans, which are extremely sensitive to dicamba herbicides.
The new dicamba ... more. |
President Donald Trump is focusing this week on his bid for a $1 trillion investment in American infrastructure.
As Associated Press reported, the president will hold a series of events throughout the week to draw attention to highways, bridges, the airports and waterways.
The president will be in Cincinnati on Wednesday where Trump will draw some attention to inland waterways. AP cited ... more. |
Lost in the disgust over another epic fail by Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Illinois General Assembly to pass a budget is that we now have a pretty good idea of what a budget deal will look like, should we ever get one.
The budget will include spending in the neighborhood of $37.3 billion, compared to $35.7 billion in fiscal 2015, the last time Illinois had a complete budget.
It will include ... more. |
Thanks to NREC funded research, we know what is going on in the soil with nitrogen, and today's Bulletin from the University of Illinois is good news for both agriculture and the environment. The report entitled "Positive Signs for Nitrogen" is available here. What Dr. Nafziger @ UI is seeing in his research sites also mirrors what we are seeing in the NREC funded N-WATCH sites being utili ... more. |
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Illinois legislators are running out of time.
On Monday it's Day 699 without a budget, and the Democratic-controlled House did not bring a budget plan to the floor.
The deadline for a budget is Wednesday at midnight, and it’s anybody’s guess what House Democrats will do. They could run the Senate’s budget plan, or they could bring their own plan to the floor for a v ... more. |
Illinois House Democrats tried to digest some unpalatable budget choices Monday, chewing on a Senate proposal with $5 billion in new taxes and some questionable savings that some members think the taxes won’t cover.
Leading Democrats wouldn’t commit to a 32 percent personal income-tax rate increase, but they voiced doubts about some of the savings from spending reductions that are part of ... more. |
Candidate Donald Trump vowed to get rid of the Environmental Protection Agency “in almost every form,” leaving only “little tidbits” intact. President Trump is making good on his promise to take a sledgehammer to the agency.
Under the White House’s latest budget proposal, released Tuesday, the EPA would fare worse than any other federal agency. The proposal would reduce ... more. |
The Illinois Senate could take up some lingering issues related to the “grand bargain” budget compromise.
Senators were winding down to a possible vote Tuesday on changes to the workers’ compensation system. It’s one of the “structural” changes Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner has demanded during the two-year budget stalemate.
Democrats have argued that si ... more. |
Chinese state-owned Sinochem and ChemChina are in merger talks to create the world's biggest industrial chemicals firm, to be headed by Sinochem chief Ning Gaoning, four people with knowledge of the negotiations said.
A deal could be announced by the end of the year, the people said, potentially just months after ChemChina completes its own $43 billion purchase of Switzerland's Syngenta (SYNN.S), ... more. |
After last week's rains and a forecast showing more this week, farmers in parts of Illinois are being forced to make some tough decisions on the timing of their planting – or in some cases, replanting.
National Weather Service maps show most of central and southern Illinois have received more than 10 inches of rain in the past 30 days. Some counties are between 14 and 16 inches. This leaves ... more. |
Opting to stop waiting for Republican support, Illinois Senate Democrats Tuesday moved ahead with a tax-hike-and-spending plan aimed at finally trying to end a stalemate that has left the state without a permanent budget for nearly two years.
The Democrats’ plan calls for about $5.4 billion in higher taxes, including raising the personal income tax rate from the current 3.75 percent to 4.95 per ... more. |
Des Moines Water Works expects to spend $15 million to double the size of its nitrate removal facility to handle growing levels of the compound from the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers.
Utility officials say the new equipment and the cost to operate it will mean bigger rate increases for customers in coming years.
The Water Works board this week approved an $800,000 contract with CH2M, an ... more. |
The IllinoisNutrient Research & Education Counsel (NREC) is approaching its 5 year anniversary. Can you believe it? Since 2012, NREC has identified and funded critical nutrient research and outreach programs to keep Illinois in the lead in addressing nutrient and water quality challenges. Illinois is #1 in contributions of nitrogen and phosphorus losses to the Gulf of Mexico; agriculture is re ... more. |
When you file your Tier 2 chemical inventory reports this coming March 2018, there is a major change in the report you need to start preparing for now. USEPA has expanded the physical and health hazard categories that you are required to enter from the Safety Data Sheets for each chemical you report. The reason for doing this is to align with the Global Harmonization System (GHS). There are now 23 ... more. |
As the post-application season nears for the new dicamba herbicide technologies, please take all precautions to identify and protect sensitive crops; the labels requirethe applicator to do this ahead of applying the products. One way to help identify sensitive crops is to utilize FieldWatch, which under the Driftwatch section, lists the locations of sensitive specialty crops in Illinois and other states ... more. |
The government’s authority to oversee burgeoning recreational drone use was dealt a setback when a federal appeals court barred the Federal Aviation Administration from forcing hobbyists to register the millions of unmanned aircraft taking flight.
While Friday’s decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington left intact FAA guidance on where recreational drones may fly, the ruling un ... more. |
Democrats in Springfield care more about getting undeserved praise than checking their facts when it comes to modern pesticides, opponents of a bill waiting for Senate consideration argue.
“They want Illinois to be for neonics what Vermont was for GMOs: a PR stunt,” Hank Campbell, president of the American Council on Science and Health, told the Chicago City Wire.
Senate Bill ... more. |
For the third year in a row, the three men at the center of Illinois politics are circling inside the Capitol, and nobody is pulling punches.
In one corner is Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, and in the other are Democratic leaders Michael Madigan and John Cullerton. The goal: Pass a budget before the end of session on May 31.
The past two years have seen lawmakers come up short, both sides ... more. |
The EPA’s decision to allow a shorter-than-usual comment period on a pesticide rule delay is drawing fire from environmental groups, but legal professionals say the move is ambiguous under federal law.
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced May 11 that the agency would postpone the implementation date for a pesticide certification and training rule by a year, which marked the third time the T ... more. |
The state Plant Board on Wednesday approved the framework for allowing fines of up to $25,000 for the most serious cases of illegal spraying of dicamba and other herbicides.
State lawmakers approved the stiffer fines in March during their regular legislative session, but state law that governs boards and commissions requires the Plant Board, a part of the state Department of Agriculture, and its civi ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture will offer recycling of empty agri-chemical containers in July and August.
High-density polyethylene, No. 2 plastic agri-chemical containers will be accepted if clean and dry. Metal and household pesticide containers will not be accepted. All caps, labels and other items must be removed before donation.
There is a permanent collection site in Greene ... more. |
The Illinois Senate’s “grand bargain” budget compromise is made up of 11 pieces of legislation, three of which are critical to the effort to keep Illinois from entering a third consecutive year without an annual budget plan.
The three bills would provide a semblance of financial security after years of wrangling between the Democratic-controlled legislature and GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner ... more. |
Maybe the optimistic way of looking at last week in the Senate is that things have gotten so bad, the only way to go now is up.
It started with Senate President JOHN CULLERTON’s decision to vote on the “grand bargain” bills no matter what. Republicans said the vote was premature because negotiations were getting ever-closer to producing an agreement and more time was needed. Cullert ... more. |
The reason IFCA led the way to create NREC back in 2012 (5 years ago already!) for was the very reason we write this bulletin. To establish timely,science based, Illinois on-farm research to guide our nutrient stewardship efforts and meet the goals of improving nutrient utilization and minimizing environmental impact. Thank you to all of the IFCA members who support NREC by explaining the value of ... more. |
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue this week makes his first appearance before lawmakers since taking office, and he’s expected to defend his department’s reorganization plan that includes eliminating the undersecretary for rural development.
Perdue, who testifies Wednesday before the House Agriculture Committee, also is likely to be asked what he can do to help cotton growers and dairy p ... more. |
Bayer has agreed to sell its Liberty herbicide and LibertyLink-branded seeds businesses to win antitrust approval for its acquisition of Monsanto, it said on Monday.
The divestment of the two global brands, a requirement imposed by South Africa's Competition Commission on Sunday, will account for the bulk of asset sales worth about $2.5 billion which need to be made to satisfy competition regulat ... more. |
In the past 21 years, commercialized biotech crops have increased 110-fold to an estimated 185.1 million hectares (about 457 million acres) in 2016, according to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA).
“Biotech crops have become a vital agricultural resource for farmers around the world because of the immense benefits for improved productivity and pro ... more. |
The fallout that could result from the monarch becoming a threatened or endangered species could be substantial; plans underway to guide conservation efforts.
Illinois agriculture needs to act before monarch butterflies join a national list of threatened and endangered species, according to Lyndsey Ramsey, Illinois Farm Bureau associate director of natural and environmental resources.
Il ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency may have to assess the effects on endangered species of 59 products containing clothianidin and thiamethoxam, two neonicotinoid insecticides.
A federal judge has found that the agency violated the Endangered Species Act by registering the products without complying with Endangered Species Act consultation requirements, said Center for Food Safety attorney George Ki ... more. |
State Senator Sam McCann has filed legislation that would give citizens the opportunity to make the Illinois Director of Agriculture an elected position.
The legislation, officially titled Senate Joint Resolution 14, would put a question on the ballot for voters in Illinois to decide if they would like to make the decision on who Illinois’ Director of Agriculture would be in future elections.
... more. |
States need to have a larger role in implementing the Endangered Species Act, three heads of state wildlife agencies told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee at a hearing today.
“State fish and wildlife directors generally believe the ESA is not performing as it should and is not sufficiently leveraging state agency expertise and cooperation,” Nick Wiley, executive director ... more. |
The Senate Agriculture Committee plans to move a bill reauthorizing the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act “in a matter of weeks,” committee chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., said following a hearing on PRIA legislation today.
Roberts added that was his “hope,” saying he “can’t be more definitive. We have an outrage of the week around here.”
The ... more. |
Many of the seeds being planted around Minnesota today are treated with chemicals to protect them as they grow.
Syngenta, one of the top pesticide companies in the world and the global leader in the treated seed market, has a seed research facility about an hour south of the Twin Cities near the tiny community of Stanton.
Ravi Ramachandran, who heads the Syngenta Seedcare Institute, says ... more. |
Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin said Thursday that he is appointing GOP members to work with Democrats on non-budget legislation being sought by Gov. Bruce Rauner.
The move comes four days after House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, appointed four of his top lieutenants to negotiate with the Republican governor over issues like workers’ compensation changes and a property tax fr ... more. |
As you read this, it’s May 15, which leaves 16 days until the General Assembly’s constitutional deadline for action.
Illinois hasn’t had a comprehensive budget in two years. It hasn’t spent or invested a penny in higher education since Dec. 31. It no longer funds Catholic Charities, Lutheran Social Services and other charitable organizations that, on behalf of the state, assis ... more. |
With the recent cool and wet weather, some are quick to jump to conclusions about the fate of nitrogen, the level of suspected loss and what to do. IFCA's work with the University of Illinois enables us to take an approach that looks at multiple factors including on-farm N-WATCH testing and also assisting the UI in soil sampling at several nitrogen tracking research sites. Sampling can be difficult ... more. |
Illinois lawmakers continue to work to agree upon on a state budget, something that has eluded them for almost two years. The major issues include school funding reform, pension changes, a higher minimum wage and other matters that were part of the Senate's "grand bargain." Efforts to pass the Senate plan included a dozen interconnected bills but the bargain suffered a major setback this w ... more. |
Each year, IFCA's partnership with the Asmark Institute enables us to send all of our members a set of regulatory posters that include a current listing of USEPA Registration Numbers for commonly used ag pesticides, USDOT shipping paper descriptions for common ag products, and the Worker Protection Standard classifications for agricultural pesticides. These large, colorful posters are great resources to h ... more. |
If your employees or farmer customers will be hauling ammonia nurse tanks after dusk, the tanksmust be fitted with an amber rotating/flashing light on the either the nurse tanks or towing vehicle. It is a violation of the Illinois Motor Vehicle Code to transport NH3 nurse tanks on a public roadway after dark without a rotating or flashing amber light.
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If you have a reportable quantity (RQ) release of anhydrous ammonia equal to or greater than 18 gallons/100 pounds you have 15 minutes of knowledge of the release to contact the National Response Center at 800.424.8802, theIllinois Emergency Management Agency at 800.782.7860, your LEPC and local emergency responders (fire department, police). Contact IFCA for assistance.
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IFCA has received clear guidance from both the Illinois Secretary of State CDL division and the Illinois State Police enforcement division that a Class A CDL is NOT required to transport ammonia nurse tanks. Ammonia nurse tanks are implements of husbandry and as such, the weight of the nurse tank is not factored into the CDL weight classification. Ag retail employees need a Class B CDL with hazmat endor ... more. |
IDA regulations require anemergency sign with letters of a minimum height of two inches including the name and phone number of the owner, manager or agent of the anhydrous ammonia storage location. The sign must be located at the entrance to the site property or apart from the storage tanks. The Asmark Institute emergency sign programgoes above and beyond compliance with this regulation.&nbs ... more. |
If a farmer customer is in possession of anhydrous ammonia and a reportable release of 18 gallons or 100 pounds occurs, it is the farmer's responsibility to immediately notify the proper emergency personnel. Although your customers may not want to make the calls, it is also their responsibility per federal and state regulations to contact these agencies as well if the release occurs while they are in poss ... more. |
Click the heading above to access the myRMP Suite of Guidance materials. This compliance tool was developed by TFI and the Asmark Institute and is endorsed by USEPA.
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IFCA and the Asmark Institute developed a fire prevention plan tool to help agrichemical facilities identify and mitigate fire hazards at your facility. Click the heading above to access the Fire Prevention Plan Tool.
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If you store more than 1,320 gallons of fuel or oil at your facility in containers in excess of 55 gallons, you must complete a SPCC plan. Click the heading to access the Asmark Institute's mySPCC program. The mySPCC program is endorsed by USEPA. Note that if you have more than 10,000 gallons of storage at your facility you will need to have a Professional Engineer review and certi ... more. |
According to the IL Dept of Revenue, scales used to weigh agricultural inputs are subject to sales taxes. So are storage tanks unless the storage tanks are on a vehicle that is also applying the pesticides or fertilizers in the field of application. Contact IFCA with questions on sales tax exemptions for agriculture.
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The document below explains what qualifies as an Implement of Husbandry in Illinois and explains the license plate requirements for ammonia nurse tanks and fertilizer trailers.
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Click below for a fact sheet on the 80,000 lb highway weight limit law in Illinois.
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Click below for a guidance document listing what to expect when IDOT conducts a hazmat audit.
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Although there have been many changes in the CDL rules the past year, in Illinois you can still get a CDL at age 18, and can also get a hazmat endorsement at age 18. However, this is only available to persons operating intrastate (within state lines). IFCA works closely with the Illinois Secretary of State on CDL rules as well as licensing issues, so if you ever have problems related to CDLs or licensin ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture regulations specifically prohibit the addition of any additive, including air,due toincompatibility with ammonia system components. This applies to systems used in custom application and by farmers, so please keep an eye out and help us spread the word that any compressed air system utilized in anhydrous ammonia application is not legal to use in Illinois. &n ... more. |
Effective January 30, 2012, all drivers applying for an Illinois CDL for the first time and all current CDL holders renewing, upgrading or replacing their CDL must visit a CDL facility to declare your driver category. The purpose of this new requirement is to create a national medical certificate data base for interstate motor carriers. If you are not a first time CDL holder and your license does not expire until ... more. |
Click the heading for view the Illinois Agronomy Handbook On-Line.
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Watch for registration forms soon.
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Watch for registration forms soon.
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Click the document below for the Part 255 Illinois Department of Agriculture containment regulations for the bulk storage and handling of fertilizers and pesticides for commercial, non-commercial and on-farm facilities.
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Click on the headingto access the instructions for getting a NPDES pesticide permit from Illinois EPA.
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Click the heading to view the Illinois Pesticide Act.
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Chemical facilities that registered with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must also complete Chemical-Terrorism Vulnerability Information (CVI) training. Any information or correspondence from DHS relating to the Chemical of Interest (COI) at your facility such as anhydrous ammonia or ammonium nitrate, which required facilities to register with DHS, must also be marked as CVI and be viewed by pe ... more. |
Click on the heading to link to the Coast Guard's TWIC information website.
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New customer who is not from local area.
Refusing to provide address where fertilizer will be used or delivered.
Acting nervous or impatient.
Possessing little knowledge of crops, soil composition, field size, application methods, or fertilizers.
Purchasing large quantity of pesticides, combustibles, or fertilizers containing ammonium nitrate out of season or with cash.
Appearing to be ... more. |
Ever since former Illinois Republican Gov. Jim Edgar started publicly criticizing current Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, Edgar has been subjected to a steady drumbeat of criticism from the far right.
The focus of most of that criticism is what's come to be known as the "Edgar ramp." The phrase describes the ramping up of state pension payments to the current point, where pension expenses ... more. |
An EPA official appeared to welcome the opportunity to re-evaluate three contentious scientific assessments on pesticides that harm rare species, saying the agency wanted more time to finish the evaluations before fully considering outside recommendations.
Anita Pease, the agency’s acting associate director for the Office of Pesticide Programs’ Biological and Economic Analysis Division, s ... more. |
Iowa farmers know Palmer amaranth, the aggressive "super weed" that can quickly overtake their valuable corn and soybean fields, is lurking in thousands of conservation acres.
In the weeks and months ahead, growers across the state will fight to keep the money-robbing pigweed from marching into millions of Iowa's crop acres.
Last year, farmers discovered that Palmer amarant ... more. |
Newly confirmed agriculture secretary Sonny Perdue said labeling food as organic and free of genetically modified organisms (GMO) is mainly about marketing during a press conference at the Department of Agriculture Thursday.
“I knew it was all about marketing when I went to the grocery store and there was non-GMO, organic shampoo,” Perdue said. “This is really a lot to do with marke ... more. |
With time running out – the Illinois General Assembly is set to conclude the legislative session at the end of the month – the pressure is on to reach a budget compromise.
Republican State Sen. Bill Brady, once a candidate for governor himself, is taking a the lead role in brokering a deal.
"We have come a long way and we know where each other stand," Brady told NBC ... more. |
This upcoming growing season promises to be slightly different than any that have come before it. In 2017, USDA estimates say that almost as much soybean acres will be planted as corn — 89.5 million acres vs. 90 million acres. And chances are that at least some of these added soybeans acres will feature seeds/plants that have been engineered to be resistant to the herbicide dicamba — the latest in the ... more. |
When Mary Kay Thatcher talks to farmers, they initially look at the map at states where President Trump won last November (rural areas). “They think, boom, we have anything we want,” says the senior director for congressional relations for the American Farm Bureau.
Not exactly.
Difficulties in Congress remain. She notes virtually anything other than reconciliation bills still ... more. |
Syngenta shareholders have accepted ChemChina’s $43 billion offer to buy the company, tendering more than enough shares to allow the transaction to go forward.
Syngenta announced early today that “based on preliminary numbers, around 80.7 percent of shares have been tendered,” well above the 67 percent threshold needed.
“It’s a historic day for Syngenta and ... more. |
The Senate has a cloture vote Monday evening to advance Scott Gottlieb’s nomination to run FDA. Senators will move later in the week to confirm USTR pick Robert Lighthizer, an international trade lawyer who served at USTR during the Reagan administration.
Food and agriculture industry groups have been pressuring the Senate to get both nominees in place.
In a recent letter to the Se ... more. |
We learned yesterday of the passing of Howard R. Freeland, an icon of the Illinois Fertilizer Industry who was known, respected and loved by many in our industry. Howard was 80 years old.
Howard worked for Standard Oil and then as the Agronomic Sales Manager for Marco Fertilizer in Clinton, IL. He was very active in the industry and served on many committees of the IFCA; he was also ... more. |
Click on the heading above for the Illinois Fertilizer Act.
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Congress is set to approve a fiscal 2017 budget agreement this week, while the Trump administration is moving to soften key school nutrition standards.
The text of the spending agreement released early Monday didn't appear to include new farm bill funding for which dairy and cotton provisions had been lobbying. Instead, the explanatory statements accompanying the legislation direct the Agricultur ... more. |
Legislation to significantly increase state funding to clean up Iowa's waters was approved Wednesday by the Iowa Senate, although it faces an uncertain fate in the Iowa House with time running out in the 2017 Legislature's session.
The Senate voted 31-19 to approve Senate File 512. The measure would fund water quality projects by phasing in a plan with about $12 million in sales tax dollars t ... more. |
DriftWatch, a new online mapping tool for sensitive crops, allows herbicide or insecticide applicators to see where bees and specialty crops are being raised in their neighborhood.
The program just launched in Iowa this year, and the grapes at Cedar Ridge Winery and Distillery in Swisher are already on the map.
Owner and founder Jeff Quint said the winery is participating in the program ... more. |
Planned changes to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency’s Risk Management Program would not prevent tragic incidents such as the West, Texas, fertilizer disaster, which was ultimately ruled an act of arson, according to supporters of a proposed implementation delay.
“The current risk management program regulations are working well,” said Richard Gupton, vice president for public ... more. |
Wal-Mart issued a challenge to U.S. farmers on Wednesday, announcing an ambitious goal to cut carbon emissions in its supply chain by 1 gigaton, or 1 billion tons, by 2030. The retailer says a big part of the initiative will be driven by collaboration with suppliers—and the farmers who grow and raise their ingredients—to add cover crops to farmland and optimize fertilizer applications on 76 million ac ... more. |
The U.S. Agriculture Department will attempt to follow the congressionally mandated schedule to create a plan for mandatory disclosure of genetically modified ingredients in food by July 2018, but companies will not be expected to comply at that time, the White House aide in charge of agriculture said April 24.
Ray Starling, the White House aide in charge of agriculture, trade and food assistance, to ... more. |
President Trump is proposing to slash the tax rate for owner-operated businesses and corporations to 15 percent, a rate cut that could potentially benefit farms.
The president's plan, released only in broad outline on Wednesday, also would eliminate the estate tax.
The plan would omit the border adjustment to business taxes that House Republicans have embraced. The border adjustment, ... more. |
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today joined President Trump for a “Farmers Roundtable” at the White House to address issues facing the American agriculture community, as the president signed an Executive Order establishing an Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity. The roundtable discussion allowed representatives from all corners of American agriculture to raise ... more. |
Every year, dozens of active ingredients in fungicides, herbicides and insecticides undergo regulatory review and are at risk of being pulled off the market. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reviews each registered pesticide at least every 15 years to ensure it still meets the most up-to-date science available. Three common active ingredients planted on millions of acres—pyrethroids, chlorpyrifos a ... more. |
A bill that recognizes corn as the official state grain passed the Illinois House Friday.
Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, R-Jacksonville, is sponsoring the bill that he said was inspired by the Pittsfield High School agriculture development class.
“They did a lot of research on the impact that corn has on the state of Illinois,” Davidsmeyer said. “They didn’t want to neces ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration said Thursday that House Speaker Michael Madigan during a morning meeting the two had in Rauner’s office “hinted that he may be willing to enact a truly balanced budget.”
Madigan’s office had issued a statement several hours earlier that the two had met at the Chicago Democrat’s request. A Madigan spokesman said the meeting lasted ... more. |
Here at IFCA, we have been enjoying the view outside our office as the Asmark Institute is finalizing the construction of the new Applicator Training Course. A brand new RoGator along with a John Deere, HAGIE, Patriot and TerraGator are all poised to provide a hand's on experience for persons taking this course. The new four day course will cover all aspects of applicator training for new operators ... more. |
We know everyone has been extremely busy, but with the cool and rainy days ahead, now is a good time to assure you have your records in order when it comes to sales of pesticides and Worker Protection Standard training.
Please be sure that all sales of restricted use pesticides are linked to a person who has a current pesticide license. One way to check is to go to the IL Dept of Ag websit ... more. |
IFCA still has a limited number of 5 foot, sturdy red flags to help identify dicamba sensitive commercial crops. If you have areas in your territory where you feel growers would appreciate being able to flag their fields to help indicate the presence of these fields, give us a call at (309) 827.2774. We will deliver the flags to you and explain how to use them. We appreciate everything our members ... more. |
Today, Dr. Emerson Nafziger at UI posted a bulletin on the cool and wet conditions, the impact on planting and the status of nitrogen in the soil. One sentence in the bulletin states: "It would be premature to predict the loss of fall applied N at this point." Clickhere to read the bulletin, which draws upon soil tests performed at numerous NREC funded research sites to evaluate an ... more. |
This document outlines the penalty process and the various fines for violations of the Illinois Pesticide Act.
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Helen Schaefer passed away last week at the age of 90. She lived her life on the family farm and supported her family and local community in many ways. Helen was the mother of Dan Schaefer, IFCA's Director of Nutrient Stewardship. Visitation is tonight in Villa Grove with services tomorrow at St. Mary's Church in rural Pesotum. Helen's obituary is located here. We express o ... more. |
The Des Moines Waterworks board voted last week to NOT appeal the federal ruling that dismissed their nutrient lawsuit against three drainage districts in Iowa for nitrate pollution. The federal court determined that the Iowa Legislature, not the federal court, is the better place to resolve the issue based on current Iowa law.
Bill Stowe, the CEO of the Waterworks, said "This lawsuit ... more. |
Here are a few reminders to ensure your ammonia nurse tanks are in compliance with various laws:
1. All nurse tanks in Illinois must have a "FT" license plate and current sticker to operate on Illinois public roads.
2. The "Special Permit" for testing nurse tanks that have missed or illegible data plates expired in February 2011. The five year testing requiremen ... more. |
Thanks to an anonymous donor, IFCA has a limited supply of tall red flags with fiberglass poles, designed to flag fields that contain dicamba sensitive crops. We are trying to prioritize the distribution of the flags to our members who have customers with organic or non-GMO soybeans, in order to assist farmers and applicators in identifying fields that are not tolerant to dicamba. Along with the flags we deve ... more. |
The Illinois House last week approved a bill that would allocate $817 million to human-services programs and higher education. Proponents said the bill will not make the state’s financial problems worse since the cash is available to cover the spending for the rest of the fiscal year that ends June 30.
The reason the money is available is the complex (some would say convoluted) way state financ ... more. |
The legislative, regulatory and judicial landscape is vastly different from what the agricultural retail industry experienced decades ago. In the past eight years, federal regulators completed hundreds of major rules that impacted many sectors, including agriculture. Each of these rules imposes new costs greater than $100 million.
In the past year, the worst offenders of excessive, unlawful regulatio ... more. |
An Illinois House committee on Wednesday advanced a bill that would gradually raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2022.
Even though tax credits would be available to small businesses to help cover the costs, opponents say it would still have a negative effect on the business community.
Rep. Will Guzzardi, D-Chicago, the main sponsor of the bill, said the increase is ... more. |
Legislation aimed at improving Iowa's water quality remained alive in the Iowa Senate Wednesday, despite serious reservations by some lawmakers who are unhappy with the measure's funding plans.
Senate File 482, which has been proposed by Gov. Terry Branstad, mirrors legislation considered in the House last year. It would fund water quality projects by shifting money now spent on state infrast ... more. |
Whatever you call the Devil, several religions describe the Evil One as nearly indestructible as he silently swipes human hearts while spawning global mayhem.
The weed world seems eons away from the demonic one. Still, it has a similar dark prince (and princess, too) preying on your crops.
Click Here to read more.
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Illinois House Democrats on Wednesday advanced a plan to rush more than $815 million to state universities and social service providers, but that money might not arrive anytime soon because Gov. Bruce Rauner criticized the proposal and Senate Democrats still are working on their own plan.
Despite the political hurdles, supporters said they wanted to press ahead, contending that colleges and groups ... more. |
Billionaire businessman J.B. Pritzker announced Thursday that he is launching a campaign to try to unseat Illinois Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, setting the stage for what could be one of the most expensive races of the 2018 election cycle.
Pritzker, an heir to his family's Hyatt Hotel chain and investor who Forbes estimates is worth $3.4 billion, has the ability to self-finance a campaign that is ex ... more. |
Senate Republicans look to confirm Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court this week, with Democrats poised to force the GOP leadership to make history and invoke the “nuclear” option to break a filibuster.
The Senate Agriculture Committee on Thursday approved Sonny Perdue’s nomination for agriculture secretary by a voice vote.
Perdue’s nomination now heads to the full ... more. |
Also this week, Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet President Trump on Thursday and Friday to talk about trade and security issues.
Sen. Claire McKaskill, a Missouri Democrat up for re-election in 2018, announced on Friday she would oppose Gorsuch, dimming GOP hopes that there would be enough Democratic support to reach the traditional 60-vote threshold for moving high court nominations. Republica ... more. |
A group of Democrats last week outlined what they’re calling the Comeback Agenda, a series of bills and general principles they have as goals for making Illinois a better state.
Of course, this should not be confused with Gov. Bruce Rauner’s Turnaround Agenda that he says will make the state a better place. Needless to say, there is little-to-no overlap between the two agendas.
... more. |
The agency announced the decision late today, two days ahead of a court-ordered deadline. The Natural Resources Defense Council and Pesticide Action Network had petitioned the agency 10 years ago to ban Dow AgroSciences’ organophosphate insecticide (tradename: Lorsban), which is used to control a variety of crop pests, including corn rootworm and soybean aphid.
The groups have argued that food ... more. |
A bond-rating agency said Thursday that Illinois must enact a budget by May 31 -- the scheduled end of the legislative session -- or the state will be on a path to “unsustainable fiscal challenges” and risk long-term damage to colleges and social-service providers because of unpaid bills.
The report by Moody’s Investors Service said approval of the “grand bargain” that i ... more. |
Four new measures proposed in the Illinois legislature would tighten the state’s environmental protections on hog confinements and give local citizens more input in the permitting process as well as standing to challenge the massive facilities in court.
Critics say pork producers sometimes exploit weak laws to build and expand large hog confinements across rural Illinois, some of which hold tho ... more. |
A state senator said he’s willing to move forward with a bill that would create six new casinos in Illinois if the “grand bargain” budget resolution stalls.
Senate Bill 7, which is part of the Senate’s legislative bargain aimed at ending the state’s nearly two-year budget impasse, seeks to expand gambling in the hope of generating substantial revenue. Additionally, the l ... more. |
Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens has signed a law to increase fines for illegal use of herbicides that damage other farmers' crops.
Greitens signed the bill Thursday, before a ceremonial signing during a Friday visit to southeast Missouri.
That area's been hit by crop damage after the herbicide dicamba was sprayed on crops in an unauthorized manner. The herbicide drifted to neighborin ... more. |
U.S. cotton farmers are planning to sow 12.2 million acres this year, up 21 percent from last year, driven by expectations of higher prices in 2017, USDA said today in a report based on a survey of growers. The estimate is also up from the 11.5 million planted acres the department predicted at its annual Outlook Forum in late February.
Projections for most other major crops, including corn, soybeans ... more. |
DuPont is selling part of its crop protection business to FMC Corp. and acquiring that company’s health and nutrition business to satisfy conditions imposed by the European Commission when it approved DuPont’s merger with Dow Chemical on Monday.
The DuPont-FMC transactions should go a long way toward satisfying concerns by regulators in the U.S. and other countries such as Australia and B ... more. |
It may not come as a surprise in a state with 11 billion dollars in unpaid bills, but once again legislation has been introduced to eliminatemany sales tax exemptions, including the sales tax exemption for farm chemicals and ag machinery. IFCA is watching this closely and we have talked to legislators about the value of these exemptions and why they exist. Right now we are monitoring this issue to ... more. |
Be sure to remind your customers who are picking up nurse tanks that implements of husbandry ARE NOT ALLOWED on interstate highways. We've had several incidents of this in the past year. We know the running gears underneath the double nurse tanks are nice, but they are still not designed for highway speeds, and Illinois law prohibits implements of husbandry on interstate highways. Ammonia nurs ... more. |
Thanks to everyone who listened to last Thursday's "Spring Nitrogen Management" webinar. Dr. Nafziger with the University of Illinois presented new information on soil nitrate levels at fall applied nitrogen sites, as well as information on updates to the Illinois Maximum Return to Nitrogen recommendation system and yield results of many rate by timing nitrogen studies using various forms of nit ... more. |
IFCA has been contributing articles to ag industry publications including Prairie Farmer, Illinois Farmer Today, Farmweek and Illinois Agrinews stressing the importance of understanding the new labels for dicamba use on soybeans.
One of the items on these labels that seems to get misunderstood is the difference between sensitive crops and sensitive areas. According to the labels for Xtendi ... more. |
A significant part of the IFCA Keep it 4R Crop Program is our work with retailers, farmers and the University of Illinois to conduct nitrogen rate trials and ensure the Illinois nitrogen recommendation system (MRTN) is current. The first activity listed in the IL Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy to reduce nitrogen losses is to ensure that farmers are using the MRTN to determine their nitrogen rate.
... more. |
Marijuana advocates are trying to lay the groundwork for Illinois to become the first state in the Midwest and the ninth nationwide to legalize recreational pot, arguing the move will help solve the state's notorious budget crisis.
Two Illinois state lawmakers introduced legislation last week that would allow residents 21 and older to possess, grow or buy up to an ounce (28 grams) of marijuana an ... more. |
Farmer Mark Schleisman firmly believes that Des Moines Water Works' decision to sue over high nitrate levels in the Raccoon River was the wrong way to get more farmers to embrace conservation practices across Iowa's 26 million corn and soybean acres.
But Schleisman hopes the dismissal of the utility's lawsuit two weeks ago doesn't lessen the pressure that farmers — or Iowa lawma ... more. |
With the Republican agenda in disarray, the House Agriculture Committee moves ahead this week with preparations for a new farm bill by diving into commodity concerns and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
President Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan on Friday agreed to cancel a vote on one of the GOP’s top two priorities - health care reform - after it became clear it couldn’t ... more. |
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) informed us that the 2016 Tier 2 reporting process went very smoothly this year. Next year, however, there are changes coming thanks to the United Nation's Global Harmonization System (GHS).
When you report your 2017 Tier 2 chemical inventories next year, the five hazard categories for are being substantially expanded. ed from five ... more. |
Anhydrous ammonia is a Chemical of Interest (COI) under Department of Homeland of Security rules. The Chemical Security Assessment Tool (CSAT) was developed years ago to help DHS identify facilities that meet certain risk factors. At that time, facilities with ammonia had to register with DHS to determine what security methods they needed to have in place.
In the fall of 2016, DHS up ... more. |
Former Georgia governor George “Sonny” Perdue sought to assure farm-state senators on Thursday that he understands the importance of trade for farmers and supports many of the U.S. Department of Agriculture programs targeted in last week’s proposed 21% budget cut.
President Trump’s nominee to head the department, named just the day before the president took office, said he was ... more. |
The House’s swift approval of a bill to allow the EPA to levy fees to support its pesticide licensing work is a rare vote of confidence in the often-maligned agency from the GOP-controlled Congress.
Backers of the measure are now hoping congressional appropriators will provide the agency with enough in the next fiscal year to properly operate the Office of Pesticide Programs—funding which ... more. |
The Des Moines City Council voted to continue its support of controversial legislation that would dismantle Des Moines Water Works Monday night despite a room full of angry citizens who spoke against it.
The vote was four against, two in favor and one abstaining on Councilman Skip Moore's motion that the city oppose bills in the Statehouse that would place water utilities and its assets under the ... more. |
Comptroller Susana Mendoza and Governor Bruce Rauner continue their battle over finances
Illinois comptroller Susana Mendoza and Illinois governor Bruce Rauner are exchanging harsh words in their ongoing battle over the state's finances. Mendoza blasted Rauner in a speech to the City Club of Chicago Monday, claiming that the governor is "prepared for the state to collapse financially if he d ... more. |
Illinois is badly trailing the leading states in job growth and lower unemployment.
A U.S. Department of Labor report last week had modestly good news for much of the country. A handful of states saw a significant drop in their unemployment rates, while 28 states recorded sizable gains in jobs, from January 2016 to January 2017. In fact, 28 states could boast of notable employment gains, ranging from ... more. |
State Comptroller Susana Mendoza said Thursday she will start issuing paychecks to state lawmakers, after a Cook County judge ruled that the law requires legislators get their paychecks even if there is no state budget.
Mendoza has followed her Republican predecessor by withholding paychecks for lawmakers, arguing that because approval of a state budget has been stalled for two years, she is free to decide ... more. |
At 9:00 am central on Thursday, March 30, 2017 Dr. Emerson Nafziger of the University of Illinois will provide a Spring 2017 Nitrogen Management webinar for IFCA members and crop advisers. The webinar will run to 10 am.
As we head into spring, the findings from several NREC funded nitrogen research projects are critical to help our industry make solid nitrogen recommendations to ... more. |
Changes to the USEPA Worker Protection Standardwent into effect this past January, and one new item is that all pesticide handlers, including employees who work for ag retailers, must be trained on Worker Protection. Licensed commercial applicators are exempt from the annual WPS training, but licensed operators ARE NOT EXEMPT. This means that your spray operators have to have the WPS training, and ... more. |
Last week a federal judge in the Northern District of Iowa dismissed the Des Moines Water Works lawsuit against three Iowa drainage districts; the DMWW has sought remedy through the courts for the regulation of water from agricultural drainage, specifically nitrogen levels in the water.
This is very welcome news. The lawsuit, had it prevailed, would have set the stage for potential regulat ... more. |
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by the Des Moines Water Works (DMWW) against three drainage districts in Northwest Iowa, prompting a huge sigh of relief from many in the agriculture sector.
The claim, citing the federal Clean Water Act, was dismissed for lack of standing considering the drainage districts’ limited status under Iowa law. U.S. District Court Judge Leonard Strand for the N ... more. |
DOING IT RIGHT: “We’re all appreciative of the new technologies, but they have to be used properly. This is our moment in time to do it right,” says Jean Payne. “We have a strong history in Illinois of being very proactive and having respect for urban neighbors and our non-farming community. This one will test our ability to do it right.”
And those requirements were ... more. |
A state lawmaker from Chicago has announced a plan to raise Illinois' minimum wage to $15 by 2022.
Democratic Rep. Will Guzzardi told reporters Monday he'll file legislation within days to incrementally increase the rate over five years. The first hike would bring the $8.25 rate to $9 by 2018. Guzzardi says it'll improve Illinois' business climate and the plan will include tax help fo ... more. |
Billionaire businessman J.B. Pritzker has taken the first formal step toward a 2018 challenge to Illinois Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.
The Democrat says he filed paperwork with the Illinois State Board of Elections on Tuesday to form an exploratory committee. He says he's contributing $200,000 to cover the committee's day-to-day operations.
Pritzker is an investor and philanthro ... more. |
Missouri researchers have found more than 60% of the pollinator seed mixes they’ve screened contain pigweed seed. Kevin Bradley, University of Missouri Extension weed scientist, tells Brownfield they’ve checked 30 to 40 bags so far. He tells Brownfield Ag News, “We’re trying to expand beyond Missouri and trying to get a bigger sample size. More mixes of various kinds.”
B ... more. |
A proposal designed to crack down on illegal herbicide spraying in Missouri’s Bootheel farm country is advancing in the state Legislature.
With the planting season on the horizon, legislation that would raise fines for illegal herbicide use from $1,000 per field to $10,000 per violation has been approved in the House and is now poised to move forward in the Senate.
The measure is a ... more. |
On Thursday, the Trump administration released a preliminary 2018 budget proposal, which details many of the changes the president wants to make to the federal government’s spending. The proposal covers only discretionary, not mandatory, spending.
To pay for an increase in defense spending, a down payment on the border wall and school voucher programs, among other things, funding was cut from the d ... more. |
The House and Senate passed similar bills Monday that would allow the State Plant Board to levy greater civil penalties in egregious cases of herbicide misapplication.
The House voted 68-12 to pass House Bill 1692 by Rep. David Hillman, R-Almyra. The Senate voted 32-1 to approve Senate Bill 501 by Sen. Blake Johnson, R-Corning. Both bills would allow the plant board to assess a civil penalty greater ... more. |
Weed seed can be spread in a variety of ways-including by air, animals, rain, soil and mechanical means. In a recent survey, the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) identified palmer amaranth (PA) as a very problematic weed in many parts of the country. To prevent PA from entering the professional seed supply, the native seed industry has been working closely with the scientific community on the development an ... more. |
EPA’s conclusion that glyphosate is “not likely” to cause cancer in humans has received a mixed review from a scientific review panel.
The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) “was split,” according to the report issued today. Some panelists agreed with the EPA issue paper, prepared by the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) ... more. |
Cronus Chemicals will start losing part of its nearly $40 million in state tax incentives if its proposed $1.9 billion ammonia fertilizer plant in Tuscola is not operating by July 2, according to tax credit agreements.
A review of company filings with the state of Illinois shows the project must be “in service” within 24 months of July 2, 2015. According to the documents, “in serv ... more. |
Current truck regulation makes it difficult to haul agricultural and other products on local roads without breaking the law.
Trucks up to 65 feet long can use interstate and state highways, but the limit drops to 55 feet on county and township roads. The shorter limit makes it virtually impossible to use the longest available trailers to transport grain, oilseeds, livestock or other agricultural prod ... more. |
When you consider the question of water stewardship for agriculture, it’s incredibly impressive that the state of Illinois — with perhaps the largest concentration of growers in the entire U.S. — has been largely missing from the national debate on this topic. Whereas neighboring states such as Iowa are engaged in legal battles regarding water use or Ohio, where restrictions on agricultural prac ... more. |
Illinois Senate Democrats are critiquing the budget-cutting prowess of Gov. Bruce Rauner's cabinet.
Committee chairmen decried Thursday the performance of agency heads who declined to specify in committee hearings this week where they could cut spending to balance the budget.
In a state Capitol news conference, the Democrats flashed a board entitled: "Budget Cuts Offered by Bruc ... more. |
Newly published research from Iowa State University agronomists shows the application of nitrogen fertilizer at optimum levels to corn and soybeans is required to maintain carbon in the soil, giving rise to a range of environmental and production benefits.
In a study published in the journal PLOS ONE, ISU agronomists showed nitrogen fertilizer can contribute to soil health and water quality by helpin ... more. |
The Missouri state legislature is moving forward with a measure that would significantly increase penalties for illegal herbicide application, in the wake of widespread off-label use of dicamba herbicide last year.
As part of the battle against resistant weeds, Monsanto released its new dicamba-tolerant Xtend soybeans, but for last year’s growing season, the Environmental Protection Agency had ... more. |
Perhaps there's no better way to make an Iowa nutrients lawsuit against drainage districts go away than to eliminate the utility that filed the lawsuit.
That's what a Republican state lawmaker in Iowa has proposed in a bill that would essentially end Des Moines Water Works' and hand control of drinking water in three Iowa communities over to local city councils.
The bill, Hou ... more. |
President Trump this week will release a proposed budget for fiscal 2018 that is expected to call for deep cuts to agencies throughout the government to pay for a $54 billion increase in defense spending.
According to reports, the proposed cuts could be as high as 37 percent, for the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development, while the EPA could be reduced by 25 percent.
... more. |
If you get your nails done at a salon or have your lawn mulched next spring, the service could be taxed under a plan Illinois lawmakers are considering to help fill a multibillion-dollar hole in the state budget.
The idea comes as part of a proposal to increase state revenue tied to a Senate compromise intended to break the state’s two-year stalemate over an annual spending plan. The “gra ... more. |
The Senate is taking the final congressional step this week to kill the Obama administration’s overhaul of the way the Bureau of Land Management makes land-use decisions.
The House voted 234-186 in February to approve a resolution that would eliminate the BLM Planning 2.0 rule, which ranchers and other critics say would dilute the influence of local and regional officials on BLM decisions.
& ... more. |
Despite falling flat this week, there’s still talk at the statehouse about the so-called grand bargain, but there’s also still some skepticism.
State Sen. Karen McConnaughay, R-St. Charles, said any income tax increase should have a sunset because taxpayers need assurances any increase won’t be wasted.
“They need to know that we’re not going to squander the ... more. |
Tax reform is said to be a goal for Capitol Hill in the 115th Congress, and how that shakes out will be important for agriculture.
Click Here to read more.
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Bayer and its partners in a new Feed a Bee steering committee are making available $500,000 over the next two years to fund projects that will increase forage and plantings for honey bees, monarch butterflies and other pollinators in every state in the U.S.
The initiative aims to build on Bayer’s Feed a Bee program, now in its third year, which the company says has rallied more than 900,000 ind ... more. |
Farmers need to plan ahead and communicate to avoid damaging crops, especially when using dicamba herbicides. Before spraying know the area, communicate with neighbors and take advantage of online resources to ensure you’re taking appropriate precautions for downwind sensitive areas.
“If you damage your neighbor’s field, you can’t take it back, so it’s vital you understa ... more. |
President Donald Trump today issued an executive order directing the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers to reconsider their controversial Waters of the U.S. rule and narrowly interpret their jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act.
Trump signed the order this afternoon in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in front of about 25 people, including Vice President Mike Pence, ... more. |
The White House has proposed deep cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget that would reduce the agency’s staff by one-fifth in the first year and eliminate dozens of programs, according to details of a plan reviewed by The Washington Post.
While administration officials had already indicated that they intended to increase defense spending at the expense of other discretionary ... more. |
It’s early March, and Security Seed and Chemical applicators are busy prepping equipment for the upcoming spray season. In a few days, they’ll make burndown treatments in sun-warmed Tennessee river-bottom fields, where green weeds are just starting to poke through the ground.
The company annually custom sprays about 1 million acres of corn, soybean and wheat ground across parts of Illinoi ... more. |
Targeting fertilizer applications to optimize rates can pay off with higher yields and efficient use of inputs.
Joe Sperfslage, who farms near Coggon, Iowa, has taken his fertilizer program to the next level — combining grid-based soil sampling with variable rate planting and a split-season nitrogen (N) fertilizer program.
“We’re really happy with it,” Sperfslage ... more. |
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President Trump will lay out his agenda for the country to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, while the House Agriculture Committee launches a series of hearings as it prepares to write a new farm bill.
The Senate, meanwhile, resumes consideration of Trump’s cabinet nominees and is expected to confirm Wilbur Ross as Secretary of Commerce and Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., as Secretary of Interi ... more. |
City Council passed a resolution last week calling on state legislators to repeal or amend a state law that prevents municipalities from regulating the use of pesticides themselves.
The state statute, called the Illinois Pesticide Act, puts all control of pesticide regulation in the hand of the General Assembly. Leslie Shad, board member of Citizens’ Greener Evanston, said Evanston’s reso ... more. |
The unseasonably warm and dry weather we have had during February this year has a lot of people applying ammonia, and others considering it. This raises the question of whether or not February is a good time to apply NH3, and also the question about whether or not a nitrification inhibitor (N-Serve) should be included in late-winter applications.
We encourage waiting until soil temperatures are below ... more. |
Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, President Trump’s choice to be the next U.S. ambassador to China, said today that if confirmed he will make it a priority to get China to lift its ban on U.S. beef and reform its biotechnology approval process.
Branstad spoke at USDA’s annual Agricultural Outlook Forum before a scheduled meeting at the Chinese embassy in Washington,
“We soon hope ... more. |
Retailers and farmers need to plan ahead and communicate to avoid damaging crops, especially when using dicamba herbicides. Before spraying know the area, communicate with neighbors and take advantage of online resources to ensure you’re taking appropriate precautions for downwind sensitive areas.
“If you damage your neighbor’s field, you can’t take it back, so it’s vita ... more. |
Forest and paper product manufacturers rely on America’s railroads to move raw materials to mills and finished products to customers. Nearly 60 million tons of wood, pulp and paper products made that journey in 2015, according to the American Association of Railroads. The U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB), which has regulatory oversight of rail rates and service, has initiated proceedings to revise ou ... more. |
The Justice Department’s request for 60 additional days to determine its position on the overtime rule appeal adds to the mix of moving parts in an already complicated case.
The stated purpose for the government’s unopposed motion for an extension to file a reply brief to a federal appeals court was to “allow incoming leadership personnel adequate time to consider the issues” ... more. |
A bill aimed at increasing penalties for the misuse of dicamba passed the Missouri House on Thursday. The bill moves to the Senate, with its author looking to earn the governor’s signature by mid-March.
HB 662 passed by a 144-9 vote. Eight Republicans and one Democrat voted against the measure. The bill passed with an emergency clause, meaning it would take effect immediately if Gov. Eric Greit ... more. |
The IFCA is taking a very proactive approach to dicamba stewardship ahead of the 2017 application season. This week we had a commentary in Prairie Farmer (click here) and another story in Ag Professional (click here). Please share these messages and help us steward this new technology. Please pay special attention to the "sensitive areas" on the supplemental labels--it will take a lot of ... more. |
The IFCA & IDA ammonia training schools are underway, and there are still opportunities next week to get your 3 year training certificate. During the week of Feb 27 classes will be held in Marion, Effingham, Charleston and Bloomington. Go to www.ifca.com to register or call our office at 309.827.2774.
Also, if you are applying ammonia early this spring, please follow the 4Rs and ... more. |
Last week IFCA informed our members of the new USEPA law which has expanded some aspects of the Worker Protection Standard(WPS). It is now a federal requirementthat pesticide employers train all employees who handlepesticides such as mixing, loading, repackaging or applying pesticides. If you are only handling unopened pesticide containers, you are not a handler and the training requir ... more. |
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More than 300 groups are asking newly confirmed Attorney General Jeff Sessions to thoroughly investigate – and then stop – the proposed mergers involving six major ag chemical companies.
“The proposed mergers – of Dow Chemical with DuPont, Monsanto with Bayer AG, and Syngenta with ChemChina – are each problematic on their own, with many likely negative impacts on farme ... more. |
More than 100 agricultural retailers, distributors and suppliers headed to Capitol Hill Tuesday morning for the Agribusiness Congressional Fly-in, according to a ARA news release.
Hosted by the Agricultural Retailers Association, the fly-in garnered participation from ARA members from across the country and several national and state agribusiness groups.
“Grassroots advocacy matter ... more. |
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee heard from a variety of witnesses on Wednesday that the Endangered Species Act, now more than 40 years old, still provides an important function, but agreed it needs to be modernized.
The initial witness, David Freudenthal, governor of Wyoming from 2003-2011 and a U.S. attorney under President Bill Clinton, told lawmakers that the “original grou ... more. |
Bayer AG and Syngenta AG, two of the agrichemical giants trying to win the European Commission’s blessing for deals reshaping the global industry, clashed with the EU over bans on insecticides that regulators blame for killing honeybees.
The EU action not only damages farmers, the agricultural industry and the environment, but throws companies into legal uncertainty, Bayer said on the first day ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner used his third budget speech Wednesday to break his silence on the Senate's "grand bargain" and say he is against raising sales taxes on food and medicine and wants a permanent property tax freeze to compensate for a permanent income tax increase.
Rauner also outlined areas where he wants to increase state spending, including K-12 education, college grants for needy st ... more. |
Fertilizer applicators are becoming a more common sight in Illinois in growing cornfields.
That is one trend in nutrient delivery on farms Dan Schaefer has seen. It follows decreasing frozen-ground fall applications.
“I don’t have any real hard figures, but less and less of replacement P and K is put on when it’s frozen or snow covered,” said Schaefer, director of ... more. |
The Senate confirmed Scott Pruitt as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, clearing the way for him to begin working to remove or soften Obama-era regulations on the agriculture and energy sectors.
Pruitt, who as Oklahoma attorney general had sued the EPA more than a dozen times, including over its “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule, was sworn into ofice later Frid ... more. |
Two pesticide-related bills sailed through the House Agriculture Committee on Feb. 16 as farm-state lawmakers hailed the legislation for easing burdens on growers.
The committee passed both bills by voice vote in the first 10 minutes of the meeting, which preceded a hearing on the federal nutrition assistance program.
H.R. 1029 would reauthorize the 2003 Pesticide Registration Improvemen ... more. |
Growers of dicamba-tolerant crops now have three registered dicamba herbicides for use in-crop over soybeans and cotton for the coming season. The latest in the lineup is DuPont's FeXapan herbicide plus VaporGrip Technology.
FeXapan is a single active ingredient product that contains only dicamba as a diglycolamine (DGA) salt. VaporGrip is an additive designed to keep the dicamba in a less volati ... more. |
As a late Friday follow-up to our story today encouraging the use of N-Serve for early spring applied anhydrous ammonia, we have more to share to back this up, and this comes from the University of Illinoisbased on research currently being funded by the Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council (NREC).
After reviewing nitrate soil samples from nitrogen tracking studies performed at Unive ... more. |
Mother Nature is giving us an early taste of Spring, and this provides an opportunity to get spring anhydrous ammonia applied earlier than usual. First of all, be safe out there and follow all the ammonia laws and regulations to ensure the safe storage, transport and application of ammonia. Do not transport nurse tanks over 25 mph--failure to control the tanks due to excess speed is the major cause of m ... more. |
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IFCA, in partnership with the IL Dept of Ag, is offering eight ammonia safety classes throughout the state of Illinois beginning on February 21. Anyone who works with ammonia as part of their job duties must be certified as a competent attendant in Illinois and you can achieve this certification by attending one of these classes. The certification must be renewed every three years, so check your recor ... more. |
The most widely used class of insecticides in the world is facing a slow death. Called neonicotinoids, or neonics, these bug killers have long been used to coat seeds or treat millions of acres of farmland in the US. Research showing that they sicken or kill bees and other pollinators has already prompted the European Union to temporary ban several varieties of the insecticides, and now neonics could lose their gri ... more. |
President Donald Trump has set a high bar for Congress when it comes to health care: “insurance for everybody,” including people with pre-existing conditions, at “much lower” cost. And he wants Congress to act fast, at the same time that lawmakers repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), as Obamacare is formally known. “We have to take care of the American people immediately, so we can&rs ... more. |
It appears that 2017 could be an important year for a number of agricultural law issues. From the Clean Water Act, to “Ag Gag” legislation, to the Endangered Species Act, there are a number of pending cases that could have major impacts on the agricultural industry in the coming year. Here is a brief look at four of the biggest cases to watch this year.
Click Here to read more.
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A policy adviser says President Trump’s Executive Order to reduce government regulations is unclear.
Ferd Hoefner with the National Sustainable Ag Coalition says the executive order is unworkable because it doesn’t provide a framework for how policy will be implemented, especially in departments with multiple agencies like USDA.
“It is ambiguous on that point as to whethe ... more. |
Crop damage from the last growing season is done, but Missouri and Arkansas lawmakers are taking steps that aim to prevent future devastation from dicamba, the herbicide widely blamed for a rash of illegal spraying that sowed financial pain and discord in farming communities across the region.
Arkansas’ Plant Board passed restrictions this month that would only permit the use of certain types of ... more. |
In yet another email to state workers in the process of voting on whether to authorize a first-ever strike, the Rauner administration said it has no plans for mass privatization of state jobs.
John Terranova, deputy director of labor relations for the Department of Central Management Services, said he continues to receive many questions from workers about the administration's last, best and final o ... more. |
Democrats slowed down the confirmation of Scott Pruitt to be EPA administrator by boycotting a scheduled vote by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
Committee Democrats said Pruitt had not fully answered their questions about potential conflicts of interest and his plans to recuse himself from participation in lawsuits he brought against EPA while Oklahoma attorney general.
... more. |
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visits President Trump on Friday as they seek to shore up the trade and security relationship between the countries in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
On Capitol Hill this week, lawmakers will consider killing a rule finalized in the last weeks of the Obama administration that changes Bureau of Land Management’s planning proce ... more. |
We've been getting calls asking how the new USEPA rules apply to farmers who own their own minibulks. If this is the case, and the farmer asks you to refill their minibulk, the minibulk must meet all the requirements of the new rule including: it must be a DOT approved package, the tank must be on the registrant's approved list of packages, it must have a unique identification number, contain on ... more. |
IFCA is very happy to announce that John Rebholz has joined our staff as Director of Safety and Education Programs. John previously worked for the Asmark Institute as their Ammonia Technician and Nurse Tank Inspection Program instructor; prior to that he enjoyed a long career as an inspector with the Illinois Department of Agriculture. While at Asmark John also became well versed on OSHA regulations tha ... more. |
IFCA, in partnership with the IL Dept of Ag, is offering eight ammonia safety classes throughout the state of Illinois beginning on February 21. Anyone who works with ammonia as part of their job duties must be certified as a competent attendant in Illinois and you can achieve this certification by attending one of these classes. The certification must be renewed every three years, so check your records ... more. |
There's been much talk about the Iowa Supreme Court ruling last week that ruled in favor of agricultural interests on a portion of the Des Moines Waterworks lawsuit. As IFCA has been out making presentations on the 4Rs and nutrient stewardship, we've been surprised to find out that many believe that this lawsuit is now over and the case is closed with agriculture prevailing. That is only part of the s ... more. |
Go to www.ifca.com and take a look at our new website. We have made it much more interactive so that you can click on topic links under "Regulations" and view or download items related to pesticides, fertilizer, taxes, security, ammonia, DOT, etc. You can also search the site under "Ask IFCA" to see articles related to your topic of interest. It's a site that we will continuallyupdate ba ... more. |
Don't miss the CCA Session at the IFCA Convention on January 21, 2008 in Room 400 at the Peoria Civic Center. The speakers and titles are:
9:00 am Managing Continuous Corn, Emerson Nafziger UI (1 hour CM)
10:00 am What Have We Learned from Grid Sampling?, Dave Franzen NDSU (1 hour SWM)
11:00 am Tile Drainage in Southern Illinois Soils, Steve Ebelhar UI (1 hour SWM)
Lunch at Noon Provided
1:00 pm Soil and ... more. |
Don't miss the CCA Session at the IFCA Convention on January 21, 2008 in Room 400 at the Peoria Civic Center. The speakers and titles are:
9:00 am Managing Continuous Corn, Emerson Nafziger UI (1 hour CM)
10:00 am What Have We Learned from Grid Sampling?, Dave Franzen NDSU (1 hour SWM)
11:00 am Tile Drainage in Southern Illinois Soils, Steve Ebelhar UI (1 hour SWM)
Lunch at Noon Provided
1:00 pm Soil and ... more. |
The annual IFCA Winter Convention and Trade Show kicks off on Monday, January 21, 2008 and the deadline for pre-registration is Friday, January 11, 2008. Online registration is available by going to http://www.ifca.com and clicking on "Convention" then "Register Now". There will be 100 exhibitors offering various types of products and services for your business. There are also 12 hours of CEU credits offered throug ... more. |
Don't miss the CCA Session at the IFCA Convention on January 21, 2008 in Room 400 at the Peoria Civic Center. The speakers and titles are:
9:00 am Managing Continuous Corn, Emerson Nafziger UI (1 hour CM)
10:00 am What Have We Learned from Grid Sampling?, Dave Franzen NDSU (1 hour SWM)
11:00 am Tile Drainage in Southern Illinois Soils, Steve Ebelhar UI (1 hour SWM)
Lunch at Noon Provided
1:00 pm Soil and ... more. |
President Donald Trump made quite a bit of news in his first week on the job, and a lot of it will have an impact on agriculture. Agri-Pulse's Phil Brasher and Spencer Chase take a look at the developments from the White House and the GOP retreat in Philadelphia.
Click Here to watch more.
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If Winnetka trustees approve it at their next board meeting on Feb. 7, a new ordinance could ban residents from using phosphorus-containing fertilizer on their properties under all but a few circumstances.
Trustees first considered the ban, which was recommended by the village's environmental and forestry commission, at their Jan. 17 meeting. Public Works Director Steve Saunders said the commission ... more. |
Des Moines Water Works will not be allowed to collect damages in a lawsuit aimed at forcing the state to regulate nutrients runoff in Iowa, according to a 104-page ruling from the Iowa Supreme Court on Friday.
DMWW filed a federal lawsuit in January 2015 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa in Sioux City against drainage districts in Buena Vista, Calhoun and Sac counties. The co ... more. |
Environmental regulations are “out of control,” President Donald Trump said Tuesday.
Speaking at a roundtable with automobile industry leaders, Trump announced “a very big push” from his administration to have companies produce products in the U.S.
“Our friends that wanna build in the United States, they go many, many years and then they can’t get the en ... more. |
A pair of South Dakota Republicans and a Georgia Democrat are giving new life to a longstanding effort to reshape the tax code.
Click Here to read more.
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Dicamba tolerance is finally here, as Monsanto’s Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans will enter fields this spring. But with this powerful new herbicide system comes a push for additional training and careful application.
Farmers Co-op Society agronomist Ben Van Beek, a certified crop advisor based in Sanborn, Iowa, said the ability to “start clean with a good burndown” using a spray-and-p ... more. |
Illinois senators left Springfield Thursday without voting on their grand bargain to end the state's budget stalemate.
However, Senate leaders insisted that it was not a sign that efforts to reach a compromise are failing.
"There's been a lot of anticipation this week about voting on a so-called grand bargain," said Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno of Lemont. "Unfortunate ... more. |
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has filed a motion to stop the payment of state workers' salaries until legislators and Gov. Bruce Rauner approve a spending plan to end a more than 18-month budget stalemate.
The motion filed Thursday asks the St. Clair County Circuit Court to dissolve by Feb. 28 a preliminary injunction that allows for state workers to be paid during the budget impasse.
& ... more. |
The Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy features options for farmers to weigh as they work toward reducing nutrient loss. However, how effective are they?
Lowell Gentry, University of Illinois principal research specialist in agriculture, is in the second year of research focusing on a combination of cover crops and woodchip bioreactors, both of which are frequently mentioned in the strategy.
... more. |
Well, there is talk of a budget proposal in the works after two years in Illinois without a budget. Some of the things being proposed to raise new revenue include a "business opportunity" tax imposed on businesses based on the number of employees; raising the personal income tax to 4.99% and the corporate tax rate to 7%; establishing service taxes on storage services, amusements, repair and maintenance servic ... more. |
At the annual meeting last week, IFCA announced three new board members: Bryan Fairfull with M & M Service, Mike Harriss with Winfield United and Nate Todd with West Central FS. Thanks to Jim McNelly, Travis Weaver and Jim Lillyman who have retired from the board after providing many years of leadership. The IFCA Executive Committee for 2017 is:Eric Gordon, Chairman (Brandt); Regan Wear, ... more. |
If you are planning any winter meetings with your farmer customers, IFCA staff are available to present an update on the 4R research and accomplishments underway in the "Keep it 4R Crop Program" to keep your customers engaged in nutrient stewardship and working toward meeting the goals of reducing nitrogen and phosphorus losses by 2025.Just send an email to jeanp@ifca.com or dan@ifca.com or call us at 309.827 ... more. |
IFCA gave away about 250 dicamba "Do's and Dont's" posters at the convention last week, and we still have some available if you weren't able to attend, or didn't pick up one to take back and display at your office. Click here to see the poster. We encourage retailers, sales representatives and all of our members to help communicate this stewardship message ahead of the 2017 application s ... more. |
Thanks to all of our members who attended the IFCA Convention last week in Peoria, we had a very successful event! Many of you have asked about getting access to the presentations made on nutrient research projects and dicamba management. Go to www.ifca.com and click on "Convention" then "Presentations" to access the powerpoint slides from the various presentations.
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Every March 1, you are required to submit your Tier 2 chemical inventory reports to the IL Emergency Management Agency, your local emergency planning committee and your local fire departments. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to access the IEMA website to complete this report before March 1. Sometimes the site gets busy towards the end of February so the earlier you can get it completed, the bett ... more. |
Beginning in February, IFCA and the IL Dept of Ag are offering eight opportunities for you to receive a competent attendant certificate from IDA, which is required of any person working with anhydrous ammonia. The certificate is good for 3 years. Click here to access the IFCA website where you can select the month of February and March to see the classroom training opportunities, and then register on-line for ... more. |
Each item below is linked to a pdf version of the slideset presented.
Monday
Davis - How to Survive Palmer Amaranth
Hager - How to Survive Palmer Amaranth
Villamil - Agronomic & Environmental Assessment of Cover Crops
Nafziger - Is Lost Nitrogen Really Lost?
Brown - N-WATCH: Learning About N Movement & Management
Young - Building a Complete Weed Management System
Wohltman - Managi ... more. |
I just wanted to take a minute and thanks all the bidders at theAG-SOLVE PAC Live and Silent auction last week at the convention. It was a huge success and we plan to do it again next year.
As you know for every legislator who understand agriculture and supports the ag-input industry,there is one who doesn't have experience with our industry and that is why AG-SOLVE is so importa ... more. |
Illinois Republican John Shimkus will once again chair the House Environment Subcommittee, and he says he'll use all options to kill the Waters of the U.S. rule.
Click Here to listen
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Illinois Senate leaders will have to persuade House Speaker Michael Madigan to put a stamp on a “grand bargain” budget package of reforms and revenue in his chamber — even if it includes a term limits constitutional amendment targeting “long term leadership.”
In other words, him.
They also face opposition from unions in their budget package concerning pension ... more. |
President-elect Donald Trump plans to nominate former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue to be the next Agriculture secretary, transition officials have informed POLITICO, making a pick that’s likely to please farm groups while angering those who have called for more diversity in his Cabinet.
The decision, which is expected to be announced on Thursday, ends weeks of speculation that Trump was looking to n ... more. |
Trump signed the order in front of reporters at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, one of his first official acts as president.
The order did not direct any specific actions, instead giving broad authority to the Department of Health and Human Services and other agencies to take actions available to them under the law to ease regulatory requirements from ObamaCare.
It pushes ... more. |
President Donald Trump took his first steps Friday night toward what he has promised will be a wide-ranging assault on Barack Obama’s regulatory agenda, a crusade eventually aimed at erasing Obamacare and landmark climate change regulations.
Trump’s initial action — ordering a freeze on all pending regulations until his administration can review them — would have a more modest i ... more. |
If you live in Illinois and like sodas, you could soon be paying more for your beverage of choice. This will also be the case if you like juices and sports drinks.
That’s because they all contain sugar, and a bill in the Illinois General Assembly would tax any drink that contains more than five grams of sugar.
Senator Toi Hutchinson (D – Chicago) filed the bill on January ... more. |
On Jan. 13, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to resolve jurisdictional wrangling over which federal court should hear challenges to the Environmental Protection Agency’s contentious 2015 Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. The Court’s decision came on the same day that the Obama administration filed a 300-page brief with the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals vigorously defending the rule.
... more. |
Crop damage from the last growing season is done, but Missouri and Arkansas lawmakers are taking steps that aim to prevent future devastation from dicamba, the herbicide widely blamed for a rash of illegal spraying that sowed financial pain and discord in farming communities across the region.
Arkansas set a bold example last week, when the state’s Plant Board passed restrictions that would only ... more. |
President Donald Trump is acting quickly to carry out key campaign pledges, announcing meetings to renegotiate the North American Free-Trade Agreement and taking early action to stall some of Barack Obama's last-minute regulations.
Trump will receive his first foreign leader on Friday, British Prime Minister Theresa May, and he'll meet Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto on Jan. 3 ... more. |
If you don't have breakfast plansalready on Wednesday morning, please join us at the Policy Outlook breakfast. AG-SOLVEwill be givingit's"Friend of AG" award to two retiring state representative, Rep Don Moffitt and Rep Pat Verschoore. They've been great friends toIFCA and to theindustry. CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce Todd Masischwill be gi ... more. |
Illinois' new General Assembly was sworn in Wednesday. Legislators face another year of budget problems as the state remains billions of dollars in debt.
From the State Capitol to the University of Illinois at Springfield, both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly took the oath of office Wednesday amidst hopes that the body's 100th session may prove more successful than the last in finally ... more. |
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack left office Friday, one week ahead of President Obama. A spokesman for President-elect Donald Trump said a nominee to succeed Vilsack would be named “some time soon.”
As Agri-Pulse has reported, Vilsack will become president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council.
Vilsack left USDA headquarters for the last time at 11:30 a.m., a spokesman sai ... more. |
Corn, soybean and cotton growers in 34 states will be allowed to use Enlist Duo under a new decision issued by EPA.
The agency had to reconsider its 2014 decision to approve use of the herbicide because of questions about the synergistic effects of 2,4-D and glyphosate, the two active ingredients in the product.
EPA initially allowed use of Enlist Duo on corn and soybeans in six states and ... more. |
You might call it a sign that Illinois Senate leaders from both parties are serious about an effort to finally reach a deal on the state budget.
You also might call it a shot, if an unspoken one, across the bow of House Speaker Mike Madigan.
Whatever you call it, the Senate sure raised some eyebrows late yesterday when it voted 58-0 to limit its leaders to a maximum of 10 years in those sl ... more. |
Don Moffitt didn't stay retired for long.
The longtime legislator, who stepped down from his post Wednesday as the second-longest-serving Republican in the state House, was tapped by Gov. Bruce Rauner on Friday as the assistant director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
Moffitt, of Gilson, is a lifelong farmer and served in the House starting in 1993 with a stint as the top GO ... more. |
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has designated the rusty patched bumblebee an endangered species — the first such designation for a bumblebee and for a bee species in the continental U.S.
The protected status, which goes into effect on Feb. 10, includes requirements for federal protections and the development of a recovery plan. It also means that states with habitats for this species are elig ... more. |
The Supreme Court will decide whether the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals was right to assert jurisdiction over legal challenges to the “waters of the U.S.” rule.
The court decided today to grant a petition seeking review of the 6th Circuit's fractured decision, in which that court narrowly determined that it should adjudicate the numerous WOTUS challenges.
The National Associ ... more. |
Now that a formulation of dicamba herbicide has been approved for use in Illinois this year, Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA) President Jean Payne says the next step is education on proper stewardship of the technology.
“We’re going to have to do an incredible amount of training with our members and with private applicators, which would be farmers, on the proper stewardsh ... more. |
Below is a brochure that describes the parameters for containment of bulk fertilizers and pesticides stored on the farm. A sample of an on-farm containment permit is also posted.
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IFCA is thrilled to announce that in 2017, there will be new Asmark Institute Applicator Training Center located nearby the Asmark Agricenter and IFCA office in Bloomington. This training center will provide hands-on training for beginning and new pesticide and fertilizer applicators, including the opportunity to drive various models of application equipment and receiving instruction on all aspects of proper ... more. |
IFCA is taking a proactive approach to stewardship on the use of dicamba on soybeans in 2017. At the IFCA Convention, we will have several sessions on this topic and we will distribute a new poster that we've developed for our members to raise awareness of the "do's and don'ts" to successfully manage this new technology. To access the poster click here. IFCA worked with BASF, Monsanto, ... more. |
Today, January 6, is the last day you can pre-register for the IFCA convention and receive the $20 discount. The cost to attend this 3 day event on January 17-19, 2017 at the Peoria Civic Center is $80 for IFCA members; after today the cost goes up to $100. You can also register at the show, where the cost will be $100 to attend (still a bargain!)
Click here to see the Convention program. &nbs ... more. |
Even before New Year’s festivities get underway, final strides in the Iowa Fertilizer Company are being made.
According to IFC Site Operations Director Darrell Allman, the plant, which is now 98 percent complete, will begin ammonia plant start-up activities this week.
Allman said this is a major step for the company, and more importantly, for the customers across the country who will ... more. |
Former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue is emerging as President-elect Donald Trump's selection for agriculture secretary even though the search had focused in recent weeks on a woman or Hispanic and no official announcement has yet been issued.
Experience a renewed commitment to crop insurance. A source close to the transition team confirmed media reports Monday that Trump had settled on Perdue, whom the ... more. |
Farmers and ranchers are eagerly waiting President-elect Donald Trump's decision on an agriculture secretary, even as the new Congress convenes to ratify his election and prepare to move his agenda.
The 115th Congress convenes at noon on Tuesday with the swearing in of the new senators and House members. On Friday, lawmakers will meet in joint session to count and approve the electoral votes. Vice ... more. |
EPA's farmworker protection rule will go into effect Jan. 2 as scheduled, the agency said today.
The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) and American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) petitioned EPA last week to delay implementation by a year. EPA said it would respond officially to the petition in the new year.
The groups said EPA had failed to provide state l ... more. |
President-elect Donald Trump is stocking his administration with businessmen and regulatory reformers who are intent on cutting through what they see as red tape from Washington.
Carl Icahn, the billionaire investor, will oversee the Trump administration’s regulatory reform efforts. He will be joined by several other Wall Street investors and corporate executives who have first-hand experience de ... more. |
Two congresswomen, two state senators, a billionaire, an heir of a political dynasty, the attorney general, the state treasurer, a former governor, the senior adviser to the president and a Chicago alderman.
These men and women are among those in the mix as possible Democratic challengers to Gov. Bruce Rauner in his 2018 re-election campaign.
The Illinois Republican Party has already put t ... more. |
Nearly 200 new Illinois laws will take effect in the new year, including first-in-the nation rules requiring hairstylists to undergo training to help domestic violence victims and others making it easier for juvenile offenders to get a fresh start.
The 192 laws taking effect Jan. 1 cover many topics, including health, law enforcement and youth. There's even one for state history buffs.
... more. |
Illinoisans can be forgiven for having a sense of dÃjà vu. The six-month spending plan passed by the General Assembly at the end of June expired at midnight Saturday.
As of now, state lawmakers aren't due to return to Springfield until Jan. 9 for what would be a very abbreviated lame-duck session where outgoing lawmakers could still vote on a new state spending plan and elements ... more. |
If you would like to like to donate to the AG-SOLVE PAC please make checks payable to:
AG-SOLVE PAC
14171 Carole Dr.
Bloomington, Illinois 61705
If you would like to donate by credit card or have any other questions regarding the AG-SOLVE PAC please contact KJ Johnson at 217-369-1669.
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Sen. DAVE KOEHLER, D-Peoria, sort of stepped in it the other day.
Appearing on a Peoria television public affairs program, Koehler said funding for K-12 schools should be held up until there is agreement on a full state budget.
"I'm a believer this year that if we're really serious about getting the budget done, we don't separate out and fund K-12 for a whole year and then have ... more. |
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Democratic-controlled General Assembly may not have approved a full year’s budget in 2016, but they did manage to agree on nearly 200 laws that go into effect when the new year begins.
Here’s a look at 17 new Illinois laws for 2017:
1. Battling opioid and heroin addiction
Following up on landmark legislation from 2015, lawmakers passed two measures ... more. |
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner sent two clear signals when he dumped $50 million into his campaign fund: The 2018 race for Illinois governor will be a rough one, and the contest starts now.
What's still unknown is which Democrats will try to unseat the multimillionaire former businessman. Among those contemplating a bid are U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, businessman Chris Kennedy, state Sen. Andy Manar and ... more. |
The company says Engenia reduces drift by 70% compared to Clarity—with a greater reduction when compared to Banvel. It’s still important to read and follow label directions to reduce risk of off-target movement.
“Soybean and cotton growers now have a new tool at their disposal to manage glyphosate-resistant weeds,” said Neil Bentley, director of marketing, U.S. Crop, BASF. The n ... more. |
Whether a beginner, a serious aviation enthusiast, or just a fan of gadgets, many of you will have received drones as Christmas gifts.
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have surged in popularity and affordability in recent years, and there's no doubt that recreational drone use is on the rise as a result.
But not all recreational drone users know the law — or if they do, they don&# ... more. |
Industry groups in a legal battle over the Environmental Protection Agency’s Waters of the U.S. rule want the U.S. Supreme Court to hear their challenge, instead of going through district court first. The groups took issue with the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision that it should hear petitions challenging the rule. Industry groups, such as the National Association of Manufacturers, argues the Supr ... more. |
The American Agronomic Stewardship Alliance (AASA) has completed its 12th year of inspecting bulk agricultural retail facilities. This program helps ensure compliance and stewardship of pesticide handling and storage.
The AASA is a not-for-profit organization governed by a board that includes pesticide manufacturers, distributors, retailers and a state ag department advisor. AASA conducts a national st ... more. |
A federal judge has given the Environmental Protection Agency more time to work with states on limiting their runoff of chemicals blamed for oxygen-depleted “dead zones” in the Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere.
Scientists say nitrogen and phosphorus carried down the Mississippi River stimulate plankton blooms that decompose on the sea floor each summer, using up so much oxygen that life cannot ... more. |
Six weeks after the election, Donald Trump has yet to name an Agriculture secretary, and the farmers who helped him win the White House are getting anxious.
The contenders they’ve seen visiting Trump Tower and Mar-a-Lago aren’t from the inner circle of farmers, agriculture officials and businessmen who vouched for Trump on the campaign trail, members of his farm advisory team say. Instead t ... more. |
A farmworker safety rule scheduled to go into effect Jan. 1 needs to be delayed a year because EPA has not told states how to implement it, the American Farm Bureau Federation and National Association of State Departments of Agriculture said today.
In a petition filed with the agency, AFBF and NASDA claim EPA violated the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) by failing to deliver ... more. |
IFCA members are well represented in Springfield and in Washington D.C. KJ Johnson provides an update on bills that we are watching and you can access that area of our website at www.ifca.com then click on "Legislation" to view House of Senate Bills of Interest.
This year we are supporting legislation to change the pesticide applicator and operator licenses to a 3 year license instead of a ... more. |
IFCA Convention
January 17 - 18, 2017
Peoria Civic Center
Peoria, IL
If your company is interested in exhibiting at the 2017 IFCA Annual Convention please read the documents below and return the application to exhibit form.
2017 Exhibitor Cover Letter
2017 Exhibitor Prospectus
2017 Application to Exhibit
2017 Worker Regist ... more. |
The IFCA Board of Directors and Staff thank you for demonstrating your commitment to our industry's 4R efforts. With your help, our industry will ensure leadership and common sense policy regarding nutrient use in Illinois.
The 4R Pledge is all about education, not about regulation. We are expected to reduce nitrogen losses by 15% and phosphorus losses by 25% by the year 2025 and with your help at the local ... more. |
We've set the dates and locations for the Spring 2017 anhydrous ammonia safety schools. They are:
February 21 at the Mendota Civic Center
February 22 at the Holiday Inn, East Peoria
February 23 at the Holiday Inn, Quincy
February 24 at Poes Catering in Springfield
February 27 at the Pavilion in Marion
February 28 at the KC Hall in Effingham
March 1 at Unique Suites in Charleston
March 2 at the A ... more. |
In 1993, IFCA was part of a coalition that passed legislation to ensure that the regulation of pesticides was solely the responsibility of the Illinois Department of Agriculture. This law is commonly referred to as "Pesticide Preemption." At that time, the City of Chicago asked to be exempt and that was the compromise we made to ensure uniform pesticide regulation for the rest of the state. This w ... more. |
This is the sixth year of The Fertilizer Institute's4R Advocate Program, and Illinois continues to be well represented with 4R Advocates. This year, two IFCA members and their farmer customer will join the list of advocates, and attend the 2017 Commodity Classic to representthe 4R effort. The winners from Illinois this year are:
Jay Huebener of CHS in Shipman, Illinois and his custome ... more. |
This week, the District Court in Washington D.C. ruled unanimously to deny the petition by OSHA to revisit the Court's earlier decision that stopped OSHA from moving forward with the Process Safety Management (PSM) rule on ag retailers who store anhydrous ammonia. This decision by the court ends the appeal process for OSHA, unless they Agency decides to appeal the decision to the US Supreme Court. O ... more. |
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner said Wednesday he'll resume talks with the four legislative leaders when the Democrats are ready to be serious about negotiating.
"In the meetings, it's been clear that there was a lack of sincere negotiations," Rauner said after an appearance at the Department of Corrections to acknowledge training programs given to Correction's officers to deal with inmates su ... more. |
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack dished out strong medicine to fellow Democrats in the wake of the 2016 election: Stop writing off rural America.
This advice came after President-elect Donald Trump racked up nearly 85 percent of the rural vote and 74 percent of the vote in small towns, while narrowly carrying the suburbs and medium-sized towns with 49 percent.
Vilsack's is sound ad ... more. |
It’s among the first votes the new Illinois General Assembly will take next year: whether or not to re-elect longtime House Speaker Michael Madigan to his post.
It’s normally a breeze, but this year, several Democratic lawmakers are facing scrutiny from their constituents upset at the speaker’s role in the ongoing budget impasse.
Could Republicans and some Democrats actua ... more. |
Farmers in southern Illinois are sought now to help add the region to the University of Illinois’ Maximum Return to Nitrogen map.
“We recognize now that southern Illinois was getting the short end of effort and was not represented in this effort,” Jean Payne explained at the recent Southern Illinois Fertilizer and Pesticide Conference.
Payne is president of the Illinois F ... more. |
Companies that make bug-killing chemicals and natural remedies are racing to take advantage of restrictions on neonics, a type of insecticide popular with farmers but blamed for harming bees and mayflies.
Global sales of neonicotinoids, or neonics, were $3.01 billion last year, accounting for almost 18 percent of the global insecticides market, according to consultancy Phillips McDougall.
... more. |
Gov. Asa Hutchinson will soon have to choose between the recommendations of his own Plant Board or the wishes of Monsanto, the St. Louis-based seed giant.
The issue is dicamba -- or, rather, the misuse of it.
Some farmers illegally sprayed the herbicide this summer, damaging thousands of acres of cotton, soybeans, fruits and vegetables in Arkansas and neighboring states. The federal Enviro ... more. |
Genetically modified crops may not be popular among certain aspects of the population, but those responsible for their growth see the technology as an essential tool.
A survey of 282 U.S. farmers shows 98 percent of them think GMO seeds - typically bred to be resistant to things like certain crop protection chemicals - are the best way to lessen their environmental footprint, and 69 percent believe the ... more. |
Environmental Protection Agency officials received a mixed message from scientists assembled to review evidence of whether glyphosate is a human carcinogen.
The members of a Scientific Advisory Panel concluded their four-day meeting in Arlington, Virginia, by offering opinions on EPA's conclusion that the active ingredient in Roundup, the world's most widely used herbicide, is “not likely ... more. |
Take The Pledge
Minimize Environmental Impact, Optimize Harvest Yield, Maximize Input Utilization
4R Nutrient Stewardship considers the agronomic, economic, environmental and social dimensions of nutrient management and is essential to sustainability of our Illinois agricultural production systems. The concept of the 4R system is to apply and/or recommend the right source of nutrient, at t ... more. |
I PLEDGE, as the representative of our company, that we will support the IFCA 4R Code of Practice and work to educate our employees and our customers on 4R methods outlined in the Code to improve nutrient use efficiency and reduce nutrient losses to the environment. We will also support IFCA with information to help build industry metrics on adoption of 4R practices to share with other nutrient stakeholders to ... more. |
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Nitrogen on Corn in 2016: A First Look
Written by Emerson Nafziger
The 2016 cropping season was a good one in Illinois, with planting a little ahead of normal and good May moisture and temperatures to get the crop off to a good start. June was warm and, in most parts of Illinois, drier than normal; parts of western Illinois received less than an inch of rainfall for the month. Temperatures and rainfall return ... more. |
IFCA Sites
IFCA has several participating sites that provide live information complimenting the research that Dr Nafziger discusses.
Click on the site markers for more info.
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Dr. Nafziger at the University of Illinois has summarized findings from the 2016 Nitrogen Rate Trials, many of which were organized and implemented by IFCA's Dan Schaefer, who works closely with UI to help facilitate on-farm research funded by NREC. Click here to access the latest UI bulletin and learn about nitrogen uptake in 2016, and thoughts on 2017. IFCA will post the response curves from ... more. |
Our friends at the Illinois Soybean Association will announce their first ever "Soybean Master Adviser" at the Soybean Summit in Peoria, IL on February 16, 2017. They've asked us to inform our members of this opportunity to nominate advisers for this award. Please click here to access the nomination form. Nominations will be accepted until January 15, 2017.
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Hopefully you've noticed that we have remodeled our website at www.ifca.com. Important new features highlight the efforts of our Keep it 4R Crop Program and the always useful "Regulations" section on our website. As with all remodeling projects, it is a work in progress and we are working daily to enhance the site. Each month we will feature a photo of one of our members on the home page, so s ... more. |
With new dicamba and 2,4-D post-application useon soybeans coming to the marketplace, there is a lot of activity occurring. With at least one post-application dicamba formulation now registered for use in 2017 on soybeans, several states are taking actions to ensure judicious use in light of the misuse that occurred in Missouri and Arkansas last year. Indiana is proposing rules to require that all ... more. |
Sen. Pat Roberts (R, KS), chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, is one federal lawmaker I trust almost blindly. If Roberts were to look me in the eye, tell me the best thing I could do for American agriculture is strip, paint myself blue and go stand on the Washington Mall, there’d be another naked blue aggie standing between the Capitol Building and the Washington Monument.
Robert del ... more. |
The House has passed legislation that updates the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) for the next two years.
The Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act, which includes WRDA, was approved by a wide margin and authorizes about $12 billion in new construction projects and $170 million for the water crisis in Flint, Michigan.
Passage by the Senate could be as early as ... more. |
Thanks to the joint efforts of the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) and The Fertilizer Institute, OSHA’s attempt to apply its Process Safety Management (PSM) Standard to agricultural retailers did not go into effect last month. Instead, because the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled against OSHA in late September, the memo narrowing the interpretation of “retail&rdq ... more. |
President-elect Donald Trump announced Thursday that he plans to nominate Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt – an outspoken critic of the EPA – to lead the environmental agency.
"For too long, the Environmental Protection Agency has spent taxpayer dollars on an out-of-control anti-energy agenda that has destroyed millions of jobs, while also undermining our incredible farmers and many ... more. |
Preparing to make public appearances Thursday in Ohio and Iowa, President-elect Donald Trump nominated restaurant chain executive Andy Puzder to be Labor secretary.
"Andy will fight to make American workers safer and more prosperous by enforcing fair occupational safety standards and ensuring workers receive the benefits they deserve, and he will save small businesses from the crushing burdens of unnec ... more. |
Who says nothing new is coming out of those meetings between Gov. BRUCE RAUNER and the four legislative leaders?
There was a whole new twist last week. A meeting that had been scheduled was rather abruptly canceled. But this time, it wasn't House Speaker MICHAEL MADIGAN backing out because of a scheduling conflict.
No, this time it was Rauner who pulled the plug. His reason? He wants a ... more. |
With budget negotiations stalled, it’s becoming more likely that Gov. Bruce Rauner and the state’s top legislative leaders won’t reach an agreement before the end of the calendar year, when the state’s current stopgap spending plan expires.
If a budget deal isn’t reached before then, the state will lose spending authority for a variety of important services, like public co ... more. |
Dan Schaefer, IFCA Director of Nutrient Stewardship (CCA, CPAg, 4RNMS)
The late July 2016 N-WATCH test results reflect what most of the N-WATCH sites in the overall program show, which is a minimal amount of plant-available nitrogen remaining in the upper 0-1 feet of the soil profile. This is expected based upon N-WATCH results at this time of the year, and is consistent with what we have seen in the past three ... more. |
Over the past three years, nitrate levels that exceed drinking-water standards have been recorded in Lake Vermilion, Aqua Illinois officials told Vermilion County landowners Thursday.
David Cronk, production manager for the company that provides water from the lake to Danville and other area towns, said nitrate levels seemed to be on the decline prior to 2012, a drought year, but shot up in 2013, remai ... more. |
Many eyes were on the Arkansas state pesticide board Nov. 21 as officials that oversee pesticide regulations wrestled with decisions on dicamba herbicide. At the end of a packed, three-hour public meeting, the Arkansas Plant Board voted to push measures toward that state's governor that would ban some forms of the herbicide and limit how and when newer dicamba formulations are used in the state.
Th ... more. |
President-elect Donald Trump continues his search for key cabinet members this week, while lawmakers look to finish their work for the year by passing a stopgap spending bill to keep the government running into next year.
Congressional negotiators also are trying to wrap up a new Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) that could be passed as the 114th Congress comes to an end, likely this week. The 115 ... more. |
A multibillion-dollar subsidy for power giant Exelon Corp. to keep two unprofitable nuclear plants in Illinois operating during the next 13 years was on its way to a supportive Gov. Bruce Rauner Thursday after days of rushed negotiations and hours of contentious debate by lawmakers.
The Senate endorsed the measure, SB2814, praised as a forward-looking, clean-energy plan and lambasted as a bailout for a ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner said Thursday he won’t support any more stopgap budgets unless lawmakers approve a permanent property tax freeze and vote to put a term-limit amendment on the 2018 ballot.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page, the Republican governor said House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, is insisting that another stopgap spending plan be approved without reforms Rauner has been in ... more. |
It’s been less than a month since the end of the elections and already state lawmakers seem to be barreling right into the next one.
Illinois legislative leaders made little progress toward a state budget agreement Sunday, after meeting for the second straight day at Gov. Bruce Rauner’s offices in Chicago. However, GOP Senate leader Christine Radogno says the lack of progress is a strategy ... more. |
Homeless shelters in Illinois and low-income college students who rely on state funds are facing another year of financial uncertainty as Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and majority Democratic lawmakers remain unable to make progress on resolving a budget war.
Several meetings during the past month have only served to prove how far apart the two sides are: Rauner, a former venture capitalist who took off ... more. |
Jean Payne
President
Email :jeanp@ifca.com
Kevin Johnson
Director of Government & Industry Relations
Email :kj@ifca.com
Dan Schaefer
Director of Nutrient Stewardship
Email :dan@ifca.com
Leslie Forrest
Office and Membership ... more. |
Peoria Civic Center. Go to "Convention" menu to register.
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Have your farmers sign this document and keep it on file to assure they are using tax-free ag inputs for production agriculture uses only.
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Click here for the rules, application form and instructions to apply for an Illinoispollution control facility property tax credit for your agrichemical containment systems.
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Organizations representing the fertilizer and drainage industry have teamed up to promote best management practices this fall.
The Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association and the Illinois Land Improvement Contractors Association urge farmers to take steps this fall to improve nutrient utilization and protect water quality by following recommended fertilizer application and drainage practices.
& ... more. |
In a stunning blow to the Obama administration's economic legacy, a federal judge in Texas granted a preliminary injunction Tuesday delaying implementation of a regulation that would extend overtime eligibility to an estimated 4.2 million workers.
The ruling puts in serious jeopardy the most significant wage intervention by President Barack Obama, who has been unable to persuade Congress to increas ... more. |
Seeds coated with neonicotinoid insecticides will continue to be exempt from regulation under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, following a federal judge's ruling Monday in a lawsuit brought by beekeepers and environmental groups.
A 2013 guidance document issued to EPA staff investigating bee deaths is not subject to legal review, U.S. District Judge William Alsup found.
& ... more. |
Dr. Emerson Nafziger of the University of Illinois has provided an update on nitrogen uptake and yield response for the 2016 crop. This bulletin discusses Dr. Nafziger's analysis of on-farm nitrogen rate trials conducted throughout Illinois and made possible by funding from the Nutrient Research & Education Council (NREC).
Dan Schaefer of IFCA provides support for this research, working in co ... more. |
The Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has released a final report and a video on their findings regarding the explosion at West Fertilizer in April 2013. Their findings are interesting and the video provides an animation of the event as it occurred. We encourage our members to take 12 minutes of your day to watch the video. Among the CSB findings are that communities establish zoning to keep houses, bus ... more. |
Please be a part of a national stewardship initiative to ensure safety and security at all bulk fertilizer storage facilities by registering your facility in the new Responsible Ag program. Go to www.ResponsibleAg.orgto learn more about the program; if you wish to assess your level of regulatory compliance prior to a Responsible Ag auditor vising your location, there is a compliance assessment too ... more. |
IFCA offers options for farmers to learn about safe handling of anhydrous ammonia.
Online Anhydrous Ammonia Safety Awareness Program
IFCA in cooperation with Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Corn Growers Association and Illinois Department of Agriculture have developed a new online anhydrous ammonia safety awareness program for farmers. Funded by a grant from the Illinois Nutrient ... more. |
IFCA offers online training for retailers.
Anhydrous Ammonia Permit Training
This online training program is for employees at companies that have bulk anhydrous ammonia storage tanks at their facility. Illinois Department of Agriculture requires “Competent Attendant” training once every three years for employees that handle, store, transfer or transport anhydrous ammonia at a ... more. |
IFCA offers several types of online training.
Training for Retailers
This online training program is for employees at companies that have bulk anhydrous ammonia storage tanks at their facility. Illinois Department of Agriculture requires “Competent Attendant” training once every three years for employees that handle, store, transfer or transport anhydrous ammonia at any bulk ... more. |
Same-day voter registration will be allowed in Illinois in the general election because an appeals court ruled Friday that a challenge to the law won't be resolved until after Nov. 8.
The decision from the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals not to expedite the case means the legal wrangling between a conservative group and the state won't impact this election, but the question of wh ... more. |
You've probably heard the bad news by now that bees were recently added to the endangered species list for the first time. But if you're part of the 60 percent of people who share stories without actually reading them, you might have missed an important detail: namely, that the newly endangered bees are a handful of relatively obscure species who live only in Hawaii.
The bees you&# ... more. |
Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), have become synonymous with death and destruction. Then again, as UAVs have become more affordable and ubiquitous, they have also been adapted for diverse applications – ranging from the quixotic (hurricane-hunting, Amazon delivery) to the recreational (photography and videography) and the utilitarian (3D mapping, remote-sensing, policing and disaster management) ... more. |
EPA has finalized the membership of the panel that will examine the carcinogenic potential of glyphosate.
The list of scientific experts was posted without fanfare on EPA's Scientific Advisory Panel website today. The agency also has posted the agenda for the meeting, which will take place Oct. 18-21 at the Office of Pesticide Programs building in Crystal City, Va.
T ... more. |
This article is the fourth in a seven-part series that Agri-Pulse is publishing to give readers perspective on the history and status of the many parts of America's infrastructure and improvements needed to help farmers and ranchers remain competitive and prosperous.
The next time you bite into a piece of fruit, grill a steak, or spoon into a carton of yogurt, consider how the item got ... more. |
Illinois voters overwhelmingly support both term limits and legislative redistricting reform, two of the measures Gov. Bruce Rauner wants lawmakers to approve this fall.
The results were part of a new poll of 865 likely voters conducted by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University.
The poll asked if respondents would support or oppose a proposal to limit ... more. |
A Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. recently ruled the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) violated federal law when it issued an enforcement memorandum last summer pushing more regulation on some ag retailers regarding handling and storage of anhydrous ammonia.
The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) and The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) said the court’ ... more. |
Darrell Shook is not the first to ask what Des Moines Water Works does with the nitrates it filters from drinking water.
“I've heard that they put the nitrates back in the river at the allowable rate. If this is true, are they not causing a problem for water users downstream?” the retired farmer writes. “If this is not true, I think your readers would be interested in knowing ... more. |
Illinois has become the third state behind Arkansas and Tennessee to confirm PPO inhibitor resistance in Palmer amaranth.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale, in coordination with testing by the University of Illinois, recently confirmed the protoporphyrinogen oxidase resistance after three populations showed control failure after treatment with active ingredients fomesafen or lectofen ... more. |
IFCA's partnership with the Asmark Institute provides a myriad of hands-on safety and regulatory compliance training programs for our members. The Ammonia Technician Course taught by John Rebholz is extremely popular and highly recommended for anyone who works with ammonia systems. Asmark recently added an "OSHA Ag 30" course which covers the most important OSHA requirements at an ag retail facil ... more. |
If you are interested in serving on the IFCA Legislative/Regulatory committee drop KJ Johnson an email at kj@ifca.com or call us at 309.827.2774. This committee reviews IFCA's legislative policies and current regulatory issues to provide input to the IFCA Board of Directors on initiatives to help assure good legislative and regulatory policy and outcomes for our members. KJ plans to get the commi ... more. |
We were sorry to learn last week that Dorothy Trainor, the wife of Jack Trainor and mother of Mike Trainor of Trainor Grain & Supply in Forrest, passed away as a result of a vehicle accident on September 28. We send our condolences to the Trainor family and ask you to keep them in your prayers. To view Dorothy's obituary, please click here.
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As thoughts turn to the fall fertilizer season, please help to support the IFCA 4R Code of Practice. The practices defined in the Code outline our industry's commitment to the 4Rs of nutrient stewardship and support sound agronomic practices for both fall and spring fertilizer application. Click here to access the Code of Practice. Many lakes in Illinois saw improvements with lower nitrate ... more. |
Today, October 4, is the last day to submit comments to USEPA on the re-registration of atrazine. Comments are due by midnight tonight.
Before you leave the office, or before you say your bedtime prayers, please take just a few minutes to send in a comment supporting this herbicide and the vital role it has played in crop production in Illinois. It's simple and easy to send i ... more. |
U.S. Senator Ron Johnson is stepping into the controversial argument over the Environmental Protection Agency's efforts to ban atrazine in farming practices. The Oshkosh Republican, who's in a tough race for re-election this fall, wrote EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy about her agency's recent draft risk assessment that recommended increasing the restrictions on the commonly used herbicide.
... more. |
Since his inauguration, Gov. Bruce Rauner has consciously aped Washington, D.C.'s notoriously noxious battle to “win” the daily media spin cycle. The Republican has a set base of talking points based on tried and true poll-tested topics, and he rarely if ever deviates.
While Chicago suffered through its most violent summer in decades, the governor routinely focused his public comme ... more. |
President Obama on Thursday signed a short-term measure to keep the government funded through Dec. 9, ahead of the Friday deadline to prevent a government shutdown.
Mr. Obama signed the spending measure, which extends current spending levels for most of the government, before heading to Israel to attend former Israeli President Shimon Peres’s funeral.
Congress pass ... more. |
S&P Global Ratings dropped Illinois' credit rating one notch to BBB on Friday and warned it could fall further absent a long-term solution that deals with the state's chronic structural budget deficit and pension woes.
"The downgrade reflects our view of continued weak financial management and increased long-term and short-term pressures tied to declining pension funded levels, ... more. |
Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup weedkiller and the most widely used herbicide in the world, “is unlikely to pose a carcinogenic risk to humans,” a new study by a panel of scientists has found. Glyphosate manufacturer Monsanto commissioned the study from Intertek Scientific & Regulatory Consultancy in Canada, which assembled the 15-member panel.
Monsanto underto ... more. |
The House approved a $5 billion water infrastructure bill Wednesday, setting the stage for negotiations with the Senate on a compromise version that can be passed after the election.
A $10.6 billion Water Resources Development Act that the Senate passed earlier this month includes authorization for drinking water projects that are not included in the House legislation, which passed 3 ... more. |
The state Plant Board on Friday voted to restrict the use of certain herbicides in the state after some farmers this summer illegally sprayed the weedkiller dicamba and damaged their neighbors' crops.
The issue now goes up for a 30-day public comment period and then to a public hearing, which the board set for 1:30 p.m. Nov. 21. The governor and the state Legislature will have final sa ... more. |
On Wednesday, August 31 at the Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington, IFCA is hosting a Transportation Workshop and there will be presenters from the Illinois State Police, IDOT Division of Traffic Safety, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, the Illinois Secretary of State and the Illinois Department of Agriculture. We'll have indoor s ... more. |
Click below for the proposed rule changes to the Illinois Anhydrous Ammonia Regulations and announcement of the public comment period.
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Click here to view the 2016 Pesticide Container Recycling schedule and instructions for cleaning containers.
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Last week, Ken Smithson, who retired from Syngenta just this past April, died suddenly at the age of 68. Ken was from Bloomington, IL and spent his entire career in the crop protection industry, through many mergers and changes, no doubt because of how skilled he was at building great relationships, being a good listener, having a great attitude about agriculture and about life, and deeply caring about the ... more. |
Next week, the IL Department of Agriculture is hosting a series of three workshops to review the requirements of the new Illinois Anhydrous Ammonia Regulations with the industry. These workshops are free to attend and run from 8:30 am to Noon. Click here to see the agenda that lists the dates, locations and subjects that will be covered and the speakers. Don't miss this opportunity to learn ... more. |
IFCA and other interest groups are working with the Illinois Department of Agriculture as IDA prepares a voluntary plan to protect pollinators in Illinois and improve pollinator habitat. Good communication between hive owners, farmers and pesticide applicators is essential to protecting bees. Fieldwatch, which is the program that houses both Driftwatch and BeeCheck, is a free, on-line tool that allow ... more. |
Please send comments to USEPA on the re-registration of atrazine, they are due by October 4, 2016. It is simple to do by following the steps below, and IFCA has developed a sample letter for you to customize to your business and send to USEPA.
Without public input on this issue, our industry could lose a valuable crop protection product for unjustified reasons. Click here to view ... more. |
As thousands of commercial drones take to the skies under new Federal Aviation Administration rules, some small operators are pursuing a coveted exemption that would allow them to fly their drones where they can't be seen by the pilot.
The companies who want them say the so-called line-of-sight exemptions are essential to someday use drones for such tasks as cleanup and repair after st ... more. |
The rusty patched bumble bee is one step closer to becoming the first bee in the continental United States to be protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Its range has shrunk by 92 percent since the 1990s, a major reason that the Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to list it as endangered. The service's proposed listing rule was issued today and will be published in the Federal ... more. |
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration acted illegally when it imposed new safety requirements on fertilizer dealers without giving them a chance to comment, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Friday.
In its decision, the court ruled that OSHA acted outside the bounds of the Occupational Safety and Health Act when it redefined “retail facility” exemptions to the ... more. |
CLINTON BACKS WOTUS: Hillary Clinton has made it crystal clear that she backs the EPA’s waters of the U.S. rule, which attempts to clarify the types of water the agency can regulate under the Clean Water Act. The Democratic presidential nominee made what appears to be her first public endorsement of the controversial rule in a written statement to Farm Futures published this week. Clinton said she supp ... more. |
Lawmakers are eager to get home to campaign but first have to take care of some critical unfinished business this week, starting with a stopgap spending bill to keep the government running after the new fiscal year starts on Saturday.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell introduced a continuing resolution last week that would fund the government until Dec. 9, but Democrats promptly denounced the ... more. |
This morning, September 23, 2016, the US Court of Appeals in Washington D.C. agreed with the Ag Retailers Association and The Fertilizer Institute that OSHA did not follow proper procedures in determining that ag retail anhydrous ammonia facilities are subject to Process Safety Management (PSM) regulations. The court's decision is summarized here:
"Under our decisions, when an action by ... more. |
U.S. lawmakers expressed concern on Tuesday over a wave of mergers among companies that sell farmers their seeds, herbicides and insecticides, worrying that the deals could lead to higher prices and less innovation at a time of dropping farm incomes.
Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, said the proposed mergers of Dow and DuPont, Bayer and Monsanto and Syngenta and Che ... more. |
A group of environmental organizations is pushing for a law that requires elementary schools in Illinois to test for high levels of lead in drinking fountains, sinks and other water sources because they say school districts aren’t likely to test without prodding.
Lead, which is particularly dangerous for young children, can cause behavioral problems, learning disabilities and other h ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner pledged Monday to continue rooting out improper patronage hiring at the same time his lawyers were attempting to block a federal court monitor's expanded review of all state administration jobs.
The Republican again trumpeted getting rid of the clout-packed "staff assistant" position at the Illinois Department of Transportation - the remaining 29 were fired last week ... more. |
A water provider escalated its fight against farmers last week, taking the battle over who should shoulder the costs of pollution before the highest court in Iowa, where nitrates from crop fertilizers have pitted the agriculture industry against water suppliers in a protracted water-quality battle.
The case brought by Des Moines Water Works asked the Iowa Supreme Court to decide ”whe ... more. |
Senators look to pass a long-stalled child nutrition bill as soon as this week and also will grill top executives of seed and chemical units about the impact of a series of planned mergers on the farm economy.
The bipartisan nutrition bill would reauthorize nutrition programs for five years, would ease rules on sodium and on whole grains but broadly preserves the school meal standards the Obama ad ... more. |
Iowa’s organic farms, vineyards, apiaries and other non-conventional farms surrounded by row crops treated with pesticides are at risk of being hit with drifting spray that can hurt their farms.
The drift comes from misuse on neighboring farms, mostly the result of someone not following the label instructions on a pesticide, including requirements that a product not be used if wind speeds ar ... more. |
No chemical used by farmers, it seems, gets more attention than glyphosate, also known by its trade name, Roundup. That's mainly because it is a cornerstone of the shift to genetically modified crops, many of which have been modified to tolerate glyphosate. This, in turn, persuaded farmers to rely on this chemical for easy control of their weeds. (Easy, at least, until weeds evolved to become immune to g ... more. |
The Republicans have been saying behind the scenes that they have put four Democratic state Senators "on the bubble"—Tom Cullerton in DuPage County, Melinda Bush in Lake County, Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant in Will County and Gary Forby in deep southern Illinois.
Understandably, Senate President John Cullerton does not agree.
"If it wasn't for Donald Trump maybe fo ... more. |
The stack of bills owed by the state to Springfield hospitals, doctors and dentists for the care of state workers and retirees totals at least $160 million and sets new records with each passing month.
“This is unprecedented, without an end in sight,” said Mark Kuhn, chief administrative officer of Springfield Clinic, which is owed $60 million.
The payment ba ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency set a goal of issuing a decision on Monsanto’s new dicamba products by the end of this year. The products are designed to be used with the Roundup Ready Xtend crops. However, the approval process has been bogged down by reports of farmers using an older version of the herbicide and have done some damage in nearby crops that aren’t resistant to the weed killer. In A ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner put together a foundation last month to tap outside contributors for badly needed repairs to the state's fairgrounds, marking another instance in which the Republican former venture capitalist says the private sector can help the financially strapped state.
But an Associated Press review of similar efforts shows that it will be far from a quick fix. Private foundation ... more. |
“Six Weed Management Predictions to Keep You Up at Night” was among the topics featured at the recent University of Illinois Agronomy Day.
Patrick Tranel, Department of Crop Sciences professor, delivered the bad news of what has happened and most likely will be happening in farmers’ battle with weeds.
“The problem with weeds is that they’re ... more. |
Iowans would pay higher state sales taxes to finance improvements in water quality and other natural resources programs under a new lobbying initiative endorsed Monday by a group of Iowa business and conservation leaders.
Organizers said they are launching a larger and stronger Iowa’s Water and Land Legacy Coalition that will propose raising the state sales tax by three-eighths of 1 cent in ... more. |
The Illinois Supreme Court said Tuesday it will not reconsider its ruling earlier this month to keep a proposed remap amendment to the Illinois Constitution off the Nov. 8 ballot.
The state’s high court rejected a request from Independent Maps that it reconsider its decision – on a 4-3 party-line vote – that the remap amendment did not meet the narrow criteria of the stat ... more. |
Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan’s decadeslong reign has culminated in recent years with a steep decline in economic opportunity for working-class Illinoisans and a cratering of the state’s financial position. Despite this track record, Madigan describes himself as the defender of the middle class against tax and regulatory reforms because he claims, without citing any evidence, that reforms would ... more. |
In its water quality lawsuit, Des Moines Water Works is fighting a longstanding precedent protecting drainage districts from lawsuits.
Arguments in front of the Iowa Supreme Court on Wednesday could determine whether Des Moines Water Works can win financial damages for nitrate pollution flowing into the Raccoon River.
A ruling in favor of the central Iowa utility could s ... more. |
It's not too late to register for the Fall IFCA and IL Dept of Ag competent attendant training courses for anhydrous ammonia. Illinois law requires anyone who handles ammonia or works on ammonia equipment to be trained at least once every three years by attending an IDA approved training program. The course schedule for the upcoming classes is:
September 19 at the Asmark Agricenter ... more. |
The dates for the IFCA Annual Meeting and Convention are January 17-19, 2017 at the Peoria Civic Center in Peoria, IL. Please mark your calendars and watch for more information from IFCA.
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A new era in agriculture opened on Monday as the Federal Aviation Administration new regulations for routine non-recreational use of small unmanned aircraft, or drones, went into effect.
Companies that want to employ the devices to help farmers check out crop conditions or hunt for missing livestock can do so without going through a ton of red tape. While the regulations require operators ... more. |
Former Gov. Pat Quinn is pitching a legislative redistricting plan he says will meet constitutional muster because it's simpler than previous plans.
The Democrat said at a press conference Tuesday that an 11-member commission appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court should draw political boundaries. He said there should be no more than six members from any one political par ... more. |
A new alliance is focusing on the dollars and cents of water quality for Iowa agriculture.
Click Here to hear more.
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A new alliance is focusing on the dollars and cents of water quality for Iowa agriculture.
Click Here to hear more.
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Moody’s Investors Service on Wednesday issued an ominous report about Illinois’ finances, warning that the lack of a full-year budget will more than double the state’s deficit and could lead to further credit downgrades.
Moody’s is also warning that if the state begins to borrow from debt service funds to run the state, it would “signal a deterioration in Illi ... more. |
As did his father before him, Central Texas farmer Charles Krackau fertilizes his roughly 4,000 acres of corn, milo and wheat fields with anhydrous ammonia stored in a tank on his property.
Because it is the cheapest and most potent form of nitrogen fertilizer around, he also peddles it to a couple neighboring farmers, who come down the road to collect it in two-ton “nurse tank ... more. |
Seeking to reverse a decline in bees and other pollinators, Gov. Mark Dayton issued an executive order Friday that limits the use of nicotine-based pesticides.
The governor's move won praise from environmentalists, but farm groups said it could hurt farmers financially.
Nicotine-based insecticides known as neonicotinoids are effective against a variety of pests, so t ... more. |
Atrazine is the most important herbicide for grain sorghum production and the second most important herbicide for corn production. Farmers attending the No-till Field Day in McPherson County, Kansas, Aug. 16, were encouraged to show their support for atrazine while it is being reviewed by the Environmental Protection Agency.
“Atrazine is up for review again,” Ron Graber, K-Stat ... more. |
An administrative law judge issued a mixed decision this week over whether contract negotiations have stalled between Gov. Bruce Rauner's administration and Illinois' largest public employees union.
Judge Sarah Kerley delivered a 400-page ruling Friday indicating that Rauner's administration should be able to implement some contract provisions but the two sides should return to ... more. |
Last week during MAGIE, the "This Week in Agribusiness" show did a very professional story on the Responsible Ag (RA) program. Tim McArdle of Brandt Consolidated and Andy O'Hare of The Fertilizer Institute were featured in the story which aired this past Saturday on "This Week in Agribusiness." It also features footage from another IFCA member, Northern Partners Cooperative. We encourage yo ... more. |
We recognize that the companies that provide ammonia equipment and plumbing/piping/installation services to our industry will be critical partners in ensuring that changes to ammonia storage locations comply with the new Illinois anhydrous storage regulations as well as OSHA Process Safety Management regulations. Last week after MAGIE ended, IFCA hosted all the contractors at the Asmark Agricenter where we ... more. |
On Wednesday, August 31, IFCA is hosting a Transportation Workshop with speakers from the Illinois State Policy, IDOT Division of Traffic Safety, Illinois Secretary of State, and Federal Motor Carrier and Hazardous Materials Regulations officers. Illinois Dept of Ag will also present on the new ammonia rules as well as provide an overview of recent ammonia related incidents. We have great turn out bu ... more. |
A Missouri Department of Agriculture official says dicamba injury complaints have spread from the state’s Bootheel region and now total about 120. Plant Industries Division Director Judy Grundler says reports of crops injured by the herbicide now originate from parts of the state hundreds of miles to the northwest.
DSCN4816“Complaints are primarily coming from a four coun ... more. |
A divided Illinois Supreme Court narrowly ruled Thursday that a voter referendum seeking to change how Illinois draws political boundaries is unconstitutional, making it ineligible to appear on the Nov. 8 ballot.
The high court, in a 4-3 decision, affirmed the ruling by a Cook County judge who determined the ballot initiative seeking to give legislative mapmaking power to an i ... more. |
An environmental group is seeking to force the Fish and Wildlife Service to act on petitions to protect 417 animals and plants under the Endangered Species Act.
“These 417 species and hundreds of others are being dangerously neglected for no other reasons than bureaucratic inefficiency and lack of political will,” said Noah Greenwald, endangered species director at the Center f ... more. |
China National Chemical Corporation (ChemChina) announced that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. cleared its proposed $43 billion takeover of Syngenta - removing one of the biggest potential obstacles to the deal.
The transaction is advancing as the global seed and pesticide industry undergoes a wave of consolidation.
ChemChina agreed to aquire Syngenta in ... more. |
Federal regulation of the broadleaf herbicide atrazine and safety compliance requirements for retailers of anhydrous fertilizer were among the topics discussed Aug. 17 at a Senate oversight hearing held by Sens. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Joni Ernst of Iowa.
Jim Zimmerman, a board member of the National Corn Growers Association who farms near Rosendale, Wis., testified the EPA’s ca ... more. |
Gov. Mark Dayton issued broad new guidelines Friday designed to restrict the use of a controversial pesticide that has been implicated in the decline of honeybees and other pollinators.
Standing in the Agriculture-Horticulture building at the State Fair, next door to an exhibit hall filled with live bees and honey jars, the governor said his executive order would make Minnesota a leader in ... more. |
Tom Vilsack, the nation’s agriculture secretary and a former governor of Iowa, during an official trip here Wednesday, put the onus on state leaders to develop a broad, well-funded plan to improve water quality soon.
“There are tremendous opportunities here, but it requires our leaders to step up and say, you know what, regardless of our philosophy, regardless of our ideo ... more. |
See the Summer 2016 Keep it 4R Crop Report below and the Spring 2016 edition. The Summer edition features info on the latest soil nitrate levels and the latest on nitrate levels in Illinois drinking water supplies,
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Click here to access the Summer IFCA Keep it 4R Crop Report, where we provide an update on our 4R activities and feature the Ag Retailer in Action, John Musser of Stephenson Service Company.
This summer report features an update (and graphs) of the nitrate levels in the major drinking water lakes including Springfield, Decatur, Vermilion and Bloomington. It's an interesting story. ... more. |
We sold out all the exhibit space at the MAGIE show next week and have great pre-registration sign up. While it's too late to sign up on-line, you can still register at the door for $15 and enjoy the show. MAGIE is August 24 and 25, 2016 at the McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington, IL. Don't miss the great opportunity to see the latest equipment in the ag retail sector, ride and dri ... more. |
Interested in getting on the road with your bike and touring Northern Illinois with your fellow IFCA bikers? The 2016 Mark Stivers IFCA Motorcycle Ride is August 31-September 1. The route will be two land and county roads from Princeton to Savanna, IL and on to Galena to tour the historic downtown area. Lodging will be at the AmericInn Lodge & Suites in Princeton. To register for the ... more. |
“Flag the Technology” helps farmers and pesticide applicators reduce errors and limit off-target herbicide drift, says University of Missouri Extension weed scientist Kevin Bradley.
University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service developed the program in 2011. Growers in Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana are adopting the technology to bring awareness to herbici ... more. |
Soybean farmers in parts of Missouri, Tennessee and Arkansas are experiencing crop damage as a result of what’s believed to be illegal use of dicamba.
The older herbicide has been recently used to help manage glyphosate-resistant weeds.
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, a Missouri Department of Agriculture representative said there’s been more than 10 ... more. |
There is a lot to say about food from genetically modified organisms. During a recent panel discussion, a scientist, a food-company spokesman and farmers agreed they want to keep the research and the conversations going.
“We’re not ashamed we use genetically modified organisms and we think (customers) deserve to know,” said Kelly Johnston, Campbell Soup Company’s vi ... more. |
Brussels has issued a stark warning to the world’s leading agrichemical companies that they will need to make significant concessions in the coming months if they want to complete a wave of mega-mergers.
Margrethe Vestager, the EU’s competition commissioner, on Thursday opened an in-depth investigation into the proposed $130 billion tie-up between Dow and DuPont. The deal betwe ... more. |
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has given the Environmental Protection Agency an additional three months to decide whether to allow continued use of chlorpyrifos.
In a decision issued Friday, Aug. 12, a three-judge panel ordered EPA to make a final decision by March 31, 2017. The court added that it “will not grant any further extensions.” EPA had asked for six more months, an ... more. |
A private foundation has been established to raise money for repairs and upgrades to the state fairgrounds in Springfield and Du Quoin.
Using Ag Day at the Illinois State Fair as a backdrop, Gov. Bruce Rauner announced the formation of the not-for-profit Illinois Fairgrounds Foundation.
The foundation, formed as a 501(c)(3)organization, will raise money from private cont ... more. |
When Illinois voters head to the polls in November, their first ballot question won't involve U.S. presidential candidates, but a measure aimed at preventing transportation-related funding in the state from being used for other purposes.
Here's a look at the proposed constitutional amendment:
WHAT'S THE QUESTION?
Transportation-related fund ... more. |
Do you want to fully understand the myriad of regulations that pertain to the transportation of agricultural products and equipment? Well yes we all would! That's why IFCA is bringing all the regulatory experts from the Illinois State Police, Federal Highway Administration, Illinois Secretary of State, Illinois DOT Traffic Safety Division and the Illinois Department of Ag to the Asmark Agricenter ... more. |
USEPA has issued an advisory explaining the legal ramifications of the use of dicamba herbicides on dicamba tolerant crops. USEPA has not registered any dicamba herbicides for use on new dicamba tolerant crops, but incidents of use in surrounding states prompted this advisory notice. Click here to see the notice. It is a violation of federal and state law to use a product off-label. In Mi ... more. |
This past spring, there were a lot of questions raised about roadside safety checks, nurse tanks crossing state lines, the CDL requirements for various agricultural equipment combinations as well as the new ammonia regulations. To provide our members with direct access to the correct answers to these issues, IFCA is hosting a DOT workshop on August 31 at the Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington. Official ... more. |
IFCA is hosting the 2016 Mark Stivers Memorial Motorcycle Ride on August 31 – September 1, 2016. This year the ride is along a beautiful two lane highway and county roads from Princeton, IL to Savanna, IL to eat lunch at Poopy’s Pub n’ Grub. After lunch you will make the ride to Galena, IL to stop and explore the antique stores and historical downtown. Your day will end with a ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) commends Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) for introducing bipartisan legislation that would require the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to withdraw a July 2015 memorandum that subjected approximately 3,800 agricultural retail facilities that store or handle anhydrous ammonia, a critical nitrogen fertilizer, to the Process Safety Man ... more. |
Nobody has less trust in their state government than Illinoisans.
For years, Gallup polling has placed the Land of Lincoln dead last in the nation on that measure.
Who can blame us?
Illinois is one of the most corrupt states in the country, and contains the nation's most corrupt metropolis. Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago peg t ... more. |
With construction of the Iowa Fertilizer plant in Southeast Iowa reaching 97 percent this month, the company is reaching new milestones in the pre-commissioning phase of its facility.
Later this week, airblows of the pipe and other equipment are scheduled to begin at the plant.
“Air blows are used as a cleaning process for plant equipment and piping,” IFC spo ... more. |
No matter where the heaviest nutrient loss contributors may be located, all farmers statewide are encouraged to meet the voluntary goals in the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy.
Otherwise, all farmers regardless of their contributions to the state’s nutrient losses, may be confronted with mandatory rules, said Lauren Lurkins, Illinois Farm Bureau director of natural and envi ... more. |
Secretary of State Jesse White announced Monday that his office has resumed using U.S. mail to remind Illinois drivers to renew their license plates.
White's office stopping sending the reminders in October amid the state budget impasse. The move led to thousands of motorists forgetting to renew their plates, which resulted in $20 fines for drivers who were caught. Through the first fo ... more. |
A Scientific Advisory Panel convened by EPA said the agency should not rely on a Columbia University epidemiological study to determine safe levels of exposure to chlorpyrifos, a widely used insecticide.
The SAP's concerns, expressed in a report submitted to EPA, echoed those expressed by pesticide manufacturers and commodity groups who said there were too many unanswered questions abo ... more. |
EPA's Environmental Appeals Board has upheld the cancellation of flubendiamide, a Bayer CropScience insecticide sold under the trade name Belt, but will allow existing stocks to be sold by retailers.
The EAB decision, issued late this afternoon, upheld an earlier ruling by an administrative law judge who said Bayer and fellow registrant Nichino America willingly agreed with the terms o ... more. |
President Barack Obama quietly signed into law legislation that prevents states from requiring on-package labeling of genetically modified ingredients, capping an historic win for farm groups, food companies and the biotech industry.
The Senate gave final congressional approval to the measure on July 14 with backing from a majority of both Republicans and Democrats. Senate Agriculture Chai ... more. |
If you have an anhydrous ammonia storage tank at an ag retail facility, you should be preparing for the effective date of the OSHA Process Safety Management regulation which is October 1, 2016. One of the first things you should do is have a diagram of your piping and instrumentation systems at your storage system, called a P&ID. The Asmark Institute offers this service, all you need to do is tak ... more. |
The annual pesticide container recycling program is underway. Go to thewww.ifca.comhomepage to view the dates and locations where you can drop off clean, triple rinsed containers and the types of containers that the IL Dept of Ag will accept.
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The production and use of GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) is one of the most controversial agricultural topics worldwide.
The European Union, for example, doesn’t allow importing GMO corn and soybeans. In the United States, on the other hand, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates GMOs and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) indicates GMO use results in ... more. |
Farming is the kind of job that happens 24 hours a day and seven days a week, year-round. Time on the clock adds up quickly, which is why producers need to educate themselves on the new final rule on overtime pay within the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.
Agriculture workers are exempt, but some people on your payroll might be subject to the rules that go into effect Dec. 1—particu ... more. |
Bipartisan legislation recently introduced by U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) would rollback federal standards that could add production costs and bring uncertainty to farmers.
The Fertilizer Access and Responsible Management (FARM) Act, introduced by Fischer and U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), would prevent federal standards handed down by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration ( ... more. |
Congress may have wiped its hands of the GMO labeling bill it sent to the White House last week, but the fight is far from over.
Over the next two years, the Department of Agriculture will be the new battleground in the GMO-labeling war as it implements the nationwide labeling requirements. Every organization from the Grocery Manufacturers Association to the Environmental Working Group is ... more. |
After a long delay, the European Union has approved three biotech soybean traits for import and processing, according to the U.S. Soybean Export Council.
The stacked even ts are:
• Monsanto's Roundup Ready 2 Xtend (MON87708 x MON89788, with dicamba and glyphosate tolerance. It is approved in China and is being planted by U.S. farmers.)
• Monsant ... more. |
The Illinois Supreme Court agreed Friday to quickly take up a case challenging the constitutionality of a ballot measure that could alter the way Illinois draws its political maps.
Just two days after a Cook County judge ruled the redistricting question was unconstitutional for November's ballot, the state's high court granted an emergency motion for direct appeal and set a briefin ... more. |
A group waging an aggressive legal battle to keep a redistricting question off November's Illinois ballot hasn't reported a single donation or expense since it became a political committee last summer, adding to the mystery of who is funding the effort and paying its legal bills.
The People's Map, comprised of business and community leaders who say they represent the interests ... more. |
As the October 1, 2016 compliance deadline for the OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) rules nears, one of the things that you must have in place is a Piping & Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID) of your ammonia storage system. The P&ID as well as a block flow diagram of your installation benefits your employees as well as contractors in understanding your ammonia process. The Asmark Institut ... more. |
The Midwest Ag Industries Exposition (MAGIE) is August 24-25, 2016 at the McLean County Fairgrounds. You can register on-line for the pre-registration cost of $12. After August 12 the price increases to $15 per person. Click here to register for MAGIE.
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The IFCA and IL Dept of Ag will offer five anhydrous ammonia safety training classes this September for those who need to be certified as a competent attendant. The dates and locations are:
September 19 in Bloomington @ Asmark Agricenter
September 20 in Rock Falls @ The Days Inn
September 21 in Galesburg @ The Best Western
September 22 in Springfield @ Poes Catering on the Hill
... more. |
The IFCA Golf Outing at Seneca's Oak Ridge in LaSalle, IL is next Thursday, July 21. It's not too late to sign up, so please call our office at 309.827.2774 as soon as possible if you are interested. Even if you don't have a foursome we will find other fun IFCA members or staff for you to golf with. The second golf outing is July 28 in Windsor, IL. Proceeds from the golf outin ... more. |
Both the US Senate and House have passed a bill setting a federal standard for labeling of foods that include genetically modified ingredients. The bill also blocks states from issuing their own GMO labeling laws. The bill requires the US Department of Agriculture to create a national labeling standard that allows food processors to choose how they want to disclose the presence of GMO ingredients. &n ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture has finalized changes to the Illinois Anhydrous Ammonia rules, known as Part 215. The rules were effective on July 1, 2016 but there are many provisions in the rules that have a later effective date of December 31, 2020 to allow time for our industry to implement upgrades and facility changes in order to fully comply. To assist our members in understanding the m ... more. |
You should have received your MAGIE registration brochure and also the registration information for the July IFCA Golf Outings. MAGIE is August 24-25, 2016 at the McLean County Fairgrounds. Click here to register on-line to attend the MAGIE show and avoid waiting in line at registration.
The IFCA Golf Outings are July 21 at Seneca's Oak Ridge in LaSalle and July 28 at ... more. |
The Illinois Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) has approved the final amendments to the rules governing Anhydrous Ammonia, Low Pressure Nitrogen Solutions, Equipment, Containers and Storage Facilities. IFCA worked with the IL Dept of Ag over the past several years to revise portions of the rules to ensure our state remains current with national standards that ensure that new technologies are i ... more. |
IFCA's Keep it 4R Crop Program works closely with NREC and the University of Illinois to evaluate nitrogen management practices and how it impacts nutrient utilization and nutrient levels in the soil. We also stay in close contact with water supply officials to assess nitrate levels in water supplies so that our industry can be proactive in managing nutrients to protect water quality.
... more. |
We hope to see you at the IFCA Golf Outings this summer! The first outing is on July 21 at Seneca's Oak Ridge in LaSalle. The second outing is July 28 at Fox Prairie in Windsor. You should have received the registration form; if not, call our office for more information! The golf outings benefit the IFCA scholarship program.
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IFCA's Keep it 4R Crop Program works closely with NREC and with the University of Illinois to continue to promote 4R practices and evaluate how they infuence nutrient utilization and protect water quality. This year, central Illinois water supplies saw high N levels in the lakes due to heavy winter rainfall events and warm soils. However, by mid May the N levels dropped significantly in the ... more. |
The EPA has started the process that may lead to the banning of atrazine. Should that happen, it will be a lot harder and more expensive to raise corn and soybeans. Atrazine is currently used on about 80% of the corn in Indiana. According to Bill Johnson, weed specialist with Purdue, “Atrazine is easily the most effective broad spectrum herbicide we use that gives us control of grass and broadleaf weed ... more. |
House Republicans are looking to shut down an effort by the Obama administration to raise overtime pay for millions of workers.
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) on Thursday filled a motion of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act in an effort to repeal the Labor Department’s new overtime rule.
“Our nation’s overtime rules need to be modernized, but ... more. |
Lawmakers are down to their last week to reach a deal to stop the first GMO labeling requirements from taking effect in Vermont on July 1.
Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and ranking Democrat Debbie Stabenow of Michigan continued negotiating into the weekend, but an industry source said that they still hadn't reached a final deal as of Sunday afternoon.
... more. |
Senate lawmakers struggling to reach a deal on how to label food containing genetically modified ingredients said Thursday they are making progress, but acknowledged time is running out before Vermont's first-in-the-nation labeling law takes effect next month.
Congress has only six working days before July 1, when Vermont begins requiring that all foods containing genetically modified ... more. |
Illinois borrowed $550 million Thursday for construction projects, taking advantage of historically low interest rates as the state approaches one full year with a budget.
Gov. Bruce Rauner's office announced the bond sale to Bank of America Merrill Lynch in a bidding process that offered Illinois a 3.74 percent interest rate — the lowest in Illinois history for similarly situate ... more. |
The Senate Appropriations Committee advanced a fiscal 2017 spending bill that would block the Obama administration's “Waters of the United States” rule, curb work on greenhouse gas regulations and bar some endangered species protections.
The WOTUS provision, which mirrors riders in two House spending bills, seeks to block the Obama administration from enforcing the ru ... more. |
The Nature Conservancy and The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) announced a new partnership in support of farm practices that result in clean water. The two organizations signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at ensuring American agriculture has access to tools to use fertilizer with maximum environmental and economic efficiency.
The Conservancy and TFI announced the agreement at TFI& ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner says many bond buyers support the pro-business changes he’s pushing and want to invest in Illinois despite its worst-in-the-nation credit rating.
The Republican said Tuesday that taking on more debt is appropriate because the money is for improvements to roads and bridges, not daily operating expenses.
Illinois will go to market Thursday to sell $ ... more. |
The fiscal year Labor, Health and Human Services and Education appropriations bill includes a provision that would stop new restrictions on fertilizer sales.
North Dakota Republican Senator John Hoeven says the bill moved out of committee on Thursday and would also stop the Occupational Safety and Health Administration from forcing agriculture retailers to comply with the same chemical sto ... more. |
One small central Illinois community is considering shutting off water to its prison because it's owed nearly $370,000 from the state during the nearly yearlong budget stalemate between Democrats and Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.
The Mount Sterling City Council plans to vote Monday on whether to cut off water at its medium-security prison housing 1,800 inmates. The Quincy Herald-Whig r ... more. |
Ohio farmers still have a little more than a year before they’ll be legally required to be certified in order to apply fertilizer to more than 50 acres.
But nearly 12,000 have already taken the training, and more than 11,000 have been issued their certificates.
The progress is encouraging to Matt Beal, chief of the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Division of ... more. |
Federal lawmakers are looking into how U.S. Environmental Protection Agency staff may have influenced findings by the World Health Organization that glyphosate probably caused cancer, according to a letter sent to the EPA on Tuesday.
The letter - sent by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space and Technology - is part of an ongoing investigation into the agency after ... more. |
Federal lawmakers are looking into how U.S. Environmental Protection Agency staff may have influenced findings by the World Health Organization that glyphosate probably caused cancer, according to a letter sent to the EPA on Tuesday.
The letter - sent by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space and Technology - is part of an ongoing investigation into the agency after ... more. |
U.S. lawmakers are investigating whether U.S. Environmental Protection Agency staff influenced the World Health Organization's review of glyphosate and its finding that the herbicide probably causes cancer, according to a letter sent to the agency on Tuesday.
The letter from the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space and Technology is part of an ongoing investigation ... more. |
A second major credit rating agency has downgraded Illinois' rating, citing financial "mismanagement" by state leaders amid a yearlong budget impasse.
S&P Global Ratings lowered the rating Thursday from BBB+ to BBB. The agency says the lack of a budget for the current fiscal year has "left Illinois with unmanaged spending" that could go on for another year.
Illin ... more. |
State election officials are expected to consider certification of a proposed ballot measure that would ask Illinois voters if an independent commission should draw Illinois' political boundaries.
The Illinois State Board of Elections is scheduled to take up the proposal Monday. Last month election officials said a group called Independent Map Amendment had enough valid signatures to b ... more. |
The consequences of Illinois lawmakers' epic failure to approve a state budget continue to pile up, with new warnings about unfunded 911 call centers and schools, thousands of road construction jobs in jeopardy and the long-term cost to taxpayers growing by the billions.
Yet, the political sniping between Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democrats who run the Legislature h ... more. |
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration should go through a public rulemaking process before imposing new Process Safety Management (PSM) regulations on fertilizer dealers who handle anhydrous ammonia, a committee report accompanying a Senate appropriations bill says.
The fight over the requirements has been going on since OSHA issued guidance last July that revoked the so-called ... more. |
e food and agriculture industry's hopes for blocking Vermont's first-in-the-nation GMO labeling requirements are hanging on Senate negotiations that suddenly became serious late last week.
Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts said on Friday the talks were making “good progress,” and ranking Democrat Debbie Stabenow described them as “very positive.” The V ... more. |
USEPA regulations require that a current product label and net contents appear on each bulk pesticide tank that is storing product. This is a fairly simple requirement but one that is often overlooked, especially the net contents requirement. The penalty for non-compliance can be as high as $5,000 for each violation, and that will come to you from USEPA, where penalties are pretty much non-negotiable ... more. |
The Responsible Ag program (RA) is a voluntary stewardship and compliance program designed to help ag retailers ensure they are in compliance with all federal regulations pertaining to the storage and handling of agrichemicals and fertilizers. When you sign up for the program, you pay a $150 fee to register. If you have anhydrous ammonia or ammonium nitrate at your location, within 3 years you will r ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture has released the pesticide container recycling schedule for 2016. The first event starts on July 26, and there are a total of 31 collection sites around the state running through August 26. There are also three permanent sites where you can call and make an appointment to drop off containers at any time during the year. IFCA thanks our ag retail members wh ... more. |
IFCA and the Illinois CCA program issued a press release today listing the names of the newly certified 4R Nutrient Management Specialists. Click here to access the press release.
We we are very proud of the many CCAs who attended the training earlier this year and took the difficult exam. We also thank their employers who supported them in this effort.
The fact ... more. |
Illinois is heading toward a second year without a state budget, putting some schools and colleges in jeopardy of closing and all but ensuring more social services and state programs will be cut amid a legislative standoff unlike anything the state has ever seen.
With the Legislature set to adjourn its spring session Tuesday night, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and majority Democrats remain ... more. |
Illinois' 11-month budget impasse dominated talks around the Capitol and the state during the legislative session that concluded Tuesday. But lawmakers also considered a number of non-budget measures and sent them to the governor. Here's a look at a few of those proposals:
Click Here to read more.
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An EPA draft document assessing the ecological risks of atrazine that was mistakenly posted online a month ago has now been officially released.
The content and conclusions of the 520-page report, which is stuffed with nearly 200 tables and maps, are the same as the earlier version.
“Aquatic plant communities are impacted in many areas where atrazine use is heavies ... more. |
A top Republican lawmaker said it’s likely the Illinois General Assembly will reach an agreement on a stopgap budget deal soon, but long-term solutions might take a while.
Headlines have been dominated by the sharp rhetoric between Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan, and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, after the spring legislative session ended without ... more. |
Justice Kennedy noted his frustration with the breadth of the Clean Water Act and expansion of EPA's power.
The biggest concern for landowners regarding the Clean Water Act (CWA) is expanding federal jurisdiction on private property.
Waters got murkier with a recent U.S. Supreme Court opinion written by Justice Anthony Kennedy in the unanimous decision on the A ... more. |
U.S. fertilizer maker CF Industries Holdings Inc. and Dutch rival OCI NV ended their merger agreement on Monday, following the U.S. Treasury's steps to curb tax avoiding inversion deals.
CF Industries had agreed to buy OCI NV's North American and European plants for $6 billion in August, in addition to assuming $2 billion of OCI's debt, to create the world's largest publicl ... more. |
A study by U.K.-based PG Economics finds that farmers around the world who use genetically modified (GM) seeds reaped economic benefits averaging more than $100 per hectare (about 2.5 acres) in 2014 while at the same time improving the environmental sustainability of their operations.
“Two-thirds of these benefits derive from higher yields and extra production, with farmers in develo ... more. |
Milk producers and snack food makers seek to keep the pressure on Congress this week to preempt state GMO labeling laws, while House Speaker Paul Ryan begins an effort to shape the GOP campaign agenda by rolling out proposals to overhaul anti-poverty programs.
Both the House and Senate are returning from a week-long Memorial Day recess for an abbreviated summer schedule ahead of the Republ ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Revenue conducts audits of all businesses in Illinois to ensure proper payment of applicable taxes. Our industry is not exempt from these audits. We do however enjoy many exemptions from sales tax for items such as crop protection chemicals, fertilizer, seed and machinery (including repair and replacement parts) used in the application of these products. Although our ... more. |
IFCA continues to stay in touch with the Illinois Dept of Agriculture Bureau of Weights & Measures regarding their interpretation that digital readouts of the truck scale measurement must be visible by a person seated in the cab of the vehicle going over the scale for "direct sales" of product. It is IFCA's position that the national standards handbook for weighing and measuring devices allows for ... more. |
We expect that the changes to the Illinois anhydrous ammonia rules will be adopted on June 14 and effective on July 1, 2016. Many of the more significant provisions of the rule that require installation of new equipment has an effective date of December 31, 2020. For an overview of the significant changes in the proposed rule, click here. Many of the requirements in the Illinois regulations wil ... more. |
Watch your mail for our IFCA Summer Golf Outing registration form. This year we will have an outing on July 21 at LaSalle, IL and on July 28 in Windsor, IL. And don't forget the MAGIE show is August 24-25, 2016 at the McLean County Fairgrounds. MAGIE registration forms will go out later this summer. And if you want to learn the latest on regulatory issues that impact our industry, the ... more. |
The budget cuts to the IL Dept of Ag have many implications, one of which is the difficulty in providing key staffing to process the many pesticide license renewals that must be handled each year. To help both our industry and the IDA assure a more streamlined way to handle this program, IFCA helped to introduce and support legislation in Springfield that will make the renewal of your commercial pesticide ... more. |
With the Process Safety Management Rules still on track for October 1, 2016, IFCA continues to work closely with the Illinois Department of Agriculture to finalize the changes to the Illinois Anhydrous Ammonia and Nitrogen Solutions regulations (Part 215). We view the upgrades outlined in the Illinois rules as a fundamental step to helping assure that facilities will also find compliance with PSM more real ... more. |
It has looked to me for a very long time that House Speaker Michael Madigan has been waiting for an existential state crisis to force Gov. Bruce Rauner to back completely away from his anti-union, pro-business Turnaround Agenda so that they can pass a "clean" state budget.
As you surely know by now, the governor won't agree to a budget deal until he gets things like changes to workers& ... more. |
When state budget negotiators put together a framework for a balanced spending plan, they included a list of things that could generate $5.4 billion in revenue.
An income tax increase was on the list, as was extending the sales tax to some state services, ending some corporate tax breaks and taxing sugary drinks.
Oh, and you might as well throw in gambling expansion for ... more. |
Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner says there's time for Republicans and rank-and-file Democrats to accomplish "a grand compromise" on a balanced budget before the Legislature adjourns May 31.
The Republican spoke Sunday at a manufacturing plant in suburban Chicago. He says he believes many Democrats are ready to accept economic reforms along with new revenue and "all we can do is keep trying. ... more. |
FieldWatch, Inc. announced today that Stephanie Regagnon has joined the company to take over the helm of its DriftWatch Specialty Crop and BeeCheck Apiary Registries. She will be leading the continued rapid growth and expansion of its member states, applicators and producers. Stephanie comes with a wealth of experience within the ag industry and will replace the current President/CEO, Reid Sprenkel, who led ... more. |
The deadline for shareholders in Swiss pesticides maker Syngenta (SYNN.S) to accept a $43 billion takeover bid from state-owned ChemChina has been extended to allow for some outstanding regulatory approvals, the company said on Tuesday.
Syngenta said the offer will now run from May 24 to July 18.
"We don't have all the regulatory approvals yet," a Syngenta spokesman ... more. |
A new study from the University of Illinois has good news about water quality in the state. There are fewer nitrates in the Illinois River than there were in the 80's or 90's. Researchers say it's at least 10% less than what it used to be. The goal is to cut nitrates by 45% since they flow from the Illinois River to the Mississippi and on into the Gulf of Mexico. Farmers and agriculture companies ... more. |
After months of delays and construction setbacks, Iowa Fertilizer Company says its new plant could begin production by fall of this year.
“I feel pretty good about the schedule we have in front of us right now,” said Larry Holley, president of Iowa Fertilizer Company. “We’re running very hard to make sure we can keep that schedule.”
Tuesday, ... more. |
U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., has introduced legislation that would repeal the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s interpretive memorandum that revoked the exemption for retail facilities from process safety management regulations for anhydrous ammonia.
Smith’s bill is H.R. 5213, the Fertilizer Access and Responsible Management (FARM) Act ... more. |
Additional protections for pollinators are included in an EPA proposal that would allow use of sulfoxaflor, whose registration was pulled last year after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled the agency had not properly evaluated the insecticide's effects on pollinators.
The proposed amended registration, made available May 17, also would prohibit use of the sulfoximine-c ... more. |
Monsanto and Bayer have confirmed news reports that they are discussing a merger. In a statement issued Wednesday, Monsanto said its board of directors is reviewing “an unsolicited, non-binding proposal from Bayer AG for a potential acquisition” of the company, but would not comment further until after the board has completed that review.
Bayer, which is headquartered in German ... more. |
Like Iowa, Minnesota and other large farm states are searching for solutions on how to reduce the loss of nutrients that are crucial to growing crops but also threaten drinking water and feed toxic algal blooms.
"There are several experiments going on, but I don’t think any state necessarily has it figured it out," said Larry Clemens, director of The Nature Conservancy's North Am ... more. |
President Obama will be talking up the Trans-Pacific Partnership in Vietnam and Japan this week with an eye toward keeping the pressure on Congress to approve the 12-nation trade pact.
Administration officials hope that showing progress on TPP implementation among Asian TPP partners will make it easier to overcome congressional resistance to the agreement, which has grown with the steady a ... more. |
The Des Moines Water Works nutrient runoff lawsuit against 10 drainage districts in Iowa has been pushed back a year.
On Thursday, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa in Sioux City set a new trial date for June 26, 2017.
The federal lawsuit was filed against drainage districts in Buena Vista, Calhoun and Sac counties, all of which are northwest of D ... more. |
A lawsuit challenging EPA's regulation of neonicotinoid-treated seeds will proceed following a federal judge's rejection of EPA's motion to dismiss the case.
Beekeepers and environmental groups filed a complaint in January contending that EPA violated both the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) when it extended ... more. |
Senate appropriators will step up pressure on the Agriculture Department to back off from tightening regulations for convenience stores that accept food stamps, and there also could be a fight this week over proposed new restrictions for organic livestock operations.
The Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee will meet Tuesday to advance a fiscal 2017 spending bill for USDA and the ... more. |
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will develop regulations to update its Process Safety Management Standard but won't exempt ag retailers from PSM requirements in the meantime.
In a letter to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals last week, Labor Department attorney Lauren Goodman said OSHA decided to develop a rule because of “congressional report language indicating ... more. |
The fire that led to the deadly explosion at the West Fertilizer Co. plant in April 2013 has been determined to be arson, according to the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.
The explosion that was started by the fire killed 15 people and destroyed or damaged buildings within a 37-block radius, including the local high school.
The agency arrived a ... more. |
In the Midwestern ag retail world, the last week of April and the first two weeks of May are akin to the weeks leading up to Tax Day for accountants. It’s not uncommon for guys down at the local dealership to put in consecutive 16, sometimes even 20, hour work days for a week at a time, with their only respite coming at the fall of rain. Precious, precious rain.
The ASMARK Retailers ... more. |
Illinois lawmakers approved $700 million Thursday to partially finance cash-strapped human services programs during the state's historic budget stalemate, even as the governor considered tax increases and cuts that could finally move the state toward a full spending plan.
Lawmakers overwhelmingly approved the short-term aid, undermining Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner's idea of a "gra ... more. |
In separate communications earlier this week, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced plans to conduct formal rulemaking to change the retail exemption to Process Safety Management (PSM), the Agricultural Retailers Association announced.
In a letter to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, which is handling litigation filed by the Agricultural Retailers Association ... more. |
Good news -- the quality of water in the Illinois River has improved in one important aspect. A new study from the University of Illinois reports that nitrate load in the Illinois River from 2010 to 2014 was 10 percent less than the average load in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Reducing the nitrate and phosphorus loads in the Mississippi River by 45 percent is the US EPA's ul ... more. |
The University of Illinois will ramp up new fertilizer management research thanks to a $2.398 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
This grant was part of $16.5 million awarded through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
David Bullock, agricult ... more. |
House Agriculture Committee leaders want to know why EPA posted - and then removed from its online regulatory dockets - risk assessments on two widely used but controversial herbicides.
Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, joined by Collin Peterson, D-Minn., the panel's ranking member, and Rodney Davis, R-Ill., who chairs the Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture ... more. |
Rank-and-file legislative negotiators have come up with a proposal to balance the state’s budget with a combination of tax hikes and spending cuts.
The plan, which has been submitted to Gov. Bruce Rauner and the four legislative leaders, calls for $5.4 billion in new revenue, much of it coming from an income tax increase as well as beginning to apply the state sales tax to a narrow r ... more. |
Once the soils dry and our members get back out in the fields, please keep in mind some simple tips to avoid getting crossways with the Illinois Vehicle Code requirements:
1. Pesticide Applicators and Floaters are considered implements of husbandry and are not commercial motor vehicles, but to keep the benefits that go along with being an implement of husbandry, these vehicles must not excee ... more. |
Each season, IFCA publishes a two page bulletin to keep everyone abreast of our 4R activities and findings. Click here to read our Spring 2016 edition. It features Fred Butt from United Prairie in Crescent City, IL as our "Retailer in Action" and also has an update on nitrate levels in soil and water, results of nitrogen rate trials and a shout out to the Illinois CCAs who are now 4R Certified (we ha ... more. |
Please mark your calendar for this year's MAGIE show, which is August 24 & 25 at the McLean County Fairgrounds. For more information on MAGIE call us at (309) 827-2774.
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We are still working closely with the IL Dept of Ag to finalize and publish the updates to the Illinois Anhydrous Ammonia regulations. We are hopeful that an effective date of July 1, 2016 can be accomplished and that we can soon provide a final copy of the rules. Many of the major requirements of the rule have a final compliance date of December 31, 2020. Through IFCA's partnership with th ... more. |
Donald Trump tries to win over congressional Republicans as lawmakers return to work this week facing some major unfinished business, including negotiations on biotech food labeling.
With Trump having disposed of his remaining GOP challengers last week, Republicans now face questions about whether and how closely to align themselves with Trump and how to address sharp policy differences on ... more. |
EPA posted the final report of the agency’s Cancer Assessment Review Committee at the end of last week but pulled it from the agency’s website May 2, saying a full review would not be completed until the end of the year.
That report, dated October 2015, concludes glyphosate likely is not carcinogenic to humans. It was signed by 13 scientists and titled “Final ... more. |
A group that wants an independent commission to draw legislative districts in Illinois on Friday delivered more than 550,000 signatures backing its request to put the measure on the ballot in November for a constitutional change.
Leaders of the group Independent Maps delivered the signatures to the Illinois State Board of Elections, more than double the amount needed to get th ... more. |
For days, Gov. Bruce Rauner has said he hopes the General Assembly can reach a "grand compromise" on a budget and reform measures by the end of May.
He’s pinning those hopes on groups of rank-and-file lawmakers who have been meeting to hash out details of a spending plan for the rest of this fiscal year and the new one that starts July 1, as well as trying to reach agreement on part ... more. |
Strap yourselves in, folks, things should start to get even more interesting around the Capitol this week.
Both the House and Senate are scheduled to return to Springfield on Tuesday after taking last week off for observance of Passover. It was the last extended break for the two chambers for this spring session.
Starting Tuesday, the House and Senate are scheduled (for ... more. |
A potential national rule change by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, could revise the way businesses store and handle anhydrous ammonia.
Congress put a rider in the 2016 Omnibus Appropriations Bill preventing OSHA from requiring retailers to adopt stricter handling and storing standards. Because of that, OSHA says they will not enforce stricter rules until a new ... more. |
A single reporter had just one more question about GMO labeling for Sen. Debbie Stabenow as the senator rushed from a conversation with reporters to another event on Tuesday.
With the letters GMO still ringing in the air, a pack of reporters followed Stabenow out the door to catch one more snippet of information on what direction the Senate could go GMOs.
Low commodity p ... more. |
At their annual general meeting earlier this week, Syngenta shareholders officially approved motions for an ordinary dividend of CHF 11.00 per share ($465 U.S. per share) and a special dividend of CHF 5.00 per share. The special dividend is contingent upon the public tender offer by CNAC Saturn (NL) B.V., an indirect subsidiary of China National Chemical Corporation (ChemChina), becoming unconditional.
... more. |
A $9.3 billion bill authorizing improvements to the nation's navigation and drinking water infrastructure easily cleared the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee today.
In what might have been a speed record for a bill markup (about 15 minutes), the committee voted 19-1 to approve the 2016 Water Resources Development Act, which includes $4.5 billion for U.S. Army Corps of Engi ... more. |
EPA received the brunt of the criticism from farm group representatives at a House Agriculture subcommittee hearing today focusing on the factors affecting the cost of producing the nation's food.
And there was plenty of criticism.
Jay Vroom, president of CropLife America, told the Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research that the agency has elevated ... more. |
EPA received the brunt of the criticism from farm group representatives at a House Agriculture subcommittee hearing today focusing on the factors affecting the cost of producing the nation's food.
And there was plenty of criticism.
Jay Vroom, president of CropLife America, told the Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research that the agency has elevated ... more. |
Shipman farmer Thomas Connors and Regan Wear, crop adviser with CHS Shipman, have been named 4R Advocates by The Fertilizer Institute’s 4R Advocate program. They were commended for their ongoing work to select the right nutrient sources for their crops and apply them at the right rate in the right place at the right time.
The pair was recently honored at an awards banquet hosted by T ... more. |
A Des Moines Water Works lawsuit over nitrates in Iowa's drinking water could result in a shakeup on the public utility's board of trustees.
The Iowa House approved a bill Tuesday that would reorganize the water works' board after the utility sued drainage districts in three northwest Iowa counties last year.
“I think Des Moines Water Works is somewhat ... more. |
The lawsuit filed by the Des Moines Water Works against several upstream agriculture drainage districts will not go to trial in August.
A three-week federal court trial was initially set to begin Aug. 8 but Judge Leonard Strand issued an orderMondaycontinuing it due to scheduling conflicts. A new date will be set when he meets with attorneys May 11.
Click Here to read more.
... more. |
House Republicans are looking to move an overhaul of child nutrition programs against stiff Democratic resistance, while the Senate GOP plots a more bipartisan authorization bill for waterway projects.
The House Education and the Workforce Committee is preparing to debate a child nutrition reauthorization bill that would force the Agriculture Department to reconsider school meal standards ... more. |
Listed as up for consideration in an Illinois Senate subcommittee Tuesday morning were 30 separate proposals for amendments to the Illinois Constitution.
Eight of them addressed one particular issue: term limits for the four legislative leaders, including the speaker of the House, president of the Senate and the top minority leaders in each chamber.
Other proposals addre ... more. |
Hope is fading that the Iowa Legislature can agree on funding statewide water quality programs in the final days before the 2016 session adjourns.
An Iowa Senate subcommittee approved a bill Thursday raising the state sales tax by three-eighths of 1 cent, which would generate about $180 million starting next year. About 60 percent of that revenue would be directed to cleaning up Iowa's ... more. |
The Illinois House fell short Wednesday of approving a proposed constitutional amendment to impose a surtax on incomes above $1 million.
The proposed amendment, sponsored by House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, got 68 “yes” votes in the House, but it needed 71 to pass.
Immediately after the vote, Madigan issued a statement blaming House Republicans ... more. |
Senate Democrats again successfully protected the Obama administration's embattled Clean Water Act rule, defeating a GOP attempt to stop the measure the measure from being implemented should it survive court challenges.
A 56-42 vote on an amendment to block the “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule was short of the 60 needed for adoption to a fiscal 2017 funding bill f ... more. |
Illinois lawmakers have approved a bill to spend $600 million on universities, community colleges and grants for low income students.
It is the same bill (SB2059) that got hung up in the House Thursday night just before lawmakers were expected to approve it.
The House voted Friday 106-2 to pass the bill. The Senate followed shortly after on a 55-0 vote.
... more. |
There appears to be some sensitivity this year with regard to traffic stops pertaining to the transportation of anhydrous ammonia nurse tanks. There is no special enforcement effort underway, but State Police and other enforcement officers do routinely check for compliance and that doesn't cease just because it's the busy season. Just be reminded that they have public safety as their responsi ... more. |
Please watch the mail for your annual IFCA membership dues renewal. The mailing includes your membership invoice and a short annual report illustrating a few of the biggest issues we influenced last year for the benefit of our members and for our industry as a whole. Thanks for being a member of the IFCA and for your support of the Association. If you have questions about your dues statement pl ... more. |
The IFCA Keep it 4R Crop Program helps to improve the nitrogen rate recommendations in Illinois by partnering with the University of Illinois, with our ag retail members and with farmers to establish nitrogen rate trials throughout Illinois. In the first few years we have focused on priority watersheds that supply drinking water, but many trials are now in other areas of the state as well.
... more. |
Thanks to our partnership with the Asmark Institute, IFCA is able to offer our members regulatory posters for your offices that cover all Restricted Use Pesticides, USDOT shipping descriptions and Worker Protection Standard requirements. You should have received one set of posters at your facility, but we have a few extras available if you need more. If you would like us to send you additional poster ... more. |
Republicans are trying to head off new regulations on poultry and livestock marketing practices as House appropriators debate the Agriculture Department's fiscal 2017 spending bill this week.
USDA's Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) is rushing to finalize a rule after Congress failed last year to renew a longstanding prohibition on the regulations. But ... more. |
A top deputy of Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan has revived legislation to replace Illinois' flat income tax with a graduated system that would make those who earn more pay higher rates.
It's an idea Democrats have long pushed, arguing it's a fairer way to bring in tax dollars by shifting the burden away from the middle class and onto those with a greater ability to pa ... more. |
Farmers and ag retailers across Iowa and many other states are keeping an eye on the Des Moines Water Works (DMWW) lawsuit against three local counties. The lawsuit is a result of what DMWW claims are excessive nitrate levels in the Raccoon River, which provides 500,000 Des Moines residents with water.
“The safe drinking water act says more than 10 mg of nitrates per liter is a human ... more. |
The debate over ethanol tax breaks in Illinois turned to old tractors, motorcycles, boats and lawnmowers at a state Senate committee hearing on Thursday.
At issue is a proposal to eliminate a 20 percent per-gallon sales tax break on sales of E10 fuels and create a 10 percent break for E15, which currently gets no tax incentives. Agricultural groups also are asking for legislative authoriza ... more. |
The push for labels on “genetically modi-fied” or engineered food is one of those social movements that sounds unimpeachable — like “Free the Whales” or “Save the Planet.”
What could be wrong with empowering consumers with knowledge about their food?
Plenty.
Many of the nation's largest food co ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner plans to veto an appropriations bill that passed both the Illinois House and Senate thatwould have sent $3.89 billion in funding to the state’s universities and social service agencies.
Rauner’s office dismissed it as “just another phony budget” that even some Democrats don’t like.
“Now is the time for bipartisan solutions and ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner said Tuesday that Attorney General Lisa Madigan is planning legal action in the next couple of weeks to try and stop state employees from being paid and shut down the government.
“(Democrats) are going to try to use the latest Supreme Court rulings about appropriations trumping contracts to say state employees should not be paid more, even though they’re worki ... more. |
The Illinois Senate on Wednesday voted to confirm former Republican state Rep. Raymond Poe of Springfield as the Department of Agriculture director.
Poe was approved without opposition by a vote of 56-0.
A third-generation farmer, Poe called the job a dream come true.
Click Here to read more.
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Illinois motorists may soon be the victims of their own good behavior. Drivers in the Land of Lincoln have been improving their fuel efficiency and driving more hybrid and electric cars that lessen their reliance on gasoline. As a result, the state revenue from gasoline tax is falling.
With more than $2 billion in summer construction projects planned, state legislators are scrambling ... more. |
The Illinois House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill April 12 prohibiting the secretary of state from charging fees to vehicle owners who renew their vehicle registration late due to the secretary of state’s suspension of mailed renewal notices. House Bill 4334 further provides that a vehicle owner who receives a ticket for expired license plates within one month of the plates’ expirat ... more. |
This is just a reminder that IFCA's legislative breakfast this Wednesday morning at the Sangamo Club in Springfield. Breakfast is at 7:15 and discussion will begin at 7:45. All are welcome! Call KJ if you have any questions at 217-369-1669.
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The fertilizer season brings with it the demands on our members to supply and apply hundreds of thousands of tons of nutrients in a short window of time. IFCA is informed of accidents that occur and more often than not, it is the failure to remember the simple things that are the root cause of many of these accidents, particularly with anhydrous ammonia. Here are a few reminders:
1. Sl ... more. |
Spring is also the time to remind our members of the key things to help you avoid getting a citation when operating fertilizer or agrichemical equipment on a public roadway. IFCA has an excellent relationship with the Illinois State Police and Illinois DOT and we support all they have done to ensure we maintain reasonable exemptions for transporting implements of husbandry on the highways. But there are th ... more. |
One of the things we can be proud of in Illinois is the way we have partnered with water supply officials, regulatory agencies and environmental groups on the IFCA Keep it 4R Crop program. Earlier this spring, we advised our members that nitrate levels in some surface water supplies had reached levels of concern following heavy rains in December and the above normal temperatures this winter. With the ... more. |
State Sen. Sam McCann is seeking to protect from government intrusion the longtime practice of "seed sharing."
McCann, a Plainview Republican, is sponsoring a bill aimed at clarifying ambiguity in current state law that could require the exchanging and sharing of seed to be subject to commercial regulations such as testing and record-keeping.
“This is not a bill sa ... more. |
Lawmakers look to get an early start this week on moving the annual spending bills, including legislation to fund USDA and FDA, and also will take long-awaited action on futures regulation and international agriculture development.
The Senate Agriculture Committee will finally take up a reauthorization bill for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, 10 months after the House passed its ... more. |
Last week, 75 organizations and companies sent a letter to congressional transportation leaders to state their opposition to tolls or lockage fees on the nation's inland waterways transportation system.
Click Here to read more.
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Private donors have paid $934,000 of the nearly $1.1 million legal tab racked up by three northern Iowa counties being sued by Des Moines Water Works over high nitrate levels — but county officials won't identify all of them.
Lawyers for Sac, Buena Vista and Calhoun counties, responding to records requests from The Des Moines Register, released heavily redacted checks, billing st ... more. |
No school district would get less money next year under a revised school funding reform proposal being introduced in the Illinois Senate.
It is part of the latest attempt by Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, to change the school funding formula so that more state assistance will be directed to school districts with the most need.
“Much of what we are proposing in our ... more. |
A Senate committee Wednesday unanimously approved a bill that would create a foundation for the Illinois State Fair.
Senate Bill 2903 would create the Illinois State Fairgrounds Foundation under the state Department of Agriculture to raise private funds that could be used at the state fairgrounds in Springfield and DuQuoin.
The foundation would be overseen by a 12-member ... more. |
Anhydrous ammonia has been a familiar product to American farmers for nearly 70 years — since munitions plants using large amounts of nitrogen were converted to peacetime production after World War II.
It's almost universally used to fertilize area corn fields, either before planting or within one month after planting, according to experts. Because soybeans can access nitrogen on ... more. |
A first-of-its-kind economic study of the fertilizer industry shows it contributed more than $160 billion dollars to the U.S. economy in 2014.
Kathy Mathers with the Fertilizer Institute says the analysis involved manufacturers, retailers and service suppliers.
“If we look at data by state and district, every state in the nation has some economic impact. Obvi ... more. |
By and large, ag retailers like to use three letter acronyms in their day-to-day operations. Most talk about getting a ROI (return-on-investment) from their equipment. Others mention how much N-P-K (nitrogen-phosphorous-potassium) they have in their warehouses. A few even channel mobile phone “text-speak” when discussing the day’s LOL (laugh out loud) moment.
But for the ... more. |
By and large, ag retailers like to use three letter acronyms in their day-to-day operations. Most talk about getting a ROI (return-on-investment) from their equipment. Others mention how much N-P-K (nitrogen-phosphorous-potassium) they have in their warehouses. A few even channel mobile phone “text-speak” when discussing the day’s LOL (laugh out loud) moment.
But for the ... more. |
Cotton and soybean growers will have a new herbicide at their disposal if an EPA proposal to approve dicamba on the genetically engineered versions of those crops is approved.
With weeds “becoming increasingly resistant to glyphosate-based herbicides,” the availability of dicamba “will provide an additional tool to reduce the spread of glyphosate-resistant weeds,” E ... more. |
The State of Vermont has passed a statute mandating the labeling of genetically engineered foods as of July 1, 2016. Other states have considered and are considering similar legislation. The U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation to preempt all state legislation on the labeling of genetic engineering. The Senate failed by a vote of 48-49 to preempt the states, falling well short of the 60 votes ... more. |
The likelihood of Iowa lawmakers agreeing this session on a major plan to finance water quality improvement projects appears to be dimming.
However, House Republicans introduced new legislation Tuesday to pay for programs to curb water pollution even as Senate Democratic Leader Michael Gronstal was expressing strong doubts about GOP proposals. This year's session is tentatively schedul ... more. |
Tom Vilsack believes the use of so-called “smart labels” could have a role in striking a compromise in food labeling initiatives covering everything from organics to foods containing genetically engineered crops.
The U.S. secretary of agriculture said at a press conference here farmers and others in the food delivery chain must embrace consumer demand. But, he added, common sen ... more. |
Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez faced sharp scrutiny during a recent Senate subcommittee hearing over accusations that OSHA ignored “congressional intent” regarding the agency’s enforcement policy for retail establishments under the Process Safety Management Standard.
Last July, OSHA issued a memorandum revising an interpretation that had previously exempted retail facili ... more. |
Time may be running out for the Democratic-controlled House and Senate and Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner to end the standoff, now in its 10th month, before it claims its highest-profile victim to date. Chicago State University officials have said the predominantly black South Side school only has enough money to make payroll through month’s end.
Like every ot ... more. |
After four months hauling cash from Illinois driver's facilities without payment from the state, an armored-truck company walked last fall, leaving the job to police officers who work for the secretary of state.
Montreal-based GardaWorld's trucks started rolling again after the state paid the overdue $79,000 amid a record budget standoff. But that only covered work through last Fri ... more. |
The Iowa Farm Bureau and other commodity groups are bankrolling legal expenses racked up in defense of a lawsuit filed by Des Moines Water Works over nitrate pollution in the Raccoon River, a Farm Bureau spokesman confirmed.
Water Works filed suit last year against drainage districts in three northwest Iowa counties — Buena Vista, Calhoun and Sac — claiming that the districts, ... more. |
Iowa Republicans say they plan to roll out a proposal next week to fund large-scale water quality initiatives without diverting funding from education.
The plan, they said, is an alternative to the one proposed by Gov. Terry Branstad this year that would scoop some future state tax dollars now directed to education infrastructure projects.
That proposal, which Branstad c ... more. |
Congratulations to IFCA member (and IFCA Board Member) Regan Wear of CHS Shipman in Shipman, IL for being named one of five 2016 4R Advocates by The Fertilizer Institute. Regan's customer Thomas Connors was selected along with Regan as a farmer/retailer team who utilizes the 4Rs of nutrient stewardship in their day to day operations. Regan and Thomas attended the Commodity Classic last month to b ... more. |
It was nice to see ammonia application as well as dry fertilizer starting as spring is upon us. This is a good time to remind our members that ammonia nurse tanks are required to have license plates in Illinois, and the stickers renewed every two years. This past year, the IL Sec of State did not send out renewal notices and instead we had our members send in a list of their nurse tank trailers and p ... more. |
Best wishes to you and your families this Easter weekend. The IFCA office will be closed on Good Friday. If you have an emergency you may reach us at 309.826.3236.
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On Tuesday, March 29, the Illinois Soybean Association and the Illinois CCA program are hosting a webinar entitled "Fertilizer Management Practices to Reduce the Loss of Dissolved and Sediment Bound P." The speaker is Dr. Antonio Mallarino from Iowa State University. The webinar runs from Noon to 1 pm central time and is free of charge. It will provide 1 CEU in Nutrient Management. To reg ... more. |
IFCA has been in weekly contact with water supply officials in Illinois as we evaluate the nitrate levels in surface water supplies such as Lake Springfield, Lake Bloomington, Lake Decatur, Lake Vermilion and portions of the Illinois River, all of which serve as public drinking water supplies. Since the heavy December rains, all have reported higher than normal, or anticipated, nitrate levels in the lakes. ... more. |
A bill that would preempt state GMO labeling laws was blocked in the Senate as key Democrats demanded more concessions from the food industry on proposed new disclosure requirements for biotech ingredients.
“This is a pretty simple vote. You're either for agriculture or you're not,” Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., said before the cloture vote today.
... more. |
The Agricultural Retailers Association and The Fertilizer Institute continue to charge through the litigation process in their lawsuit against the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's reinterpretation of the Process Safety Management retail exemption.
ARA and TFI filed a final legal brief on Monday. The associations have requested the court dispense with oral arguments and d ... more. |
Sen. Dick Durbin(D-Ill.) suggested Tuesday Democrats will block legislation that bans states from issuing mandatory labeling laws for foods with genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
"The current feeling in our caucus is decidedly that we will not allow them to go to this bill," the Senate's No. 2 Democrat told reporters about the GMO bill.
He added that unles ... more. |
On July 21, 2015, Illinois officially released its Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy designed to improve water quality in Illinois and the Gulf of Mexico by reducing phosphorus and nitrogen losses from both point sources and non-point sources, including from farm fields. This article, the third in the series, reviews the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (INLRS) as it pertains to farming and nitrate-N ... more. |
Democrats and Republicans in the Illinois Senate dug their trenches a little deeper Thursday as the stalemate over the state’s budget continues.
Democrats approved a bill that would authorize spending $3.8 billion on higher education, social services and other programs that have been deprived of funding since the fiscal year began July 1. Republicans reiterated Gov. Bruce Rauner&rsqu ... more. |
Forcing companies to label genetically modified foods sounds simple enough. Don’t consumers have a right to know what they're eating?
Like a lot of seemingly straightforward ideas these days, though, this one is anything but. Mandatory labeling — set to go into effect in Vermont on July 1 unless Congress overrides state laws — has risks and consequences its backers ra ... more. |
Illinois lawmakers are considering a proposal that would allow the governor to make unilateral budget cuts. But it could also impact the state's access to health care.
For residents living in Macomb, a small city in Central Illinois, the wait to see a therapist is about of three months.
Kenny Boyd, president of the McDonough District Hospital in Macomb said his hospi ... more. |
When it comes to agriculture and water quality, Howard Brown of Growmark Inc. isn’t reading the headlines from Washington, D.C., or checking to see what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is doing.
He’s watching the suits.
“I’m not worried about regulation. I’m not worried about legislation. I’m concerned for us about civil litig ... more. |
The removal of one relatively small line item in the state's proposed fiscal 2017 budget has caused members of the Illinois General Assembly to be visited by one of the most effective lobbying organizations in the state – high school students wearing blue and gold.
“They really love to see our blue-and-gold jackets, and they know, 'Oh, those are FFA members coming throu ... more. |
A Government Accountability Office report released Friday suggests that USDA hasn't been adequately monitoring declines in native bee populations.
“USDA has increased monitoring of honey bee colonies managed by beekeepers to better estimate losses nationwide, but does not have a mechanism in place to coordinate the monitoring of wild, native bees that the White House Pollinator H ... more. |
The Senate looks to settle the issue of biotech labeling once and for all this week with a historic debate on legislation that would block states from requiring GMO disclosure
According to a source familiar with the negotiations, a compromise version of the legislation is likely to be released on Monday. The bill is expected to be on the floor by Wednesday.
Senate Agricu ... more. |
You can't win if you don't play. That is why all IFCA members today should head to the ballot booth and VOTE!!! Someone once told me that "Leaders Show Up". That's what we need to do today.
Election outcomes are determined by those who participate. Elected officials make important decisions about how we as ag retailers run our day to ... more. |
As Illinois farmers consider planting the RR 2 Xtend(tm) soybean trait this spring, it is imperative to the industry as a whole that we diligently uphold the stewardship obligations associated with herbicide use on these new traits. IFCA worked with the Illinois Department of Agriculture and the University of Illinois Extension on the attached bulletin that provides factual information on the penalties for ... more. |
The Illinois Soybean Checkoff program, together with the IL CCA program and IFCA, are hosting free webinars focused on the latest research regarding phosphorus management. The first webinar is at noon on March 15 focusing on how to reduce P loss from fields, and additional webinars are scheduled for March 22 and March 29. Dr. Laura Christianson (UI), Dr. Tom Bruulsema (IPNI) and Dr. Antonio Mallarino ... more. |
Illinois’ tax collections will grow by a mere $215 million in the next fiscal year, the legislature’s financial forecasters predicted Tuesday.
The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability also warned that it expects revenue this fiscal year to be $442 million less than it previously anticipated. The commission put much of the blame on weaker-than-expected corpora ... more. |
A top scientist at USDA, a Monsanto executive and other experts agreed Monday that improving on existing biotechnology and developing new agriculture practices are vital to meeting increased global food demand by mid-century - but they didn't say it'll be easy.
Catherine Woteki, under secretary and chief scientist at USDA's Office of Research, Education and Economics, told atte ... more. |
A top scientist at USDA, a Monsanto executive and other experts agreed Monday that improving on existing biotechnology and developing new agriculture practices are vital to meeting increased global food demand by mid-century - but they didn't say it'll be easy.
Catherine Woteki, under secretary and chief scientist at USDA's Office of Research, Education and Economics, told atte ... more. |
Promoting agriculture in the public interest, including advocating for agricultural literacy and an understanding of where our food comes from, is a core component of my job as the chief agricultural official in my state. Over the past decade, some consumers have expressed growing interest in how their food is grown, and if it was produced from seeds set up by biotechnology to put their best roots forward. S ... more. |
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is allowing another 45 days for comments on its plans to overhaul its biotechnology regulations and the scope of a planned environmental impact statement.
After receiving requests from industry and environmental groups for a 60-day extension, APHIS today said it would extend the deadline for comments from March 7 to April 21.
&nb ... more. |
Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley and Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) Wednesday introduced legislation that would ensure that consumers can find GMO ingredient labeling on food packaging while ensuring that food producers are not subject to confusing or conflicting labeling requirements in different locations.
The senators’ legislation ... more. |
Voters in Illinois don’t like what’s going on in Illinois.
If there were any doubts about that, a poll from the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University put them to rest. The poll of 1,000 registered voters found that 84 percent think the state is on the wrong track. Given the relentless bad news about the political deadlock in Springfield and the dama ... more. |
Saying it has more members directly affected by the process safety management standard than any other union, the United Steelworkers filed a brief with the D.C. Circuit March 1 in support of the Department of Labor's position in the challenge to the standard brought by the Agricultural Retailers Association and others.
At issue in the agricultural industry's challenge to the Retail ... more. |
Three northwest Iowa counties sued by Des Moines Water Works over nitrate pollution have filed a brief with the Iowa Supreme Court in which they contend that they can't be forced to pay the damages the utility has requested.
Sac, Buena Vista and Calhoun counties, which operate drainage districts that Water Works claims have sent large amounts of nitrate into drinking water suppli ... more. |
Campaign fund-raising records are poised to fall before the March 15 primary, thanks to the political proxy war between Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic House Speaker Mike Madigan that’s stoked massive investments in a handful of races.
Rep. Ken Dunkin, D-Chicago, earned the enmity of his fellow Democrats when he denied Madigan the votes he needed to override Rauner vetoes.
&nb ... more. |
IFCA has established a very valuable relationship with water supply officials in Illinois. We keep them apprised of our 4R efforts to reduce nutrient losses and they in turn share with us what they are seeing with water quality in the surface water lakes.
This winter, environmental conditions have resulted in nitrogen losses to the lakes from various sources. As a result, nitrat ... more. |
IFCA publishes a quarterly newsletter featuring stories on how our industry is working to reduce nutrient losses utilizing the 4Rs of nutrient stewardship. Click here to view the Winter 2016 report, which discusses the status of fall applied nitrogen and the 4R CCA Certification program underway in Illinois. Central Illinois lakes are experiencing unusually high nitrate levels this winter which shoul ... more. |
On March 2, the Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council is offering a one hour webinar featuring NREC funded research on reducing phosphorus losses. Click here for a flyer on the webinar and registration information. The webinar is free and offers 1 hour CEU credits in soil & water. IFCA helped establish NREC and we encourage our members to participate and learn what the 75 ... more. |
We were very saddened to learn that Lee Haycock, of Haycock Soil Service in Delevan, died suddenly last week. He was 64 years old. Lee was very active in the fertilizer industry and in his local community, serving as a trustee of the Delevan Fire Protection District and Delevan Masonic Lodge. IFCA sends our deepest condolences to his wife Cindy, his children and to his brother Jim and employees ... more. |
This year the Illinois Tier 2 filing has gone much more smoothly thanks to hard work by the folks at the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) to smooth out the bugs in the computer filing system. As of this week, 62% of all facilities in the state that must report their chemical inventories had successfully done so. But don't wait until the last minute! File as soon as possible to av ... more. |
At first blush, it may have seemed like a rare moment of bipartisanship at the Illinois Capitol: Democratic President Barack Obama called for changes to a process for drawing political maps that too often favors one party, bringing Republican lawmakers to their feet.
“In America, politicians should not pick their voters; voters should pick their politicians,” Obama said during ... more. |
EPA chief Gina McCarthy put up a stout defense at a House Agriculture Committee hearing today to charges that her agency is out of touch with the farming community, stating that she works closely with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and has “great respect” for USDA.
As she has at other congressional hearings, McCarthy heard from lawmakers who accused EPA of “regulatory ... more. |
With 2016 an election year, many in the agriculture industry are asking what the pending changes will mean for farm policy. Here are some of the top issues to track this year.
Clean Water Act
Turn your eyes to the Des Moines Water Works lawsuit. Attorney and ag law expert John Dillard says this case will tell us what we need to know about the reach of the Clean Wat ... more. |
The Agricultural Retailers Association is strongly urging it membership to contact their local members of Congress regarding Fiscal Year 2017 budgeting about the Occupational Safety and Health Administration attempt to remove the “retail exemption” from the Process Safety Management (PSM) regulation.
ARA has termed removal of the exemption as “federal overreach” in ... more. |
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) is trying to ease concerns Senate Democrats have with a new system to label foods with genetically modified ingredients.
The supermarket trade group responded Wednesday to the letter Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jon Tester (D-Mt.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) sent last month ... more. |
The biotech labeling negotiations led by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack broke down over whether GMOs had to be disclosed on food labels or whether it would be enough to ensure that electronic disclosure would be adequate to serve consumers, he says.
Vilsack, testifying before the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee on Thursday, made his first public comments about two days of ... more. |
In an all-encompassing hearing before the House Agriculture Committee, lawmakers pleaded with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy to withdraw the waters of the United States rule.
The rule remains in legal limbo as challenges stopping its implementation play out in federal court.
On many occasions, McCarthy has told Congress there is a need t ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner stressed economic growth and less government waste as ways to balance Illinois’ budget during a town-hall-style meeting Tuesday with members of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce.
“It’s outrageous to me, just unconscionable to me, that we don’t have a budget eight months now coming into the fiscal year,” the Republican governor said, blaming th ... more. |
The Agricultural Retailers Association released its top six policy priorities for 2016. The priorities include OSHA's PSM retail exemption, Clean Water Act jurisdiction, water transportation infrastructure, a federal GMO labeling standard, a pro-growth economic agenda, and energy and technology.
1. OSHA Process Safety Management Retail Exemption
Issue Summary:
... more. |
USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will prepare a programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to “evaluate a range of alternatives” for updating its biotechnology regulations.
APHIS plans to publish a notice in the Federal Register this week asking for comments on what the agency should consider in the draft EIS, as well as on the definitions th ... more. |
The global spread of a virus that deforms the wings of honeybees and kills them in droves was caused by humans, new research has found.
According to the study published this week in Science, the problem dates back to the mid-20th Century when Asian honeybees traded widely in the former Soviet Union were introduced to Europe and paired with honeybees there. For centuries, Asian honeybees had learned to ... more. |
The food industry is pressuring Congress to act before the state of Vermont requires food labels for genetically modified ingredients.
At issue is how food companies will deal with Vermont's law. They could make separate food packages just for the state, label all their items with genetically modified ingredients or withdraw from the small Vermont market. The law kicks in by July, but ... more. |
The Statehouse will be closed to employees, lawmakers and staff until 10 a.m. Wednesday – the day President Barack Obama will address the legislature in the House chamber.
That’s according to a memo sent to House members by the office of House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, on Friday.
Steve Brown, spokesman for Madigan, said he didn’t know what time the presid ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner has announced proposals he says would help shrink Illinois government and its costs. The proposals include legislation allowing voters to decide whether to dissolve units of local government.
The Republican publicized four bills Friday in Naperville. Officials there are considering merging road-maintenance services with a township.
Three bills are aimed ... more. |
Bayer's Crop Science division is rejecting EPA's request that it voluntarily cancel uses of flubendiamide (trade name: Belt), an insecticide used on more than 200 crops nationwide.
Instead, the company said it will ask to have the product's registration reviewed by an EPA administrative law judge, which would probably result in a ruling this year.
Bayer will ... more. |
President Obama releases his fiscal 2017 budget this week as congressional Republicans vow to accelerate debates on appropriations bills amid the heated campaign season.
Also this week, several key administration officials will testify before congressional committees, including Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy and the chairman of the Commodity Futures Trad ... more. |
Thanks to support from the Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council and the Illinois Soybean Association checkoff, the IL CCA Program and IFCA are offering two free webinars to help CCAs prep for the upcoming 4R Certification Exam. Even if you aren't scheduled to take the exam this February, these webinars, taught by Dr. Bill Simmons, is well worth your time and will help you with your knowle ... more. |
The IFCA & Illinois Department of Agriculture spring ammonia safety schools begin on February 24. To see all the dates and locations of the schools and to register, click here. This course will provide a 3 year competent attendant certificate issued by IDA for those who participate and pass the exam.
On a related note, IFCA continues to work closely with the IDA to finalize change ... more. |
The deadline to prepare your OSHA Process Safety Management Plan for retail anhydrous ammonia storage facilities is October 1, 2016. With now being somewhat of a down time in our industry, we encourage you to work through the PSM compliance tools provided by the Asmark Institute so that you won't have to try to do it all during the busy summer season. Go to www.asmark.organd click on the ye ... more. |
March 1 gets closer every day and that is the deadline to file your annual Tier 2 chemical inventory reports with IEMA and also your Pesticide Producing Establishment reports for the pesticides you repacked to minibulks to USEPA. For the Tier 2 reports, we urge you to not wait until the last week, as the state's on-line software system may get overloaded and works best when everyone isn't trying to ... more. |
Illinois Democrats Thursday quickly passed a bill authorizing spending for community colleges and financial aid for needy students.
However, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner threatened to veto the bill because it does not come with additional money needed to cover those spending promises.
Democrats in the House and Senate, where they are in the majority, provided the only vo ... more. |
The bill's managers are working to prevent any such “poison pill” amendments, however, to smooth the way for passage of the legislation.
But the biggest challenge for corn growers and the ethanol industry may well be in the first-in the-nation Iowa caucuses on Monday, not in the Senate debate. Many in the state's ethanol industry and corn growers have been ... more. |
The Friday afternoon email read with remarkable alacrity, given its message: The trip to a Springfield store to buy all-purpose Fabuloso Cleaner for the Secretary of State's office was for naught.
"They would not sell to us because we are shut off due to lack of payment," the storeroom worker wrote to his boss and others. "Have a great weekend!"
As Illinois politicia ... more. |
In the most extensive poll of how U.S. farmers and ranchers plan to vote for president, respondents overwhelmingly say they'll support a Republican, and among those, 40 percent say they will support Donald Trump.
“It's clear that GOP-leaning voters are very dissatisfied with the direction of the country, the way President Obama is doing his job and the way that Congress is do ... more. |
Details are finally trickling out about the meetings at USDA in which Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack tried to help industry reach a peaceful accord with GMO labeling advocates. Tara Cook-Littman, founder of GMO-Free Connecticut, says she and four other advocates rejected an industry proposal to use electronic labeling and instead “stood strong and united for mandatory, on package GMO labeling.&rdquo ... more. |
Earlier this week, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board released a draft of its report on the fire and explosion at the West Fertilizer Company. CSB investigators will present their findings to the board in a public meeting in Waco, Texas, on Thursday.
The Agricultural Retailers Association has conducted a preliminary review of the draft report's findings.
"ARA agrees with ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner Wednesday called on lawmakers to work past the “difficult” 2015 year in the legislature and work together to reach a “grand compromise” in 2016 to turn around the state.
However, during his 35-minute State of the State speech, his second as governor, Rauner repeated the need to pass components of his "turnaround agenda" that has so far resulted in ... more. |
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and EPA need to tighten their standards for ammonium nitrate, the Chemical Safety Board (CSB) said in its report on the explosion of a fertilizer plant in West, Texas, which obliterated the facility, killed 15 people and caused widespread damage to more than 150 buildings nearby.
CSB released its report ahead of a public meeting in Waco, Te ... more. |
Despite plenty of precipitation the past few months, fall-applied nitrogen appears to be staying put for the most part.
Emerson Nafziger, University of Illinois crop sciences professor and Extension agronomist, shared soil test results of about 20 east-central Illinois sites collected by Dan Schaefer, Illinois Council on Best Management Practices’ director of nutrient stewardship.
... more. |
Despite no budget deal, Gov. Bruce Rauner made his case Wednesday in his second State of the State address - changes he says will make the state more competitive.
Rauner is also promising to take a more bipartisan approach to solving issues in the coming months.
"To achieve a grand compromise, we must cast partisanship and ideology aside," he said.
But ... more. |
The IL Secretary of State will no longer be mailing reminders to vehicle owners to renew their license plates in order to save our bankrupt state over $450,000 per month. Most vehicle owners can go on-line to renew their plates, but that is not the case with special plates, such as fertilizer trailer plates. So.....IFCA is working with the Sec of State staff to come up a workable way for our members ... more. |
This year at the convention, we will have our first annual live and silent auction to support AG-SOLVE PAC, IFCA's political action fund. The donation of items has been terrific! To prepare for what you will want to bid on, see below the list of auction items and the companies who have contributed to the auction. We can’t thank them enough for the donations! The silent auctio ... more. |
A special thank you to all who attended and supported the IFCA Convention last week! The first ever IFCA Ag-Solve Auction raised substantial resources to support our legislative efforts and would not have been possible without the generous donation of so many great prizes from our members--thanks to all the auction sponsors and the Ag-Solve Trustees for making our auction a big success! We also want ... more. |
Don't delay getting your annual Tier 2 Chemical Inventory Reports and your Pesticide Producing Establishment reports filed. For the Tier 2 report, it is especially important to not wait until the last minute. Remember last year when the Illinois Tier 2 system kept crashing? IFCA and the Chemical Industry Council of Illinois have been working closely with the IL Emergency Management Agency t ... more. |
Last week at the IFCA Convention, Brian Bothast from the OSHA Peoria Office gave an overview of the Process Safety Management Regulations for retail ammonia storage facilities which become effective on October 1, 2016. In addition to the PSM requirements, the Illinois Anhydrous Ammonia Rules are in the final stages and we expect they will become effective in March or April 2016. John Rebholz, who rec ... more. |
In his first State of the State address last year, newly elected Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner told a joint session of the Democratic-controlled General Assembly that voters "don't want partisan bickering, political infighting or personal conflict to get in the way of serving the needs of the families of Illinois."
As Rauner prepares to deliver his second address Wednesday, the state is ... more. |
The nation's capital is digging out of a monster snowstorm that is playing havoc with schedules even as much of official Washington will be focused on Iowa for the last week of campaigning ahead of the Feb. 1 caucuses.
The Democratic candidates will face off in a CNN town hall Monday night in Des Moines, and the Republicans will hold their seventh debate, which Fox News will host ... more. |
Illinois Senate President John Cullerton says he wants Gov. Bruce Rauner to put in writing the details of a proposed pension overhaul their attorneys have been discussing for weeks.
Cullerton issued a statement Friday saying there was "confusion" after the Republican governor told reporters a day earlier that he backed the Democrat's plan as long as it included a provision aimed at col ... more. |
Senate Republicans failed to overcome the presidential veto of a measure to kill the Obama administration's Clean Water Act rule, but they plan to keep pressing the issue.
Democrats on Thursday blocked the Senate from moving to an override vote on the veto. A 52-40 vote to invoke cloture and take up the veto was eight votes short of the majority needed, ending the latest GOP atte ... more. |
A year ago, the Des Moines Water Works, the state of Iowa’s largest water utility, filed suit against three rural counties, charging that for years they had been polluting the city’s drinking water with impunity. In Iowa, where courtesy and cooperation rule, this was tantamount to a declaration of war.
The pollution in question is nitrates, a naturally occurring byproduct of ni ... more. |
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board will have a public meeting from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday Jan. 28 at the Hilton Waco to present the investigation report and safety recommendations from the April 17, 2013, ammonium nitrate fire and explosion at the West Fertilizer facility in West, Texas.
According to the CSB press release, the West Fertilizer explosion is one of the most destructive incidents ev ... more. |
“We are going to force them to label this food. If we have it labeled, then we can organize people not to buy it.”
-- Andrew Kimbrell, executive director, Center for Food Safety.
This month, Campbell’s Soup Company became the first major food corporation to announce its support of mandatory GMO labels and will voluntarily label their own products as suc ... more. |
The pathway to a summer without toxic algae on Lake Erie remains elusive, but experts are optimistic about several programs designed to reduce algae-feeding phosphorus runoff into the lake.
One program provides $17.5 million to farmers in the lake's western basin. It supports pollution-control efforts such as planting cover crops, creating buffer strips of trees and prairie grasses, an ... more. |
In December, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a revised Interim Enforcement Policy addressing enforcement of Process Safety Management (PSM) requirements for agricultural retailers. Many facilities handling fertilizer became newly subject to the PSM standards pursuant to a prior OSHA enforcement memorandum, dated July 22, 2015.
The revised policy is the resul ... more. |
Winter has finally arrived. It always does right before the IFCA Convention! But as we look at frozen soil and snow covered ground, remember that spreading fertilizer in these conditions is not a recommended 4R practice. There is extreme awareness among the public, regulatory officials and water supplies about spreading fertilizer in the winter, in conditions where tillage is not possible and w ... more. |
In addition to the training and education opportunities at the IFCA Convention, next week there are several other events coming up.
On January 26-27 at the Decatur Conference Center & Hotel, there is a Midwest Drone Conference and Expo. Admission is free. To see the complete program and to register go to www.midwestdroneshow.com.
On January 25, Illinois S ... more. |
Illinois has limped along without a budget since July and solving that gridlock will be lawmakers' top priority in the impending session, a time when they've traditionally turned attention to passing a fresh budget for the coming fiscal year.
The epic budget fight that's crippling many state services will overshadow other key issues lawmakers want to address in the 2016 session ... more. |
Republican Governor Terry Branstad and former Democratic Governor Tom Vilsack — the U.S. Ag Secretary — joined forces today to tout a plan that would extend the one-cent sales tax that’s currently spent on school infrastructure projects and use most of the inflationary growth to finance water quality projects.
“This is the biggest and boldest initiative that I&rsquo ... more. |
A widely used neonicotinoid insecticide poses a risk to honey bees, EPA said in an analysis released today that drew criticism from a leading manufacturer of the product as well as environmental groups.
The neonic is imidacloprid, and EPA said that it “potentially poses risk to hives” when used on crops that attract pollinators. Citrus and cotton, in particular, appear to prese ... more. |
A federal lawsuit that's led by a central Minnesota beekeeper is seeking to make the Environmental Protection Agency label insecticide-coated seeds as a pesticide.
The change sought by the lawsuit would curb use of neonicotinoid pesticides that beekeepers say are inadvertently killing their colonies, Minnesota Public Radio News reported. Neonicotinoids are widely used on soybean and co ... more. |
The House will vote next week on whether to kill the Obama administration's “waters of the United States” rule, as GOP leaders seek to make a case to voters for electing a Republican president.
The disapproval resolution passed the Senate in November, 53-44, well short of the two-thirds majority necessary to overturn a certain presidential veto.
&ld ... more. |
A provision in the recent year-end funding bill passed by Congress has temporarily suspended an Occupational Safety and Health Administration policy change on anhydrous ammonia facilities, but groups are continuing to seek permanent action.
The OSHA rule, issued in a memorandum in July, changes the definition of what constitutes a retail facility under the Process Safety Management program ... more. |
Lawmakers are back in Washington, D.C. after the holiday break.
According to POLITICO, GMO labeling, child nutrition authorization, approval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and other pending legislation is expected to be tackled in the new year.
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) talks concluded in late October. The deal between the U.S. and 11 other Pacific Rim countries ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner made some news the other day when he went on Dan Proft's WIND-AM/560 radio show and whacked Mayor Rahm Emanuel but good.
“It's so unfortunate the way the mayor is failing the people of Chicago and he's looking to blame other people for it,” Rauner told Proft. The mayor has done “virtually nothing” to reform the city's government and ... more. |
Voters will get a glimpse of what's at stake in this fall's elections as President Obama makes his final State of the Union address and House Republicans force a vote to kill his rule re-defining the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act.
Obama plans to use his speech Tuesday night to lay out a vision for beyond his presidency and while he's expected to push for approval of the T ... more. |
Campbell Soup Company's decision to support mandatory GMO labeling received plaudits from labeling advocates, jeers from an anti-labeling industry coalition, and a more subdued response from the Grocery Manufacturers Association.
It also may have greased the skids for federal legislation, a task that could be made easier if all sides in the debate could agree on what Congress should do ... more. |
On December 23, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a revised Interim Enforcement Policy stating that ag retailers with ammonia storage facilities that are newly covered by the Process Safety Management (PSM) Standard will now have until September 30, 2016 to comply. Previously, the compliance date was July 22, 2016.
This change comes as a direct re ... more. |
At the IFCA convention on January 19, we are offering a special session focusing on preparing Certified Crop Advisers to take the 4R Certification Exam. Pre-registration with the CCA program to take the exam in February ended in mid-December, but the exam will be offered consistently in the future and we encourage Illinois CCAs to become 4R Certified to demonstrate our industry's on-going commitment to ... more. |
In 2012, IFCA worked with the IL Department of Agriculture to make significant changes to the Illinois Fertilizer Act. One of those changes was to create NREC, and another major change is the way in which fertilizer dealers register to conduct business in Illinois. In the past, each custom blend had to be registered with IDA; now, you pay an annual $100 fee to IDA to obtain a Fertilizer Dealer Licens ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner says it's "very appropriate" for Illinois to borrow $480 million to pay for improvements to roads and bridges and other construction projects.
The Chicago Tribune reports Rauner's administration is set to issue general obligation bonds on Jan. 14.
Illinois has the lowest credit rating of any state in the U.S., which increases the state's cos ... more. |
A task force appointed by Gov. Bruce Rauner recommended more than two dozen ways to shrink Illinois government and cut costs to taxpayers, though many ideas already have faced stiff opposition and the Republican acknowledged getting legislative approval won't be "just a walk in the park."
Several of the 27 recommendations announced Monday mirror anti-union measures that Rauner has unsu ... more. |
The bipartisanship that took hold as Congress enacted a series of major pieces of legislation before Christmas is likely to come to a quick end as the election year begins.
The House returns to work from the holiday break to take up bills this week intended to send election-year political messages, starting with legislation that would repeal Obamacare and defund Planned Parenthood. T ... more. |
In the last few days, perhaps one million small drones were given as Christmas gifts. Many prototype commercial drones, however, have been flying largely unnoticed for almost a year, and are preparing for a big takeoff of their own.
Last week, The Times reported on a growing drone industry in North Dakota. It is just one of several rural areas where there is concerted activity in commercia ... more. |
The 99th Illinois General Assembly passed 237 new laws that will take effect in Illinois on Jan. 1. These laws address topics that range from naming a state pie to divorce law to bobcat hunting.
Of the over 200 new laws, 10 of the laws affecting Illinois residents include:
Click Here to read more.
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The 99th Illinois General Assembly passed 237 new laws that will take effect in Illinois on Jan. 1. These laws address topics that range from naming a state pie to divorce law to bobcat hunting.
Of the over 200 new laws, 10 of the laws affecting Illinois residents include:
Click Here to read more.
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Differences over labeling dominated debates over food policy in 2015 and promise to carry on into the new year.
In a historic move, Congress in December repealed the country-of-origin labeling requirements for beef and pork after a World Trade Organization decision cleared the way for Canada and Mexico to levy retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products.
The repeal provision, w ... more. |
After a 20-year career in the Illinois legislature, Mike Bost now represents southern Illinois in Washington. In this video, he talks with Agri-Pulse about his goals for his first term in Congress, including what he wants to do on the House Agriculture Committee
Click Here to watch the video
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Lawmakers are pledging to re-double efforts to pass legislation early next year to block state GMO labeling laws and set national disclosure standards.
The industry wanted to get a bill attached to the must-pass fiscal 2016 spending agreement that congressional leaders reached on Tuesday, but talks stalled and Senate Democrats stopped even a temporary preemption measure from being included ... more. |
Half a year into its deepening budget crisis, the state of Illinois is sitting on at least $4 billion in cash.
Two weeks ago, Democratic lawmakers agreed with Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner on tapping a total of $3 billion from 112 of the special state funds — albeit to finance those funds’ intended purposes. The short-term spending plan sent more than $1 billion owed to cities a ... more. |
Five prominent farm groups are asking EPA to withdraw its request to a federal court to vacate the registration of Enlist Duo, a widely used Dow herbicide.
Last month, EPA asked the San Francisco-based Ninth Circuit federal appeals court to cancel the registration and remand the matter to EPA for further review. The agency said one of its scientists had come across a Dow patent application ... more. |
It may not be until after the March primary election that state lawmakers approve a 2016 budget, McHenry County lawmakers warned.
They find the idea even more abhorrent than the fact the state has gone almost seven months without a budget, and they pledged to help push for getting a deal done as soon as possible once lawmakers reconvene Jan. 13 for the spring legislative session.
&nb ... more. |
Congress just put the brakes on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s regulatory overreach.
On July 22, OSHA released an enforcement memorandum rescinding all prior policy documents, letters of interpretation, and memoranda related to the retail exemption to Process Safety Management (PSM), a set of procedural, operational and organizational design standards intended to ... more. |
A resolution to again attempt to nullify the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) controversial Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule will be introduced in House in 2016, Matt Sparks, a spokesman for House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said.
Voting is planned on a Congressional Review Act challenge to the WOTUS rule next year in the House and the Senate is “in the proc ... more. |
A resolution to again attempt to nullify the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) controversial Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule will be introduced in House in 2016, Matt Sparks, a spokesman for House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said.
Voting is planned on a Congressional Review Act challenge to the WOTUS rule next year in the House and the Senate is “in the proc ... more. |
Frank Carollo, a longtime member of the City Council here, had worked for several weeks fine-tuning a proposal to limit the use of recreational drones, the increasingly popular remote-controlled flying devices. Minutes before the start of the vote on the rules this month, lawyers from the Federal Aviation Administration called him.
The lawyers said the Miami ordinance needed to make clear ... more. |
USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is reaching out to U.S. beekeepers and farmers from now through January to gather information on the number and health of honey bee colonies, honey production and stocks, and the cost to farmers of pollination services.
The surveys will be used to develop baseline data and additional goal metrics for winter, summer, and total annua ... more. |
In a sudden announcement on July 22, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) announced that they will eliminate the "retail" exemption for chemical facilities that are currently exempt from the Process Safety Management (PSM) regulations. Thus, PSM will now apply to retail anhydrous ammonia facilities. This was not done via normal regulatory channels, but rather was an announcement ... more. |
IFCA has been working with our fellow ag groups and with the IL Dept of Revenue to address uncertainty with regard to cover crop seed sales. We believe we finally have a final answer on how our retail members should best handle sales of these types of seeds (and all seeds) to purchasers. According to IDOR, they will consider cover crop seed sales as eligible for the production agriculture exemption f ... more. |
The IDA Bureau of Weights & Measures is looking at an enforcement policy that would require all truck scales to have visible read-outs that can be viewed while sitting in the cab of a truck. IFCA is working in concert with the Grain & Feed Association, Aggregate Producers and Asphalt Pavers to assess the implication of this requirement on our memberships. Last week we asked you to complete a ... more. |
Please watch your mail for the IFCA Board of Director ballots. This year we have five seats up for election: Retail Representatives in Districts 1, 2 and 7, and the Fertilizer and Seed Industry representatives. Ballots are due back to IFCA by January 8, 2016. Follow the instructions on the ballot to mail, fax or email them back to our office. Thanks everyone for voting and please pl ... more. |
Ever since we had the problems with the State of Illinois' Tier 2 reporting system last year, IFCA and the Chemical Industry Council of Illinois (CICI) have been meeting with the staff at IEMA to resolve the problem. IEMA has been working diligently with the Tier 2 software vendor to improve the system to avoid the crash and burn that happened last year. Several IFCA and CICI members helped to te ... more. |
Anhydrous ammonia dealers will soon get relief from some federal safety requirements under the year-end spending and tax legislation.
A provision in the bill prohibits the Occupational Safety and Health Administration from applying its Process Safety Management (PSM) rule to agricultural retailers until the Census Bureau has established a new North American Industry Classification System c ... more. |
Congress wrapped up its 2015 work by passing two major pieces of legislation: the omnibus spending bill and tax extenders legislation, both with key agricultural provisions. Agri-Pulse's Phil Brasher and Spencer Chase break down what was included in these bills and what will be addressed in 2016. 1:05 - Omnibus, 4:00 - Tax extenders, 5:40 - What was left out of the bills and may be addressed in 2016, 9:3 ... more. |
Dear IFCA Retail Members:
Last spring an issue arose when a grain elevator in Illinois was told by a state scale inspector that their vehicle scales would not be approved (red tagged) unless the company installed a remote readout within three months. We found this very unusual since the scale had been approved by the Illinois Department of Agriculture for years. A &ldquo ... more. |
The fate of the country-of-origin labeling law for meat is hanging on a massive spending bill that could be released on Monday, and the food industry has been clinging to hopes that a measure preempting state GMO labeling laws also could be included.
Also up in the air heading into the final negotiations was the Obama administration's new “waters of the United States” (WOTU ... more. |
Local soil and water conservation districts responsible for statewide projects from erosion control to keeping farm chemicals out of water supplies are the latest to be hit by Illinois' budget deadlock.
Workers at smaller offices have been laid off or lost health insurance, said Kelly Thompson, executive director of the Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts in S ... more. |
Demographic changes in the marketplace and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns make it imperative that farmers -- and the dealers who supply them -- embrace a sustainable approach to farming, a former General Mills executive told an audience of several hundred at the Agricultural Retailers Association annual conference last week in Palm Desert, California.
“These millennials ... more. |
EPA has been ordered by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to respond by the end of 2016 to a petition seeking a total ban on uses of the insecticide chlorpyrifos.
The agency has already proposed to revoke all food tolerances for the product. But it has yet to respond to a 2007 petition requesting revocation of the registrations.
In a one-page order issued today that fol ... more. |
The Dec. 6 editorial criticized my comments on the problem of nutrients in Iowa’s waters and ends with a call to “acknowledge the reality that government has an important role to play in regulating and protecting our water supply.”
Who doesn’t? But the Register’s call for new mandates doesn’t acknowledge the impracticality of regulating runoff the ... more. |
Today’s farmers can produce more from their land than ever before thanks, in part, to nitrogen fertilizer, a key ingredient that has never been more widely available.
New technologies, especially hydraulic fracturing, “fracking,” have increased domestic production of natural gas, which is essential to making nitrogen fertilizer. The fossil fuel is used to both power the p ... more. |
The agriculture community is working to fend off possible mandates on nutrient reduction. The key, many say, is in voluntary efforts beginning on the farm.
A panel at the Farm Asset Conference agreed awareness of the problem and a combined effort to keep more inputs in the field are key.
“The Gulf Restoration Network has been trying to push EPA to put into place nu ... more. |
One of the biggest complicating factors in the problem of water quality in Iowa and other Midwestern states is the complex science of where nitrates come from and how they move.
Michael Castellano, an associate professor of agronomy at Iowa State University, talked about the problem of nitrate science with a group of farmers at the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation’s annual meeting last we ... more. |
House Speaker Michael Madigan said Wednesday that "a good place to begin" in mending a multibillion-dollar spending hole would be to return the state income tax to 5 percent, its level during a temporary hike that expired in January with then-Gov.-elect Bruce Rauner's blessing.
Although Madigan has made no secret of his support for higher taxes during the months-long fiscal standoff, h ... more. |
There was a lot of anticipation building up last week before House Speaker MICHAEL MADIGAN's speech to the City Club of Chicago.
Obviously, the state has some major problems, and until this year, Madigan hasn't exactly been very accessible to the media or the public. Besides, it was the first time in 15 years that he'd spoken to the group.
Considering what ha ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner has planned another round of talks on state budget with legislative leaders in Chicago.
Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly says the meeting is Tuesday afternoon at The James R. Thompson Center.
The Republican met last week with leaders for first time in months, including Democrats, House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton. The l ... more. |
Raymond Poe is taking over as director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture at a difficult time.
The state is six months into the new fiscal year without a budget. Even when the state has had a budget, the department has sustained repeated cuts over the years.
The Illinois Farm Bureau is raising questions about the future of soil and water conservation districts and even food in ... more. |
The week ahead is shaping up to be the most important period for agriculture and food policy since at least the passage of the 2014 farm bill, with critical action coming on country-of-origin labeling, school nutrition standards, tax policy and a range of other issues.
Congressional leaders are negotiating the final version of a fiscal 2016 spending bill that could serve as the legislative ... more. |
Much attention is being focused on a Dec. 1 sit-down between Gov. Bruce Rauner and legislative leaders as Illinois approaches the five-month mark without a state budget.
But there are other dates approaching that may be far more important to hopes for a deal on a spending plan since getting there has as much to do with political timing as getting everyone in the same room or agreeing on wh ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency, in a surprising move, has decided to revoke the approval of a herbicide that was made to be used on a new generation of genetically modified crops.
The agency’s decision could delay the introduction of corn, soybeans and cotton developed by Dow Chemical to be resistant to the herbicide 2,4-D. But Dow said it did not anticipate a significant delay. ... more. |
On the campaign trail and in his first weeks in office, Gov. Bruce Rauner pledged to save taxpayers money by eliminating some of Illinois’ nearly 7,000 units of government — a piece of his legislative agenda with rare bipartisan support.
Now, a task force the Republican governor named to put that idea in motion is preparing to present its final recommendations. Lt. Gov. Evelyn ... more. |
Des Moines Water Works claims in a recent court filing opposing the Iowa counties and drainage districts that "…no effective measures to address nitrate pollution at its primary source have been taken for many reasons, including an erroneous, unreasoning, unsustainable, and ultimately shortsighted assumption that agricultural drainage infrastructure is, and must be, totally exempt from legal responsib ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency issued a memorandum to all Regional Administrators and Offices to establish policy on the effect of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's change to the retail exemption under the Process Safety Management.
The memo EPA indicates that impacted agricultural retail facilities will be required to submit RMP updates to the agency by January ... more. |
The White House is trying to protect its “waters of the United States” rule during negotiations over a government-wide funding bill for fiscal 2016, a senior House appropriator says.
Oklahoma Republican Tom Cole said a policy rider that would block implementation of the WOTUS rule has significant Democratic support, but when asked if the White House was resisting the provision, ... more. |
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 adv ... more. |
This year, all nurse tank trailers and floater license plates expire on December 31, 2015. Because the state did not issue renewal notices for the plate stickers, you need to send in a spreadsheet listing your plate #'s, trailer VIN or ID #, and make of the trailer or floater directly to the SOS office in Springfield. Send the spreadsheet, in Excel format, to Bill Graber at BGraber@ILSOS.net. &nb ... more. |
This year, all nurse tank trailers and floater license plates expire on December 31, 2015. Because the state did not issue renewal notices for the plate stickers, you need to send in a spreadsheet listing your plate #'s, trailer VIN or ID #, and make of the trailer or floater directly to the SOS office in Springfield. Send the spreadsheet, in Excel format, to Bill Graber at BGraber@ILSOS.net. &nb ... more. |
Ken Kopocis, the Environmental Protection Agency’s former deputy assistant administrator for water, said the regulator is keeping close watch on efforts to reduce runoff from farms and other sources into the Mississippi River.
The agency says it has no plans to put in place a cleanup in the Mississippi River Basin similar to the one now in place in the Chesapeake Bay, but that agricu ... more. |
The Food and Drug Administration has refused to consider requiring the labeling of biotech foods, affirming its longstanding policy that there's no legal basis for mandating such disclosure on products that are essentially the same as their conventional versions. >
The FDA decision came in denying petitions filed by the Center for Food Safety, an advocacy group that has long fought ... more. |
In the latest twist of a long-running legal battle, biotech giant Syngenta says grain companies have only themselves to blame for the market share lost in China over shipments that contained unapproved corn varieties.
The filing, a third-party complaint filed by Syngenta Thursday in U.S. district court in Kansas, contends that Cargill, ADM, Express Grain Terminal, and Rail Transfer Inc. ar ... more. |
While not a common occurrence, authorities stress safety to farmers and the public when anhydrous ammonia leaks happen, like the one that took place in Windsor last week.
Emergency personnel responded to an anhydrous ammonia leak which had trapped a farmer at 4:08 p.m. Nov. 10 in a field at 2600 E 1900 N Road. The main supply line connected to a tool bar had broken off, and liquid anhydrou ... more. |
Sara Wojcicki Jimenez, chief of staff to First Lady Diana Rauner, was chosen Friday to replace former state Rep. Raymond Poe in the 99th House District.
Rosemarie Long, who chairs the Sangamon County Republicans, said Wojcicki was the choice of Gov. Bruce Rauner, but she also had backing of several other current and former officials.
“She’s very qualified,&rd ... more. |
A coalition attempting to take the task of drawing the state's political maps out of the hands of politicians is more than two-thirds of the way toward its goal of collecting 600,000 signatures to get the proposal on the ballot.
In an announcement Monday, the nonpartisan Independent Maps coalition said more than 400,000 Illinoisans have signed petitions for a state constitutional amend ... more. |
An expensive and controversial plan to rein in toxic pollutants flowing from farms and cities to the picturesque Chesapeake Bay, home to blue crabs, otters, bass and osprey, may serve as an object lesson for Iowa and its water quality problems.
For decades, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia had worked voluntarily with the feder ... more. |
The Illinois Soybean Association is hosting a free webinar on Tuesday, December 1 from 10-11 am central time entitled "Lessons from a Surprising Season: The 2015 Illinois Soybean Crop." Those who participate will receive one credit in Crop Management. To register, clickhere.
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The Illinois Department of Revenue has replied to the industry's request to review the applicability of sales tax to sales of cover crop seed. Several months ago, an IFCA member was audited by the DOR and was fined for not collecting sales tax on the sales of cover crop seed, under the contention that since these crops are not harvested or resold, they do not qualify for the ag input sales tax exemptio ... more. |
Watch your mail after Thanksgiving for the IFCA Convention Registration information, which includes information on hotel reservations. The convention is January 19-21, 2016 at the Peoria Civic Center.
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Each quarter, IFCA prepares a report of the 4R activities in our industry. Yesteday we shared the fall 2015 report with the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy Policy Workgroup, which includes a wide array of nutrient stakeholders. They all enjoy our reports and the news of your work in the field with your customers. Click here to see the Fall 2015 report, it is two pages and features an ... more. |
The Obama Administration’s National Pollinator Strategy, released in May, encouraged the Environmental Protection Agency to pursue near-term steps to preserve and protect bees and other pollinators.
So what has the EPA done since then?
As its first announced initiative, the EPA proposed a new rule that would prohibit foliar applications — spraying — of ... more. |
U.S. honey bee colonies could be in for a bad winter.
That's the word from Dick Rogers, the principal scientist with the Bayer Bee Care Center in North Carolina, who's been studying honey bees for decades. In a blog post, Rogers says he conducts hive evaluations during late summer and early fall, often involving up to 150 samples from hives across the country, and this year he' ... more. |
EPA has issued a cancellation order for registered products using sulfoxaflor, in response to a Sept. 10 decision by the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that found the agency violated federal law when it approved the pesticide's registration without additional studies regarding potential impact on honeybees.
The cancellation order means distribution or sale of sulfoxaflor produc ... more. |
EPA has issued a cancellation order for registered products using sulfoxaflor, in response to a Sept. 10 decision by the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that found the agency violated federal law when it approved the pesticide's registration without additional studies regarding potential impact on honeybees.
The cancellation order means distribution or sale of sulfoxaflor produc ... more. |
The American Farm Bureau Federation and a coalition of agricultural and builder groups Friday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a lower court ruling that allows the Environmental Protection Agency to micromanage local land use and development decisions under the guise of implementing the federal Clean Water Act. The lower court’s ruling, according to the petition, “opens the door for a drama ... more. |
The algae bloom that spread across Lake Erie this summer was the largest on record and left behind a thick, paint-like scum that covered an area roughly the size of New York City, government scientists said Tuesday.
The bloom fueled by heavy summer rains surpassed the record-setting algae outbreak in 2011 that stretched from Toledo to Cleveland, said the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner recently signed House Bill 1445 allowing biosolids from Chicago’s wastewater and sewage to be cleaned and turned into productive, marketable compost across Illinois.
The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, commonly known as MWRD, is responsible for creating renewable resources from its operations, and plans to sell biosolids to the public nex ... more. |
Republican state Rep. Raymond Poe was named Friday to be the new director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
Poe, 71, of rural Springfield, said he will start the job Monday.
"I'll definitely miss (the legislature), but I think it's a lot easier moving up to an agency director rather than moving out of a home," Poe said. "This isn't total closure yet ... more. |
For years, Illinois’ state government has disregarded a law that limited the amount of tax credits the state could award to businesses to encourage them to stay in Illinois and expand their hiring in the state. As a result, it has awarded certain businesses hundreds of millions of dollars more than it should have. An announcement from Gov. Bruce Rauner on Nov. 10 suggests that practice is finally, righ ... more. |
With the sobering backdrop of the Paris terrorist attacks, lawmakers return to Capitol Hill facing a long list of unfinished business this week, including a highway bill and child nutrition programs, ahead of the Thanksgiving break.
Surface transportation programs expire on Friday, with the House and Senate still needing to resolve some differences over a long-term bill, though the bill th ... more. |
USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will launch a $4 million initiative in 2016 to create and enhance habitat for monarch butterflies on private lands across 10 states.
“Today, the iconic monarch butterfly is under pressure. Habitat loss has led to a steady decrease in their numbers,” NRCS Chief Jason Weller said in a USDA blog post Thursday. “We' ... more. |
This year's soybean crop will be the biggest ever - and bigger than projected a month ago - and the corn crop is also projected larger than in October, according to the latest USDA forecasts.
The soybean harvest, which as of Sunday was 95 percent complete, will total 3.981 billion bushels, up 93 million bushels from October's estimate, USDA said yesterday in a monthly report, the W ... more. |
European Union regulators have concluded that the widely used herbicide glyphosate is unlikely to cause cancer, a ruling that runs counter to a controversial assessment issued recently by an arm of the World Health Organization.
The European Food Safety Authority and the EU member countries announced Thursday that they had finished a re-assessment of glyphosate, best known as Roundup ... more. |
A Labor Department proposal could make some nitrogen fertilizer more expensive or harder to find. That has Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) asking the Labor Department some questions about its new guidance on chemical storage.
In response to a 2013 fertilizer plant explosion in Texas, the Labor Department has proposed tightening federal safety rules that until now exempted retailers, including ... more. |
In a landslide vote, the House of Representatives cleared a six-year highway bill Thursday morning, setting up a conference with the Senate over their different pieces of legislation.
More than 80 percent of House members voted in favor of the bill, which also addresses the Export-Import Bank, in a 363-64 decision. The bill is the first long-term transportation bill to pass the House in a ... more. |
The Food and Drug Administration is expected to roll out a set of landmark rules this week that includes the first federal safety regulations for how fresh produce is grown and packed.
The new rules also will include foreign-supplier verification regulations aimed at improving the safety of all imported foods.
The rules were required under the Food Safety Modernization A ... more. |
Even Republican members of the Illinois General Assembly are talking about the inevitability of a tax increase to resolve part of Illinois' ongoing budget stalemate between legislative Democrats and Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.
State Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, mentioned it in a talk Monday before the Champaign County Active Senior Republicans.
"The comprom ... more. |
The concept of a public meeting on Nov. 18 by the four legislative leaders and the governor sounds nice, but will it actually move the ball forward and break the months-long governmental impasse?
As you probably know, a group of good government types recently called on the state's leaders to sit down and talk about solving the state's budget issues. The four tops and the governor h ... more. |
Here are some words guaranteed to draw exasperated sighs among synthetic biologist: Food Babe. Greenpeace. Friends of the Earth. These are megaphone-wielding critics of genetically modified organisms. “They really have an agenda,” said a synthetic biology company rep, her eyes widening with concern, at Consumer Bio, a invite-only forum for venture capitalists and applied biology companies in San ... more. |
This week started with Senate action on the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule and ended with the release of the text for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and House passage of a long-term highway bill. Agri-Pulse's Phil Brasher and Spencer Chase break down what all that means for you and what lies ahead for all three issues.
Click Here to read more.
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When Illinois returns to the municipal bond market after its unprecedented 18-month borrowing drought, it may find its budget impasse will cost taxpayers millions of dollars in the coming decades.
On a $1 billion offering of 25-year tax-exempt bonds, it would cost about $175 million more now than if an equal amount was issued with spreads at 2014 levels, based on data compiled by Bloomberg ... more. |
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Illinois EPA has released the state's Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, including a press release with quote from IFCA. Click before for the strategy documents.
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Click herefor the document.
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It is a challenging fall with the warm temperatures persisting. IFCA urges our members to work diligently with your customers to ensure they use a proven nitrification inhibitor with ALL fall applied ammonia. The IFCA Keep it 4R Crop Program and IFCA 4R Code of Practice recommends use of a USEPA approved, labeled nitrification inhibitor such as N-Serve for ALL fall applied ammonia. If you are g ... more. |
Since the Secretary of State is no longer mailing out renewals for license plate stickers, you must develop a spreadsheet of all of your nurse tank trailers or floaters with license plates and email it to the IL SOS office in Springfield for processing. All of these fertilizer plates, over 25,000 of them in Illinois, expire on December 31, 2015. Here's what you need to do:
1. ... more. |
The IFCA 4R Code of Practice encourages all CCAs to become 4R Certified. This will continue to demonstrate our industry's leadership and commitment to educating our customers on the 4Rs and offering profitable and agronomically sound recommendations to reduce nutrient losses. If you are a CCA, you must register to take the exam before December 11, 2015. The exam date is February 5, 2016. &n ... more. |
A controversial proposal to allow heavier trucks on interstate highways in an effort to save shippers time and money was rejected by the House on Tuesday, one of dozens of amendments expected to be offered to a sweeping transportation bill this week.
The amendment, defeated by a vote of 236-187, would have allowed states to increase the maximum weight for trucks to 91,000 pounds from the c ... more. |
Senate Democrats blocked a bill aimed at forcing the Obama administration to replace its Clean Water Act rule, but Republicans quickly advanced a disapproval resolution that would simply kill the rule.
The measure aimed at replacing the rule needed 60 votes to advance to a full debate, but just four Democrats supported the cloture motion, leaving the bill three votes short, 57-41. Th ... more. |
Orion Samuelson and Steve Bridge on This Week in AgriBusiness did a great interview with Jean Payne with IFCA and Mark Corrigan with Norhtern Partners in Ottawa last week on how OSHA’s new PSM regulations will affect the fertilizer industry and will require upgrades and training for all retailers.
Click Here to read more.
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Thanks to its status as the first state in the country to weigh in on the presidential primary races with its January caucus, Iowa plays a major role in early campaigning. That usually requires candidates to make friendly comments about ethanol, lionize the American Farmer, and eat folksy food at any number of small-town cafés and diners. This election cycle, however, the leading candidates ... more. |
Recently Ogden & Fry did a poll of Illinoisians—in this case, roughly 900 likely voters—about what they think and what they want. The gist? They disapprove of Gov. Rauner, they disapprove of Speaker Madigan more (although, as Rich Miller has pointed out, that’s nothing new), and they disapprove of the General Assembly most of all.
They want the Illinois General Assemb ... more. |
The Senate has approved a short-term highway bill extension that included a delay in the mandated implementation of positive train control (PTC), averting a potential shutdown of rail networks across the country.
The Senate passed the legislation with unanimous consent after the House passed it yesterday. The bill funds and extends federal highway authorization through Nov. 20, giving Hous ... more. |
The state Agriculture Department is holding a free seminar at Mandan's Baymont Inn on Nov. 12 to explain the requirements for facilities under the policy change, which regulates retailers under the same standards as manufacturers.
The change was made due to a deadly ammonium nitrate explosion at a facility in West, Texas, in 2013, the Bismarck Tribune reports. The blast killed 15 peopl ... more. |
The Senate could vote as early as next week on a resolution killing the Obama administration's new rule re-defining what ditches, wetlands and other areas are regulated by the Clean Water Act. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, announced Thursday that she has gathered enough support for a joint resolution of disapproval to overcome a Democratic filibuster. She didn't say how many senators supported the m ... more. |
It's been estimated that 70 to 80 percent of foods eaten in the United States contain ingredients that have been genetically modified.
But labeling these foods is certainly not a food safety issue; there has never been a case of harm to people from GM products - ever. And it's also not something that the FDA can legally do right now, because there is no scientific difference betwee ... more. |
OSHA will delay enforcing a new interpretation of its Process Safety Management Standard, prompting a bipartisan group of lawmakers to call for the agency to withdraw that interpretation.
In a July 22 memorandum, OSHA announced it had revised the interpretation that exempted retail facilities from PSM requirements. The exemption originally was intended only for retail establishments that s ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed a total ban on the insecticide chlorpyrifos for agricultural uses, saying it has been unable to make a safety finding as required under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) by a court-imposed Oct. 31 deadline.
The agency opened a 60-day comment period on its proposed rule and said it will make a final decision based on sta ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed a total ban on the insecticide chlorpyrifos for agricultural uses, saying it has been unable to make a safety finding as required under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) by a court-imposed Oct. 31 deadline.
The agency opened a 60-day comment period on its proposed rule and said it will make a final decision based on sta ... more. |
As harvest winds down and farmers considering their fertilizer application plans for 2016, reminders and recommendations for proper nutrient management are being pushed by the industry.
The Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association urges farmers and fertilizer dealers to hold off on applying anhydrous ammonia until conditions are suitable.
“With harvest pr ... more. |
House Republican leaders are scrambling this week to avert a snarl in rail traffic - and a crisis over the federal debt limit - even as Paul Ryan prepares to take over as speaker and try to unite the fractious GOP caucus.
The House this week will take up another short-term extension of surface transportation funding that would also delay for three years a deadline for railroads to install ... more. |
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced Oct. 20 it would extend its discretionary enforcement policy for Process Safety Management until July 22, 2016. Read the announcement...
The move gives retailers an additional six months to comply with PSM; however it falls well short of an optimal resolution.
Agricultural Retailers Association and The Fertilize ... more. |
Moody's Investors Service downgraded $26.8 billion in Illinois' general obligation bonds on Thursday, prompting another round of finger pointing over the condition of the state's finances.
In lowering the bond rating to Baa1 from A3, the ratings agency pointed to what it called the Illinois' weakening financial position as the year progress.
"The downgrad ... more. |
CALL it the “Coalition of the Ignorant.” By the first week of October, 17 European countries — including Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland — had used new European Union rules to announce bans on the cultivation of genetically modified crops.
These prohibitions expose the worrying reality of how far Europe has gone ... more. |
A meeting between Gov. Bruce Rauner and legislative leaders to discuss the four-month-old budget impasse could occur next month — and in public.
Several government-reform groups invited Rauner and leaders of the General Assembly — including Democrats Michael Madigan, the House Speaker, and John Cullerton, president of the Senate — attempting to bring the two sides togethe ... more. |
More than four months after Illinois' new fiscal year began, Gov Bruce Rauner and top legislative leaders appear close to a deal to sit down as a group and discuss how to finally resolve the standoff over the 2016 budget—in public even.
But the deal is not yet firm, with some dispute over who would set the agenda.
The apparent progress emerged late today when R ... more. |
New bipartisan life has been breathed into the national GMO labeling debate, but many are left wondering what it could include.
The House has been busy in evaluating the technology advances in agriculture and has held three previous hearings over the past year on the topic featuring different stakeholders as well as government officials. Earlier this year, the full House passed legislation ... more. |
Thanks to a tremendous amount of work by the staff at the Asmark Institute, a Process Safety Management compliance program is now available to help you comply with this new OSHA requirement. Last week, OSHA announced they would be extending the compliance date for PSM at ag retail ammonia facilities from January 22, 2016 to July 22, 2016. While this six month extension is welcome, it will still be ex ... more. |
Each year, IDA works with our industry to coordinate the collection of clean, triple rinsed pesticide containers. Click herefor the schedule of locations and dates where containers will be collected free of charge from agrichemical facilities and farmers. Remember, the containers must be triple rinsed and free of residue or they may be rejected. Please participate to recycle this plastic ... more. |
IFCA commends the Illinois ag retailers who have registered to participate in the Responsible Ag (RA) program! You guys have helped the RA program meet their goal for Year 1 registrations. RA is a voluntary, industry administered compliance assistance program to help agrichemical facilities assure you are aware and in compliance with existing federal regulations that pertain to fertilizer and agriche ... more. |
We'd like to thank our members who have made a stalwart effort this fall to promote the proper timing of application for both dry fertilizer and ammonia. The strong demand for dry fertilizer we've seen sets the stage for less likelihood for demand after the ground freezes and it snows, so that is looking good. And when it comes to fall applied nitrogen, your efforts to keep the custom rigs pa ... more. |
Dear IFCA Members:
Last year, in the many meetings we had with Illinois EPA, the water supply and water treatment officials and the environmental groups, Illinois agriculture pledged to do our utmost best to reduce nutrient losses. We also strongly stated that we felt Illinois farmers and nutrient suppliers understood that we have to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus losses, and could accomplis ... more. |
Do you remember last year when the state's Tier 2 reporting system crashed, making it nearly impossible to file your chemical inventory reports by March 1 unless you: a) logged in after midnight; b) logged in after repeatedly getting bumped off and starting over; or c) resorted to a stiff drink to recover after you re-typed everything into the federal Tier 2 system. Well, the Illinois Emergency M ... more. |
The US 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati has halted the implementation of the Waters of the US (WOTUS) rule. US House Agriculture Committee Chair Michael Conway (R-TX) said in part: "This is a tremendous victory for agriculture and the states that challenged the EPA on its egregious power grab...we will continue our efforts in Congress to defeat the implementation of WOTUS." Even thoug ... more. |
When harvest wraps up early, thoughts turn quickly to fertilizer. Now more than ever, people are paying attention to fertilizer application and the farm groups and IFCA have committed to support best management practices that reduce nutrient losses. Agriculture must make progress in reducing nitrogen losses by nearly 225 million pounds and phosphorus losses by 18 million pounds in the next 5-10 years ... more. |
Do you remember last year when the state's Tier 2 reporting system crashed, making it nearly impossible to file your chemical inventory reports by March 1 unless you: a) logged in after midnight; b) logged in after repeatedly getting bumped off and starting over or c) resorted to a stiff drink to recover after you re-typed everything in to the federal Tier 2 system. Well, the Illinois Emerg ... more. |
No doubt you remember last year when the State's Tier 2 reporting system crashed and no one was able to get their reports filed without with frustration, logging on at midnight, or frankly, needing a stiff drink to recover from the torture. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) did all they could to work with the software vendor to fix the system to no avail and IEMA was extremely apologetic ... more. |
Today, the Federal 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati put a halt to the Obama Administration's WOTUS (Waters of the US) rule. The Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee (Michael Conway R-TX) issued a statement that said in part "This is a tremendous victory for agriculture and the 18 states that challenged the USEPA on its egregious power grab....As states continue challenging the ru ... more. |
Farm groups and agricultural stakeholders are celebrating a federal appeals panel decision to issue a nationwide stay on the Environmental Protection Agency's Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule, suspending the rule's implementation in the 37 states that were outside of an earlier ruling.
In the opinion, Judge David McKeague of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, said the ... more. |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency official in charge of crafting the new pesticide regulations unveiled Sept. 28 deflected criticism over the agency's perceived cozy relations with the advocacy groups that were pushing for the rules.
A top U.S. Environmental Protection Agency official is downplaying the agency’s perceived ties to farmworker and environmental advocacy group ... more. |
A memorandum from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration regarding anhydrous ammonia retail facilities has some agriculture groups concerned that a new definition of such facilities could ultimately impact anhydrous supply and availability to farmers.
The letter comes as the House Committee on Education and the Workforce subcommittee on Workforce Protection will discuss the issu ... more. |
The state of Vermont and the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) squared off Thursday in a battle over the nation's first mandatory labeling law for foods made with genetically engineered products.
The venue was an ornate courtroom on the 17th floor of the federal courthouse in lower Manhattan where GMA tried to persuade a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seco ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner sought Wednesday to ramp up pressure on majority Democrats over Illinois' unprecedented budget stalemate, repeating calls for lawmakers to work with him to pass legislation he says would save businesses and taxpayers money or approve a tax hike without his support.
"Time's up," the Republican said during a speech before a business group in suburban Chicago. "The l ... more. |
Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring is praising the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management for investigating how federal agencies determine whether to produce guidance or engage in formal rulemaking.
North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) staff attended the September 23 hearing, which was spurred by OSHA&rsqu ... more. |
The Montgomery County (Md.) council, on Oct. 6, approved Bill 52-14, which bans the use of pesticides on county-owned and private lawns. More details about Bill 52-14 and related amendments are available here.
A press release issued by the Montgomery County Council noted that the county has become “one of the few jurisdictions in the nation to have such restrictions.” Also in t ... more. |
The head of Amtrak warned Congress that some passenger rail service outside the Northeast corridor will be suspended if lawmakers don’t extend a Dec. 31 deadline for railroads to install safety technology.
“There will be significant impacts to our service and on our customers and tenant railroads,” Chief Executive Officer Joseph Boardman said in an Oct. 5 letter to Senato ... more. |
Forty-seven senators, led by Joni Ernst (Iowa), last week filed a resolution to kill the administration's controversial water rule using the Congressional Review Act.
The 1996 law allows expedited procedures to be used to block new regulations. They are most significant in the Senate, where the law limits debate time and bans the use of some common procedural delay tactics, including t ... more. |
Key lawmakers involved in transportation issues are working to come up with a compromise that would push back the current end-of-year deadline for implementation of a rail safety system - avoiding a threatened disruption of grain and fertilizer deliveries.
In the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, Congress directed rail providers to install Positive Train Control (PTC) on rail lines that ... more. |
Key lawmakers involved in transportation issues are working to come up with a compromise that would push back the current end-of-year deadline for implementation of a rail safety system - avoiding a threatened disruption of grain and fertilizer deliveries.
In the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, Congress directed rail providers to install Positive Train Control (PTC) on rail lines that ... more. |
You’ve got to be doing something right if lots of people keep coming to you for advice. That’s what’s happening in Illinois as the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association (IFCA) continues to be inundated with requests to share how it’s hammered out a number of solutions to help curb nutrient loss in fields. IFCA and its partners — which include the state’s Farm Bure ... more. |
Supporters of changing the way state political maps are drawn say they’ve collected more than half the roughly 600,000 signatures they’ll need to get an amendment on the 2016 ballot.
The Independent Maps coalition said Tuesday that it’s collected more than 310,000 signatures during a five-month petition drive.
The proposed constitutional amendment needs ... more. |
The first trial related to the deadly fertilizer explosion in West, Texas, in April 2013, looks to be moving forward after a judge refused to postpone it any further.
On Friday, State Judge Jim Meyer declined the defense’s motion to postpone the first trial to Oct. 12. That trial includes the relatives of three men killed in the blast.
Click Here to read more.
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OSHA has clarified its interpretation regarding the exemption of retail facilities from compliance with its standard on Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals (PSM). Keep reading to find out what’s involved and if your business might be affected.
Starting in January of 2016, OSHA will begin enforcing a change in its interpretation of which retail establishments are e ... more. |
The Ohio River, transformed by mining and industrial waste and sewage overflows into the nation’s most polluted major waterway, has a new and unexpected tormentor this fall: carpets of poisonous algae.
Pads of toxic blue-green algae have speckled nearly two-thirds of the 981-mile river in the last five weeks, experts say, in an outbreak that has curbed boating, put water utilities on ... more. |
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) lambasted the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Obama administration last week for circumnavigating the federal rule-making process.
"…this administration seems to be making a habit of circumventing the American people and their right to comment before they make these changes," Ernst said during a Homeland Security and ... more. |
The resignation of Seneca farmer Philip Nelson as Illinois Department of Agriculture director on Thursday came as a shock to local agriculture advocates
“It’s very disappointing for the agriculture community,” Tasha Bunting, manager Grundy County Farm Bureau, said on Friday. “Phil Nelson was a great advocate for agriculture. He was on a forward moving track for agriculture in Illinois ... more. |
A judge refused to postpone the first trial related to a deadly fertilizer plant explosion in West that happened more than two years ago.
State Judge Jim Meyer on Friday declined a defense request to postpone the Oct. 12 trial involving relatives of three men killed in the blast, The Waco Tribune-Herald reported. More than 200 plaintiffs have sued over the April 2013 blast that killed 15, injured hundr ... more. |
As of Thursday the state of Illinois will reach another level of banana republic status: a full one-quarter into the fiscal year without a budget in place, social services crumbling, billions of dollars in bills going unpaid and no sign of any negotiations between Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic leaders in the Legislature.
Four staff members at Community Elements in Champaign have lost their jobs ... more. |
WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2015 - The EPA announced Monday it will prohibit children from handling pesticides and require farm workers to complete pesticide safety training more frequently, bolstering protections for 2 million U.S. farm laborers and their families.
The revisions to EPA's Worker Protection Standard - the only changes since the standard was instituted in 1992 - were released ... more. |
In the past few weeks, there have been several developments on the OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) rules for retail anhydrous ammonia facilities. Here's an overview:
1. The Ag Retailers Association (ARA) and The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) have requested a formal, judicial review of the OSHA actions on PSM asking for the courts to review how OSHA handled their directive to remo ... more. |
This week, the Illinois Farm Bureau sent a letter to the Illinois Department of Revenue requesting a formal review of the applicability of sales tax on cover crop seed sales. IFCA assisted in this effort as did other ag organizations who are impacted by this issue. It may take 30-60 days to get a ruling from the DOR and we will communicate any developments to you right away. There is nothing yo ... more. |
Next week, the Asmark Institute is hosting Pesticide Applicator Training, taught by Dr. Robert Wolf, on both September 28 and September 30 at the Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington, IL. There are three seats remaining on the 28th, and just one seat left on the 30th. Last Call! To register for the course click here and either enter your Asmark client # or if you are not an Asmark client, you can e ... more. |
Please mark your calendars for the IFCA Winter Convention which will be held January 19-21, 2016 at the Peoria Civic Center. If you have ideas for programs you'd like to see at the Convention, just give us a call, the Convention Committee will be meeting soon to plan another great conference!
MAGIE 2015 was a tremendous success and we look forward to continuing this valuable outdo ... more. |
Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner is calling on majority Democrats to support his legislative agenda or "immediately" pass their own balanced budget.
In a memo to legislators Thursday, the Republican notes Illinois is about to enter a fourth month without a budget for the first time. He says the longer the stalemate drags on, the more painful it is.
Rauner says his initiatives ... more. |
States battling against the implementation of the Waters of the U.S. rulemaking by the U.S. Environmental Protection Administration and the Army Corp of Engineers haven’t given up efforts to block the rules’ implementation even though some judges have refused to provide injunctions to implementation.
One effort by 11 states, mainly in the south, have appealed to the Eleventh U. ... more. |
If you live in Mundelein and like to keep your lawn extra green and lush with fertilizer treatments, check the ingredients on the bag before you take the spreader for a spin.
Because if phosphorous is on the list, you'll need to find a different product.
The village board Monday significantly restricted the use of fertilizer containing the controversial chemical agen ... more. |
If you live in Mundelein and like to keep your lawn extra green and lush with fertilizer treatments, check the ingredients on the bag before you take the spreader for a spin.
Because if phosphorous is on the list, you'll need to find a different product.
The village board Monday significantly restricted the use of fertilizer containing the controversial chemical agen ... more. |
For the last 12 years, the annual Governor’s Day festivities at the Illinois State Fair have honored one kind of person: a Democrat.
Until this year, when the guest of honor was Bruce Rauner, the multimillionaire turned first-term Illinois governor — and a Republican. On a recent sunny afternoon, Mr. Rauner roared into the fairgrounds on his Harley-Davidson, wearing a checked s ... more. |
Recently, an IFCA member was audited by the Illinois Department of Revenue (DOR) and penalized for not collecting tax on the sales of cover crop seed. Many agricultural inputs such as seed, fertilizer, feed and crop protection chemicals are exempt from sales tax because they produce a crop or livestock (i.e. meat or dairy) for resale or market, which is defined as "production agriculture." In 86 Illi ... more. |
We know that many anhydrous ammonia retailers have more questions than we can answer about Process Safety Management rules for ammonia storage facilities. Meetings with OSHA and USEPA continue, and hopefully soon we will have more information to share. What is clear is that at this point, the rules are moving forward and compliance will eventually be expected at ammonia retail facilities nationwide. ... more. |
In 2008, Congress passed a law requiring Positive Train Control (PTC) which is a GPS based train control system designed to prevent collisions and derailments. Under this law, by December 31, 2015 all railroads who carry products classified as "toxic by inhalation" such as anhydrous ammonia or chlorine must implement PTC systems on mainline tracks that carry these products. However, none of the railr ... more. |
Illinois remains an island of calm in the middle of a storm of nutrient regulations and litigation in surrounding states. This is no coincidence--this is because our industry has been extremely proactive in addressing the nutrient challenges with research, outreach, transparency, relationships and most of all--stewardship. As the fall fertilizer season approaches, IFCA is asking our members to take t ... more. |
One week after a legislative victory over House Speaker Michael Madigan and one day after the state's comptroller said the budget impasse could lead to a deficit of $12 billion, Gov. Bruce Rauner faced the media.
Has the governor softened his stance on some of his agenda items, given that the state's fiscal picture is growing worse and there's no budget agreement in sight? And ... more. |
Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts is trying to reach a sweeping agreement on child nutrition programs in time to move a reauthorization bill this week.
However, heading into the weekend the Kansas Republican still didn't have a deal on key policy issues, including future standards for sodium and whole grains, or where the extra spending the bill would need to win support from Dem ... more. |
We were very sorry to learn of the passing of Lester Pitchford, 95, of Richview, Illinois. Lester was a true pioneer in the Illinois fertilizer and chemical business. He started Pitchford Elevator in Richview, IL in 1965 and was involved in the operation of the business until his recent illness. Lester was also integral in establishing a successful banking enterprise and was a founding director ... more. |
Later this month, The Asmark Institute is offering two one-day pesticide applicator training courses at the Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington Illinois, taught by Dr. Robert Wolf. There are 8 seats remaining for the class on September 28 and 1 seat remaining for the class on September 30. These courses also provide 5.5 CEUs in Pest Management for CCAs who attend. To register for this and for othe ... more. |
With funding from the Nutrient Research & Education Council (NREC), the Univesrity of Illinois is re-evaluating how much nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) are contained in harvested grain of corn, soybean, and wheat. The University of Illinois Dept of Crop Sciences is seeking help from our industry to provide grain samples from the 2015 harvest. They askthat only one sampl ... more. |
North Dakota is prepared to take legal action to block a change in federal policy that would force more than 280 retailers of anhydrous ammonia to comply with the same regulations as manufacturers and wholesale distributors of the fertilizer, state Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said Thursday.
The policy change by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration will place 28 ... more. |
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) has a question for those demanding mandatory labeling of genetically modified foods: where’s the evidence to support your position?
A small group of pro-GMO labeling protesters at Durbin’s Chicago office last month asked for him to vote against a bill which would stop individual states from enacting mandatory GMO labeling.
Durbi ... more. |
If nothing changes, Illinois will enter calendar year 2016 with about $8.5 billion in unpaid bills, the state comptroller said Wednesday.
And that’s not the whole of it.
The $8.5 billion figure only accounts for what the state is now spending to cover costs Illinois must pay to stay right with consent decrees, court orders and current law, Comptroller Leslie Geissl ... more. |
Academic scientists have played key roles in the history of “GMO crops.” The science started in their labs and flowed into the start-up phase of the industry. University scientists also played a central role in the effort to guide the technology safely to the market with unprecedented regulatory oversight. And throughout this time they have played an important role in communicat ... more. |
A U.S. appeals court ruled on Thursday that federal regulators erred in allowing an insecticide developed by Dow AgroSciences onto the market, canceling its approval and giving environmentalists a major victory.
The ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, in San Francisco, is significant for commercial beekeepers and others who say a dramatic decline in bee colonies need ... more. |
IFCA is hosting the 2015 Mark Stivers Memorial Motorcycle Ride on September 18-19, 2015. This year the ride is along a beautiful curvy two lane road through Indiana, departing from Andres Harley Davidson in Champaign on the morning of Sept 18 and ending up in Tell City, IN. For more information on the ride, and to register, please clickhere. Please contact Leslie Forrest ASAP if you are i ... more. |
IFCA is hosting the 2015 Mark Stivers Memorial Motorcycle Ride on September 18-19, 2015. This year the ride is along a beautiful curvy two lane road through Indiana, departing from Andres Harley Davidson in Champaign on the morning of Sept 18 and ending up in Tell City, IN. For more information on the ride, and to register, please clickhere. Please email or call Leslie Forrest ASAP if you ... more. |
The EPA’s office of environmental health hazard assessment in California wants to label four chemicals, including the most popular herbicide and key ingredient of Monsanto’s Roundrup, glyphosate, as “known to cause cancer,” following the most recent WHO cancer research division’s report.
The “notice of intent” envisions placing Glyphosate within 30 ... more. |
Pesticide restrictions that the Obama administration has proposed to protect bees go further than necessary and will put crops at risk, farm groups say.
The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed to bar the application of pesticides that are toxic to bees when crops are in bloom and bees are nearby for contract pollination services.
The agency also is working with ... more. |
Congress returns to work with a long list of unfinished business to deal with this fall, including the budget, a long-term highway bill and a reauthorization of child nutrition programs.
The Iran nuclear agreement will dominate lawmakers attention in coming days. The House is scheduled this week to debate a resolution of disapproval of the agreement, although the White House already has su ... more. |
IFCA is asking all members that handle anhydrous ammonia to fill out a survery from TFI and ARA. We hope to receive as much feedback as possible to the survey in order to fully represent the compliance challenges to OSHA and request additional compliance time.
On July 22, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) changed its policy interpretation of the “re ... more. |
Representatives of the chemical and fertilizer industry told Congressman John Shimkus that the federal government's mandates to meet massive requirements in less than six months time, simply isn't realistic.
“We are not here to complain about maintaining a safe workplace and a safe community,” said Jamie Southard with Effingham Equity. “We all live and work here. ... more. |
Every spring, a host of unwelcome visitors descends on the Hansen farm in upstate New York. Diamondback moths blown in from the South threaten rows of cabbages to be sold for slaw and sauerkraut.
The moths can’t be fought off with a single insecticide. Workers must spray a series of chemicals throughout the growing season to keep the moths’ numbers in check.
... more. |
There aren’t many American lawmakers with advanced science degrees, and it’s a safe bet that very few of them curl up at night with the latest issue of a peer-reviewed medical journal. But lawmakers don’t actually have to be scientific experts themselves to pass sound, science-based public policy.
Unfortunately, an increasing number of policymakers are turning away from s ... more. |
opular burrito chain Chipotle, whichproudly declared it is completely GMO-free in April, is being sued over alleged use of GMOs.According to CBS, a class action lawsuit has been filed in San Francisco against the Colorado-based company claiming that Chipotle has been using GMOs — or genetically modified organisms — in its food "despite advertising that it is GMO-free."
The lawsu ... more. |
Some producer groups are asking the Obama administration to suspend enforcement of its new Clean Water Act rule until a court case is resolved.
The administration considers implementation of the rule blocked in only 13 states as a result of last week's decision by a North Dakota federal judge.
In a letter to the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers on Monday, the National Milk Pro ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner won a major victory Wednesday when the Democratic-controlled Illinois House failed to override his veto of a union-backed bill that could have sent labor talks to binding arbitration.
The override effort got 68 "yes" votes in the House, three short of what was needed.
No Republicans broke rank to support the override effort. Springfield-area Republicans ... more. |
A lot of companies are changing their recipes to remove genetically modified organisms and "unnatural" ingredients, and plenty of customers think that's great news. But these moves play more on irrational fear than they do on actual science, and basing all your food choices on avoiding "unnatural" ingredients may not be as healthy as you'd think.
You can read more about the haphaza ... more. |
Rep. Jack Franks thinks he’s found a path to lead Illinois out of its budget wasteland or least get it well along the way.
Franks, a Democrat from Marengo, says he’s working on a bill that could generate nearly $3.9 billion without raising taxes.
“I think this is the path out,” Franks said. “This will be additional revenue for the state. We& ... more. |
On Thursday, Judge Ralph Erickson of the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota granted a motion by 13 states(Illinois was not part of the lawsuit) to prevent the EPA and Army Corps "Clean Water Rule" to take effect August 28. Two other District Courts had earlier dismissed similar cases due to lack of jurisdiction, however Judge Erickson found that not only did the District Court have jurisdic ... more. |
The cost of the effort to eventually achieve a 45 percent reduction in nitrates and phosphorus going into the Mississippi would cost $800 million. The immediate goals outlined in the NLRS are to achieve a 25 percent reduction in the phosphorus load and a 15 percent reduction in the nitrate load by 2025.
“We all know the state of Illinois does not have that money to help us with this ... more. |
Lake Erie should be a source of pride for all Ohio residents. It hosts one of the world’s largest freshwater commercial industries. It is a tourist hot spot. The lake generates billions of dollars in revenue for our region.
But Lake Erie is afflicted each year by harmful algae blooms caused by an abundance of phosphorus in rivers, tributaries, and groundwater. Phosphorus occurs natur ... more. |
A federal court blocked an Environmental Protection Agency rule on Thursday that would give the federal government jurisdiction over ditches, tributaries and other waterways normally under the control of states.
U.S. District Court of North Dakota Chief Judge Ralph Erickson placed a temporary injunction against the agency, which would delay the regulation from taking effect Friday.
& ... more. |
A food safety advocacy group sued an arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Tuesday, saying it illegally withheld public information on genetically engineered crops.
The lawsuit, brought by the Center for Food Safety (CFS) against the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), claims the regulator has routinely failed to respond as required to requests for records ... more. |
A food safety advocacy group sued an arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Tuesday, saying it illegally withheld public information on genetically engineered crops.
The lawsuit, brought by the Center for Food Safety (CFS) against the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), claims the regulator has routinely failed to respond as required to requests for records ... more. |
The state of Illinois asked a federal judge Friday not to hold it in contempt for missing a recent court-ordered deadline to pay services providers for the disabled, saying compliance should “not mean doing the impossible” amid one of the nation’s worst budgetary crises.
That plea came in a U.S. court filing in Chicago days after Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman told official ... more. |
A new type of analysis, conducted by Dr. Robert Mullen, director of agronomy for PotashCorp, has shown a decline in soil nutrient levels nationwide.
“I conducted an analysis of soil trends within (Ohio) using fertilizer consumption and nutrient removal as a function of crop yield,” said Mullen. “I’ve done it at the state level and now we’re doing a similar ana ... more. |
On Friday, barring a last-minute judicial intervention, hundreds of millions of acres of land across the country will fall under Obama administration’s broad new Clean Water Rule, which defines “waters of the U.S.” to include virtually any wet area — even a rain-fed temporary pool — that is close to any other body of water with a physical connection to a navigable waterway. Wate ... more. |
The state fiscal crisis is only going to get worse, and the solution is becoming more difficult by the day.
As you probably know, the General Assembly and the governor have not yet agreed on a full state budget. But because of various federal judicial orders, a signed education funding bill and several ongoing statutory "continuing appropriations" (debt service, pension payments, legislati ... more. |
The owners of United Suppliers, Inc. and members of Land O'Lakes, Inc. overwhelmingly approved the merger of United Suppliers with Land O'Lakes' crop inputs business. The two organizations announced their intent to merge on June 29.
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"This merger will allow us to continue to meet our customers' needs through each company's successful go-to-market stra ... more. |
The Obama Administration’s new rule attempting to clarify the definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) has drawn significant criticism from members of Congress, state governors, attorneys general, and stakeholders ranging from agricultural producers to zinc mining operators. In fact, some members of Congress are attempting to leverage various tools to interfere with the regulatio ... more. |
IFCA is hosting the 2015 Mark Stivers Memorial Motorcycle Ride on September 18-19, 2015. This year the ride is along a beautiful curvy two lane road through Indiana, departing from Andres Harley Davidson in Champaign on the morning of Sept 18 and ending up in Tell City, IN. For more information on the ride, and to register, please click here. Please register by August 31. If you have ques ... more. |
IFCA and the IL Dept of Agriculture are hosting four anhydrous ammonia safety training courses in early September, beginning on the 8th. Click here to view the brochure with the class schedule and locations, and to register. This class fulfills the requirement for a competent attendant at ammonia storage facilities. Also in September, the IDA is hosting three ammonia equipment workshops: ... more. |
On September 28 and September 30, Professional Applicator Training is available at the Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington, IL. This one day course is taught by Dr. Robert Wolf and helps both new and experienced pesticide applicators gain and refresh the knowledge you to need to properly apply crop protection products to assure efficacy and reduce off site consequences. There are 16 seats still open in ... more. |
We have a record number of people pre-registered to attend MAGIE and are looking forward to great weather and a terrific show on August 26-27, 2015 at the McLean County Fairgrounds. On August 26, the show runs from 8 am to 5 pm and we'll also have a hospitality hour with refreshments and prizes at 3:45 pm in the food tent. On the 27th, the show runs from 8 am to 2 pm. On-line registration i ... more. |
A few weeks ago, IFCA released the 4R Code of Practice and asked our members to "take the pledge" to uphold these nutrient stewardship principles as Illinois agriculture works to meet the goals of the nutrient loss reduction strategy. The first to take the pledge include members from CHS Shipman Elevator, Akron Services, Ehler Brothers and Dow Agro Sciences. Thanks guys! In early October, we wi ... more. |
Meetings between our national industry representatives and OSHA continue in an effort to devise a workable solution to the Process Safety Management rules brought down upon the ammonia ag retail sector. The Asmark Institute is working hard to determine what will be needed by ag retailers in order to comply, and hopes to have these materials available early this fall. On a related note, the IFCA has s ... more. |
Differences of opinion continue on whether or not food with genetically-modified organisms despite Congressional approval of a voluntary national labeling standard.
Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Taylorville) said he doesn’t get why GMOs are such a major issue because they can cover a lot of agricultural ground.
“Science shows that genetically-modified feeds are comple ... more. |
Sinking crop prices and frenzied output growth by nitrogen fertilizer producers have sparked nearly $10 billion worth of deals in the fragmented sector and signal more consolidation may be ahead in the largest of three crop nutrient markets.
Illinois-based CF Industries Holdings Inc., the world's third-largest nitrogen fertilizer producer, was involved in three of four deals in the pas ... more. |
Certified organic products — those that are in compliance with specific standards during their production, storage, processing, and handling — are often more expensive than their non-organic counterparts.
This is due largely to the fact that producing them with ecological and social factors in mind is expensive. Instead of growing foods with synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, ... more. |
The Obama Administration’s new rule attempting to clarify the definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) has drawn significant criticism from members of Congress, state governors, attorneys general, and stakeholders ranging from agricultural producers to zinc mining operators. In fact, some members of Congress are attempting to leverage various tools to interfere with the regulatio ... more. |
Just like the seven million honeybees that populate his 120 or so hives, Greg Fischer is feverishly busy. Head beekeeper for the Morton Arboretum and the rooftop hives at the Chicago Marriott, he doesn’t want a repeat of last winter’s massacre, when 80 percent of his colonies perished. “Everybody went into December really healthy and full of honey,” he says. “Then when the real ... more. |
Illinois’s corn crop is forecast to come in more than 14% lower than last year, in line with the most recent federal projections, according to an average of survey results collected by scouts on a closely watched crop tour.
In Illinois, corn yields were estimated Wednesday at 171.64 bushels an acre, down from the 200 bushels an acre produced for last year, as reported by the U.S. Dep ... more. |
Illinois’s corn crop is forecast to come in more than 14% lower than last year, in line with the most recent federal projections, according to an average of survey results collected by scouts on a closely watched crop tour.
In Illinois, corn yields were estimated Wednesday at 171.64 bushels an acre, down from the 200 bushels an acre produced for last year, as reported by the U.S. Dep ... more. |
Illinois Democratic Party Chairman and House Speaker Michael Madigan says Democrats are engaged in an "epic struggle" with Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and need to stand firm.
Madigan spoke Thursday morning at a meeting of the state's Democratic county chairmen.
Madigan says Rauner "thinks that Illinois budget-making should be used and leveraged to bring down wage ra ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner used his platform at Governor's Day at the Illinois State Fair on Wednesday to advocate for "turnaround agenda" reforms he wants enacted and to hammer away at House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago.
State government has gone seven weeks into the fiscal year that began July 1 with no budget agreement, and several busloads of people protesting cuts to programs includi ... more. |
Last week, I (Jean Payne) attended a two day course at the Asmark Institute on the requirements of the OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) rule. The Asmark Institute brought in an expert on PSM who also familiarized himself with the activities of a retail ammonia system. For two full days, we learned about the requirements of this regulation and we barely made it through everything. Here's ... more. |
Jeb Bush is attacking the Obama administration's regulatory agenda, including its new Clean Water Act rule, as he struggles to find a message to shore up his lagging race in Iowa.
The former Florida governor, who spent four hours at the Iowa State Fair on Friday, opened a speech by charging that the economy was being held back by the “most convoluted regulatory system.”
... more. |
A couple of rural Chapin farmers are doing their part to reduce nutrient loss from their fields and help the environment.
John Werries and his son, Dean, started planting cover crops in the fall of 2012 as a way to stop soil erosion.
“The more we learned about it, the more benefits we realized,” John Werries said.
Cover crops’ benefit ... more. |
A federal court scolded the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for continually delaying a formal response to a request that it restrict a pesticide’s use.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the EPA late Monday to either issue a new regulation concerning the use of the pesticide chlorpyrifos or issue some other complete, formal response to the request by the end of October, ... more. |
Nitrogen fertilizer producer CVR Partners LP said it would buy Rentech Nitrogen Partners LP for about $533 million, excluding debt, as global fertilizer makers aim to scale up at a time when increased supplies weigh on nitrogen prices.
The deal comes less than a week after CF Industries Holdings Inc said it would buy OCI NV's North American and European plants for $6 billion, making CF ... more. |
Illinois may be hundreds of miles from the Gulf of Mexico, but it’s a key contributor to the “dead zone,” a section of water the size of Connecticut devoid of oxygen that forms every summer. The culprit is millions of pounds of nutrients from farm fields, city streets and wastewater treatment plants entering the Gulf each year through the Mississippi River system.
Now the ... more. |
The Senate Environment & Public Works Committee last week approved a bill to clarify the Clean Water Act and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act to ensure that crop protectants compliant with FIFRA do not require permits under the Clean Water Act.
The bill, the Sensible Environmental Protection Act, was introduced by Sens. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and Claire McCaskill, D ... more. |
Pressure is mounting on the Environmental Protection Agency to ban or further curb the use of chlorpyrifos, an insecticide widely used to protect crops such as soybeans, wheat, alfalfa, citrus and peanuts.
EPA is reviewing a court order requiring the agency to decide whether it will suggest a ban on the commonly used insecticide known as chlorpyrifos by Oct. 31.
Chlorpyr ... more. |
Minnesota-based CHS Inc. says it will not move forward with a planned $3 billion fertilizer plant in southeastern North Dakota.
The farmer-owned cooperative instead is buying a minority interest in CF Industries Nitrogen LLC for $2.8 billion. The deal includes a supply agreement under which CHS can buy up to 1.7 million tons of fertilizer annually.
Plans for the fertiliz ... more. |
A new law signed by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner will ban state lawmakers for the next four years from approving any legislation creating a new level of local government.
House Bill 228, filed by Rep. Jack Franks, D-Marengo, forbids the General Assembly from enacting any bill that either creates a new type of local government or allows an existing government to split into two.
... more. |
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently changed its interpretation of the retail exemption under the Process Safety Management regulations.
Under the new interpretation, retail facilities are only exempt if their primary North American Industry Classification System code starts with 44 or 45. It is estimated that under this new interpretation an additional 4,800 faciliti ... more. |
U.S. fertilizer maker CF Industries Holdings Inc. said on Thursday it will buy OCI NV's North American and European plants for $6 billion, making CF the world's largest publicly traded nitrogen company.
The stock and cash deal comes 10 months after CF's merger talks with Yara International ASA collapsed. It marks the largest fertilizer M&A deal since 2011 and comes as big g ... more. |
A fertilizer company is set to break ground in the as-yet unused business park in the village of Milledgeville.
Blue Mounds, Wisconsin-based Midwestern BioAg will have the event Tuesday for a 17,000-square-foot fertilizer blending and distribution facility. The (Dixon) Telegraph reports that the company plans to hire between 15 and 20 workers over the next two years.
The ... more. |
Is genetically engineered food dangerous? Many people seem to think it is. In the past five years, companies have submitted more than 27,000 products to the Non-GMO Project, which certifies goods that are free of genetically modified organisms. Last year, sales of such products nearly tripled. Whole Foods will soon require labels on all GMOs in its stores. Abbott, the company that makes Similac baby formula, ... more. |
Congress is getting sick of waiting for regulations on the sale of ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer that was the main ingredient of the bomb that blew up a federal building in Oklahoma City in 1995.
In 2007, lawmakers passed legislation instructing the Department of Homeland Security to set up a program to keep the key bomb-making ingredient out of the hands of terrorists. But eight years la ... more. |
The annual Gulf of Mexico "dead zone" — a region of oxygen-depleted water off the Louisiana and Texas coasts that is harmful to sea life — is larger than average this summer, federal scientists reported Tuesday.
This year's zone is 6,474 square miles, an area about the size of Connecticut and Rhode Island combined. It's bigger than average likely because of heavy June r ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing stricter rules for applicators of “restricted use pesticides,” which make up about 5 percent of all pesticides registered at EPA, according to Jim Jones, the agency's assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.
Jones said restricted use pesticides “can pose greater risk to h ... more. |
Environmentalists and others who contend the only way to reduce nutrients runoff into the Gulf of Mexico is through regulation, may not be happy with the release of the final Illinois nutrient loss reduction strategy Tuesday that is a virtual copy of the Iowa strategy hammered on by critics as 'too soft.'
In a news release Tuesday the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency said i ... more. |
States could no longer require labels on genetically modified foods under legislation the House is considering.
The legislation scheduled for a vote Thursday in the House is backed by the food industry, which has fought state labeling efforts around the country. So far, Vermont is the only state set to require the labels.
The country’s largest food companies say ge ... more. |
As she drops off her 4-year-old son at a Chicago daycare to head for a job she loves, Stacy Rutledge wonders how she'll keep doing it once she loses her state-subsidized child care.
A few miles away, 80-year-old Helen King worries what she'll do if another heat wave hits and her electricity has been shut off because she no longer gets help paying the bill.
And ju ... more. |
Internal memos that the Army Corps of Engineers turned over to a Senate committee undermines the scientific and legal basis for the new rule that re-defines the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act, the panel's chairman says.
In a letter Monday to the assistant secretary of the Army who oversees the Corps, Jo-Ellen Darcy, Senate Environment and Public Workers Chairman Jim Inhofe said th ... more. |
Internal memos that the Army Corps of Engineers turned over to a Senate committee undermines the scientific and legal basis for the new rule that re-defines the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act, the panel's chairman says.
In a letter Monday to the assistant secretary of the Army who oversees the Corps, Jo-Ellen Darcy, Senate Environment and Public Workers Chairman Jim Inhofe said th ... more. |
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a revised interpretation of the Process Safety Management (PSM) for highly hazardous chemicals.
The PSM standard contains an exemption for retail facilities. Until this week, OSHA defined retail facility as one that derived more than 50 percent of its income from direct sales of highly hazardous chemicals to the end user, otherwise known as ... more. |
The food industry's campaign to stop states from requiring labels on genetically engineered products faces an uncertain future in the Senate following a landmark, bipartisan victory in the House.
With support from 45 Democrats, the House voted 275-150 on Thursday to approve the Safe and Affordable Food Labeling Act (HR 1599), which in addition to preempting state GMO labeling req ... more. |
The U.S. House last Thursday voted 275-150 to pass a pro-science, pro-consumer bill that would prevent states and local governments from implementing mandatory GMO food labeling laws. A big win for the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association.
The Illinois delegation voted 13-4 in favor of the legislation which we will work to pass this fall in the U.S. Senate. ... more. |
Illinois government by the numbers: 27 days into a new fiscal year, the state has no budget, a deficit of up to $4 billion and Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner insisting that Democrats in the Legislature embrace his five pro-business and anti-corruption initiatives.
And in the face of those recalcitrant lawmakers, Rauner has brought some new figures into the equation: A 2 percent automatic cos ... more. |
With a series of agricultural issues still hanging, the Pacific Rim trade negotiations heat up in Hawaii this week as U.S. negotiators try up to wrap up a deal that they can send to Congress for approval.
Canada has yet to make key concessions on its barriers to U.S. dairy and poultry products, while Australia is making a renewed push to get the United States to increase its sugar imports. ... more. |
The Illinois General Assembly is moving into its eighth week without a budget. And Illinoisans are left wondering how much longer lawmakers can keep up the staring contest. But with nothing in Illinois law requiring lawmakers to settle on a budget within a specific period of time – and a lack of political pressure points to spur action – the will to come to a compromise is waning.
... more. |
Another day of posturing and finger-pointing at the Capitol came with no visible progress toward ending a high-stakes stalemate that has left Illinois government without a budget.
In the statehouse Tuesday, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner kept up his running assault on House Speaker Michael Madigan, accusing the Democrat from Chicago of causing the budget impasse in order to build pressure fo ... more. |
Harrison Township Congresswoman Candice Miller and another member of the Michigan Republican delegation introduced legislation Tuesday that encourages states in the Great Lakes region to develop voluntary programs aimed at reducing farm pollution that causes harmful algae blooms.
Miller and Rep. Tim Walberg said the initiatives should be modeled after the Michigan Agricultural Environmenta ... more. |
We were very sorry to learn of the passing of Warren Lee this week at the age of 69. Warren and his wife Susan were the owners of Lee Fertilizer in Camp Point, Illinois before retiring a few years back from the business. Warren's parents started Lee Fertilizer in 1949 and as he took over the business in the 1960's Warren was very involved in the local ag community as well as in a leadership r ... more. |
Click below for the final 163 page strategy, the executive summary and press release feature IFCA quote.
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Its crunch time for the IFCA members voices to be heard on H.R. 1599. H.R.1599 is voluntary GMO labeling bill IFCA supports. It is imperative that IFCA member contacts his or her Representative through Thursday this week and urge a YES vote on H.R. 1599, the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act. The bill is scheduled to come before the full House on Thursday, and we need every bit of support on thi ... more. |
Yesterday afternoon, Illinois EPA and the Illinois Dept of Ag released the final version of the state's Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. This 163 page document is a result of nearly 3 years of collaborative work led by IEPA and IDA involving stakeholders from agriculture, wastewater treatment, environmental groups and academia. Illinois agriculture must reduce nitrogen and phosphorus lo ... more. |
Illinois EPA has released the state's Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, including a press release with quote from IFCA. Click before for the strategy documents.
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Click below for info on the IL Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, the IFCA 4R Code of Practice, a fertilizer BMP attention getting poster and updated NREC brochure.
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Proponents of a bill that would bar states from requiring the labeling of food made with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are attempting to clear away confusion about the intent of the legislation, which is expected on the House floor next week.
The Safe and Affordable Food Labeling Act (HR 1599), first introduced by Reps. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., and G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., was approve ... more. |
Following a developing trend around the country, the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture (DAR) recently promulgated regulations restricting how fertilizers containing phosphorous, nitrogen or potassium may be applied. The goal of these regulations is to reduce nutrient loading to waterbodies, which can lead to eutrophication and other negative water quality impacts.
Click Here to r ... more. |
In a memorandum released in June, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) found that the herbicide glyphosate, found in Roundup, posed no risk to the human endocrine system.
Glyphosate was developed to target broadleaf annual weeds that compete with commercial crops. It is also commonly used by home gardeners and in industrial areas or ... more. |
In an interview with The Hill, Pompeo said a bill on the Senate side is likely to come in September when lawmakers return from summer recess, but whether the President will sign it if it makes it to his desk remains to be seen.
“I’m always concerned when you are trying to pass legislation that you think is right for the American people that lots of things could prevent it from happening,&r ... more. |
The national debate over genetically engineered foods goes to the House floor this week with lawmakers scheduled to debate a bill that would bar states from requiring labels on foods containing GMOs.
Supporters of the bill expressed confidence that the Safe and Affordable Food Labeling Act (HR 1599) would pass the House. However, ahead of the floor debate leaders of the House Agriculture C ... more. |
During past showdowns between Illinois governors and legislative leaders, the problem usually wasn't a short supply of solutions, but a lack of political will to reach an agreement. Where there's a will, there's a way.
Once again, I've seen little willingness this summer by either side to engage in truly fruitful negotiations to end the Statehouse stalemate.
... more. |
The Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy will be finalized this summer, but farmers already have got a jump on it with changes in their fertilizer management efforts.
The strategy will direct efforts to reduce nutrients from point and non-point sources in a coordinated, primarily voluntary and cost-effective manner with a goal to reduce the state’s phosphorus load by 25 percent ... more. |
The Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy will be finalized this summer, but farmers already have got a jump on it with changes in their fertilizer management efforts.
The strategy will direct efforts to reduce nutrients from point and non-point sources in a coordinated, primarily voluntary and cost-effective manner with a goal to reduce the state’s phosphorus load by 25 percent ... more. |
The Illinois Dept of Agriculture has published the first notice of proposed changes to Part 215, the Illinois Anhydrous Ammonia and Low Pressure Nitrogen Solutions Regulations. A copy of the proposed rules along with the official Illinois Register notice is posted on the IFCA website at www.ifca.com. IDA will accept comments until August 24, 2015. We encourage our members to review the regulati ... more. |
IFCA sponsors two golf outings and the proceeds help to provide scholarships for students seeking a career in our industry. The golf outings are July 23 in LaSalle and July 30 in Windsor (we apologize for mixing up the locations in last week's bulletin that was Jean's fault)! We still have room for more foursomes so contact us at 309.827.2774 to sign up. Both outings start with lunch at ... more. |
A long-anticipated congressional debate over biotech foods kicks off this week as the House Agriculture Committee takes up a bill that would block state GMO labeling laws.
It would the first time that a committee has taken action on the Safe and Affordable Food Labeling Act, whichRep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., first introduced in the last Congress, and the committee vote could clear the way for ... more. |
With less than a week to go before state workers begin missing their paychecks, there were no signs of progress Thursday in the battle between Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democrats who control the General Assembly.
Nine days into a new fiscal year without a budget in place to pay state bills, the Illinois House descended into partisan finger-pointing as both sides attempted to insulate themselves from being ... more. |
The standoff in Illinois between newcomer Republican Governor Bruce Rauner and long-time Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan showed no sign of abating as the state approached a second full week without a budget for the fiscal year that started July 1.
"This could go on for weeks. Or a few months? It’s all uncharted waters at this point," Christopher Mooney, director of the Insti ... more. |
A bill that would block states from requiring the labeling of foods with biotech ingredients will get its first vote next week in a congressional committee.
The House Agriculture Committee announced Friday that the panel would vote on the Safe and Affordable Food Labeling Act (HR 1599) on Tuesday.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee has joint jurisdiction on the bill ... more. |
Illinois EPA will soon be releasing the final Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. The document calls for a 45% reduction in nutrient losses from many sources: industry, wastewater treatment, urban storm water and agriculture. We in agriculture must reduce nitrogen losses by about 225 million pounds and phosphorus losses by 18 million pounds in the next 10-20 years. Agriculture is g ... more. |
You should be receiving your MAGIE registration forms in the mail, or you can also register for the show on-line at the IFCA website, click here. MAGIE is August 26-27 at the McLean County Fairgrounds and we have another great show planned!
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The IFCA Golf Outings are fast approaching: July 23 at Fox Creek Course in Windsor and July 30 at Senecas Oak Ridge. If you have not yet signed up please do so! Call Leslie Forrest at 309.827.2774 to get registered. The golf outings help support the IFCA Scholarship fund. Hope to see you there!
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State Sen. Darin LaHood easily won a GOP primary in Illinois’ 18th District Tuesday night, making him the odds-on favorite to succeed disgraced ex-Rep. Aaron Schock in this downstate seat.
LaHood defeated his Republican opponent, Breitbart Editor Mike Flynn, by about 69 percent to 29 percent with most precincts reporting, according to The Associated Press.
The prim ... more. |
Proponents of mandatory labeling of food products made with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) rolled out a trio of academics Wednesday in a bid to raise public awareness of the public health and environmental costs of herbicides used in the production of genetically engineered crops.
The panelists at a Washington breakfast sponsored by the Just Label It campaign included Charles Benbro ... more. |
Lawmakers head into the final stretch before the August recess with a bunch of unfinished business, including fiscal 2016 appropriations bills, highway funding and the country-of-origin labeling law for meat.
The House resumes debate Tuesday on the Interior-Environment funding bill (HR 2822) that contains a series of policy riders attacking President Obama's regulatory agenda. More suc ... more. |
What Illinois needs is for one of its political leaders to blink.
But as Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and legislative Democrats stand eyeball-to-eyeball in negotiations over a new budget, neither is likely to submit, forcing the state to continue stumbling into the fiscal year that began Wednesday without broad authority to spend.
There are some actions that could end go ... more. |
Illinois lawmakers spent the first day of the state's new fiscal year largely accusing each other of playing politics with the budget impasse and pointing fingers at who is to blame for it.
At the end of the day Wednesday, the state was no closer to passing a permanent state budget, and even a partial, one-month budget was left in limbo.
With just Democratic votes, t ... more. |
A federal judge ruled Tuesday that a Maui County ban on the cultivation of genetically engineered crops is pre-empted by federal and state law and invalid.
The county's ordinance creating the prohibition exceeded the county's authority, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Susan Oki Mollway said in her order.
The county, which is a major center for research on genetic ... more. |
The Illinois General Assembly failed to pass a balanced budget for the new fiscal year, which starts today. That means the state cannot spend money on any programs or services requiring an annual appropriation. There's a lot of uncertainty about what this means, with predictions ranging from "most people won't notice" to "Armageddon."
Here are 10 things Illinoisans can expect ... more. |
The Illinois General Assembly failed to pass a balanced budget for the new fiscal year, which starts today. That means the state cannot spend money on any programs or services requiring an annual appropriation. There's a lot of uncertainty about what this means, with predictions ranging from "most people won't notice" to "Armageddon."
Here are 10 things Illinoisans can expect ... more. |
EPA and the Corps of Engineers declare that a variety of waters and features are not "Waters of the United States." They claim many of these exclusions are being established for the first time.
WOTUS designates the following as not being "waters of the United States:"
• Artificially irrigated areas that would revert to dry land should application of irrigation water to that area cease
... more. |
U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis is hoping visits he made Wednesday at four Central Illinois biotechnology companies will help show why science is important in addressing the world's food needs.
The Taylorville Republican visited Syngenta Seeds near Clinton, the Monsanto plant in Stonington, the Ag Reliant Genetics facility in Ivesdale and DuPont-Pioneer Hi-Bred International Plant in Litchfield ... more. |
U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis is hoping visits he made Wednesday at four Central Illinois biotechnology companies will help show why science is important in addressing the world's food needs.
The Taylorville Republican visited Syngenta Seeds near Clinton, the Monsanto plant in Stonington, the Ag Reliant Genetics facility in Ivesdale and DuPont-Pioneer Hi-Bred International Plant in Litchfield ... more. |
Each month, IFCA creates and distributes a two page "Keep it 4R Crop" bulletin that features the progress being made in our industry to increase nutrient utilization and protect water quality using the 4R nutrient stewardship approach. To see the April edition, please click hereor go to our website at www.ifca.com to see this and other nutrient stewardship news.
Each month we wi ... more. |
Each month, IFCA publishes a two page bulletin to update our members and other nutrient stakeholders (environmental groups, state agencies, water supply and water treatment officials and other ag groups) on our industry's latest efforts to provide solid agronomic expertise based upon the 4Rs of nutrient stewardship.
In the May report, we feature IFCA member Jerry Harbour of Prairieland FS and ... more. |
Officials in Mundelein, IL are considering enacting a ban on fertilizers containing phosphorus. In 2010 Illinois banned lawn care companies from using fertilizers with phosphorus on residential lawns. Since then phosphorus has been removed from many fertilizer products, but not all of them. If Mundelein does enact the ban, they will join a number of recent towns to also take action including Libertyville, Li ... more. |
Senate Bill 1 was signed by Governor John Kasich on April 2, 2015, designed to protect Lake Erie from toxic algal blooms and improve overall water quality around the state. The new rules will take effect on July 3.
New regulations will require northwestern Ohio farmers to limit spreading fertilizer and manure on flooded or sodden fields. based on specific precipitation criteria. ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner has signed an education funding bill that should ensure that schools can open on time even if the current budget impasse extends into August.
Rauner signed House Bill 3763, which provides state spending authority for general state aid to public school districts, the backbone of state financial support for public schools.
The bill also contains funding f ... more. |
IFCA's affiliation with the Asmark Institute helps us to offer professional, accessible safety and compliance training. This summer there are plenty of opportunities to attend training in the following areas as outlined below. Click hereto see a listing of the dates and locations of the classes. Class space is limited so to ensure a seat you should register as soon as possible. ... more. |
IFCA has been participating with the IL Council on Best Management Practices and our fellow ag organizations in statewide meetings to explain to farmers and agribusiness the goals of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. IEPA and IDA will finalize the strategy shortly, and it sets goals for point sources (wastewater treatment plants) and non-point sources (including agriculture) to reduce nitrogen ... more. |
For the past two years the IFCA and other ag groups have been working closely with the Illinois Department of Agriculture on updates to the anhydrous ammonia regulations. We now expect the proposed rules may be published in the Illinois Register in July, and the final rule may be in place before year-end. To see an overview of the main components of the rules, click here for a slide show presented in ... more. |
Some rain has fallen somewhere in Illinois nearly every day for the past 3 weeks, and rainfall totals for this period exceed 7 inches – two to three times normal – over more than half of the state (Figure 1). This has a lot of people wondering if enough nitrogen remains in the soil to supply the corn crops
Daily high temperatures have averaged close to normal over the past thre ... more. |
The government on Friday proposed new carbon-emissions standards for big trucks as part of President Barack Obama’s broad climate-change agenda, a move many in the trucking industry cautiously support as a way to save money on fuel.
The Environmental Protection Agency and the Transportation Department jointly announced draft standards for big vehicles ranging from garbage truck ... more. |
A bi-partisan group of lawmakers from Illinois and Missouri say labeling genetically engineered foods should be voluntary as a national standard.
Congress is considering a bill to block individual states from requiring labels for genetically engineered foods.
The bill leaves it up to the FDA to determine whether a particular food poses a health risk and must be lab ... more. |
Senate Republicans will look to send the fast-track trade bill to President Obama this week, while the House debates a spending measure that would block a wide array of environmental regulations.
The House broke a deadlock on the trade issue last week by splitting the Trade Promotion Authority measure from an extension of Trade Adjustment Assistance programs. Senate Majority Leader Mitch M ... more. |
A new bill introduced Tuesday would completely repeal the federal mandate to blend ethanol into the nation’s gasoline supply.
Sen. Bill Cassidy’s (R-La.) legislation would completely do away with the renewable fuel standard, which first took effect in 2005 and now requires increasing levels of ethanol and biodiesel to be put into traditional fossil fuels.
The ... more. |
Vermont's first-in-the-nation law requiring the labeling of foods made with genetically modified organisms could cost the nation's grocers up to $10 million a day in fines, according to a letter from an industry organization that is suing the block the law.
The letter to Gov. Peter Shumlin from the head of the Grocery Manufacturers Association, dated Wednesday, said companies could ... more. |
The House Energy and Commerce Health subcommittee on Thursday considered issues surrounding the bipartisan GMO labeling legislation introduced earlier this year, welcoming five panelists to discuss implications of such a law on consumers and commerce.
The bill calls for a GMO labeling standard that is science-based and is consistent in all 50 states. The bill seeks to increase coordination ... more. |
A $1.9 billion fertilizer plant under construction in southeast Iowa is seeking to raise the amount of tax credits it's receiving from the state.
Iowa Fertilizer Co. is asking the state for an additional $21.5 million in incentives. The request comes as the company raises its investment in the Lee County plant to $1.9 billion.
The company is also requesting an additi ... more. |
Illinois Democrats are sending Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner budget bills even as both sides remain deadlocked over a spending plan.
The House and Senate this week each sent two of nearly two dozen budget bills to Rauner's desk. Senate President John Cullerton's office says more will follow next week.
Rauner and Democrats, who control the legislature, are at a bud ... more. |
State Sen. John Sullivan announced Thursday night that he will not seek another term in the 2016 election.
"It is an honor to have earned the trust and support of so many people in Western Illinois and across the state," the Rushville Democrat said in an emailed statement. "I will continue to work hard to represent and be a voice for my constituents in Springfield as I transition to the pr ... more. |
State Sen. John Sullivan announced Thursday night that he will not seek another term in the 2016 election.
"It is an honor to have earned the trust and support of so many people in Western Illinois and across the state," the Rushville Democrat said in an emailed statement. "I will continue to work hard to represent and be a voice for my constituents in Springfield as I transition to the pr ... more. |
Legislators will be back in Springfield for one day this week (Tuesday) to keep working on the state budget. Senate is scheduled to hold a hearing on college affordability that day also as part of its summer overtime session.
With two weeks to go before the state enters a new fiscal year without a budget in place, the Senate hearing is expected to mirror one held last week on propert ... more. |
NBC Chicago has learned Turnaround Illinois, the independent expenditure committee formed in April to "support state legislative candidates who support Gov. Rauner's bold and needed reforms and to oppose those who stand in the way," is on the cusp of making its first ad buy in the Chicago television market reportedly for an estimated $450,000.
When asked about this, the governor's office had no ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner has been giving rip-roaring speeches denouncing the state's Democratic leadership in several legislative districts controlled by his opponents.
All of his visits were accompanied by Illinois Republican Party news releases bashing the legislators in those areas for being in the back pockets of House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton.
Some are warning ... more. |
A fertilizer safety bill inspired by the 2013 West explosion that killed 15 people is now law and should ensure that no more ammonium nitrate facilities explode, said its author, state Rep. Kyle Kacal, R-College Station.
Kacal, whose district includes West, stood with West Mayor Tommy Muska on Monday as Gov. Greg Abbott signed HB 942.
“We’re going to make thi ... more. |
A fertilizer safety bill inspired by the 2013 West explosion that killed 15 people is now law and should ensure that no more ammonium nitrate facilities explode, said its author, state Rep. Kyle Kacal, R-College Station.
Kacal, whose district includes West, stood with West Mayor Tommy Muska on Monday as Gov. Greg Abbott signed HB 942.
“We’re going to make thi ... more. |
Sorry to be a buzzkill, but U.S. honeybee colonies are at a 20-year high.
You’ve probably heard by now that bees are mysteriously dying. In 2006, commercial beekeepers began to witness unusually high rates of honeybee die-offs over the winter — increasing from an average of 15 percent to more than 30 percent. Everything from genetically modified crops to pesticides (even ... more. |
Iowans can start expecting to see more unmanned aerial vehicles - more commonly known as drones - flying around the state’s skies.
At least 10 Iowa companies or individuals have received authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration to fly their drones, a Register review of FAA exemptions shows, The Des Moines Register reported.
And dozens of businesses ar ... more. |
A House Energy and Commerce subcommittee will review this week an updated version of a food labeling bill that would create a national standard for the voluntary labeling of food containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., G.K. butterfield, D-N.C., first introduced the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act, H.R. 1599, in March. They recently released a discussion ... more. |
New federal requirements for commercial drivers go into effect on July 1, 2015, and the Illinois Secretary of State is implementing these changes for all Illinois CDL holders. The changes are:
1. After July 1, 2015, anyone applying for, renewing, or upgrading their CDL is required to show the SOS office proof of legal presence in the United States. To do this you must present a current ... more. |
On Tuesday, Illinois Senate will consider a proposed property tax freeze when the chamber reconvenes for the first time since the regular legislative session ended May 31. The House will also be back in Springfield on Tuesday.
Democratic Senate President John Cullerton said the Senate will hear testimony on the issue.
Gov. Bruce Rauner says he won ... more. |
If Thursday way any indication, this could indeed be a long, hot summer around the Capitol.
Muchof hte irritation centered around a hearing held by a Democratic-controllecd House committee hearing into why Gov. Bruce Rauner stop education adviser, Beth Purvis, is having her $250,000 salary paid out of the Department of Human Services Budget.
Click Here to read more.
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A slew of trade and regulatory issues that are critical to agriculture will see action on both sides of Capitol Hill this week.
The House is scheduled to vote on repealing the country of origin labeling law for meat this week and also could take up the sweeping Trade Promotion Authority bill. House Ways and Means Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said late last week that GOP leaders were "within s ... more. |
April and May allowed for great planting progress, and warm temperatures in May helped crop development. Farmers were also able to get into fields and apply some post-emergent nitrogen to their corn. However, some heavy rains after that application have some farmers concerned about nitrogen.
Much of the rainfall has come with low or moderate intensity. There have been few multiple-inch downpours leadin ... more. |
April and May allowed for great planting progress, and warm temperatures in May helped crop development. Farmers were also able to get into fields and apply some post-emergent nitrogen to their corn. However, some heavy rains after that application have some farmers concerned about nitrogen.
Much of the rainfall has come with low or moderate intensity. There have been few multiple-inch downpours leadin ... more. |
April and May allowed for great planting progress, and warm temperatures in May helped crop development. Farmers were also able to get into fields and apply some post-emergent nitrogen to their corn. However, some heavy rains after that application have some farmers concerned about nitrogen.
Much of the rainfall has come with low or moderate intensity. There have been few multiple-inch downpours leadin ... more. |
Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) today announced a collaboration with Campbell Soup Company and its subsidiary, Pepperidge Farm, Incorporated, to improve water quality and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by optimizing fertilizer use and improving soil conservation in the company’s wheat sourcing areas.
Fertilizer is essential for growing crops, but on average 50 percent of fertilizer applie ... more. |
Last week, an Oregon federal court issued an important ruling inSchultz Family Farms, LLC v. Jackson Countydealing with two very important, hot-button issues in agriculture: genetically modified crops and Right to Farm laws. Although the opinion addresses only one local ordinance, and is binding only in Oregon, it raises issues that we have likely not seen the end of and could be seeing i ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner threatened real financial pain for all Illinois — from businesses and prisons to the poor and the elderly — as he took Springfield’s stalemate over state spending to a new levelTuesday.
“House Speaker Mike Madigan, Senate President John Cullerton and their caucuses passed a budget for the 2016 fiscal year beginningJuly 1that is nearly $4 billi ... more. |
The summer, bulk crop protection storage and handling facilities in Illinois will be asked to participate in an American Agronomic Stewardship Alliance (AASA) inspection to assure compliance with federal regulations and good stewardship practices regarding the storage, handling and repackaging of bulk pesticides. If you have bulk pesticides at your locations, you should receive a letter from AASA notifying ... more. |
During the 2015 Illinois legislative session, IFCA has been watching and supporting HB 2580: This bill prohibits highway road commissioners from permanently closing or reducing the weight limits on any road or portion of road without first holding a public hearing. The road commissioner would have to create a memorandum of understanding explaining the reason for the proposed road posting or closing a ... more. |
As you read above, the Illinois General Assembly ended its regularly scheduled spring session Sunday. The Senate and House both advanced a large chunk of bills comprising a $36.3 billion budget, backed by Democrats, which would send more than $3 billion above what the state is expected to take in in revenue this year. During both the Senate and House floor debate on the budget, democrats said tha ... more. |
The Obama administration's release of its final Clean Water Act rule sets the stage for a battle with Congress in coming weeks that could divide Senate Democrats.
Administration officials said the 297 page rule would make it clear what streams, wetlands, ponds, and ditches that are subject to regulation under the law. Some farm groups, including the American Farm Bureau Federation, withh ... more. |
State Lawmakers went home on Sunday, putting battles of the legislative session behind them.
But Gov. Bruce Rauner is preparing to wage war.
That is likely why Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan of Chicago, told his members they should be prepared to return Thursday and Senate President John Cullerton, of Chicago, gave his members a similar speech about returning later in ... more. |
The EPA on Friday released proposed Renewable Volume Obligations(RVOs) for biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard for 2014, 2015 and 2016 that show an increase in required blending, but still below statutory levels sought by the renewable fuels industry.
EPA's proposal reflects actual usage for 2014, but calls for increase in subsequent years. Janet McCabe, EPA's acting assistant ... more. |
In finalizing new rule that will give it new authority to regulate pollution in streams, lakes, and rivers, the Environmental Protection Agency has a message for its critics: Bring it on.
Wednesday, EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced it was going ahead with one of the Obama administration's more controversial environmental regulation proposals—the so-called Waters of the United St ... more. |
If honeybees are busy pollinating large, blooming croplands, farmers wanting to spray toxic pesticides will soon have to buzz off, the Environmental Protection Agency is proposing.
A federal rule to be proposed Thursday would create temporary pesticide-free zones when certain plants are in bloom around bees that are trucked from farm to farm by professional beekeepers, which are the majority of h ... more. |
Illinois' House Speaker says his chamber plans to be in "continuous session" throughout the summer.
Chicago Democrat Michael Madigan made the announcement Sunday, the last regularly scheduled day of the spring session.
Click Here to read more.
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I had heard Bruce Rauner say countless times — before and after he was elected governor — that he was going to fight special interests and labor unions and Democratic pols and anyone else who tried to thwart his "Turnaround Agenda" for Illinois.
"I love taking arrows. I've got alligator skin. I can break those arrows off," Rauner told a crowd in Casey just before his i ... more. |
Throughout the month of June, there will be meetings throughout the state, hosted by county Farm Bureaus, to raise awareness among farmers of how agriculture is impacted by the soon to be released Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. IFCA staff will participate among several presenters at these meetings to discuss nutrient stewardship practices that can help protect against nutrient losses and enhanc ... more. |
If your CDL is up for renewal within the next 12 months, you may want to consider renewing it before July 1, 2015 before new identification requirements kick in. After July 1, 2015 any new CDL application, renewal, upgrade or transfer will require the driver to show proof of legal presence and domicile. This is a one-time requirement, but you will need to show the Secretary of State either a current ... more. |
Please mark your calendar for the upcoming IFCA summer golf outings: July 23 in Seneca, IL and July 30th in Windsor. Watch for the registration flyers in the mail. Proceeds go to support the IFCA Scholarship program for students seeking a career in our industry. MAGIE is August 26-27, 2015 at the McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington, IL. We look forward to seeing you all soon at ... more. |
Ag groups and other industries are evaluating today's release of the final Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. USEPA stated today that the rules uphold long held agriculture exemptions for tile drainage, regular farm activities and moving livestock, but it will take careful evaluation of the technical document to determine the impact on agriculture and many other industries. U.S. Senator Jo ... more. |
The Obama administration on Wednesday launched a sweeping measure to protect the nation’s waterways and wetlands — an initiative that faces a fierce counterattack from powerhouse industries like agriculture, oil and home-building.
On its face, the final “Waters of the United States” rule is largely a technical document, defining which rivers, streams, lakes and mars ... more. |
Lawmakers are in the final week of the Spring Session of the Illinois General Assembly. The May 31 deadline is fast approaching with few agreements on the 'big issues' have yet to be worked out.
The last few weeks saw a lot of political grandstanding by both parties on many business issues including tort reform, workers' comp reform and 'right to work' ... more. |
Backed by food companies like Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, House Democrats renewed their push on Capitol Hill Wednesday for the mandatory labeling of foods that contain genetically modified organisms orGMOs.
In March, Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) introduced the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act, but to move the bill through Congress, DeFazio said there needs to ... more. |
The farmlands of the Midwest are contributing to a dead zone the size of Connecticut in the Gulf of Mexico, where low oxygen levels have made it impossible for fish and other aquatic life to survive.
On Wednesday, policymakers from across the Midwest met in Columbus to talk about ways to ease that dead zone and solve other agriculture-runoff problems, including the kind of toxic algae that plagues Lake ... more. |
The farmlands of the Midwest are contributing to a dead zone the size of Connecticut in the Gulf of Mexico, where low oxygen levels have made it impossible for fish and other aquatic life to survive.
On Wednesday, policymakers from across the Midwest met in Columbus to talk about ways to ease that dead zone and solve other agriculture-runoff problems, including the kind of toxic algae that plagues Lake ... more. |
I'm the new guy in Springfield. I'm proud of that.
Although being new means I'm not as familiar with how things historically have been done in state government, it keeps me idealistic and hopeful. I'm not jaded or cynical about what we can accomplish to make Illinois great again.
Click Here to read more.
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A Nebraska Cornhusker frets as he surveys his drought-stunted crop. A Nigerian yam farmer digs up shrunken tubers. A Costa Rican coffee baron lays off hundreds of workers because a fungus has spoiled his harvest. I planted cherry trees in upstate New York last spring. One summer morning, they were denuded by Japanese beetles.
Such disasters are increasingly common on a planet buffeted by climate change ... more. |
The Obama administration is expected in the coming days to announce a major clean water regulation that would restore the federal government’s authority to limit pollution in the nation’s rivers, lakes, streams and wetlands.
Environmentalists have praised the new rule, calling it an important step that would lead to significantly cleaner natural bodies of water and healthier drinking water. ... more. |
Trade issues will dominate the attention of farm-state lawmakers as the World Trade Organization releases its final ruling on U.S. country-of-origin labeling and the Seante resumes debate on its fast-track trade bill.
The ruling expected Monday is widely expected to affirm the WTO's earlier decision againist the labeling regulations for beef and pork, denying the Obama administration appeal. & ... more. |
Rep. Rodney Davis, chairman of the House Agriculture subcommittee on biotechnology, horticulture and research, said lawmakers are concerned about a lack of communication between USDA and EPA, particularly regarding issues on pollinator health.
"We see a disagreement between agencies that are supposed to be working together," the Illinois Republican said last week at a subcommittee hearing into the ... more. |
Applying any urea containing fertilizer to the soil surface during warm, dry, windy conditions will maximize the potential for N volatilization losses. This loss occurs quickly, starting within hours following application with most of the loss occurring within 2 days following application.
Surface-applied urea or urea-ammonium nitrate (UAN) solution is susceptible to significant loss of N by ... more. |
Many of the agricultural areas of Minnesota have surface and groundwater nitrate-nitrogen concentrations in excess of the federal drinking water standard. Several communities have installed nitrate-removal systems for municipal water supplies.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has just finished its report “Swimmable, fishable, fixable? What we have learned about Minnesota waters,” whic ... more. |
Senate President John Cullerton is dusting off an old pension overhaul plan he says has a chance to beat the constitutional odds.
Four days after the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that a 2013 law reducing pension benefits for state workers was unconstitutional, the Democrat from Chicago made a pitch for his proposal to a special committee working behind closed doors in the governor's office.
I ... more. |
The U.S. Agriculture Department has developed a new government certification and labeling for foods that are free of genetically modified ingredients.
USDA's move comes as some consumer groups push for mandatory labeling of the genetically modified organisms, or GMOs.
The certification is the first of its kind and would be voluntary — and companies would have to pay for it. If approved, ... more. |
The IFCA family was very sorry to hear of the passing of Pam Gaines, who was a key member of the Brandt Consolidated Team. Pam had been battling cancer and was just 50 years old. Pam was extremely talented and a very hard worker, assisting IFCA very recently in the testing of a software system that all of our retail members will be able to utilize to track adoption of fertilizer stewardship practices ... more. |
Many IFCA members are interested in certifying their own employees to be able to perform nurse tank inspections to comply with the DOT regulations for pressure testing ammonia nurse tanks that have missing or illegible data plates, or for testing any nurse tanks to assure their integrity. To respond to that interest, the Asmark Institute is offering classes at the Agricenter in Bloomington, IL to provide t ... more. |
N-WATCH is a soil sampling management tool designed to help retailers and their farmer customers inventory, track and verify plant-available nitrogen in the soil at a specific point in the field. With funding provided by the Nutrient Research & Education Council (NREC), our industry has been utilizing N-WATCH since the fall of 2012, and it has been instrumental in providing a sound assessment of when f ... more. |
IFCA regularly receives calls from our members about how to help farmers who have unwanted pesticides that can no longer be used or are of an unknown nature. The IL Dept of Ag is hosting a pesticide clean sweep program this summer in the counties of Calhoun, Cass, Morgan, Greene, Jersey, Pike and Scott counties to help that area of the state with this type of situation. The program is open to farmers ... more. |
The IL Department of Agriculture is charged with enforcing both federal and state provisions related to pesticide sales and application. Their regulatory program regularly reviews the records of pesticide dealers to assure proper recordkeeping and licensing. It's important to remember that if IDA did not perform this function, the alternative is USEPA inspections. Federal penalties for non- ... more. |
First, the terminally cynical Chipotle says “no GMOs on our menu” – not exactly accurate, but that’s how the media reported it – then this week, Panera Bread announces it’s taking artificial colors, flavorings, etc., out of its products. Science says both of these moves are unwarranted from a health or safety standpoint, but these chains do it anyway.
Such pure ... more. |
IFCA's Legislative Page
Senate Committee Hearings this week
House Committee Hearings this week
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Gov. Bruce Rauner wants to amend the Illinois Constitution to make it legal to alter state emplyee retiree benefits.
But observers say that could be a tough sell.
Not only is it a relative rarity for voters to change the 45-year old constitution, but Illinois' political makeup presents a potential roadblock for even getting such a measure in front of the voters.
... more. |
Illinois lawmakers are scrambling to determine if there is a viable Plan B available for the state to implement cost-saving pension reform.
The Illinois Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision Friday, said the pension reform plan passed by lawmakers in 2013 is unconstitutional. In reaching the decision, the court basically said that pension benefits in effect at the time people joined one of the five st ... more. |
Illinois' Democratic House speaker says he's scheduling a vote on Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner's proposal to allow employees to opt out of unions.
Speaker Michael J. Madigan announced Thursday the vote is scheduled for May 14, even though the governor hasn't filed a bill with the Legislature.
Click Here to read more.
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We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Scott Besse, District Manager with Bayer Crop Sciences. Scott, 53, passed away last Thursday after battling cancer. He is survived by his wife Lora and children Casey and Tyler. Scott was a dynamic guy, full of life and love for agriculture, his family and God.
Go to www.schillingfuneralhome.com for details on services for ... more. |
Last Friday afternoon, many state workers got some very good news, while Illinois taxpayers might be crying or wringing their hands. The Illinois Supreme Court ruled to strike down the 2013 state's pension law, saying it was unconstitutional. The high court ruled that even modifying future increase violates the state Constitution's nondiminution pension clause.
The court ... more. |
The Illinois Supreme Court on Friday unanimously ruled unconstitutional a landmark state pension law that aimed to scale back government worker benefits to erase a massive $105 billion retirement system debt, sending lawnmakers and the new governor back to the negotiating table to try to solve the pressing financial issue.
The ruling also reverberated at City Hall, imperiling a similar law Mayor R ... more. |
The Illinois Supreme Court on Friday unanimously ruled unconstitutional a landmark state pension law that aimed to scale back government worker benefits to erase a massive $105 billion retirement system debt, sending lawmakers and the new governor back to the negotiating table to try to solve the pressing financial issue.
The ruling also reverberated at City Hall, imperiling a similar law Mayor Rahm Em ... more. |
IFCA along with our colleagues at the Grain & Feed Association and the IL Aggregate Producers are working with the IL Dept of Ag Bureau of Weights and Measures regarding the need for read-out of the scale measurement that the customer can view. Handbook 44, the national standard governing weighing & measuring devices, requires that a weighing device used in direct sales be positioned so that ... more. |
In June, the IL Council on Best Management Practices is hosting a series of eleven meetings around the state to raise awareness in the ag industry of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (INLRS). The farm organizations are inviting farmers to attend, and IFCA staff will be present at the meetings to discuss the 4Rs of nutrient stewardship and nutrient management systems that our members are utiliz ... more. |
A big thank you to all the IFCA members who are renewing their membership and supporting the association that represents the best interests of our industry! Please mark your calendars for the 2015 MAGIE show which is August 26-27, 2015 at the McLean County Fairgrounds. The IFCA 2016 Convention is January 19-21 in Peoria.
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Illinois state Sen. Darin LaHood raised more than $500,000 in five weeks since entering thespecial electionto replace RepublicanAaron Schock, according to figures provided first to CQ Roll Call.
LaHood, the son of former Illinois Rep. Ray LaHood, faces a Republican primary against Mike Flynn, an editor of the conservative website Breitbart News. LaHood touted the haul in an early show of st ... more. |
House Speaker Michael Madigan convened a rare Committee of the Whole to air our complaints, concerns and (presumably) support for Gov. Bruce Rauner’s call for reform of the Illinois workers compensation system, which Rauner says is slanted against business.
The House won’t be voting on a bill as in a normal session. Instead, it will hear testimony about the issue from witnesses and allow Ho ... more. |
Senate President John Cullerton said Monday it’s time for Gov. Bruce Rauner to focus on budget talks and spend less time promoting his “turnaround agenda.”
Speaking to The State Journal-Register editorial board, Cullerton, a Chicago Democrat, repeated his belief that the spending plan the Republican governor submitted to lawmakers is wildly out of balance and could result in significa ... more. |
Senate President John Cullerton said Monday it’s time for Gov. Bruce Rauner to focus on budget talks and spend less time promoting his “turnaround agenda.”
Speaking to The State Journal-Register editorial board, Cullerton, a Chicago Democrat, repeated his belief that the spending plan the Republican governor submitted to lawmakers is wildly out of balance and could result in significa ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency has wrapped up its review of the world's most widely used herbicide and plans to release a much-anticipated preliminary risk assessment no later than July, the regulator's chief pesticide regulator told Reuters.
The EPA review of the health and environmental impacts of glyphosate comes at a time of intense debate over the safety of the chemical, and after the ... more. |
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) is appealing a federal court ruling last week that allows Vermont to move forward with new rules requiring labels for genetically modified foods.
In a joint lawsuit, GMA, the Snack Food Association, the International Dairy Foods Association and the National Association of Manufacturers sought a preliminary injunction from the federal district cou ... more. |
Each year, the Asmark Institute provides IFCA members with a set of compliance posters on Restricted Use Pesticides, Worker Protection Standards and Agrichemical DOT Shipping Descriptions. We have some extra sets here at the office, so if you need any additional posters for your locations, please give us a call....while supply lasts! Contact Leslie at 309.827.2774.
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The new legislative "working groups" designed to hammer out compromises on Gov. Bruce Rauner's "turnaround agenda" finally began meeting in secret last week. At least one of them got a bit heated.
A group tasked with writing ethics legislation hit a brick wall right off the bat when it came time to discuss Rauner's term-limits amendment to the state constitution. Two Democrats on the committee ... more. |
This week in Springfield will be busy with committee hearings. A back load of bills are waiting for committee hearings and floor debate. Also, private meetings will be going on all week on Gov. Rauner's "Turnaround Agenda". There are five different committees on the "Turnarond Agenda", Tax Hike working group, Economic Growth working group, Taxpayer Protection working, Transforming Governmen ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner plans to restore approximately $26 million in grant cuts for services ranging from autism treatment to burial services for the poor after a new revenue forecast estimates the state is expected to bring in more money this year than initially anticipated.
The move comes after weeks of hearings by Democratic lawmakers to put a continued public focus on ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute’s (TFI) President Chris Jahn announced that TFI and more than 100 partners will more than double existing investment in nutrient stewardship research, outreach and implementation. The announcement was made at Michigan State University during a panel led by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
“4R Nutrient Stewardship – or in the words of Secretary Vilsack, ... more. |
The Senate could take up its fast-track bill as soon as this week, with supporters hoping a solid majority will give the legislation needed momentum in the House.
Republicans and the White House are still looking for votes among House GOP conservatives Democrats House members have scattered back to their districts this week, with the chamber in recess.
"We're getting into ... more. |
A Vermont law that could make the state the first in the country to require labeling of genetically modified food has been allowed by a federal judge to stand for now despite opposition by food industry groups.
U.S. District Court Judge Christina Reiss in Burlington on Monday ruled against the Grocery Manufacturers' Association and other industry groups in their request for a preliminary order to b ... more. |
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack won't say if he wants to be considered as a vice presidential candidate but has some clear ideas about what he thinks presidential candidates ought to be talking about.
Vilsack, in a wide-ranging discussion with the Free Press, said he is hoping that presidential candidates talk about climate change and the controversies about genetically modified food duri ... more. |
A group of more than 40 farm groups and companies sent a letter to House and Senate agricultural appropriations leaders supporting increase in the President Barack Obama's fiscal 2016 budget for honey bee research activities. The House will begin consideration of appropriations bills next week.
Click Here to read more.
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The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact will be on the agenda as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrives in Washington this week to meet with President Obama and speak to a joint session of Congress.
Abe's visit comes as Republican leaders are nailing down the votes for the fast-track bills that House and Senate committees approved last week. The nearly identical bills would smooth t ... more. |
Gambling revenues that have failed to meet expectation show the need for a more reliable, long-term source of transportation funding, the head of the Illinois Department of Transportation said Tuesday.
Acting Secretary Randy Blankenhorn was not yet prepared to say what that source might be.
"At some point in the near future, something has to happen," Blankenhorn said in a phone interview with The ... more. |
Illinois could be short 150,000 qualified workers by 2020, according to a report released Tuesday.
The report, by the business policy group ReadyNation, says Illinois lags behind Wisconsin, Iowa and Missouri in terms of the number of qualified workers for open positions.
Sean Noble, state director of ReadyNation, said Illinois is falling behind in basic skills for workers, and he called for an in ... more. |
The son of longtime congressman Ray LaHood remained the overwhelming favorite Monday as the field took shape for the special election to replace disgraced former U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock in a heavily Republican central Illinois district that includes part of Springfield.
Darin LaHood, 46, of Peoria is a former state and federal prosecutor known in Illinois for his fiscally conservative views and focus on ... more. |
The White House says it's "irresponsible" for House appropriators to use a spending bill to block the administration from implementing new definitions of what streams, ponds and other features are regulated under the Clean Water Act.
A provision in the fiscal 2016 Energy and Water spending bill would prevent the administration from enforcing a proposed rule starting Oct. 1.
... more. |
Hot-button issues such as clean power, water quality regulations and renewable fuels are expected to get a bigger stage in the 2016 Iowa Caucuses, as environmental activists put more pressure on presidential contenders to address controversial issues such as climate change.
But experts still expect that concerns about saving the planet likely will play second, third and possibly even fourth fiddle to i ... more. |
That steak has turned green.
MaybeIllinois State PoliceTrooper Greg Miller merely hoped to boost morale last week by offering a steak dinner to District 22 Squad A, which performed the most big rig inspections in recent months. Maybe the district's safety officer simply adopted a widely employed private sector strategy to nudge officers toward doing a less than joyous part of thei ... more. |
IFCA members: Thank you for your overwhelming support for IFCA's efforts to ensure our industry remains proactive on addressing nutrient losses and ensuring long-term profitability for our farmer customers given the challenges we face with nutrients and water quality issues. At the IFCA Convention in January, we officially launched the IFCA "Keep it 4R Crop" nutrient stewardship program. We ... more. |
After outcry over the latest budget cuts imposed by Gov. Bruce Rauner, House Speaker Michael Madigan appointed a new budget oversight panel Friday to determine what the governor views as nonessential spending.
Click Here to read more.
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The Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council (NREC) has a new tri-fold brochure that explains the purpose and structure of NREC and highlights the 20 projects underway targeted at improving nutrient utilization, increasing crop production and protecting water quality. If you would like to include this brochure in any mailings to your farmer customers with your spring fertilizer invoices, ca ... more. |
How would you like to renew your commercial applicator and operator licenses once every 3 years instead of every year? It could happen if HB 3815 passes. IFCA is supporting this measure proposed by the Illinois Department of Agriculture to streamline the license renewal process and have it coincide with the year you take and pass the test, with the license remaining good until your next testing date. ... more. |
It has been extremely busy this spring and a tremendous amount of fertilizer is being applied, the vast majority of it very safely. But we've had several ammonia incidents in the past two weeks that have been reported to the National Response Center and to IEMA and the local authorities. These incidents involve custom application as well as farmer applied ammonia. At least one incident resu ... more. |
It will be busy in Springfield this week with committee hearings and floor work. Legislators are trying to move bills from committee to the floor. This week all substantive bills in both the Senate and House must be passed out of both chambers by Friday.
Now, with only 42 calendar days and 30 legislative days remaining in the spring legislative session, focus turns to the ... more. |
The flat, endless acres of black dirt here in northern Iowa will soon be filled with corn and soybean seeds. But as farmers tuned up their tractors and waited for the perfect moment to plant, another topic weighed on their minds: a lawsuit filed in federal court by the state’s largest water utility.
After years of mounting frustration, the utility, Des Moines Water Works, sued the leaders of thre ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture is encouraging farmers and agrichemical facilities to save their empty agrichemical containers. The department announced today it has arranged to recycle them.
Beginning at the end of July and continuing in August, sites throughout the state will collect containers. The containers will be recycled to make shipping pallets, fence post ... more. |
No one likes paying taxesbut finances tend to be a particularly touchy subject in Illinois.
We have a gargantuan budget deficitand a governor intent on various spending cuts to ameliorate that deficit.
Unfunded pension obligationsmass on our horizon, not to mention a whole mess of Chicago bond debt.
But on April 15, National Tax Day, Illinois has yet another reason to be f ... more. |
The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) is asking Hillary Clinton to support mandatory GMO labeling.
The former Secretary of State announced Sunday that she will run for president in 2016, spurring OCA to renew its call for her to support the labeling of foods made with genetically ingredients. According to OCA, the group has gathered around 100,000 signatures so far on a MoveOn.org petition ... more. |
Fertilizer, seed and pesticide manufacturers likely took comfort in the acreage numbers contained in USDA's 2015 Prospective Planting report). Farmers reported intentions to plant 89.2 million acres of corn, 1.4 million less than in 2014, but about 470,000 more than the average trade guess (farmdoc daily March 31, 2015). Farmers reported intentions to plant 84.6 million acres of soybeans in 2015, 834,000 ... more. |
House Republicans introduced legislation Monday that would force federal agencies to kill and then replace a proposed rule to re-define what streams, wetlands and other areas are regulated under the Clean Water Act.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee plans to vote Wednesday morning on the bill, the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act, kicking off what is likely to be a yearlong ... more. |
House Republicans introduced legislation Monday that would force federal agencies to kill and then replace a proposed rule to re-define what streams, wetlands and other areas are regulated under the Clean Water Act.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee plans to vote Wednesday morning on the bill, the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act, kicking off what is likely to be a yearlong ... more. |
Two years after a fire and explosion at a West fertilizer plant killed 15 people and injured more than 300, House lawmakers Tuesday took up bills that would address regulatory breakdowns that contributed to the accident.
Backers hope the legislation could prevent future deaths. But they remain wary of chances for approval from a Legislature reluctant to impose greater regulations on businesses.
I ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner has begun putting a finer point on his legislative agenda, telling voters, elected officials and newspaper editorial boards during a tour of Illinois last week that his business-friendly plan is vital to improving the state’s economy.
During appearances in which he made several provocative comments, the Republican tried to build support for his proposals before l ... more. |
We live on a finite planet with a human population of 7.2 billion, a number that is increasing by almost 100,000 per day. Given that the world population is expected to increase by another 2 billion people over the next 50 years (in addition to the 1 billion who are currently undernourished), and that food will have to be produced on fewer acres of land with less water, there is a fundamental question that m ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner isn't the only state official hitting the road during the Legislature's spring recess.
With the Republican chief executive making a 17-stop swing through western and central Illinois this week in support of a series of business reforms, members of a Senate budget panel are heading to Carbondale on Wednesday to discuss the governor's controversial spending proposal.
T ... more. |
Lowe's announced it will phase out thesale of products containing neonicotinoid pesticides as part of its corporate responsibility commitments for this year.
In its 2014 Corporate Social Responsibility released Thursday, the home improvement chain said it plans to stop selling neonics-a class of pesticide used on turf and ornamental products as well as a corn and soybean seeds withen 48 ... more. |
The Illinois Emergency Management (IEMA) Tier 2 System continues to have issues but seems to be working a little better depending on the time of day you attempt to login. Early and late in the day seem to work best, when the system is less busy. IEMA estimates that of the approximately 8,000 chemical storage facilities in the state, 5,700 have successfully submitted their reports and 2,500 have yet t ... more. |
We all know by now about the lawsuit filed by the Des Moines Waterworks (who provides drinking water to City of Des Moines residents) against three counties and their drainage districts over nitrate pollution from tile drainage. We all need to be aware of this issue and what it means for all of agriculture, and there is an excellent explanation of the legal ins and outs of this article, click here. W ... more. |
The Illinois Dept of Ag Bureau of Weights & Measures has finalized rules making changes to the truck scale regulations. IFCA was instrumental in working with IDA on these changes, which resolves the issue of Certificates of Conformance, allows for an application process for new scales, establishes a process to request a variance from the regulations, and enables the use of shallow pit vehicle scales. & ... more. |
In an effort to patch a $1.6 billion shortfall in the state's budget, the Illinois legislature approved and Governor Rauner signed legislation to sweep many state funds, including but not limited to the IDA Pesticide Control Fund, the Fertilizer Control Fund, Weights & Measurers, Feed Control Fund and the Ag Premium (county fair) Fund, for a total of $14.6 million from IDA programs. The money ... more. |
With the heavy rains in the past few days and the rain forecasted for this week, producers are wondering how much of the applied N has been lost.
The amount of N lost will depend on several factors but the major factor is the form of N applied. Some surface applied N can be lost in the runoff water with intense rainfall, but this will generally be only a minor amount. Denitrification losse ... more. |
Fertilizer, seed and pesticide manufacturers likely took comfort in the acreage numbers contained in USDA's 2015 Prospective Planting report.
Farmers reported intentions to plant 89.2 million acres of corn, 1.4 million less than in 2014, but about 470,000 more than the average trade guess. Farmers reported intentions to plant 84.6 million acres of soybeans in 2015, 834,000 more than in 2014, but ne ... more. |
Use of a class of insecticides, called neonicotinoids, increased dramatically in the mid-2000s and was driven almost entirely by the use of corn and soybean seeds treated with the pesticides, according to researchers at Penn State.
“Previous studies suggested that the percentage of corn acres treated with insecticides decreased during the 2000s, but once we took seed treatments into account we fo ... more. |
The Illinois Senate and House were off last week and this week for Easter recess. Both chambers will be back in sesssion next Tuesday.
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The anti-biotech activist Gary Hirshberg, Stonyfield Farms CEO and recent White House nominee to a trade advisory committee, seems to enjoy highlighting bad news. Even when it's bogus-when the news is in fact not bad at all-he manipulates it to serve his personal, ideological campaign against modern agriculture.
That's what happened last week when the International Agency for ... more. |
Ohio Governor John Kasich signed a bill into law that is intended to protect the water quality of Lake Erie and other waters of Ohio. The legislation to require changes in operations that could pollute the lake came about because of the algae bloom that shut off the Toledo water supply last summer and which received national attention.
In a two-paragraph announcement of signing the legislation, the gov ... more. |
Gov. John Kasich on Thursday visited Maumee Bay State Park in Oregon to sign a bill that aims to reduce pollution contributing to Lake Erie algae blooms and increases monitoring of water-treatment plants.
He signed Senate Bill 1 in front of windows overlooking Lake Erie, a visual reminder of what the bill aims to protect, and the cause of Toledo’s water crisis in August.
Among its provision ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday more than doubled the number of U.S. states where Dow AgroSciences' controversial new herbicide can be used.
The EPA approved Enlist Duo on Oct. 15 with a series of restrictions aimed at addressing potential environmental and health hazards. At that time it said the herbicide could be used in six states - Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, South Dakota a ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is restricting new products and uses of neonicotinoid pesticides that have been blamed for declines in bee populations.
The agency sent letters Thursday to companies that have applied to use neonicotinoids outdoors to say that it is not likely to issue new use permits until it has a better understanding of the threat the pesticides pose to young and developing ... more. |
All dues paying members of the IFCA should have received your 50 year anniversary 2015/2016 membership directory in the mail. Please take a moment to review your listing in the directory and report any errors to Leslie Forrest at leslief@ifca.com so we can be sure to correct our membership database. Thanks to all the directory advertisers and to our members for working with Leslie to make our Directo ... more. |
Now that spring has arrived (yea!) here are a few tips to remember with regard to getting fertilizer and agrichemicals too and from the field.
1. The Hours of Service exemption for the transportation of agricultural inputs applies to fertilizers, chemicals, seed and feed. In Illinois, it's good for 150 air miles between all distribution points (terminals, retail sites, farm sites) ... more. |
The IFCA's office phones were hit by lightening this morning. We are hoping they will be fixed by the end of the day. If you need to get a hold of us at the office please use one of the following email addresses: leslief@ifca.com or jeanp@ifca.com.
Also, IFCA will be observing Good Friday and our office will be closed on April 3rd.
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I just wanted to give everyone a reminder that IFCA's legislative breakfast is this Thursday at 7:15am at the Sangmo Club in Springfield. Please join us if you can. Call the IFCA office if you have questions.
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Budget resolutions will be on the floor this week in bot the House and Senate and, with little or no Democrat support available, Republican leaders need to keep as many GOP votes as possible. The House and Senate Budget committees approved their respective budgets on partyline votes Thursday.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY., can only afford to lose three vo ... more. |
The agricultural industry not only provides the nutrients and food needed to feed the populations of the United States but also provides tens of thousands of American jobs. From rural Iowa to the orange groves in Florida, America’s economic livelihood depends in part upon the determination and technological advancements of an ever-changing agriculture industry.
National Agriculture Week ser ... more. |
Approxmately 265 square miles drain into the Lake Springfield watershed from an area covering portions of three counties.
Researchers are tracking technology at two test sites in Auburn intended to keep the nitrate byproducts from 300 farms within the watershed out of streams, rivers and ultimately the lake. The sites -- known as "saturated buffer zones" -- are among 15 in Illinois, I ... more. |
A few years ago, bees suddenly had a sharp decline in numbers. This "Colony Collapse Disorder" as it is called, is a disorder in the sense that it is a recurring phenomenon, detailed for the last 1,000 years even when record-keeping just consisted of sporadic anecdotes. It was noted more frequently as record-keeping became more thorough. so it appeared far more often by the 1800s. By the 1900s, record-keeping ha ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner said Wednesday he expects a deal to address Illinois' $1.6 billion budget deficit within days, but a spokeswoman for Senate President John Cullerton said there's still work to do.
The Republican governor said legislation is being drafted after weeks of negotiations with Democratic leaders. He wouldn't discuss specifics.
Cullerton spokeswoman Rikeesha Phelon said the ... more. |
The Illinois agriculture community gathered at BRANDT global headquarters to celebrate National Ag Day behind this year's theme Sustaining Future Generations. An estimated 200 Ag professionals, FFA members and distinguished guests joined Governor Bruce Rauner and Director Philip Nelson in honoring the agriculture industry and celebrating the abundance provided by American farmers.
"I want to thank BRAND ... more. |
The House Ag Committee on Thursday approved a bill, the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2015, to remove pesticide application permitting processes the bill's sponsors say are duplicative.
The committee said the bill clarifies Congressional intent regarding pesticide regulation in or near waters of the United States. The Committee on Agriculture and the full House passed this bill during the two ... more. |
The Ohio House unanimously passed a bill yesterday designed to help reduce farmland manure runoff into Lake Erie, while the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has responded to 10 reported manure spills discovered in the last nine days.
House Bill 61 would prohibit farmers in northwestern Ohio from spreading manure and fertilizer on their fields if the ground is frozen or saturated with water, or if t ... more. |
On paper, the number of Democrats in Illinois' General Assembly looks formidable, holding "supermajorities" in both chambers that would allow them to override any veto by Gov. Bruce Rauner.
When it comes time to vote, however, that strength is tempered by a number of independent-voting lawmakers, especially in the House, who have the ability to make life difficult for party leaders.
The fissu ... more. |
The politics of ethanol have shifted enough over the last 15 years that several Republican presidential candidates felt comfortable – at an agricultural summit in Iowa Saturday – expressing their disagreement with special government supports for corn growers. Philosophically, that is.
Back in 2000, John McCain skipped the Iowa caucuses altogether on the grounds that he could not win while o ... more. |
Republicans start moving long-term budget plans this week that will lay out deep, if largely symbolic, proposals to reduce the deficit and set the stage for the appropriations process that the GOP will use to attack President Obama regulatory agenda.
The budget resolutions that are to be voted out of the House and Senate Budget committees, starting Wednesday, will lay out long-term priorities for the G ... more. |
Puppets, a funeral, chants and a group of about 1,500 were on display Wednesday as protesters filled the Capitol in defiance of Gov. Bruce Rauner's proposed budget cuts.
The group known as We Rise - a coalition of organizations including the Service Employees International Union Healthcare Illinois and Action Now - packed the Capitol both outside the governor's office and in the House gall ... more. |
Where does Illinois Republican Sen. Mark S. Kirk start in his bid for re-election? It depends on whom you ask.
The Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report/Roll Call currently rates the 2016 race as a Tossup, while the Cook Political Report says it is a “Lean Republican” contest. The folks in the statistical wing of the handicapping world are invisible, becausethe race hasn’t ... more. |
The Ohio House unanimously passed a bill yesterday designed to help reduce farmland manure runoff into Lake Erie, while the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has responded to 10 reported manure spills discovered in the last nine days.
House Bill 61 would prohibit farmers in northwestern Ohio from spreading manure and fertilizer on their fields if the ground is frozen or saturated with water, or if t ... more. |
In a informal question-and-answer format, some big-name Republicans and possible 2016 presidential candidates discussed issues affecting the agriculture industry at the Iowa Ag Summit.
One of the biggest issues discussed at Sunday's summit was whether the federal government should require labeling foods that contain GMOs.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said GMOs allow farmers to deal ... more. |
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that it’s ditching a 2008 proposal that would have updated GMO regulations.
A little background: The USDA is one of three agencies that regulate GMOs (along with the EPA and FDA). When these engineered crops landed in our fields and grocery aisles, U.S. decision makers chose to rely on a patchwork of existing laws, many of which predate the technology, ... more. |
On March 10, the Des Moines Waterworks filed a lawsuit in federal court under the Clean Water Act against three Iowa counties and their drainage districts. The Waterworks has been treating water to remove nitrates to achieve the drinking water standard of 10 ppm or less. The lawsuit contends that drainage tiles have become conduits for nitrogen and phosphorus to flow into Iowa streams and waterways. ... more. |
There are two more ammonia safety schools left this spring: one tomorrow in Quincy and one on Friday in Springfield. Go to www.ifca.com to see the locations; it is too late to pre-register but you can still register at the door, just get there by 8:30 a.m.
If you are hiring part time people to transport ammonia nurse tanks, they can obtain a restricted farm service CDL to ... more. |
More than a week after Gov. Bruce Rauner declared he was "literally days away" from a solution to the $1.6 billion shortfall in this year's budget, the governor insisted Friday that he and Democrats are "very close" to a deal.
"We'll get it done," Rauner said after delivering a speech to business leaders in Chicago. "The critical thing … is that we don't raise taxes because of th ... more. |
A new study of agriculture in Illinois shows agriculture is a critical component of Illinois' overall economic well-being, contributing about $120.9 billion of total economic output — more than several other Illinois industries, including the financial, transportation and construction industries.
Click Here to read more.
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Just in time for spring, Libertyville will become the latest Lake County community to ban the use of fertilizers containing phosphorous.
The new rule, which takes effect March 1, is intended to protect water quality and the environment in lakes, streams and ponds, which can become choked with algae and affect aquatic life.
The change comes at the recommendation last fall of the Sustain Libertyville commi ... more. |
Cronus Fertilizers announced today that it has executed an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract with Tecnimont - Illinois, a subsidiary of Tecnimont S.p.A., for the Cronus Fertilizers plant in Tuscola, Illinois. The Lump Sum Turnkey (LSTK) EPC contract is valued at approximately $1.5 billion and is pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Cronus and Tecnimont S.p.A. (Italy) i ... more. |
In the ever-complicated debate over labeling of genetically modified foods, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack offers this idea: Use your smartphone.
Vilsack told members of Congress on Wednesday that consumers could just use their phones to scan special bar codes or other symbols on food packages in the grocery store. All sorts of information could pop up, such as whether the food's ingredients inc ... more. |
Canadian farmers are plowing profits from bumper crops into fertilizer storage facilities to mitigate the pricing power held by major retailers and producers.
Having their own storage lets farmers buy nutrients more cheaply during the off-season and creates fewer transport bottlenecks in the spring planting season.
Over time, the practice might erode the steep premiums farmers pay in the spring t ... more. |
The Director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) reached out to IFCA and the Chemical Industry Council to let us know they are offering the regulated community an alternative to complete your Tier 2 chemical inventory reports given the substantial technical glitches with the state's reporting system. IEMA cannot change the March 1 compliance date for completing the reports since it is a ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner's budget address last Wednesday was nothing like anything anyone in Springfield had seen in a long time. Gov. Rauner will propose deep cuts in social service programs, cuts to higher education spending by 31 percent, he also proposed huge changes in the states pension programs and big cuts to local goverments. The Governor pointed out that over the past 12 years approximately 27 ... more. |
“I’m counting on this being a unanimous vote. This one should be,” said state Sen. Cliff Hite (R., Findlay) on Wednesday.
He got it. The Ohio Senate voted to send a bill to the House implementing restrictions on land application of manure and other fertilizers that contribute to the nutrients feeding pea souplike algal blooms on Lake Erie.
“It is time for us to ac ... more. |
The 12 states of the Hypoxia Task Force have devised new strategies to speed up reduction of nutrient levels in waterways in the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin. High nutrients levels are a key contributor each summer to the large area of low oxygen in the Gulf of Mexico known as a dead zone. Each state has outlined specific actions it will take to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus in the Mississippi/Atchaf ... more. |
The partisan showdown over funding the Department of Homeland Security comes to a head this week with the looming expiration of a stopgap funding bill.
Republicans have insisted on using a bill to fund DHS for the remainder of fiscal 2015 to block the executive actions aimed at allowing many illegal immigrants to stay in the country. Democrats have repeatedly refused to allow the bill to a ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner's first shot at an Illinois budget didn't involve new taxes, but residents could still be asked to open their wallets in the future as part of an ultimate solution to the state's budget crisis.
Top Democrats who control the Illinois Legislature say they'll continue to push for a tax increase to avoid some of the huge cuts Rauner proposed Wednesday. Though Rauner has op ... more. |
Rep. Mike Pompeo, a Republican from Kansas, lashed out Thursday at three Democrats in Congress for introducing a bill that would require labeling foods that have ingredients from biotech crops. The congressmen said lawmakers should "stop listening to celebrity chefs and well-heeled 'activists,' and start really caring about those less fortunate."
Sens. Barbara Boxer of California and Richard Bl ... more. |
Global fertilizer use is likely to rise above 200.5 million tonnes in 2018, 25 percent higher than recorded in 2008.
World fertilizer consumption will grow by 1.8 percent a year through 2018, according to FAO's new report "World fertilizer trends and outlook to 2018."
At the same time "the global capacity of fertilizer products, intermediates and raw materials will increase further," the repo ... more. |
Science-based research to find the balance between responsible nutrient management, water quality and feeding a growing population continues this year through industry-funded support.
The Nutrient Research and Education Council, now in its third year, will allocate more than $2.4 million to 20 projects in 2015 that have a high probability of identifying systems that will reduce nutrient loss and main ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner is poised to deliver his first budget address on Wednesday, a blueprint for deep spending cuts across state government that fellow Republicans say will signal “the party’s over” for Democrats’ “voracious spending habits.”
But with no tax increase proposals expected, Rauner could be setting the stage for a fight with Democrats who say “tough me ... more. |
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency's new Tier 2 Chemical Inventory Reporting System is experiencing some severe software issues and many companies who are trying to submit their Tier 2 reports are having problems with the system running very slow, bouncing them out of the program, not recording their entries or changes, etc. IEMA is very aware of these issues and they are working with their softw ... more. |
On February 10, Jean talked to David Brown with WANDTV Agribusiness Today regarding the 4R's and Illinois Nutrient Loss Strategy. To watch the video please click here. You must click on the 2-10-15 link to watch the video.
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With nearly 7,000 units of government, Illinois is No. 1 in the nation, and that’s an honor Gov. Bruce Rauner would like some other state to enjoy.
The governor on Friday signed an executive order creating a task force charged with streamlining government functions.
Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti will lead the group, which will be made up of representatives from local governments, school distr ... more. |
The House on Friday passed legislation to renew tax credits for small businesses indefinitely.
Approved 272-142, the bill would extend three tax breaks, including one known as the Section 179 credit that allows businesses to write off certain expenses. Thirty-three Democrats joined all but one Republican in support.
Democrats largely support renewing the tax breaks, often called "exten ... more. |
The Extension services of Ohio State University, Purdue University and the University of Illinois have partnered to publish an updated weed control guide to aid crop farmers in choosing an effective weed management plan.
The free 2015 Ohio, Indiana and Illinois Weed Control Guide is a quick reference farmers can use in the field to identify and manage weeds. It offers specific tips for several individu ... more. |
Democratic Sens. Barbara Boxer of California and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut along with Rep. Pete DeFazio, D-Ore., held a press conference today to reintroduce a mandatory GMO labeling bill that will face stiff opposition in a Congress controlled by Republicans.
Boxer said themore than 30 other Democratsin the House and Senate who are sponsoring the legislation are up to the challenge. &l ... more. |
The Federal Aviation Administration is moving to allow commercial drones that weigh less than 55 pounds to be flown in the U.S. under new regulations that were released on Sunday morning.
The proposal, which has been highly anticipated, would greatly increase the domestic use of drones in a long-sought victory for advocates of the technology.
Transportation Secretary ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner will lay out his plan on Wednesday to confront an unprecedented fiscal crisis exacerbated by the recent expiration of the state's temporary income tax increase, a multibillion-dollar revenue loss that could foreshadow big spending cuts and test his campaign pledge to not raise taxes. By law, Rauner must develop a budget based on currently available funds. But the loss of the additiona ... more. |
Dr. Robert Wolf teaches an excellent Pesticide Applicator Training class, and through our affiliation with the Asmark Institute, the IFCA can offer up to 3 classes in Illinois this year during August and September 2015, but we must book them soon. IFCA can host one of the classes at the Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington, but if you have a minimum of 30 applicators in your company who desire to take the cour ... more. |
Last week was a big week for the new Responsible Ag stewardship program. A new ag retail facility that RA will use to train auditors was christened in Owensboro, KY and was donated to the program by IFCA member Crop Production Services. The training facility is appropriately named after retired TFI President Ford B. West, who attended the kick-off event. Following the kick-off, the Asmark Insti ... more. |
Be sure to submit your Tier 2 chemical inventory reports to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and your Local Emergency Planning Committee before March 1, 2015. Failure to report on time can result in a penalty. The IEMA Tier 2 on-line system has undergone a major upgrade, click tierii.iema.state.il.us/TIER2MANAGER/Account/Login.aspxto be directed to the IEMA website for more information on how ... more. |
The Senate and House are on recess this week. Both will be back in Springfield next week for session.
Senator Koehler from Peoria has reintroduced his GMO labeling bill (SB 734). IFCA opposes SB 734. This will be IFCA’s top priority in Springfield this session. We will need all IFCA’s members help in the coming weeks with calls and emails to senators on how ... more. |
A day after outlining an ambitious agenda for his first year in office, Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner Thursday was confronted with a state budget that is millions of dollars short for programs such as subsidized day care that are rapidly running out of money.
Lawmakers held a hearing to discuss additional funding for the state’s subsidized day care program, which needs roughly $300 million more to c ... more. |
Members of the House and Senate clashed Wednesday over a proposed Environmental Protection Agency regulation that Republicans said would enormously expand the federal government’s jurisdiction.
While the GOP sounded alarm bells over the impact on farmers and developers if they have to apply for EPA permits for digging ditches or using pesticides, Democrats maintained that their colleagues were mi ... more. |
Fixing the economy, improving education and ending corruption and conflicts of interest in government are the three most urgent items on Gov. Bruce Rauner's agenda, a crowd of about 350 people heard from him Sunday.
The stop at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Bloomington was the 15th and final one of Rauner's follow-up tour for last week's State of the State address.
"We are focused first ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner told more than 400 people gathered Friday that his gauge of how well he has done in office will be the state of the economy in central Illinois.
"I will judge my success as governor by how much the economy is booming here in Peoria and in central Illinois,"he told a highly receptive crowd at the Gateway Building on Peoria's riverfront. "You reflect Illinois very well. We hav ... more. |
Lower prices and smaller margins could mean cutting corners for some farmers come growing season – but is it a good idea?
Planting crops and staying profitable will be task one for farmers this year and as a result, some inputs could go by the wayside. Brodbeck Seed Agronomist Rod King says while some of that is to be expected, he warns to be careful of which inputs get the ax.
Click Here t ... more. |
OSHA announced a new alliance with Fertilizer Safety and Health Partners and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide safety and health information and training resources to workers, emergency responders and communities surrounding establishments in the agricultural retail and supply industry. The alliance will focus on the safe storage and handling of fertilizers such as ammonium nitrate and anhydro ... more. |
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack heads to Capitol Hill this week to field questions on his implementation of the farm bill at a time when farmers nationwide are struggling over high-stakes decisions about subsidy programs the legislation created.
House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, said he has some concerns about the capacity of the USDA computer systems to handle the enrollment pro ... more. |
Higher commodity prices and land values over the past several years sparked a rapid increase in the field tile installations.
However, with field tiles comes the chance of increased nutrient losses into streams and rivers. Studies are underway to determine fertilizer application practices to keep those nutrients for the crops.
Click Here to read more.
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Click below to view the 2013 NREC Annual Report and a summary of NREC projects in 2014. For more information on NREC please go to www.illinoisnrec.org
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The Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council issued a press release today announcing their decision to fund 20 projects that address nutrient and water quality issues. Many of the projects are on-farm research projects designed to ground truth the recommendations of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy and determine the level of nutrient loss reductions that can be achieved by nitr ... more. |
Even though the groundhog is predicting 6 more weeks of winter, spring will be here before we know it. Be sure you have renewed your pesticide dealer, pesticide applicator and pesticide operator licenses with the Illinois Department of Agriculture. You should have received a renewal reminder from IDA last November. Licenses expire on December 31 of each year. If you did not receive a rene ... more. |
IFCA is celebrating our 50 year anniversary in 2015, and our members who attended the IFCA convention got to see a video showing this history of the IFCA featuring the people and events over the decades. To view the 50 year anniversary video, click here Enjoy!
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The Ag Retailers Association previewed the new Custom Applicator Vehicle safety video at the IFCA convention, and it is now available to everyone. This 32 minute video addresses the safe operation of Custom Application Vehicles in all respects, from maneuvering to and from the fields, within fields, avoiding overhead lines, night time operation, navigating bridges and railroad tracks, etc. It truly i ... more. |
The new Responsible Ag program is now accepting registrations for facilities that handle bulk fertilizers. This program is a national stewardship initiative designed to assist ag retailers in ensuring they are in compliance with the federal regulations for the storage of bulk fertilizers. The register for Responsible Ag, click here. IFCA encourages all of our retail members to register; you wil ... more. |
A $1.9 billion fertilizer plant in southeast Iowa is scheduled to start production later this year.
Iowa Fertilizer Co., which is constructing the plant, said the plant is on track for mechanical completion by August is a project update released this week. Operations are expected to start during the last three months of the year.
Click Here to read more.
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President Barack Obama sends Congress a fiscal 2016 budget Monday that will be dead on arrival because it sets aside the across-the-board cuts Congress set five years ago.
Key congressional committee, meanwhile, will use this week to renew an assault on the administration's Clean Water Act rule. House Transportation and Infrastructure and Senate Environment and Public Works will gill EPA ... more. |
Gov. Bruce Rauner said Tuesday he wants to prioritize creating "right-to-work zones" in economically depressed areas where local officials could decide whether union fees would be voluntary for local workers.
The new Republican governor insisted he wasn't pushing for a statewide law like GOP-backed statutes fiercely opposed by Democrats in other states. But he said some communities in un ... more. |
Twenty-nine floors up, inside a conference room of the New York law office of Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel, Brendan Schulman is hovering a drone in front of my face. It's a Blade Nano QX - barely 2 inches tall-a four rotor, radio-controlled copter that weights half an ounce, costs less than $100 and easily fits into an adult's outstretched palm. The drone makes a buzzing sound, like a ... more. |
The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing new measures to delay the corn rootworm pest becoming resistant to corn genetically engineered to produce certain pesticides.
The EPA Federal Register Notice published January 28, 2015, "EPA Proposal To Improve Corn Rootworm Resistance Management; Notice of Availability," proposes some requirements for the manufacturers of Bt corn, which is e ... more. |
Bruce Rauner last month promised to try to bring "a big transformation" to Illinois government, but I'm not sure anyone anticipated how big.
After listening to two separate "previews" of this week's State of the State address, I counted at least 15 major, sometimes controversial, sometimes dead-on-arrival initiatives that the new Republican governor apparently wants to undertake.
... more. |
While opponents resort to rumors and urban legends about genetically modified crops, farmers who choose to use GMO's find that they save money and increase profits. Here are some facts straight from the farm.
Click Here to read more.
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A "holistic" conservation approach to curbing fertilizer runoff polluting Iowa and U.S. streams will work quicker than litigation, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told The Des Moines Register's editorial board Monday.
Vilsack fielded questions about Des Moines Water Works' decision this month to notify three rural counties that it plans to sue them. The utility charges that dr ... more. |
Researchers at Lancaster University are using X rays to help farmers increase yields and cut water pollution following an unexpected discovery in a bean crop.
Plant and Soil Scientists hope to combine two new technologies to provide a rapid "same day" measurement of soil phosphorus availability, enabling farmers and growers to make more informed decisions about fertilizer application.
... more. |
Researchers at Lancaster University are using X rays to help farmers increase yields and cut water pollution following an unexpected discovery in a bean crop.
Plant and Soil Scientists hope to combine two new technologies to provide a rapid "same day" measurement of soil phosphorus availability, enabling farmers and growers to make more informed decisions about fertilizer application.
... more. |
Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner on Thursday began laying out priorities for his first year in office, saying property taxes and workers' compensation costs are too high, Medicaid spending is unsustainable, state workers' salaries and benefits are too generous.
In a speech he said was a preview of the State of the State address he'll give next month, the Winnetka Republican said Illinois is ... more. |
On behalf of our members and the agricultural input supply and service industry, IFCA has submitted detailed comments to Illinois EPA on the proposed Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. To view IFCA's comments (a seven page document), click here. We encourage our members to read our comments, and to submit your own as well. The comment period ends on January 25, 2015. More on the ILNRS ... more. |
Today, January 14, is the last day to regsiter on-line for the IFCA convention and secure the pre-registration price, which saves you $15 vs. registering at the show itself.
On January 20, we have an excellent CCA session planned where you will learn about the innovative research being done in Illinois to determine pratical ways to reduce nutrient losses and improve nutrient utilization. IFCA r ... more. |
It will be more about partying than legislative work in Springfield this week. Today at 11am, Bruce Rauner will be sworn in as the 42nd governor of the State of Illinois, the first Republican to hold that position since George Ryan left in 2003. On Wednesday at noon, the new General Assembly and Senate will have it's swearing in ceremony.
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Senate Republicans are looking this week to increase the pressure on President Obama to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, while GOP members in the House attempt to block the administration's executive on immigration.
It will be a short week in Washington for lawmakers because of their annual party retreats. Senate Democrats will meet in Baltimore, starting Wednesday, while House and Sena ... more. |
Judge Jim Meyer, in Waco's 170th District Court, Wednesday morning denied a motion brought by defendants to delay any further proceedings in a series of lawsuit that arose from the deadly fertilizer plant explosion in West.
After an hour-and-15-minute hearing, Meyer ordered the first case continue on the court's docket for September.
Saying victims of the disaster need closu ... more. |
The European Union has a bug problem.
After regulators in late 2013 banned pesticide called neonicotinoids, link in some studies to the unintended deaths of bees, farmers across the continent applied older chemicals to which many pests had developed a resistance, allowing them to survive. Now, infestations may lead to a 15 percent drop in year's European harvest of rapeseed, the region&# ... more. |
As Congress stares down another looming highway cliff and old idea is getting some new attention: Raising the gas tax.
Congress has avoided confronting the politically nettlesome issue for more than 20 years; the federal taxes last increased in 1993. In the meantime cars have become more fuel efficient, the 18.4 cents per-gallon tax has lost buying power and Congress has repeatedly kicked th ... more. |
Controlled-release fertilizers are a widely used method of delivering nutrients to nursery container crops. Controlled release is just like it sounds, the fertilizers contain encapsulated solid mineral nutrients that dissolve slowly in water which are released over an extended period of time.
Controlled-release fertilizers (CRFs) are quite popular, but growers and researchers want ways to de ... more. |
The Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday issued permits to use drones to monitor crops and photograph properties for sale, marking the first time permission has been granted to companies involved in agriculture and real estate.
The exemptions to the current ban on commercial drone flights were granted to Advanced Aviation Solutions in State, Idaho, for "crop scouting" and to Douglas Trudeau ... more. |
Phillip Nelson, immediate past Illinois Farm Bureau president, plans to transition toward a new job this week -- Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) director.
Gov. Bruce Rauner nominated the Seneca farmer to the post to succeed Bob Flider. Nelson said he plans to put a "new face" on the department of agriculture.
Click Here to read more.
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The relative strength for the U.S. economy - and thus the U.S. dollar verses other currencies around the world - presents a head wind for global demand for agricultural fertilizers, which are traded in U.S. dollars.
That will be one of the major market drivers in 2015, marketing things more challenging for buyers, said Neil Fleishman, senior industry analyst for Green Markets, which specializes in ... more. |
The Des Moines Water Works has opened a new stream of litigation in the Clean Water Act as the board voted Thursday to sue three northern counties in Iowa over agricultural runoff.
The board voted to sue Buena Vista, Calhoun and Sac counties in federal court. Each of the counties is a minimum of 125 miles from Des Moines, but water work officials claim those three counties are the major driv ... more. |
We apologize, but in the Items of Interest yesterday, we mistakenly left the class in Galesburg off the email announcement. On March 4, there is a class at the Best Western in Galesburg. Go to www.ifca.com to view the registration brochure which includes classes as follows:
January 21 - IFCA Convention in Peoria
February 24 - Rend Lake Lodge in Whittington
February 26 - U ... more. |
We are sold out of exhibitor space at the IFCA Convention which is January 20-22, 2015 at the Peoria Civic Center. Please join us to help celebrate IFCA's 50 year anniversary, get CCA credits, hear about the latest industry issues and enjoy the wonderful hospitality events. There is a new enclosed walkway between the Pere Marquette Hotel and the Civic Center this year, it's nice! Please ... more. |
IFCA and IDA have set the dates and locations for the spring 2015 anhydrous ammonia safety classes. They are:
January 21 - at the IFCA Convention in Peoria (register for the Convention to attend this class)
February 24 - Rend Lake Resort in Whittington
February 26 - Unique Suites in Charleston
February 27 - Asmark Agricenter in Bloomington
March 3 - Mendota Civic Center in Me ... more. |
At the start of the new year, many of us make a resolution - usually to do something better. My FFAA resolution for 2015 is to raise awareness of the resolutions already adopted and in place by the Flordia agchem industry regarding regulatory compliance and workplace safety.
The unsung heroes in this industry are those whose everyday commitment to safety and security means growers continue t ... more. |
Instead of fretting over Sony's sheepish release of a movie depicting the assassination of Kim Jong-un consider how your grocery bill will look in 2015 if we accede to the anti-scientific demands of Europe, China, Russia and Japan.
Long before every American household had a car, most American farmers owned tractors. The radio, GPS, and handheld computers: farmers embrace new technology b ... more. |
After conservationists warned that the monarch butterfly's population is declining in a "deadly free fall" the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are reviewing a proposal to include it on the endangered species list, the federal agency announced this week.
Over the past 20 years, the monarch population has fallen by as much as 90 percent, according to the Center for Biological Diversity - one of t ... more. |
Illinois has created a new program to encourage farmers to adopt best practices for nutrient use.
The Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council (NREC) was established by the Illinois General Assembly and signed into law in 2012.
Dr. Robert Hoeft, an emeritus professor of soil fertility with the University of Illinois spoke at the third annual winter conference put on by Wisco ... more. |
Illinois taxpayers will have a little more spending money next year.
With a temporary income tax increase expiring Wednesday, a typical family of four with an income of $50,000 will pay $930 less in 2015, according to the Illinois Department of Revenue.
That is, if the reduction sticks.
The drop in the tax rate means a steep decline in revenue for the state. The ... more. |
Keeping schools and social services funded. Making higher education more affordable. Addressing crowded prisons. Possibly redoing pension reform.
As it enters 2015, Illinois faces a list of daunting issues that always seems to grow longer. The January 12 inauguration of a new governor, Republican Bruce Rauner, will bring a new approach and momentary festivity to Springfield ... more. |
A class of pesticide commonly used on Midwest farm fields that have been linked to destruction of bee colonies may not be as effective against corn and soybean pests as many once thought, according to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report.
Initially, the pesticide, called neonicotinoids or "neonics" were developed in the early 1990's to fight wireworm and bean leaf beetles. Many corn a ... more. |
The 114th Congress convenes at noon on Tuesday, putting both houses in Republican hands for the first time in eight years.
The new members won't get much time to savor their swearing-in ceremonies. Republicans are promising to challenge President Barack Obama on one issue after another, and they will get started this week with the Keystone XL pipeline.
The Senate Energy an ... more. |
Click hereto view a joint IFCA and IL Dept of Ag press release on anhydrous ammonia safety and stewardship for the fall 2014 fertilizer season.
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Defense attorneys in the massive West Fertilizer plant explosion litigation are seeking another delay in trial proceedings because they say they can't properly themselves until reviewing findings of the ongoing federal criminal investigation.
In a motion seeking a stay or a delay in the proceedings, Dallas attorney Carlos Balido, a representative of the defendants' steering committee, tell ... more. |
While global fertilizer supplies appear set to outweigh demand, the forecast for pricing for the first quarter of 2015 "looks rather cloudy" according to a new report on the global fertilizer industry by Rabobank's Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory group.
The report, which looks at issues of price, supply and demand in key agricultural markets, says that lower farmer margins will p ... more. |
Monsanto and DuPont have reached a settlement over patent infringement lawsuits that will end, for now anyway, a year-long battle which saw dueling litigation between the two seed sellers.
The companies announced Tuesday they had settled and agreed to dismiss their patent infingement lawsuits against each other in U.S. District Court in St. Louis. Upon dismissal, Monsanto and DuPont will hav ... more. |
While many farmers employ what are thought to be best practices keep fertilizers from running off their fields and feeding huge algae blooms in lakes including Erie, scientists are working on novel ways to curb the problem.
New ideas include spreading gypsum to better hold phosphorus in fields and creating farm-area flood plains with plants that gobble up the fertilizer before they reach waterways ... more. |
In a year in which much of the attention on state government was focused on an expensive and contentious race for governor, state lawmakers were nonetheless busy approving scores of changes to the Illinois statute books.
More than 200 new laws take effect when the new year begins Thursday, affecting Illinois motorists, wild animals and the state's new medical marijuana law.
Clic ... more. |
Many Iowa farmers believe they have identified pesticide resistance on the land they farm, and most are concerned that herbicide-resistant weeds and pesticide resistant insects will become a problem, according to a new report from the Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll.
Click Here to read more.
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Reggie Cook of Eldorado, IL passed away suddenly on December 21. He was 62. Reggie worked for Tri County Chemical in Eldorado for 28 years. He served on the IFCA Board of Directors and was Chairman in 1986. Reggie was truly a southern Illinois icon in our industry and everyone who met him was always warmed by his smile and his love of life. Reggie entered the banking industry in h ... more. |
Outing Gov. Pat Quinn has called state lawmakers back to Springfield next month to consider a 2016 special election to replace the late Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka - a move he described Thursday as a "democratic right" but the Republicans attributed to partisan motives.
The legislative special session will be Jan. 8 - days before Gov-elect Bruce Rauner becomes Illinois' first GOP governor in ... more. |
Current state of Illinois department heads may not necessarily be on their way out after Gov-elect Bruce Rauner is inaugurated Jan. 12.
Rauner, speaking in Springfield Tuesday at a Better Government Association luncheon, said he was meeting with his budget team and state legislators about Illinois' deep fiscal hole later in the day, as well as meeting with candidates for key positions in the g ... more. |
Despite stiff opposition from congressional Republicans, EPA is moving ahead with plans to finalize its proposed Clean Water Act rule by this spring, Administator Gina McCarthy said today.
"We want to be informed by what said to us during the comment process as well as what we heard in our 100-plus meetings with different stakeholders," she told reporters. "So, we have a lot of work to do, b ... more. |
On Dec. 11, the U.S. Senate Committees on Enviroment and Public Works and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions held a hearing to receive an update on President Obama's Executive Order (EO) 13650 - Improving Chemical Facility Safety and to reduce the risks associated with hazardous chemicals to workers and communities.
The EO directed the EPA, the Department of Labor, the Department of Homelan ... more. |
If you haven't registered yet for the IFCA Convention, please do so to ensure you receive the reduced pre-registration fee of $75. If you wait to register at the door, the cost is $90. To see the convention program, click here. To register on-line, go to www.ifca.com, click on "Convention" and then on "Registration." We have a great CCA session planned for January 20th, a presentation ... more. |
A big thanks to all the IFCA members who have sent in a financial contribution to the annual IFCA sponsorship program. To see the current list of 2015 IFCA sponsors, click here. This sponsorship program helps to cover the costs of hospitality events for our members at Convention, MAGIE, the ammonia schools and other IFCA events. We will feature all sponsors in our printed convention materials a ... more. |
AT the time the agrichemical facililty containment rules went into effect, the IFCA was able to work with the legislature to ensure that containment structures for fertilizers and agrichemicals would be eligible for a Pollution Control Facility tax credit. There is a form you can complete to indicate what the fair cash value is of your containment systems relative to the value of your entire facility. &nbs ... more. |
The staff and IFCA Board of Directors wishes all of our members and industry colleagues a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Our offices will be closed on Dec 24-26 and on Dec 31-January 2. Enjoy the holidays with your family and friends!
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2014 Section 179 depreciation restored to 2013 levels as year-end nears; bill now heads to President desk.
The Senate Tuesday evening by 76-16 vote approved a tax extenders package restoring a range of tax incentives for 2014
A similar measure was approved by the House on Dec. 4, and the bill now heads to the President desk, where approval is likely.
Click Here to rea ... more. |
Gov-Elect Bruce Rauner said Monday he strongly perfers to have a farmer take over the Illinois Department of Agriculture and that he wouldn't impose sales taxes that would put Illinois farmers at a disvantage compared with those in other states.
Speaking to a meeting of the Illinois Farm Bureau in Chicago, the Winnetka Republican said farmers have helped Illinois weather tough economic times a ... more. |
The $1.1 trillion government-wide spending measure is on its way to President Obama for his signature, but the Senate still has to vote this week on a tax extender bill that is critical to agriculture.
The Senate cleared the omnibus spending bill Saturday night, 56-40, over opposition that spanned the ideological spectrum.
The legislation, H.R. 83, includes a series of policy riders ... more. |
Omaha-based commodities commodities company the Gavilon Group is expanding fertilizer operations in Minnesota and Illinois.
MicroSource, a micronutrient division of Gavilon Fertilizer LLC, will expand its capacity and research and development capabilities in Shakopee, Minnesota. The company also recently purchased about 7 acres of land in Marseilles, Illinois, which it has leased since 1995 ... more. |
Supporter of genetically modified crops were declared the victors over opponents in a radio program's Dec. 3 debate.
Arguing that genetically modified crops have been proven safe and are needed to feed a growing world population, advocates for the technology won over far more converts than opponents in a Dec. 3 debate hosted by a National Public Radio program.
GMO proponents inc ... more. |
A fertilizer plant under construction in southeast Iowa needs another $100 million, the company behind the almost $2 billion project said in a regulatory filing.
Iowa Fertilizer Co. said it is raising the budget of the project to $1.9 billion.
The increased cost is due to construction changes that the company still has the review, Iowa Fertilizer said in a recent disclosure to the M ... more. |
Though EPA announced recently it would complete Renewable Fuel Standard volumes for three years in 2015, the agency official who heads the program told a House committee Wednesday she is not willing to say when the volumes for 2014, 2015, and 2016 would be finalized. Some members of the House Government Reform and Oversight Subcommittee on Energy Policy, Health Care and Entitlements pointed to the delays a ... more. |
A top official at the Food and Drug Administration assured lawmakers Wednesday the agency has no safety concerns about the increasingly controversial production of genetically engineered foods.
Genetically modified organisms, better known as GMO, are used by farmers to increase their crop yields. But many concerns have been raised by food safety groups about the dangers of eating foods that ... more. |
Both the Illinois Senate and House are on recess until January 13.
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The General Assembly's 2014 veto session ground to a close last Thursday with the Illinois Senate approving bills allowing bobcat hunting in the state, giving downstate utilities rate increases and overriding a veto of a bill dealing with voluminous open-records requests.
Senators left open the possibility of returning to Springfield on Jan. 13, a day before a new edition of the General Assemb ... more. |
Gov-Elect Bruce Rauner said Monday he stronglyprefers to have a farmer take over the Illinois Department of Agriculture and that he wouldn't impose sales taxes that would put Illinois' farmers at a disadvantage compared with those in other states.
Speaking to a meeting of the Illinois Farm Bureau in Chicago, the Winnetka Republican said farmers have helped Illinois weather tough econ ... more. |
Illinois EPA Director Lisa Bonnett and Illinois Department Agriculture Director Robert Flider last week announced that the public is invited to provide comments on a new statewide effort designed to improve water quality in Illinois and Gulf of Mexico. The public comment period for the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy is now open, and comments must be postmarked by midnight on January 24, 2015.
... more. |
The Illinois General Assembly is back in Springfield this week for the last three days of fall veto session. As mentioned above, minimum wage will be front and center this week in both chambers. Senate President Cullerton has stated that he has the votes in the Senate but would like the House to take the bill up first so he doesn't put his members in bad positions with constituents.
... more. |
The sponsor of legislation that allowed same day voter registration for Illinois' November 4 election is working to make the change permanent.
Sen Don Harmon said Wednesday he's working with House lawmakers on an election law bill that could advance early next month.
Click Here to read more.
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The biggest issue hanging over Illinois lawmakers in a final three-day veto session this week is whether they can muster the votes to approve a minimum wage hike - an uphill climb that proponents are continuing to pursue amid behind-the-scenes maneuvering in both Springfield and Chicago.
Passing the increase would be a capstone on Gov. Pat Quinn's decades long political career, and Chicago off ... more. |
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the Illinois Department of Agriculture have released the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy for a 60 day public comment period. A policy group that included agriculture groups (including IFCA), environmental groups, wastewater treatment representatives and universities all worked together to create this document. There are significant opportunit ... more. |
This has been a sporadic fall ammonia application season with a late harvest and weather challenges. This week saw a big push to finish before the soil freezes and several accidents have occurred drawing attention to our industry and the need for proper safety meaures, particularly the transportation of ammonia from the retail site to the farm.
In one high profile incident this week that is ... more. |
IFCA has been engaged along with other nutrient stakeholders in the development of the soon to be released Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. We expect the strategy could be released for public comment during the last week of November. As suppliers and advisers on nutrient use, IFCA members will likely be asked about the document and its impact on Illinois agriculture. The strategy docu ... more. |
The IFCA and the Illinois CCA program announce the development of a 4R Code of Practice and 4R Specialty CCA certification. View the press release and 4R Code below.
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This week, we are anticipating the release of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. Illinois EPA and the Illinois Dept of Ag worked closely with a policy group representing all stakeholders in developing the strategy document. IFCA was a member of the policy work group along with representatives from farm organizations, municipal wastewater treatment, environmental groups and universities. & ... more. |
State lawmakers have proposed significant new rules designed to reduce the phosphorus runoff that promotes toxic Lake Erie algal blooms, including restriction on when northwest Ohio farmers could use fertilizer and manure.
The proposed rules, if passed, would mark the state's strongest response yet to curb Lake Erie algal blooms, which led Toledo to ban drinking water for three days this summe ... more. |
President Barack Obama's executive order regarding undocumented immigrants does little for the agricultural industry, according to several farm group representatives, who say legislative reform through Congress is the way to solve farm labor problems.
Obama's executive action, which he announced Thursday night in a televised address from the White House, will protect up to 5 million immigr ... more. |
An anticipated, Rep. Michael Conaway, R-Texas has been selected Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee.
Conaway issued the following statement after the House Republican Steering Committee selected him as the 50th chairman of the House Committee of Agriculture.
Click Here to read more.
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The November 2014 "Keep it for the Crop" newsletter features stories from a farmer's perspective and two IFCA members who are actively engaged in promoting the 4R approach with their customers to improve nutrient utilization and reduce nutrient losses. Please click hereto view the newsletter. It is also available at www.ifca.com. Nutrient management and utilization by the crop in 2014 ... more. |
The IFCA has been working closely with the Illinois Department of Agriculture Bureau of Weights & Measurers to make improvements to the truck scale regulations. IDA proposed rules on April 18, 2014 and IFCA has submitted comments thanking the IDA for ensuring that truck scales certified by IDA prior to July 1, 2012 do not need a Certificate of Conformance, and that the word "new" no longer raises quest ... more. |
In 2014, the Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council (NREC) funded a project to better assess how much N, P and K are being removed in harvested corn, soybeans and wheat. The University of Illinois is conducting this study and needs our industry's help in sending in harvested grain samples to get a wide cross-section from around the state. If you can participate as a retailer or grain ... more. |
Ag Retailers! Click here for instructions to submit grain samples to help UI improve P & K fertility recommendations. UI needs your help on this NREC project.
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IFCA is accepting nominations for the IFCA Board of Directors. The following Board members are up for election at the IFCA annual meeting on January 21, 2015:
Martin Case, Koch Agronomics, Bloomington: At Large Representative (Martin is retiring from the Board after 2 terms)
Eric Gordon, Brandt Consolidated, Lincoln: Retail District 4 (Eric is running for a 2nd term)
Rega ... more. |
The Illinois General Assembly comes back into Springfield for veto session this week. The veto session should be mostly quit. There is talk of Gov. Quinn pushing for a higher minimum wage to $10.10 an hour.
The Senate Ag & Conservation committee will be holding a subject matter only committee hearing on "Illinois' Ag Water Infrastructure". IFCA is being told the hea ... more. |
Much of rural America will be playing close attention to the U.S. Senate this week as lawmakers prepare for a vote on the Keystone XL pipeline, a project that would carry heavy crude oil from Canada's Alberta tar sands, North Dakota and Montana through the U.S. midsection to refineries on the Gulf Coast Texas.
Earlier this year, North Dakota crude oil production surpassed 1.0 million barrels p ... more. |
A group of residents from southern Illinois is suing the governor and the director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources in an attempt to block the publication of rules governing horizontal hydraulic fracturing.
The lawsuit, filed Monday in Madison County, says the state agency didn't give the public ample notice during the rule-making process, failed to use scientific studies in cra ... more. |
Illinois farmers will be trained how to properly apply fertilizer and other chemicals as a way to help prevent agricultural runoff.
Pumping nitrogen and phosphorous on to farm fields boots crops. But a lot of what's added winds up in the water supply. That creates problems like algae growth that robs the water of oxygen, killing off aquatic life. Ag groups and the Illinois EP ... more. |
The push to define natural food has involved lawsuits about many different aspects of what's in our food, including high-fructose corn, syrup, additives, chemicals and GMO's. But these issues are not equal, and categorizing GMO's in particular as unnatural would wrongly suggest that they are unhealthy.
Nearly every respected scientific association - including the American Associa ... more. |
Dow AgroSciences announced today it will launch it's Enlist Duo Herbicide, a blend of glyphosate and new 2,4-D choline, for the 2015 crop season.
Enlist Duo is part of the Enlist Weed Control System, a herbicide-tolerant trait technology for corn and soybeans. The herbicide will be launched in conjunction with a stewarded introduction of Enlist corn and seed production of Enlist soybeans ... more. |
Congress reconvenes in a lame-duck session this week after a month long break to campaign for the mid-term elections. With Democrats licking their wounds and Republicans reviewing their strategy after taking over the Senate and improving their hold on the House, the big question seems to be:Will anything get done before Congress heads home for the Christmas holidays in mid-December?
Ac ... more. |
Days after Illinois voters went to the polls, the race for state treasurer is still to close to call, and camps for both sides differed Thursday on the number of votes still waiting to be counted and who might benefit from them.
When The Associated Press ended its vote tabulation early Wednesday evening, Republican Tom Cross held a 21,000 vote lead over Democrat Mike Frerichs out of more than 3.4 ... more. |
A new study of North American corn, soybean and canola farmers conducted by independent agricultural economists finds that the value of neonicotinoid seed treatments is among the highest of all insect management practices. The detailed research examined the pest management operations of farmers in Canada and the United States including the use-monetary factor analysis and econometric methods, to estimate a ... more. |
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency plans to release a "document of strategic actions" in November designed to reduce the amount of nitrogen and phosphorous in the state's rivers and lakes.
The document is the result of months of talks between environmentalists, agriculture interests, municipal wastewater agencies, academics and others to develop the plan.
Click Here to ... more. |
Defying history, critics and portions of his own party, North Shore businessman Bruce Rauner was elected governor of Illinois on Tuesday - and, in the end, his victory wasn't that close.
Mr. Rauner becomes the first Republican sent to the governor's mansion since George Ryan won in 1998. He'll have his work waiting for him, with the state facing huge fiscal and economic problems, ... more. |
The agribusiness industry lost a vibrant, young leader on Thursday. Pat Schaddel, Precision Technology Manager for Brandt Consolidated passed away suddenly on Thursday evening of an apparent heart attack. Pat was only 48. He was a key employee of the Brandt organization and active in the IFCA and the Ag Retailers Association, as well as the Springfield, IL community.
... more. |
You can't win if you don't play. That is why all IFCA members today should head to the ballot boothand VOTE!!! Someone once told me that "Leaders Show Up". That's what we need to do today.
Election outcomes are determined bythose who participate. Elected officials make important decisions about how we as ag retailers runour day to day bu ... more. |
The countdown to election day is near. With just one day to go until election day, as IFCA members we must have our voices heard.
This election is an important one for our country, state and locally and the outcome is in your hands. Your vote is your voice as an American citizen. It's your opportunity to be heard, to hold elected officials accountable for their decisions and ... more. |
Just as growers were hoping for a seasonal break in nitrogen prices, the creaky fertilizer supply chain broke down again on the western Plains with news CF Industries complex in Woodard, Okla., could be closed for six weeks.
The company said the plant went off line due to a problem in one of its boilers, the same blamed for closing the complex in April.
Click Here to read more.
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IFCA would like to thank our ag retail members for demonstrating their commitment to nutrient stewardship by waiting to apply nitrogen until the soil temps began to fall to 50 degrees with the weather forecasts looking great for temperatures to continue to trend downward. Way to go! Trust us, people pay attention to when the nurse tanks appear in the fields. The addition of nitrification inhibi ... more. |
This past week was a significant one in terms of announcements on the expansion of nitrogen production in Illinois. IFCA member Rentech Nitrogen in East Dubuque, IL announced a new agreement with Tessenderlo Kerly Inc. (TKI) to construct a $20 million fertilizer plant in Jo Daviess County. Rentech will supply TKI with ammonia produced at its facility, and TKI will use the ammonia to produce liquid fe ... more. |
Puddles, ponds, ditches, ephemerals (land that looks like a small stream during heavy rain but isn’t wet most of the time) and isolated wetlands appear throughout Illinois farmland. The Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a proposed rule that would expand their regulatory authority under the Clean Water Act (CWA) to these types of land features and waters, giving ... more. |
Economic incentives potentially worth more than $14 million in taxpayer dollars played a key role in helping Illinois land a $1.4 billion fertilizer plant, says a state lawmaker who help shepherd the package through the General Assembly.
State Rep. Adam Brown, R-Champaign, said the state aid was a critical factor in convincing Cronus Chemical to build the facility in the Douglas County community o ... more. |
A series of reports released today by a coalition of agricultural companies shows, in part, that without the use of widely used and controversial insecticide, North American farmers would need to to resort to using more and older chemicals.
Bayer CropSciencs, Syngenta, and Valent U.S.A. Corporation formed the Growing Matters coalition and commissioned the study from AgInformatics to evaluate the e ... more. |
Today, much of Illinois is going to be learning and talking about fertilizer. IFCA Chairman Brian Waddell and Jean Payne are attending an event in Tuscola, IL regarding a statewide announcement of the Cronus Nitrogen plant. And because there will be so much attention on fertilizer, IFCA and the Illinois CCA program are releasing the press release below on the new 4R CCA certification program and ... more. |
The EPA Thursday requested public comment on the agency's proposal to remove 72 chemicals from the Approved Pesticide Inert Ingredient List. Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, Jim Jones, stated "This is the first major step in our strategy to reduce risks from pesticides containing potentially hazardous inert ingredients." The action is in response ... more. |
If you can't beat them, ask the government to stigmatize them. That's the adage in Oregon and Colorado, where organic-farming interests posing champions of consumer transparency are hoping to persuade voters to approve ballot initiatives on Nov. 4 requiring costly and useless food labels.
Oregon's Measure 92 and Colorado's Proposition 105 would force food manufacturers and re ... more. |
State Rep. Marty Moylan tells voters he's not your typical Democrat as he bikes from house to house on the campaign trail, handing out yard signs, nail files and doggie treats with his name emblazoned on the bag.
"I'm an independent running as a Democrat, that's my philosophy," said the former Des Plaines mayor, who argues his "fiscally conservative and socially compassionate" message ... more. |
On his way to a conference in Orlando, Fla., Brian Vande Berg pulled his rental sedan over every 10 minutes to hike along beaches and marshes and occasionally stoop down to pack dirt into small, plastic vials. His target: microscopic, soil-dwelling organisms that agricultural companies consider a new frontier in protecting crops.
Seed and pesticide makers like BASF SE, DuPont, Bayer and Mons ... more. |
The IFCA and the Illinois Department of Agriculture issued a joint press release today to reinforce the positive message of safety and stewardship when it comes to the fall fertilizer season. Please click hereto view the press release and feel free to share it with your customers and any local media in your area. We are working closely with IDA to evaluate and mitigate causes of anhydrous ammon ... more. |
The heated race for Illinois governor is shattering state records for campaign fundraising and spending, fueled by a deep-pocketed GOP candidate and intense national interest in what's expected to be one of the closest in the country.
Combined, Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn and Republican businessman Bruce Rauner have had at least $59 million to spend on the general election so far, said Kent Redf ... more. |
Whole Foods Market on Wednesday began a ratings program for fruits, vegetables and flowers aimed at giving consumers more information about pesticide and water use, the treatment of farm workers and waste management, and other issues surrounding the food they eat.
The upsale grocery chain will rate the produce of suppliers electing to participate in the program, Responsibly Grown, as "good," "bett ... more. |
The Natural Resources Defense Council filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the EPA to block the use of a dual herbicide produced by Dow AgroScience known as Enlist Duo.
The suit was filed in the D.C. Circuit court immediately after the EPA approved the use of the product, which is used to control weeds in corn and soybeans genetically (GE) to toterate, 2,4-D and glyphosate, two of the most wide ... more. |
EPA finds that neonicotinoid seed treatments provide no increase in yeild on soybeans when compared to no pest control.
An EPA analysis of neonicotinoid seed treatments has conclued that there is "little or no increase in soybean yields using most neonicotinoid seed treatment when compared to using no pest control at all," that agency said Thursday.
Click Here to read more.
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IFCA and the Illinois Department of Agriculture are asking for our members' help in assuring that air is not introduced into anhydrous ammonia nurse tanks. The introduction of air into nurse tanks at the ag retail facility or at the farm field is not allowed by the IDA. Air can lead to stress corrosion in the nurse tanks and since ammonia is a closed transfer system, air can have detrimental impa ... more. |
We were very sorry to learn that IFCA member Dennis Bates, who worked at United Prairie and just recently retired, passed away suddenly at the age of 64. He worked in the ag industry since 1975, serving farmers in east-central Illinois. He was a key member of the United Prairie team. Dennis was a strong family man and an avid fisherman; he passed away on October 14 while working at his cabin in ... more. |
In 2015, four IFCA Directors are running for re-election for a 2nd term. They are:
Eric Gordon, Brandt Consolidated, Lincoln IL (Retail District 4)
Regan Wear, Shipman Elevator, Shipman IL (Retail District 6)
Jim Lillyman, United Suppliers, Mendota IL (Distributor Representative)
Tony Juodis, Fertilizer Dealer Supply, Philo IL (Equipment Representative)
Ryan Heldt, Dow Agrosc ... more. |
The dates for the 2015 IFCA Convention are January 20-22, 2015 at the Peoria Civic Center. The CCA session will be on Tuesday, January 20th followed by morning education sessions on the 21st and the trade show on the 21st and 22nd. 2015 is IFCA's 50th anniversary and we will be celebrating our history and providing a program that reflects a positive outlook on our future. Please mark your c ... more. |
Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn and Republican businessman Bruce Rauner pitched vastly different strategies Thursday for improving Illinois' economy, with the incumbent pushing for an extension of the income increase and asking the wealthy to pay more and his rival saying the state can't keep taxing its way out of its problems.
With less than four weeks before the Nov. 4 election, the candidates ... more. |
At least one soybean exporter in Brazil has agreed with Monsanto to collect royalties, in exchange for a fee, from farmers who planted genetically engineered seeds marketed by the company, according to industry sources.
The landmark deal, already finalized by a firm that declined to be identified, highlights an increasingly complex relationship between global grain merchants and biotech firms.
... more. |
A small North Carolina agriculture business is accusing a fertilizer company owned by the billionaire Koch brothers of trying to drive it out of business.
The claim by Eco Agro Resource came in a court filing in U.S. District Court in North Carolina in early September in response to an August patent infringement lawsuit against it by Koch Agronomic Services.
Click Here to read more. ... more. |
Walmart announced on Monday aninitiative to reduce the environmental impact of the food its sells and to help customers improve the nutrition in their diets.
The retailer is the United States largest grocer, and food is its biggest business. So it has enormous clout with food producers and food processing companies - influence that it can use, for example, to sway how much water ... more. |
Ben Hamilton walks down the salad dressing aisle at his neighborhood grocery store in west Denver. The human resources consultant usually seeks out organic options and scans nutrition information.
"I'm a label reader" I think a lot of people read labels and really are curious to know what is in our food supply," But Hamilton says he wants more information, specifically wheather the food ... more. |
As the harvest progresses, please take time to review the stewardship guidelines for fall applied fertilizers, particularly fall applied nitrogen. These guidelines are posted on the IFCA home page, click here. There is also a link to the State Water Survey soil temperatures. It's up to us to prove we can recommend and apply nitrogen in ways that reduce the potential for loss by waiting unti ... more. |
If you have not already done so, PLEASE send in comments to USEPA on the proposed "Waters of the US" or WOTUS rule. IFCA has prepared a simple one page letter that you can customize and email to USEPA. This rulemaking has the potential to change property rights for agriculture and for many other industries. Millions of comments on the rule sends a strong message to Congress that the public is n ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture and the Illinois Department of Transportation have released the 2014 Lime Producers Guidebook. This document is now available in electronic format only, and is posted on the IFCA website, click here.
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We were very saddened to learn that IFCA member Doug Baxter, employee of Murray Equipment passed away this week at his residence. Doug was an active member of the IFCA for the past three years attending the IFCA Convention and MAGIE show. He was an exceptional guy and will be greatly missed.
Doug was 61, and was an avid outdoorsman where he hunted morel mushrooms, spoiled his beagles a ... more. |
Two of the biggest fertilizer producers in the world are in talks about what could be the next inversion deal to be announced.
CF Industries, based in Deerfield, Illinois, near Chicago and Yara International of Norway both confirmed on Tuesday that they were in discussions about a deal that would essentially be a merger of equals.
Click Here to read more.
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Canadian fertilizer companies Potash Corp of Saskatchewan and Agrium Inc are bracing for a pullback in demand from U.S. farmers due to sliding crop prices, but say any slump is unlikely to be severe.
The prospect for a record-large U.S. corn crop has dragged Chicago nearby corn futures to a four-year low. Lower prices of corn, wheat and soybeans reduce farmers' margins, althought big cro ... more. |
Jointed goatgrass is even worse that it sounds. Classified as a noxious weed in Washington state, it's considered a threat to the state's wheat industry, the fourth-largest in the U.S. As the regional Noxious Weed Control Board explains, the wild grass, which is a cousin of domeesticated wheat, corn, hybridze with winter wheat, reducing yields.
But jointed goatgrass is resistant to s ... more. |
General Mills Inc. has made strong commitments this year to natural and organic foods. It took genetically modified ingredients out of its signature cereal brand Cheerios and then doubled down on its organic lineup by striking and $820 million deal for Anne's, a stalwart of the the organic and natural foods industry.
But when the industrial food behemoth's shareholders were presented ... more. |
California farmers who spray a widely used insecticide on some of the state's most abundant crops may soon have to overcome the nation's steepest restrictions of find another pest killer, officials said Thursday.
Regulators are proposing heavy restrictions - but not an all out ban - on chlorpyrifos, used to treat crops like grapes and almonds. The pesticide, in use since 1965, has si ... more. |
General Mills Inc. has made strong commitments this year to natural and organic foods. It took gentically modifiend ingredients out of its signature cereal brad Cheerios and then doubled down on its organic lineup by striking an $820 million deal for Annie's stalwart of the organic and natural foods industry.
But when the industrial food behemoth's shareholders were presented with a ... more. |
The Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council (NREC) is funding research essential in updating the P and K recommendations in Illinois. To do so, the UI Dept of Crop Sciences needs grain samples and yield estimates from around the state, taken during harvest from farmer's fields. They are seeking samples of corn and soybeans at this time and the cost of shipping the samples and the analy ... more. |
Earlier this week IFCA reported the announcement of USDOT's cell phone ban regulation. The rule was published in the Federal Register on December 2, 2011 making the rule effective January 3, 2012. The regulation applies to commercial motor vehicle operators engaged in interstate commerce as well as intrastate haulers of placardedhazardous materials such as anhydrous ammonia. The regul ... more. |
Earlier this year an unidentified individual contacted an IFCA member in Southern Illinois seeking to purchase the grain bin fumigant phostoxin. When asked, the caller would not provide his name prompting the company to contact IFCA. Due to the suspicious nature of the call, IFCA contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). To date, the FBI has been unable to identify the caller seeking ... more. |
Dear Valued Member,
We invite you to review and consider the following special offer available exclusively through our affiliation with the AsmarkInstitute.
EPA requires a label accompany every pesticide to the end user. For retailers providing custom application, this can be very difficult, especially when pulling from minibulk and bulk tanks. The 2011 Applicator Manual is desi ... more. |
Online registration is now available for the 2013 Asmark Institute Professional Applicator Training (PAT) course. The course will be held on March 26, 2013 at the Asmark Institute Agricenter in Bloomington, IL. Classes can hold up to 30 people and the cost is $220 for pre-registered attendees and $295 for walk-in attendees with lunch providedon location. If you would like to register empl ... more. |
Click on the file below to read an interesting review of IFCA's work during the 2014 Illinois legislative session. For questions contact KJ Johnson, kj@ifca.com
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In another strong indication of Illinois agriculture's dedication to our crop production industry, the University of Illinois Department of Crop Sciences has hired a new Assistant Professor of Agronomy, Dr. Cameron Pittelkow. His role will include teaching, research and extension responsibilities related to nutrient management, efficient crop production, and helping the industry strike a balance betwee ... more. |
As our industry prepares for the fall ammonia season, here are a few reminders:
1. You can hire seasonal employees to transport ammonia nurse tanks by obtaining a Restricted CDL. The employee only needs a valid Class B driver's license and must be employed by an agricultural input supplier. Simply fill out an application and send it in the Illinois Secretary of State. C ... more. |
This past week, Marvin Fritchley of Cissna Park passed away at the age of 87. Marvin was a pioneer of both the Illinois fertilizer and Illinois propane gas industries, serving as Chairman of the IFCA in 1969 and also as President of the Illinois Propane Gas Association. We honor his leadership and thank him for the significant contributions he made to building both of these very strong industries, an ... more. |
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack offered support Tuesday to ethanol producers facing challenges, saying that the White House is committed to boosting use of the fuel in the country's gasoline supply.
Speaking before a friendly audience of biofuel producers in Washington, the former Iowa governor said he was confident the administration would restore at least some of the proposed cuts to ... more. |
As concerns continue about the U.S. bee population, lawmakers are looking at new legislation that would expedite the registration of products intended to improve pollinator health by controlling the Varroa mite, a detrimental pest to the honey bee.
Congressman Austin Scott, R-GA, introduced H.R. 5447 last week, which would amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), the f ... more. |
A legislative panel said Tuesday that it wants more time decide wheather rules written by the Department of Natural Resources to govern hydraulic fracturing in Illinois can take effect.
The legislature's Joint Committee on Administrative Rules received proposed rules for high-volume oil and gas extraction from the DNR on August 29, after the agency reworded some rules based on more than 30,000 ... more. |
The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) has recommended to Congress that the Section 179 tax deduction level in the Internal Revenue Service code remain consistent with 2010-2013 limit for small businesses.
"The amount of investment required to sustain agricultural operations is only increasing," said North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring, who introduced ... more. |
John Linder, a grain farmer from Edison, Ohio, offered the closing public comments Monday in the opening discussion by scientists and laypeople on the past experience and potential future of agricultural of agricultural biotechnology in the U.S.
"As farmers, we are looking for the new innovation if we are really going to have the population growth going to have the population growth going forward ... more. |
The USDA on Wednesday issued its decision deregulating Dow AgroSciences' Enlist corn and soybeans traits in the United States.
The Enlist traits are part of the Enlist Weed Control System, a new trait and herbicide technology that can control herbicide-resistant and tough weeds. USDA's decision applies to the Enlist corn, Enlist Soybean and Enlist E3 soybean traits.
Cl ... more. |
For those in agriculture, harvest season is a busy time. Farmers nurture their fields all year, which leads to feeding our families and much of the world. Most growers involved in horticulture production know that their long hours are matched by the non-stop effort for bees, which remain a critical component of our nation's food supply. The harvest of fruits, nuts, vegetables, ornamentals a ... more. |
The business climate in Illinois is either on a steady and dependable rebound or still beset by storms on multiple fronts.
More than just a glass half-empty or half full conundrum, the issue of how attractive it is to set up shop in the Land of Lincoln has been a driving force in the gubernatorial race between Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn and Republican businessman Bruce Rauner, alongside the lingeri ... more. |
The American Petroleum Institute(API) picked 9/11 to launch the first strike. On Thursday, API announced a TV radio, print and online advertising campaign to deliver its charge that the federal Renewable Fuel Standard(RFS) has "raised prices on food and fuel." The API ads urge consumers to "Tell President Obama to stop playing politics and fix the RFS."
Within hours of the API's an ... more. |
The U.S. Transportation Board made history in North Dakota September 4, holding its first field hearing there, and packing in a crowd of testifiers and onlookers concerned about whether railroads can make the trains run on time.
STB Chairman Daniel R. Elliott II, a former transportation union lawyer, presided before a cramped meeting room and told the audience some problems in the railroad h ... more. |
The fate of Oregon's genetically modified organism labeling initiative will hinge on whether heavy spending by opponents can overcome the liberal leanings of urban voters, experts say.
Dueling campaigns on Measure 92, which would require labeling of foods containing GMO's, will soon be operating at full throttle now that Labor Day has passed, political analysts agree.
Click ... more. |
The Republican controlled House on Tuesday approved a bill to block the Obama administration from implementing a rule that asserts regulatory authority over many of the nation's streams and wetlands - an action that critics call classic Washington overreach.
The EPA has proposed a rule that its says will clarify which streams and waterways are shields from development under the Clean Water Act ... more. |
With time running out, Congress will attempt this week to pass a continuing resolution (CR) that would keep the government, including the Department of Agriculture, running beyond the end of the fiscal year on September 30.
But just what will be included in the CR remains up in the air.
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers last week introduced what he called a "clean" ... more. |
The US House of Repesentatives voted 262-152 to block the USEPA and the US Army Corps of Engineers from implementing the proposed "Waters of the US (WOTUS)" rule. Agriculture, construction, mining, municipalities and many other industries have been submitting comments in opposition to WOTUS. While the move by the US House is positive, there is still the US Senate and the Executive Branch that must be ... more. |
Starting next week, there are many opportunities throughout the state to attend anhydrous ammonia safety training and special workshops on proper installation and maintenance of ammonia toolbar equipment. The ammonia safety schools run from 9:00 to Noon and lunch is included. Registration is open at 8:30 a.m.
September 16 at Days Inn in Rock Falls
September 17 at the Hilton ... more. |
On a262-152vote, the U.S. House yesterday has passed a bill to prevent the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers from implementing the proposed Waters of the U.S. rules. H.R. 5078, the Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act would prohibit the EPA and the Army Corps Engineers from redefining "waters of the United States" under the Clean Water Act.
Click Here ... more. |
Auriga Industries of Denmark said on Monday that it had agreed to sell its insecticide maker, Cheminova, to the FMC Corporation for about $1.4 billion in cash, plus the assumption of debt.
The deal is expected to bolster operations at FMC, which supplies insecticides, fungicides and other chemicals to the agriculture industry.
Click Here to read more.
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Congress returns from its August recess with week with House Republicans taking direct aim at several environmental proposals, including the EPA's controversial plan to clarify just what waters it has jurisdiction over under the Clean Water Act.
A bill that would prohibit the agency from implementing its plan -- H.R. 5078, Waters of the U.S. Regulatory Overreach Protection Act of 2014 - will b ... more. |
Illinois's pension liability as a percentage of state revenue is far and away the nation's highest, a major credit ratings agency says in a new report.
Moody's Investors Service reported that the state's three year liability over revenue is 258 percent. The next closest is Connecticut at about 200.
Click Here to read more.
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The Obama administration issued a veto threat Monday for a bill that would block the EPA from moving forward on a rule to redefine its jurisdiction over streams and ponds.
Citing the need to protect waterways from pollution and the rule's scientific grounding, the White House said it "strongly opposes" the bill and advisers would recommend that President Obama veto it if it reaches his desk.
... more. |
The House is expected to vote on legislation as soon as today that would prohibit the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers from moving forward with their proposed "waters of the U.S." rule.
In April, the EPA and Corps proposed regulation that would define what waters that they can regulate under the Clean Water Act. For decades, they have tried to expand their jurisdiction. The proposed ... more. |
North Dakota farmer-leaders say they're happy CHS Inc. has decided to re-engage in a proposed $3 billion fertilizer project in Spiritwood, N.D. near Jamestown, N.D.
It is the single largest private investment project in North Dakota history, and the largest for CHS.
CHS, the nation's largest farmer-owned cooperative, announced September 5 that the board approved the plant, w ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources released on Friday a long-awaited plan to regulate high-volume oil and gas drilling that supporters hope could bring an economic boost to Southern Illinois but environmentalists fear may be too lenient.
Click Here to read more.
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There should be "no doubt" that the White House is willing to move forward unilaterally on immigration reform, President Obama said late last week, amid bipartisan calls for him to avoid acting alone.
"It continues to be my belief that, if I can't see the congressional action, that I need to do at least what I can in order to make the system work better," Obama told reporters at a news confere ... more. |
The GOP candidate for Illinois governor broadened his criticism of state agriculture officials Wednesday, saying the department was "full of cronyism" and has "folks running things that generally don't have much expertise.
Click Here to read more.
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USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service published notices in the Federal Register last week, one involving extending the deregulation status for a Monsanto soybean and another proposing a field test for insecticide-free eradication of harmful insects.
Click Here to read more.
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EPA finds itself fighting a losing public-relations war against not just farm groups but also vocal Republican officials.
Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman on Monday called EPA "the enemy of agriculture."
At issue remains the proposed rule by EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to redefine what "waters of the United States" mean in the Clean Water Act.
Click Here to re ... more. |
A potential move by federal regulators to list a small bird as endangered has ignited debate over changes to the Endangered Species Act.
The greater sage grouse, whose habitat covers 165 million acres in 11 western states, is at the center of one most controversial species designations in years. The fight has drawn comparison to the spotted owl, which critics turned into a symbol of the law& ... more. |
Gov. Pat Quinn's unexpected move to deal with a scathing report about political hiring in his administration will not put the jobs scandal to rest as he mounts a difficult campaign for re-election.
Click Here to read more.
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A potential move by federal reglators to list a small bird as endangered has ingited debate over changes to the Endangered Species Act.
The greater sage grouse, whose habitat covers 165 million acres in 11 western states, is at the center of one most controversial species designations in years. The fight has drawn comparison to the spotted owl, which critics turned into a symbol of the law&# ... more. |
A federal judge ruled over the weekend that a law approved in Kauai of Hawaii regulating the use of pesticides and genetically modified crops is invalid.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry Kurren of the District Court of Hawaii said Kauai County Ordinance 960, which would affect the operations of Syngenta, DuPioneer, Dow AgroSciences, and BASF, is preempted by state law.
Click Here to read ... more. |
Koch Nitrogen Company, LLC will begin construction in mid-September on a previously announced $1.3 billion expansion at its Enid Oklahoma facility.
The project will be implemented over the next three years and will increase production capacity by more than 1 million tons per year.
Click Here to read more.
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Late last week Gov Pat Quinn signed legislation to extended state drone regulations to private craft.
Click Here to read more.
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KJ Johnson has been actively representing IFCA at the state capitol this spring. As the session winds down with possible adjournment this weekend, most of the discussion has been centered around the state budget and the debate over making the temporary income and corporate tax increase permanent. At this point, it appears that a vote on the tax issue will be delayed until the fall Veto session. ... more. |
The Midwest Ag Industries Exposition (MAGIE) was this past week and was a great success! We managed to avoid the rain and had great turnout. The IFCA staff and Board would like to thank the many exhibitors who participated and retailers from across the US who came out in strength to participate in MAGIE and see the best equipment our industry has to offer. The dates for MAGIE 2015 will be Augus ... more. |
Click here to view the 2014 Summer/Fall newsletter.
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Fifteen state attorneys general have asked EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy to withdraw a rule that even agency have said created confusion in the agriculture community.
The so-called interpretive rule identified 56 conservation practices that are expempt from the Clean Water Act regulations, so long as they meet Natural Resources Conservation Services specifications. Many agriculture interes ... more. |
Republican candidate for governor Bruce Rauner said Thursday he would work to reduce taxes and regulatory burdens on famers and would travel the globe on his own dime to promote Illinois products if elected.
Click Here to read more.
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Advances in crop biotechnology over the past 20 years have multiplied the range of so-called genetically engineered foods in the average citizen's diet. Despite reassurances from the international and US scientific community about the safety of genetically modified organisms(GMO), the anti-GMO movement continues to gain ground, and has arrived at the state legislature in the form of a proposal that wou ... more. |
Shareholders at Safeway have rejected a proposal from the Green Century Equity Fund calling for mandatory GMO labeling on its store brands, which company bosses claim would cost $15m+ to implement, while providing zero consumer benefits.
Click Here to read more.
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The 2014 MAGIE show is August 20-21 at the McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington, IL. You still have a few days to pre-register for $12 per person; after August 6 the price rises to $15. We encourage you to pre-register to avoid the registration lines at the show. MAGIE will feature a new layout this year, several new exhibitors and the return of many solid MAGIE exhibitors with innovative d ... more. |
You've been reading and hearing a lot about the USEPA's proposed "Waters of the United States" (WOTUS) proposed rulemaking. USEPA and agriculture disagree quite dramatically on the implications that this proposed rule will have on agricultural production in the US. Many in ag believe it will expand federal regulations to activities such as nutrient or crop protection applications near any bod ... more. |
Aggies in the beltway will be focusing on a wide range of environmental issues this week in DC. The House Rules Committee today will take a look at the Endangered Species Transparency Act, which would require the EPA to put online the data it uses to support decisions about weather a species should be listed as endangered . The House may consider the measure later in the week.
Also on ... more. |
Gov. Pat Quinn signed an approximately $1 billion capital spending plan last week intended to create jobs and help repair Illinois roads and bridges after a harsh winter.
Click Here to read more.
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On June 20 the White House issued a presidential memorandum creating a Pollinator Health Task Force and ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to "access the effect of pesticides, including neonicotinods, on bees and other pollinator health and take action, as appropriate."
Why the buzz over bees? Is the US inthe midst of a bee pocalypse? The science says no. Bee popul ... more. |
Federal regulators denied Texas farmers' push to use a powerful herbicide against an invasive "super weed" threating to strangle cotton crops.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency cited risks to drinking water and other hazards in its refusal of state officials' emergency request to allow the farmers to use Milo-Pro. The herbicide includes the propazine, a restricted product that ... more. |
The U.S. nitrogen fertilizer market will soon reach a point of saturation following the sharp increase in capacity in recent years as the cost of natural gas (used in fertilizer production) fell with the fracking boom.
That's a key finding in a report from Rabobank with the title, "A Shale Tale: the Aftermath of the U.S. Nitrogen Fertilizer Boom." The report says further capacity in the ... more. |
Standard & Poor's Ratings Service has changed its outlook on Illinois' credit rating for the worse.
The agency last week revised its outlook from "developing" to "negative" on Illinois' A-minus rating.
Click Here to read more.
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President Obama plans to issue an executive order to develop privacy guidelines for commercial drones operating in U.S. airspace.
Click Here to read more.
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A bipartisan panel of Illinois lawmakers voted last week to postpone grilling people connected with Gov Pat Quinn's anti-violence program, bowing to the wishes of the U.S. Justice Department, which has criminal investigation underway.
Though the Legislative Audit Commission bickered for hours last Wednesday over how to proceed, members voted unanimously to subpoena seven witnesses by Oct. 8, c ... more. |
Congress could face pressure to establish a uniform, nationwide law on the labeling of foods made with genetically modified ingredients as early as next year, as more states regulate the technology found in much of the U.S. food supply.
The debate over weather to label salad dressings, soups, cereals, and other grocery store staples made with GMO gained momentum in May after Vermont became the fir ... more. |
The American Petroleum Institute(API) is focusing on the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) in its fight to reduce the ethanol blending mandate, conceding that there's little short-term hope in congressional action.
Bob Greco, API's director of downtown operations, said his group is still pushing for legislative changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard(RFS) that requires oil refiners to mi ... more. |
Republican governor candidate Bruce Rauner proposed phasing out the state's income tax increase, broadening the state's sales tax without voter approval as part of a strategy that he said will improve the business economy.
Click Here to read more.
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President Obama is formally asking for $3.7 billion in emergency funds from Congress to address the flood of unaccompanied minor children coming illegally into the United States, more than the White House previously said it would request.
The funds include $1.1 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, $433 million to Customs and Border Protection, $64 million for the Department Justi ... more. |
While the United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, and China and many other countries have warmly embraced genetically modified crops, Europe remains the world's big holdout.
Could this be about to change? New European Union rules now seek to clear up years of internal deadlock that could, in theory, lead to widespead cultivation of GM foods but the fight is far from over.
... more. |
Aggies in DC will be watching and working on trade issues this week as U.S. continue to push ahead on two majorcommercial treaties, theTrans-PacificPartnership, with Asia-Pacificnations andtheTrans-Atlanic TradePartnership with European Union.
One of the Trans-Atlanic Trade Partnership major obstacles inthe talks has been EU resistance to deman ... more. |
Last week's Illinois Supreme Court ruling on retiree health insurance is credit negative for the state, Moody's Investors Service said Friday.
The reason, Moody's said is the decision could foreshadow how the court will rule on the broader pension reform law the state hopes will save billions of dollars in pension cost over the coming years.
Click Here to read more.
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Mark your calendars to attend one or all of the upcoming summer events IFCA will be hosting.
The 2014 MAGIE Showwill be August 20 & 21 in Bloomington, IL at the McLean County Fairgrounds. On line registration will begin in July.
Golf Outings:
Thursday, July 24th we will be playing at Senica's Oak Ridge in LaSalle, IL
... more. |
Later this summer (possibly in August) the Illinois EPA will release for public comment the "Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy." The development of this strategy document has been a collaborative effort between state agencies, agriculture (including IFCA), the point source community, environmental organizations and universities. It will contain suggested activities to reduce nutrient losses f ... more. |
Apetition initiative to require labeling of GMO foods delivered 155,611 signatures to the Oregon Secretary of State late last week, nearly twice the number needed to qualify for the November ballot.
Click Here to read more.
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The FAA issued guidelines last week, saying the use of model aircraft (drones) by farmers is unlawful. If a farmer flies a model aircraft over his cornfield doing rolls and loops, that's legal. But if he uses the same model airplane to determine how to conserve water or use less fertilizer that's illegal.
The FAAsays their decision is all about safety.
Clic ... more. |
Secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation Ann Schneider resigned last week. The Better Government Association raised questions about the hiring and promotion of Schneider's stepdaughter, Ashley Carpenter. Carpenter was hired as a staff assistant and is now a data analyst with IDOT's division of aeronautics, making just under $53,000 annually, the BGA reported. She is now co ... more. |
President Obama pledges to redirect immigration enforcement, conceding defeat on overhaul. He acknowleged last week that there is no hope for the legislation overhauling the immigration system in Congress this year and announced he is redirecting immigration enforcement from the interior of the United States to the border.
Click Here to read more.
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On Friday afternoon, Cook County Circuit Court Judge Mary Mikva ruled against the Committee for Legislative Reform and Term Limits, saying that both constitutional amendments were unconstitutional. The first amendment would change the state redistricting process and the other would impose term limits on legislators.
Judge Mikva ruled that "any term limits initiative appears to be outside wha ... more. |
This summer, Illinois EPA will release a draft of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy for public comment. The Illinois EPA must provide a finalized strategy to U.S. EPA outling various strategies to reduce nutrient losses to Illinois rivers, lakes and streams as well as reduce Illinois' contribution to the Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia zone.
IFCA, along with many ag groups and other s ... more. |
For years, farmers and ranchers have cast a wary eye toward new laws and regulations from Washington that they fear will be costly burdensome.
Agricultural producers argue they know the best way to take care of their land, not only to maximize production but to preserve the acreage they depend upon to survive.
Now, a rule being proposed by the EPA outlining which bodies of waters th ... more. |
The former First Lady made remarks during the keynote presentation last week at the 2014 BIO International Convention in San Diego.
"I stand in favor of using seeds and products that have a proven track record, you say, and are scientifically provable to continue to try to make the case to those who are skeptical," Clinton said when asked about her stance on GMOs.
Click Here to read ... more. |
Last week, the House Ag Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy and Forestryheld a hearing on thecontroversial EPA water rule. EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers proposedthe new rule in March to change the way the U.S.isregulatingwaterunder the Clean Water Act. The hearing came as legislation was introduced by 30 Republican Senators last week to specifically bl ... more. |
Gov. Quinn approved a November ballot measure asking if Illinois should boost its minimum wage to $10 an hour by 2015. The question is non-binding, but Democrats and Gov. Quinn say it will provide support to move the idea through the Illinois General Assembly. This has been one of Gov. Quinn's top re-election priorities.
Click Here to read more.
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Last week Rep. James Lankford from Oklahoma introduced a bill that would repeal the corn ethanol mandate under the 2007 Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). The bill would require the remaining mandates set by the RFS be fulfilled with domestic production.
Click Here to read more.
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Last week during National Pollinator Week, President Obama signed a executive order to create a task force to promote the health of honey bees and other pollinators. In the order, the President tasked the EPA with assessingthe effects of pesticides,"including neonicotinoids" on pollinator health. The White House notes that pesticides are among the "combination of stressors that likely caused" a ... more. |
Please be sure that you have August 20 & 21, 2014 in your calendars for the MAGIE show at the McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington, IL. Once again, we have an outstanding show of support from the MAGIE exhibitors, assuring that there will be plenty to see at the show this year. Watch your mail for the MAGIE registration information in early July.
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According to Ag Professional Magazine, the Commerical Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) is calling for a comprehensive study on the safety and operational impacts of the Hours of Service regulations. In agriculture, we have justified the need for an exemption from the HOS rules for the delivery of agricultural inputs from distribution points, within a 150 air mile radius. We are able to enjoy this exemp ... more. |
This summer, Illinois EPA will release a draft of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy for public comment. Illinois EPA must provide a finalized strategy to USEPA outlining various strategies to reduce nutrient losses to Illinois rivers, lakes and streams as well as reduce Illinois' contribution to the Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia zone. IFCA, along with many ag groups and other nutrient stakeh ... more. |
Last week, President Obama signed the WRRDA bill into law. The bill will help update the locks and dams on the Illinois and Mississppi River. IFCA strongly supports this bill and has worked over many years to get this legislation passed and signed into law. We would like to thank the Ilinois delgation and President Obama forpassing this law.
Click Here to read more.
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"Staying in the Know" is a new informative email alert for IFCA members. "Staying in the Know" will be a weekly email letting members know what is going on in Washington and Springfield at both of the Capitols. IFCA will keep sending our members "Items of Interest" on a weekly bases but "Staying in the Know" will focus more on the politics and legislation that effects the ag input industry. I h ... more. |
There will be twothings Ag stakeholders will be focusing on this week in Washington DC. The first is the "interpretive rule" on the EPA proposal for redefining the waters of the US. The House Agricutlure Committee will have a subcommittee hearing on the matterthis Thursday at 9am cst. The second focus will be on Thursday alsowhen the House Republican Caucus will vote on a new ... more. |
Legislation introducedlast week in Washingtonby Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich and Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore, would temporarily ban four neonicotinoids pesticides. Click Here to read more aboutthelegislation.
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There will be twothinks Ag stakeholders will be focusing on this week in Washington DC. The first is the "interpretive rule" on the EPA proposal for redefining the waters of the US. The House Agricutlure Committee will have a subcommittee heaing on the matterthis Thursday at 9am cst. The second focus will be on Thursday alsowhen the House Republican Caucus will vote on a new h ... more. |
As many of you already know, last month the State of Vermont was the first state topass legislation that would mandatoryrequire products containing GMOs to be labeled. Late last week the Grocery Manufacturers filed sued againist the state of Vermont over the matter. The Grocery Manufacturers contend that the United State Constitution prohibits Vermont from regulating nationwide distributi ... more. |
Illinois Democrats pushed election day voting registrationbill last month on the second-to-last day of spring session with the idea that it would boost voter turnout. Many Republicans claim it is part of a larger effort to increase Democrats' numbers at the polls in a competitve election, namley Gov Quinn's bid for a second full term againist Repulican businessman Bruce Rauner.
... more. |
The Illinios legislature has adjourned and while the budget and temporary vs permanent tax increase issues remain in limbo, there were successes with regard to issues impacting IFCA members directly, including GMO labeling initatives and an attempt to place fees on Tier 2 chemical inventory reports. Click hereto read an insightful, and depending on how you view life, entertaining synopsis of th ... more. |
Mark your calendars to attend one or all of the upcoming summer events IFCA will be hosting.
The 2014 MAGIE Showwill be August 20 & 21 in Bloomington, IL at the McLean County Fairgrounds. On line registration will begin in July.
Golf Outings:
Thursday, July 24th we will be playing at Senica's Oak Ridge in LaSalle, IL
Th ... more. |
Click on the link to view the Illinois Secretary of State's medical card self certification process and applicable categories. Please also read the memo from the Sec of State suggesting ways to streamline your visit to the SOS office to complete this process.
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As you sell spring fertilizer this year, the Nutrient Research & Education Council has asked IFCA to encourage our members to place the 75 cent per ton NREC assessment on the fertilizer invoice. NREC feels very strongly that farmers should be aware that the ag industry is making a significant commitment to fund research, education and outreach programs to increase yields and minimize agriculture&rs ... more. |
We were very sorry to learn that IFCA member Bernie Henkel of LaSalle, IL died unexpectedly of a heart attack last week at the age of 53. Bernie spent his career in the agribusiness industry, working for Meriden Grain, and having also worked for Van Orin Cooperative (now Northern Partners). Bernie was an active member of the IFCA and had a terrific outlook on life and sense of humor. We w ... more. |
This week, the Illinois House of Representatives will vote on SB 3287, a bill that will undermine a company's ability to offer safety training programs to their employees. SB 3287 eliminates the worker's compensation exclusive remedy/immunity enjoyed by companies that provide safety consulting. Many IFCA members who use outside companies or consulting firms to assist with safety compliance is ... more. |
The Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council has published its first annual report, summarizing seven projects that NREC funded in the calendear year 2013. The report is available here at the IFCA website or you can go to www.illinoisnrec.org to view the report and additional information about NREC, including a summary of 15 projects that the Council funded in 2014.
NREC is f ... more. |
The IFCA sends its heartfelt condolences to the family and fellow employees of Brent Stewart of Newman, Illinois who was killed last week when his floater collided with a train as he exited a field in Champaign County. Brent was a key employee of Illini FS at their Tolono, IL facility. He was 42 years old. Please keep his family and the team at Illini FS in your prayers during this difficult ti ... more. |
Mark your calendars to attend one or all of the upcoming summer events IFCA will be hosting.
2014 MAGIE Showwill be August 20 & 21 in Bloomington, IL at the McLean County Fairgrounds. On line registration will begin in July.
Golf Outings:
Thursday, July 24th we will be playing at Senica's Oak Ridge in LaSalle, IL
Thursday, July 31st we ... more. |
IFCA has a new feature on the website for members who would like to keep track of bills of interest. Click here to be directed to the web page showing which bills IFCA supports or opposes.
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Click below on fact sheets opposing legislation on GMO food labeling and weakening pesticide preemption in Cook County.
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On Wednesday, April 9 at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield, IL, the Illinois Aggregate Producers and IFCA are co-sponsoring an Ag Lime Seminar from 9:30 am to Noon. The seminar will cover ag lime's importance in soil quality, how different processes impact ag lime quality and understanding soil analysis and recommendations for application. Dr. Robert Hoeft, retired soil fertility specialist, and Da ... more. |
IFCA, in partnership with the Asmark Institute is offering a training curriculum for Illinois community college students enrolled in agriculture programs. The Head Start Program helps prepare them for work at agricultural retail facilities. “One thing missing in the agricultural workforce is a variety of young, talented and properly trained individuals prepared to enter the ag retail indust ... more. |
With rain in the forecast, tomorrow would be a great time to pick up a 1 hour CEU in nutrient management and get an update on nitrogen management for the 2014 crop. You will also hear how retailers and farmers can participate in Keep it for the Crop (KIC) on-farm research projects and other important nitrogen managment projects that are being funded by the Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council ... more. |
Late yesterday at the State Capitol, HB 5559 which proposed to establish fees as high as $450 per facility for companies who submit annual Tier 2 chemical inventory reports was defeated in the House Environment Committee. The vote was 7 in favor, 9 opposed. KJ Johnson, IFCA's Director of Government & Industry Relations provided testimony at the committee outlining the reasons for IFCA's o ... more. |
This Thursday, March 27 at 8:00 am CDT join a webinar entitled "Nitrogen Management in 2014 and Beyond." Receive 1 CEU in Nutrient Management as Dr. Emerson Nafziger from UI and Dan Schaefer from CBMP provide information about nitrogen management for the 2014 corn crop.
Dr. Nafziger will provide insight about the fate of fall applied N and what kind of impact the continued cold weathe ... more. |
HB 5559 is a bill that would establish a fee for all facilities in Illinois (8,000+) that are required to file the annual Tier 2 Chemical Inventory Form. For IFCA members, this is all ag retailers, manufacturers, warehouses, propane locations and gasoline stations.
The proposed fees will raise the current fee ($0) to up to $450 per facility. Because many IFCA members store some e ... more. |
IFCA continues to represent the interests of our members as the State develops a Nutrient Reduction Strategy for submittal to USEPA. Illinois agriculture will be accountable to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus to improve water quality for state waters, as well as waters that leave the state. The strategy document will list a myriad of agricultural practices that may reduce nutrient losses, such as cove ... more. |
IFCA is actively representing our members at the Illinois State Capitol on many issues. Several bills of critical interest to our members include a proposal to raise Tier 2 reporting fees from $0 currently to $450 for ag retailers, a bill to require all foods sold in Illinois that contain genetically modified ingredients to be labeled as containing GMO, and a bill to usurp the Illinois Department of Agricu ... more. |
IFCA Congratulates Bader Ag & Ag View FS for being named national 4R Advocates! Click on press releases below for details.
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Congratulations to Verne (Tinker) Bader of Bader Ag in Meredosia and to Malcolm Stambaugh of Ag View FS in Walnut, Illinois for being name as 4R advocates by TFI! These two IFCA members and their farmers customers will be heading to the Commodity Classic in San Antonio this week to be honored with 3 other national winners for their efforts to promote and implement the 4Rs of nutrient stewardship (right sou ... more. |
IFCA manages the Illinois Council on Best Management Practices "Keep it for the Crop (KIC)" program. Click here to be directed to the IFCA website, where we have posted an update on the KIC program, featuring the investment ag retailers and their farmer customers are making in implementing the 4Rs in Illinois. The KIC program is funded by the Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council (NREC). ... more. |
The Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council is currently meeting to review nutrient research and outreach programs for 2014 that seek to minimize environmental impact, optimize harvest yield and maximize nutrient utilization. IFCA is well represented on NREC, and the 75 cent per ton NREC assessment is critical in supporting our industry's efforts to prove we can reduce nutrient losses in the ... more. |
KIC is a dynamic program to promote enhanced nutrient stewardship practices. The files below illustrate our progress.
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We were very saddened to learn that IFCA member Mark Kessinger, co-owner of Chatsworth Ag passed away this week after a battle with cancer. Mark was always present at IFCA events and a strong believer in the value of the ag retailer to the industry as a whole. He was a great guy and will be greatly missed.
Mark was just 52,an avid sports fan and enjoyed playing golf at the ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) prepared a very professional, short video that illustrates the commitment that ag retailers have toward safety, security, emergency response and regulatory compliance. IFCA member Chad Lau of Burroughs Ag, also a volunteer firefighter, is featured in the video. We recommend that you provide a link to this video on your company website and help spread the word that our i ... more. |
This week, our industry experienced a tragedy that we must all reflect upon. A customer who had picked up ammonia nurse tanks from an IFCA member experienced a transportation related accident with the tanks, and passed away this week from complications of the injuries he sustained in that December 2013 incident. We extend heartfelt condolences to his family. With that in mind, please help to pr ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture is in the process of sending out invoices for payments to the Nutrient Research & Education Council for fertilizer tons sold to the end user in the fall of 2013. Please do not attempt to remit any payment to NREC until you receive a specific NREC invoice from IDA for this program. There have been a few computer issues at IDA recently which has delayed some o ... more. |
On your Tier 2 chemical inventory reports, there is a question this year that asks if you are a Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) facility. Ag retail facilities are not TRI facilities, so you can check NO to this question. Another question asks if you have a Risk Management Plan (RMP). If your facility has anhydrous ammonia, you are required by USEPA to have a RMP and should check YES. This w ... more. |
The Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council (NREC) recently announced that they are funding 15 projects in 2014. These projects are a combination of research and education programs focused on nutrient application timings, sources and rates to reduce nutrient losses to the environment and increase economic returns for agriculture. There are also projects studying cover crops and support for ... more. |
The deadline for submitting Tier 2 reports to Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) is March 1, 2014. Although anhydrous ammonia and ammonium nitrate have always been required to be listed on Tier 2 reports, US EPA is now requiring all fertilizer; such as DAP, MAP, UANand Potash, to be reported on Tier 2 reports. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Kevin Runkle at ... more. |
The official IFCA Annual Meeting will be held at 10:15 am on Tuesday, January 21, 2014 in Room 400 of the Peoria Civic Center, during the IFCA Convention. In 2014, your Association does not have any board members up for election. To view the current IFCA Board Members, click here At the annual meeting, we will share our financial report and update on IFCA activities, as well as award scholarshi ... more. |
At the IFCA Annual meeting this past Tuesday, Brian Waddell was elected to serve as the Chairman of the IFCA Board of Directors for 2014. Brian works for Marco NPK in Clinton, IL and was first elected to the IFCA board in 2007. Thanks to Jeff Eggleston of Hintzsche Fertilizer who served as the 2013 Chairman. The IFCA Board of Directors is a strong group of leaders and we thank all the Board mem ... more. |
By January 30, 2014, all CDL holders must declare your status to the Illinois Secretary of State, choosing one of the following four categories:
1. Non-excepted interstate driver (NI)
2. Excepted interstate driver (EI)
3. Non-excepted intrastate driver (NA)
4. Excepted intrastate driver (EA)
Illinois ranks fifth in the US for states with the ... more. |
We'd like to thank all of our members who braved the cold temperatures and snow to make the 2014 IFCA Convention a success. Thanks also to all the exhibitors who ensured a sold out trade show, and our IFCA sponsors who helped to make the hospitality events so enjoyable. The convention provides a great opportunity for industry education and fellowship, and helps to support the IFCA. The date ... more. |
The deadline for filing SARA Tier 2 reports is Saturday, March 1, 2014. In addition to other hazardous chemicals that you have traditionally reported, please be sure to report fertilizers that have a reportable quantity (such as anhydrous ammonia) and all other fertilizers that you store in quantities of over 10,000 lbs on your Tier 2 report and submit a Safety Data Sheet (SDS). SDS sheets have repla ... more. |
We are sad to share with our members that Barb Runkle, mother of IFCA staff member Kevin Runkle, passed this past Saturday after experiencing a brain aneurysm. Barb and her late husband Dick were IFCA members, and owned and operated Runkle Fertilizer in Littleton for many years, retiring in 2004.
Dick passed away in 2006. Barb is survived by a brother, three sons, a daughter and 20 gra ... more. |
The Occupational Safety & Health Administration's (OSHA) revised Hazard Communication Standard took effect on May 25, 2012 and required mandatory training for most employers across the country on new requirements for chemical labeling and the new Safety Data Sheets by December 1, 2013. The revision aligned OSHA's rules with the internationally accepted Globally Harmonized System of Classificati ... more. |
Please go to http://www.ifca.com and click on "Convention" and then "Program" to see the line-up of educational sessions and the trade show schedule. The IFCA Convention is January 20-22, 2014 at the Peoria Civic Center. Our theme this year is "Responsible People in a Proactive Industry." You can also register on-line at the IFCA website to attend the convention. We have a full house of e ... more. |
We were shocked and saddened to learn that IFCA member Ray DeBrock passed away suddenly on Monday, Nov 25 from an apparent heart attack. He was 50. Ray dedicated his entire career to the agribusiness industry, serving as a key agronomist and Vice President of Michlig Agricenter in Manlius, IL. Upon the sale of Michlig Ag to CPS, Ray transitioned to a key role with CPS before joining the ... more. |
Ag retailers in Eastern Illinois Sustained heavy damage from tornadoes that passed through the area Sunday afternoon. Please keep them in your thoughts as they clean up their facilities and begin to put everything back together. It is a daunting and overwhelming task to pick up the pieces and rebuild a business or community after such a devastating act of nature. Our thoughts are with the commu ... more. |
Due to the propane shortage created by increased demand for grain drying, the Illinois Department of Transportation has relieved the propane industry with compliance with the Parts 390-399 of the Illinois Motor Carrier Regulations. The emergency relief extends from 12:00 midnight on Monday, October 28, 2013 until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, November 3, 2013 or until the emergency subsides, whichever occurs first.&n ... more. |
Click below for a one page article from "Scientific American" magazine that explains the consequences of labeling foods that contain GMO ingredients.
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The US House approved legislation this week (H.R. 3080) on a 417-3 vote to re-authorize the US Army Corps of Engineers to develop, maintain and support the nation's vital ports and waterways infrastructure needs, as well as support flood protection and environmental restoration needs. The US ag industry uses close to 70 million tons of fertilizer each year, much of which travels through the US ports an ... more. |
With harvest winding down, dry fertilizer application is underway. When it comes to the application of fall nitrogen, we can ensure the future of this practice by adhering to sound stewardship and agronomic guidelines. Please click here to be directed to the IFCA website, where we have a link to soil temperatures in Illinois. The UI Agronomy Handbook recommends that fall N not be applied ... more. |
Please mark your calendar for January 20-22, 2014 for the IFCA Annual Convention and Trade Show in Peoria, IL. January 20 will feature a full day of CCA credits and a welcome reception. The 21st also features educational sessions followed by our outstanding trade show. We will send out the schedule and registration information in late November.
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The Illinois Council on Best Management Practices (CBMP) will hold a webinar on Friday, October 11 at 8:00 am central time to update ag retailers and CCAs on critical nutrient stewardship and management issues that will help our industry minimize environmental impact, optimize harvest yield and maximize input utilization (MOM). The topics covered on the webinar will include:
1. ... more. |
The Illinois Council on Best Management Practices (CBMP) will hold a webinar on Friday, October 11 at 8:00 am central time to update ag retailers and CCAs on critical nutrient stewardship and management issues that will help our industry minimize environmental impact, optimize harvest yield and maximize input utilization (MOM). The topics covered on the webinar will include:
1. Guideli ... more. |
Mark your calendar for the upcoming IFCA Winter Convention & Tradeshow. The dates for the 2014 show are January 20-22 at the Peoria Convetion Center. The Pere Marquette Hotel has also completed renovations thereby makingit available once again.
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Mark your calendars for the 2014 IFCA Winter Convention and Tradeshow. The dates of the show are January 20-22, 2014 at the Peoria Convention Center. The Pere Marquette hotel has completed renovations therebymaking the hotel available for the convention.
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IFCA is asking our members to please send in a short letter of support to IDOT on the proposed changes to the Hours of Service exemption for the transportation of agricultural inputs. After years of hard work and exhaustive efforts by the industry at the state and federal level, the exemption from driving time limitations is once again back in state and federal laws. Illinois DOT is updating the IL V ... more. |
A great friend of Illinois agriculture and of the IFCA is retiring. Dr. Robert Hoeft, who has dedicated 40 years to excellence in Soil Fertility Extension, as Head of the Department of Crop Sciences, and recently as the Interim Association Dean of Extension, will be retiring at the end of August. IFCA will be helping to honor Dr. Hoeft at a retirement reception on campus on August 30th, and we are su ... more. |
The IFCA staff, Board of Directors and the MAGIE committee would like to thank the exhibitors and participants who made last week's show a great success! We were blessed with great weather, innovative displays and lots of great food and fellowship on the grounds. The IFCA staff is in the process of putting together the total number of attendees and their home states which we will share with our M ... more. |
Bloomington, IL is the location of many important industry events next week. On Monday, Aug 19 the ARA/TFI Code of Practice workgroups are meeting to move forward with a stewardship program to help ensure that all facilities in the US that store bulk fertilizers are in compliance with federal regulations for these products. IFCA supports this initiative and believes strongly that the industry must de ... more. |
During Ag Day at the Illinois State Fair, Governor Quinn signed HB 2273 making changes to the Illinois Dept of Ag Weights & Measures Act. These changes were the result of cooperative negotiations with IDA. The legislation assures the following:
1.Truck scales that have been certified by IDA as of July 1, 2012 do NOT need to produce a Certificate of Conformance;
... more. |
On September 17, the Illinois Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on GMO Food Labeling will meet in downtown Chicago. IFCA and a coalition of agricultural organizations have worked successfully to provide factual information at these hearings. The first hearing was at Illinois State Universityin June, and the second at Southern IL University at Carbondale in July. Some outspoken citizens want ... more. |
USEPA has announced pending pesticide label changes for products containing the neonicotinoids imidacloprid, dinotefuran, clothianidin and thiamethoxam. The Agency will be working with pesticide manufacturers to change the labels adding a bee advisory box and icon with information on routes of exposure and spray drift precautions. USEPA stated that "multiple factors play a role in bee col ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture contacted IFCA and asked us to make our members aware that we must still be vigilant about the possibility of soybean rust impacting our crops. Although the soybean rust monitoring network is not currently active in Illinois, please keep an eye out as you scout fields later this summer. Rust has been reported in northern Mississippi and Arkansas.
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The Illinois Department of Agriculture contacted IFCA and asked us to make our members aware that we must still be vigilant about the possibility of soybean rust impacting our crops. Although the soybean rust monitoring network is not currently active in Illinois, please keep an eye out as you scout fields later this summer. Rust has been reported in northern Mississippi and Arkansas.
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It is hard to believe but MAGIE is literally right around the corner. MAGIE will be held on August 21-22, 2013 at the McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington, IL. There are over 100 exhibitors showcasing the latest and greatest technology in the industry. On-line registration is available by clicking hereor you can register by contacting the IFCA office. The registration fee is $15 ... more. |
As we head into the spring fertilizer season, all fertilizer distributors need to be aware of major changes in the Illinois Fertilizer Act. As in the past, fertilizer distributors that sell product to the end user must remit tonnage reports to IDA and remit an inspection fee of 25 cents per ton. The inspection fee remains 25 cents, but there is a new assessment of 75 cents that must also be paid to t ... more. |
CBMP has partnered with U of I to launch a soil nitrate testing network call N WATCH. Click below for a press release and soil sampling instructions. Link to the U of I bulletin on results herehttp://bulletin.ipm.illinois.edu/?p=160
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Within the next few weeks, the Illinois Department of Agriculture will send invoices to fertilizer distributors listing the amount owed to the Nutrient Research and Education Council (NREC) for the spring fertilizer tons sold in Illinois. The NREC assessment remains at 75 cents per ton. Please do not send anything to NREC until you receive an invoice from IDA and use the return envelope provided.&nbs ... more. |
You can register on-line for the MAGIE show by clicking here to be directed to the registration page. MAGIE will be held on August 21-22, 2013 at the McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington, IL. We can also take registrations by mail or fax. MAGIE pre-registration price is $12 per person and ends August 6, 2013. After August 6 the cost to register for MAGIE is $15 per person.
... more. |
Within the next few weeks, the Illinois Department of Agriculture will send an invoice to fertilizer distributors listing the amount to be remitted to the Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council (NREC) based upon your Spring tonnage reports. Please do not remit anything to NREC until you receive the invoice from IDA, and be sure to use the return envelope provided. The NREC assessment rema ... more. |
Within the next few weeks, the Illinois Department of Agriculture will invoice fertilizer distributions for the Nutrient Research & Education Council (NREC) assessment on bulk fertilizer tons sold in the Spring of 2013. The assessment remains at 75 cents per ton. Do not remit any payment to NREC until you receive your invoice, and please use the address and envelope provided by IDA to send ... more. |
IFCA is once again sponsoring two golf outings and a trap shoot this year. If you have not registered for the golf outings or trap shoot,please contact the IFCA office. The dates and location for the golf outings and trap shoot are:
Thursday, July 25, 2013--Seneca's Oak Ridge Golf Club--LaSalle, IL
Thursday, August 2, 2013--Scovill Golf Course--Decatur, IL
Thursday, S ... more. |
All dues paying members of the IFCA should receive the new 2013/2014 IFCA membership directory in the coming days. Thanks to all the advertisers who help make this Directory possible! If you have any questions about the Directory, please contact our office.
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Please click here to view the latest legislation being tracked by IFCA that impacts the industry.
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Longtime IFCA member, Paul Davis, passed away Friday, June 7, 2013. A forty year carreer in the industry, Paul worked for Ciba Geigy and Wyffel Hybrids retiring in 2005. Funeral Mass was held at 10:00 a.m. today at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church. Memorial contributions may be directed to American Cancer Society-Hope Lodge, 411 Second Street NW, Rochester, MN55901.
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When an ag retail employee transports ammonia nurse tanks of various sizes, what type of license is required? Lately there appears to be some feeling among our members that a Class A CDL is required due to the weight of the nurse tanks and thus the weight of the total combination being transported. IFCA has asked and received clear guidance on this from both the Illinois Secretary of State CDL Divisi ... more. |
Yesterday afternoon the Illinois Senate passed HB 2273 on a 52-0 vote. Earlier in the session, the Illinois House passed the same bill on a 109-0 vote. HB 2273 clarifies the original Weights & Measures Act which has been interpreted at different IFCA member locations throughout the state. IFCA expects this bill will better clarify the act which has been a top priority for IFCA in Spri ... more. |
Yesterday afternoon the Illinois Senate passed HB 2273 on a 52-0 vote. Earlier in the session, the Illinois House passed the same bill on a 109-0 vote. HB 2273 clarifies the original Weights & Measures Act which has been interpreted at different IFCA member locations throughout the state. IFCA expects this bill will better clarify the act which has been a top priority for IFCA in ... more. |
Yesterday, The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) and the Ag Retailers Association (ARA) sent a memo to their members and to state associations like IFCA announcing the availability of a new Compliance Assessment Tool that ag retailers can utilize free of charge to help them determine if they are meeting all the federal requirements for the storage and handling of agrichemicals. The government and the public are a ... more. |
On Friday, April 26 at 8:30 a.m., the Illinois Council on Best Management Practices will host a one hour webinar for agricultural retailers providing the latest results on the N-WATCH Soil Nitrate Testing Program. CBMP launched the N-WATCH program in October 2012 following the drought, to inventory residual nitrogen. Many ag retailers participated in the inaugural webinar back in October and pulled s ... more. |
The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) invites soybean growers across Illinois to take part in the 2013 Yield Challenge. The ISA Yield Challenge provides growers a platform to test innovative crop management strategies and technologies that could help boost yields. Results from the past three years have consistently generated valuable data and provided growers with the opportunities to share informat ... more. |
Those of us who have seen the video clips of the tragic West, Texas ag retail facility explosion were all shocked at the magnitude and force of the explosion. IFCA members may be questioned by local media sources for a story of the event. Click here for helpful talking points developed by IFCA in case you are asked to conduct an interview with the media. Click here for The Fertilizer Institute ... more. |
Just a quick reminder, Tier II reports and Pesticide Production reports are due March 1, 2013. Don't forget to attach a current MSDS for products reported on your Tier II. IEMA is under a court order following a lawsuit torequire currentMSDS when submitting a Tier IIreport.
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Click http://ifca.com/media/NH3%20Training%20Press%20Release.pdf
to see a joint press release from the IL Dept of Ag and IFCA regarding a new on-line anhydrous ammonia training program for farmers.
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All bulk fertilizer sold in Illinois for agricultural use is subject to a 75 cent per ton assessment for the Nutrient Research & Education Council. This industry-funded program is designed to ensure that we have the research, data and outreach to increase crop productivity and improve nutrient efficiency. NREC funds are held outside of state government and cannot be swept and used for other purpo ... more. |
The Illinois General Assembly has been busy introducing thousands of pieces of legislation as well as dealing with concealed carry for firearms and long overdue pension reform. IFCA has identified several bills of key interest to our industry that we are actively engaged in on your behalf. This includes legislation seeking to require the labeing of all foods sold in Illinois that contain genetically ... more. |
Dear Valued Member,
We invite you to review and consider the following special offer available exclusively through our affiliation with the Asmark Institute.
There are many good sources of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for pesticides, however the unusual or hard-to-get items such oxygen, acetylene, fuels, fertilizers, welding rods, micronutrients, paints, grain treatments, spray additives and cleani ... more. |
Although MAGIE (August 22-23, 2012) may be the highlight for IFCA Summer events, we are organizing other events for IFCA members to participate. IFCA golf outings are scheduled for July 26 at Seneca's Oak Ridge Golf Course and August 2 at Decatur's Scovill Golf Course. If you are not a golfer then grab your shotgun and participate in the first annual IFCA trap shoot. The first trap shoo ... more. |
IFCA has scheduled a trap shoot at Downers Grove Sportmens Club in Morris, IL on Thursday, September 13, 2012. As of now, participation is low which may require the event to be cancelled. The second trap shoot is scheduled for Thursday, September 20, 2012 at Brittany Shooting Park in Bunker Hill, IL. If you are interested in signing up for the trap shoots, please contact the IFCA office at 309. ... more. |
The IFCA Annual Convention and Tradeshow is January 21-23, 2013. Registration forms will be sent out the first week of December.
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Click on the PDF to view the proposed Illinois state and corporate income tax increases compared to the tax burden in our neighboring states.
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Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently posted the final results of the 2009 crash data showing fatalities in truck involved crashes fell to the lowest level in history. 2008 truck crash data previously showed the lowest level at 1.37 crashes per 100 million miles. The data for 2009 indicates a 14% drop to 1.17 crashes per 100 million miles. From 2007 to 2009, injury crashe ... more. |
Reminder: Do you have your NTIP addendums completed and on file for every nurse tank in the NTIP program? You must do this before February 2011. Instructions for completing this requirement are posted at ifca.com or call us for help.
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Click here to learn about the Holiday Shores, IL lawsuit againt the manufacturers of atrazine and implications to agriculture.
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In 2007 IFCA took over as administrators for the American Agronomic Stewardship Alliance (AASA).AASA is a not-for-profit organization that has taken the lead in developing a stewardship inspection program for agricultural retail facilities that store bulk, mini-bulk, and packaged crop protection products.
AASA has developed a single checklist and inspection schedule that replac ... more. |
IFCA is trying to determine if we need to host mini-bulk container recycling locations this year. With the new Pesticide Container & Containment Regulations coming into effect August 11, 2011 some older mini bulk containers may now be obsolete based on the new requirements. Please contact Kevin at the IFCA office if you have a significant amount of mini-bulk containers for recycling and if you wo ... more. |
This year The Asmark Institute launched the Professional Applicator Training (PAT) course which is receiving excellent feedback from those who have attended. This course is taught by Dr. Robert Wolf. Five classes have been offered in Illinois so far with four more scheduled later this summer. This is the first training course of its kind offered specificallyfor ag retail facilities. ... more. |
Please click on the link for the Illinois Department of Agriculture pesticide jug recycling dates.
http://www.agr.state.il.us/Environment/recycle.html
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As of now, IFCA has not scheduled a collection site for recycling mini-bulk containers.If there is enough member interest there is still time to schedule collection sites,but we need feedback from our members to determine the demand. If you have 25 or more minibulks to recycle, please contact IFCA at 309.827.2774. Based on input from you, we can best determine where to locate collection sites for min ... more. |
IFCA is working closely with the Illinois Department of Agriculture, Illinois Farm Bureau, and Illinois Corn Growers Association to develop an online anhydrous ammonia safety trainig program for farmers. The training program being developed is based off of actual anhydrous ammonia accidents that have occurred in Illinois over the last two years. Although the training program is strictly voluntary to attend, ... more. |
A high number of anhydrous ammonia releases during application and transportationin conjunction with several users hospitalized for anhydrous ammonia injuries this year has prompted IEPA and IDA toask IFCAto developa new online NH3 training program for farmers. The training program, whichis voluntary,will also include a new 15 minute training video and should take only a ... more. |
Thanks to all of our members who exhibited and attended the IFCA Convention last week, it was a great success and so good to see everyone. We are sad to share with you however that one of our members and exhibitor, Alan Schmidt of Specialty Fertilizer Products, passed away suddenly on the evening of January 22nd while attending the IFCA show in Peoria. We send our thoughts and prayers to Alan's w ... more. |
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has put together a new "Questions and Answers" document related to the new changes in the Hours of Service exemption for agriculture and also new provisions for other agricultural movements by farm vehicles. The document is posted on the IFCA website under "New Hours of Service Language" Did you realize that medical marijuana is not an agricultu ... more. |
The IFCA Board of Directors and IFCA staff is pleased to announce that they have hired Kevin Johnson to join the IFCA staff as the new Director of Government and Industry Relations. This is a new position within IFCA and reports to Jean Payne, IFCA President. Please click here to view the press release http://ifca.com/media/files/kevin_johnson_press_release.pdf
As IFCA takes on n ... more. |
Please pass these instructions on to the person at your company who is responsible for remitting the fertilizer tonnage reports and paying the fertilizer fees to the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
DO NOT pay the 75 cent per ton assessment for the Nutrient Research & Education Council until you receive a specific invoice for NREC from the IDA. Once you have submitted your tonnage rep ... more. |
"Our Industry is Your Business" is the theme of the 2013 IFCA Convention, scheduled for January 21-23, 2013 at the Peoria Civic Center. The convention starts with 6.5 hours of CCA training on Monday, Jan 21. We have some great keynote speakers on Tuesday, Jan 22 and the trade show begins at 11:30 am. The exhibit space is sold out, and this year's show promises to be another great event for ... more. |
The IL Department of Agriculture is currently in the process of requesting from fertilizer registrants the tonnage sold to the end user for the fall of 2012. Once you report these tons, IDA will issue your company a control number, and an invoice for 75 cents per ton that is payable directly to the Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council, PO Box 3201, Bloomington IL 61702-3201. The i ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture has notified fertilizer registrants that they must send in their tonnage reports for fall 2012 fertilizer sales. On each ton of fertilizer sold to the end user, the Fertilizer Act requires a 25 cent inspection fee, which goes to IDA to fund the fertilizer inspection, quality, and safety programs for all forms of fertilizer. Another new change in the Illinois Fer ... more. |
Please watch your mail for the Board of Directors nomination form. This year we have two retiring board members: Bill Romshek from Heritage FS in Gilman and Terry Habrock from Terayne Ag Specialties in Venedy. Both Bill and Terry have served 8 years and we thank them for their valuable leadership! In addition, Jim McNelly from Christian County FS in Taylorville is running for a 2nd term a ... more. |
Remember when hauling anhydrous ammonia nurse tanks or other implements of husbandry after sunset, the towing vehicles or implements of husbandrymust be equiped with an amber rotating or flashing light. The lights can also be operated during daylight hours but they are required between sunset and sunrise.
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This week, Illinois Congressman Aaron Schock was joined by over 60 members of Congress who expressed concerns to the US Army Corps of Engineers about the Mississippi River. The Corps plans to halt releases of water from the Upper Missouri River on or around November 22, which will seriously jeopardize water levels and make normal barge transportation almost impossible between St. Louis, MO and Cairo, ... more. |
We were very saddened today to learn that Kathy Hartke, wife of Chuck Hartke, passed away unexpectedly on Nov 1 following complications from kneee replacement surgery. Chuck was a long-time state legislator and also served as the Director of Agriculture from 2003-2008. Chuck and Kathy were married for 49 years and lived their lives on the family farm in Teutopolis. They have two children, Chris ... more. |
John Kennedy, a past IFCA Board Chairman and stellar retiree from Precision Tank & Equipment, passed away on October 29. John was 78. What can you say about this man other than he was a class act, always ready to help in any manner, dedicated to our industry and had a deep love and commitment to his family, his country and his community. Before joining the ag industry, John served 20 years ... more. |
John Kennedy, a past IFCA Board Chairman and stellar retiree from Precision Tank & Equipment, passed away on October 29. John was 78. For all who knew him, John was a class act with a great sense of humor and a deep love for the agricultural industry and for his country. Before joining the ag industry John served for 20 years in the US Air Force, retiring as a Master Sergeant. He is s ... more. |
The Illinois Council on Best Management Practices has produced a 5 minute video that explains the importance of the new Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council (NREC) program and how 75 cents on each ton of fertilizer will be used to help us meet the challenge of improving yields and protecting our environment.
The video is available athttp://www.illinoisnrec.org We encourag ... more. |
Many ag retailers are considering how to best account for the new 75 cent assessment for the Nutrient Research & Education Council (NREC). The changes to the Illinois Fertilizer Act created NREC and the law requires that 75 cents on each ton of fertilizer sold to the end user be accounted for and remitted to NREC when you report your fertilizer tons on your semi-annual tonnage reports. This is in ... more. |
It's mid October, and thoughts are turning to fall nitrogen. IFCA urges everyone to pay close attention to soil temperatures and to use the temperature, not the calendar, as your guide with regard to the right timing for fall nitrogen applications.
The Illinois Agronomy Handbook recommends waiting until soil temperatures fall to the 50 degree level to ensure that stabilized, fall a ... more. |
The "Keep it for the Crop" program and the University of Illinois have launched a nitrate soil testing network, and we need the help of ag retailers and certified crop advisors for it to be successful. Given the concerns over nitrate levels in the soil due to the drought, the ag industry is challenged to address nitrogen management and make concerted efforts to reduce the likelihood of nutrient losses.&nbs ... more. |
It's that time of year again. Temperatures are dropping, harvest is wrapping up and thoughts are turning to fall fertilization. The scrutiny on our industry with regard to fall applied ammonia is intense. On the IFCA website we have posted a link to daily soil temperatures and a poster that outlines fall nitrogen guidelines. We ask our members to please work with your farmer customers ... more. |
Effective Monday, October 1, 2012, new federal law takes effect that restores the agricultural hours of service exemption for the transportation of all farm supplies and commodities from all distribution points, within a specified air mile radius. The important elements of the changes are:
1. You may now transport any farm supply (i.e. dry and liquid fertilizer, anhydrous a ... more. |
Andrew Bauer, 90, of Cissna Park passed away on Saturday, September 22, 2012 at Heartland Health Care in Paxton. Andy was a member of Christian Bible Church in Cissna Park, lifetime member of Cissna Park American Legion and Hoopeston VFW. Andrew served as an officer of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association and was a longtime member of the association.Hewas owner/operator ... more. |
Thursday, September 20, 2012, IFCA will be hosting a member trap shoot at Brittany Shooting Park near Bunker Hill, IL. Please contact Kevin or Leslie if you would like to register for this first time IFCA event.
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Mark your calendars for the annual IFCA Convention and Tradeshow. The dates of the 2013 convention and tradeshow are Monday, January 21-Wednesday, January 23, 2013.
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Dear Valued Member,
We invite you to review and consider the following special offer available through our affiliation with the
Asmark Institute. As an active member of our organization, you're eligible to receive this special offer.
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Nutrient Reserach & Education Council Brochure
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Nutrient Research & Education Council Brochure http://ifca.com/media/NREC%20Brochure%20Sept%202012.pdf
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For the past two years, the Illinois ag industry has engaged in a legislative effort to ensure the future of nutrient research and education programs in Illinois. The budget challenges of our state government have resulted in the transfer of monies dedicated for fertilizer research from tonnage fees paid, and we know the challenges our universities also face in keeping faculty and research programs vibrant ... more. |
There have been reports from around the state of roads being posted below 80,000 lbs this summer, sometimes for no apparent reason. The ag and transportation industries are trying to verify where these locations are and discussing a strategy to bring common sense into the picture. If you are aware of any areas in your territory where roads are being posted outside the normal spring thaw timeframes, p ... more. |
The deadline for signing up for the September 11 & 12thMark Stivers Memorial Motorcycle Ride is fast approaching. Reservations need to be turned in to the IFCA office by August 24th. To make hotel reservations for the night of September 11th please call the DeSoto House Hotel; 230 S Main Street, Galena, IL - 815.777.0090 at a rate of $110.00. This block of rooms will be held until Aug ... more. |
Shortly the IFCA staff will be at the McLean County Fairgrounds (formerly Interstate Center) in Bloomington, IL preparing for the Midwest Ag Industries Exposition. Registration brochures have been sent to all IFCA members, but online registration will be available until close of business August 15, 2012 at a cost of $15. Registration can also be done at the door. MAGIE Show dates areWednesday, Au ... more. |
Dear Valued Member,
We invite you to review and consider the following special offer available through our affiliation with the
Asmark Institute. As an active member of our organization, you're eligible to receive this special offer.
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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced on May 31, 2011 a request for comments on regulatory guidance pertaining to the applicability of FMCSA regulations for operators of certain farm vehicles and off-road agricultural equipment (implements of husbandry). Today, FMCSA announced the comment period has been extended from June 30, 2011 to August 1, 2011.Thanks to all the ... more. |
Effective Wednesday, October 1, 2008, no person may offer a motor carrier any hazardous material specified in FMCSA 385.403 unless that motor carrier holds a safety permit issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The HAZMAT safety permit requirement took effect back in January 2005. Anyone hauling a hazardous material such as anhydrous ammonia or hazardous materials listed in FMCSA ... more. |
IFCA is working closely with the Illinois Department of Agriculture, Illinois Farm Bureau, and Illinois Corn Growers Association to develop an online anhydrous ammnoia safety trainig program for farmers. The training program being developed is based off of actual anhydrous ammnoia accidents that have occurred in Illinois over the last two years. Although the training program is strictly voluntary to ... more. |
Plan on a trip to Bloomington, IL on Aug 22-23 to attend MAGIE at the McLean County Fairgrounds. Interest in the show this year has been phenomenal and we have numerous new exhibitors attending for the first time, thus we have expanded the ride and drive area to allow for even better showcasing of equipment that you can test drive. We doubt that the grass will be green, but the enthusiasm and comarad ... more. |
We were deeply saddened to learn that Don Clayton Harrison Fornoff, 20 years old, died last week from drowning. He was the son of Grant Fornoff and grandson of Dave Fornoff, both long-standing IFCA members with Fornoff Fertilizer in Kilbourne, IL. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Fornoff family and the employees of Fornoff Fertilizer who all loved Clayton. We grieve for the loss of a young ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture begins its annual pesticide container recycling program on Tuesday, July 31 with the first collection site at Pittsfield, IL. This program is designed for containers of 30 gallons or less, with the main emphasis on 2.5 gallon jugs. Click here http://www.ifca.com to go directly to the IFCA home page and pull up the "Illinois Department of Agriculture Recycling Sc ... more. |
Our industry has some great news to celebrate; maybe it will take our mind off the drought for a few minutes. After significant efforts over the past three years, the US Congress passed a highway transportation bill that includes language clarifying the agricultural Hours of Service exception for the delivery of farm supplies and commodities.
FMCSA just confirmed with The Fertilizer Ins ... more. |
Dear Valued Member,
We invite you to review and consider the following special offer available through our affiliation with the
Asmark Institute. As an active member of our organization, you're eligible to receive this special offer.
|
Dear Valued Member,
We invite you to review and consider the following special offer available through our affiliation with the Asmark Institute. As an active member of our organization, you're eligible to receive this special offer.
|
Although MAGIE (August 22-23, 2012) may be the highlight for IFCA Summer events, we are organizing other events for IFCA members to participate. IFCA golf outings are scheduled for July 26 at Seneca's Oak Ridge Golf Course and August 2 at Decatur's Scovill Golf Course. If you are not a golfer then grab your shotgun and participate in the first annual IFCA trap shoot. The first trap shoot will be held ... more. |
The agriculture industry received fantastic news today. The US House and Senate came to an agreement on the highway transportation bill, called "Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21)."
Included in the bill is language that asserts the Hours of Service exception for the delivery of farm supplies and agricultural commodities. This exception has been in jeopardy for the l ... more. |
Although MAGIE (August 22-23, 2012) may be the highlight for IFCA Summer events, we are organizing other events for IFCA members to participate. IFCA golf outings are scheduled for July 26 at Seneca's Oak Ridge Golf Course and August 2 at Decatur's Scovill Golf Course. If you are not a golfer then grab your shotgun and participate in the first annual IFCA trap shoot. The first trap shoot will be held ... more. |
Please contact US Senators Richard Durbin and Mark Kirk by June 22 and let their staff know it is vital to support Senate Amendment 2367 in the Farm Bill. This amendment to the Farm Bill eliminates the NPDES permit requirement for pesticide applications. Water quality protection is already included in pesticide labels eliminating the need for NPDES permits. Contact Senators Durbin and Kirk and ... more. |
Yesterday, May 24, Syngenta reached an agreement to settle the lawsuits filed by community water systems regarding the use of atrazine. In a show of support for farmers, ag retailers, distributors and agriculture in general, the settlement releases all entities from liability related to the presence of atrazine in any water supply. Syngenta also acknowledges no liability, based on the fact that the p ... more. |
Yesterday the Illinois Senate passed HB 5539, which makes substantial changes to the Illinois Fertilizer Act. Having already passed the House, the bill is now headed to Governor Quinn. This legislation is an initiative of the IFCA, and has the support of every major agricultural organization as well as numerous environmental organizations. The IL Dept of Agriculture lended key support as did th ... more. |
Tim Storm, 61 passed away Sunday, May 13, 2012 at his home in Milford, IL. Tim owned and operated Agri-Tech Services, Inc. from 1978 until 2011. Tim was a long-time member and an avid supporter of IFCA. Funeral services will be at 11:00 am on Thursday, May 17, 2012 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Schwer, IL. Burial services will follow in St. John's Lutheran Cemetary in Schwer, I ... more. |
Click on this link to see the main points of SB 2010.
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Although the issue with the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) has not gone away yet, the industry is one step closer to eliminating the Clean Water Act requirement of applying for an NPDES permit if applying pesticides over or near a body of water of the state. Yesterday, the US Senate Ag Committee passed H.R. 872 which eliminates the NPDES permit for pesticide applications. ... more. |
Yesterday (May 2) an industry committee met with the IL Dept of Ag management team and Weights & Measures officials to discuss issues surrounding IDA's recent letter requesting Certificates of Conformance (COC) for large scales. Ag retail, grain, asphalt and aggregate producers participated in the discussion. From IFCA, Jean Payne, John Allen from Brandt Consolidated and Dick Stiltz from Linc ... more. |
USEPA recently issued several color flow-charts to help repackaging establishments determine the compliance requirements for refilling pesticide containers. There are 3 flow charts, one that explains "service containers" one that explains filling tanks larger than 119 gallons and one for filling smaller containers. We have posted these flow charts on the IFCA homepage under "USEPA New Minibulk Regula ... more. |
Earlier this week we informed you that the Illinois Department of Ag Bureau of Weights and Measures had sent out letters to facilities with large scales requesting proof of a Certificate of Conformance (COC) to show your scale system conforms to the National Type Evaluation Program (NTEP) guidelines.
After we met with IDA this week, they informed IFCA that they are re-evaluating this issue a ... more. |
There is still time and open seating available at some of the new Asmark Institute Professional Applicator Training (PAT) courses. Registration is still open for Lexington on March 6, Canton on March 9, Ottawa on July 31, Shipman on August 2 and Bloomington on August 3.
If you would like to register employees to attend this innovative class taught by Dr. Bob Wolf, please click on the following ... more. |
Now that IEPA has provided more clarification on what pesticide application activities would require a NPDES permit, we have updated our fact sheet on this subject. This regulation now applies to pesticide applications made to "waters of the US" instead of "waters of the State" which narrows the scope of the rule significantly. In the document, "water of the US" is defined. To view the fact sheet, cl ... more. |
The IDA Bureau of Weights & Measures is convening an industry advisory committee to discuss issues relative to large scales and metering devices. The Department asked IFCA to submit names to represent our industry on the committee, and we have done so. IFCA members representing scale service providers and ag retail will meet with IDA on May 2 to work toward resolving compliance issues. Memb ... more. |
Companies that submitted a Tier 2 report to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) back in March were contacted by IEMA in July to submit electronic copies of MSDS for each product reported for 2010. IEMA has been challenged in court by an environmental group and are under a court order to make MSDS available to the public in case a member of the public sumits a request to see a company's ... more. |
Online registration is now available for the 2012 Asmark Institute Professional Applicator Training (PAT). Registration for Toluca, Arenzville and Kirkland is closed but seating is still available for Cooksville on March 6, Canton on March 9, Ottawa on July 31, Shipman on August 2 and Bloomington on August 3. Classes can hold up to 30 people and the cost is $220 per person with lunch providedon ... more. |
Click here for a new piece from theUniversity of Illinois Dept of Crop Sciences regarding best management practices and considerations for fall applied fertilizers to improve efficiency and protect the environment.
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Please click on the attached pdf files to view a copy of the memo to IFCA members, memo to CT inspectors, a copy of the addendum, special permit and USDOT final rule.
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Click on the article to see a March 29, 2011 press release from IDA and IFCA on safety tips for applying ammonia.
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The IFCA office will be closed Friday, April 6, 2012 in observance of Good Friday. If you have an emergency please contact Kevin Runkle at 309.826.1318. Happy Easter!!
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Last week the Illinois Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Weights and Measures sent letters to all companies with large scales. IDA is asking all companies with large scales to submit a National Type Evaluation Program (NTEP) Certificate of Conformance (COC) in order to be in compliance with the Illinois Weights and Measures Act. The weights & measures statute and regulations have always stated ... more. |
The US Senate recently passed the Surface Transportation Bill, which includes language clarifying the Hours of Service exception for agricultural supplies. The language re-asserts that the HOS exception applies to deliveries of farm supplies within a 100 mile radius of the wholesale or retail distribution point. Several years ago, FMCSA had issued an interpretation that HOS does not apply to transpor ... more. |
Last week we moved the IFCA office to a new location. Please update your records with our new street address, which is: Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association, 14171 Carole Drive, Bloomington IL 61705. We will be phasing out our PO Box so please start sending all mail and packages to the Carole Drive address. Our phones, fax, and email remain the same. Thanks for your ... more. |
The IFCA Office is moving to an new location approximately 2 miles west of the McLean County Fairgrounds. Our phone, fax and email contacts will NOT change.
Effective Monday, March 12, our new physicalnew address will be 14171 Carole Drive, Bloomington IL61705. We will also keep our PO Box 1326, Bloomington IL 61702-1326address through the transition.Pleas ... more. |
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Please go to www.ifca.com to see the guidance documents we have posted to help you determine if you need a NPDES permit to apply pesticides. For normal row-crop applications a NPDES permit is not required. However, any applications made to or near waters of the US, for mosquito control or wide-spread aerial spraying over forested areas will require a permit. Anyone, whether they are a licensed ... more. |
The new USEPA portable refillable container regulations went into effect last August 2011. We have been getting calls at the office from dealers and farmers asking how this rule applies to farmers who own their own pesticide minibulks. The short answer is that farmers who own their own minibulks have to comply with all the tank specifications the same as dealers including one way valve, tamper eviden ... more. |
S. A. Ebelhar and F. G. Fernandez
Canola was grown in southern IL in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but varieties used back then were not appropriately adapted to the area. As a consequence crop failures were too common for wide-spread adoption. With better adapted varieties available, there is a need to evaluate canola management practices under southern IL climates. Well defined fertilizer rec ... more. |
S. A. Ebelhar, B. G. Young and R. F. Krausz
No-tillage corn production in southern Illinois continues to be challenging with weed control problems and higher nitrogen (N) losses than conventional tillage systems. If weeds are not controlled on a timely basis, they could compete with corn for nutrients and water. Much of the work with weed control timing has dealt with single N rates of application ... more. |
S. A. Ebelhar, F. G. Fernandez, and K. D. Greer
Recent research by Ebelhar, et al. (2009) showed significant losses of N from fall applied DAP to wheat, with implications toward significant losses when DAP is fall applied to crop land prior to corn planting in the spring. These findings were substantiated by Fernández, et al. (2010) who found only about one-third of fall applied N in DAP ca ... more. |
The current nitrogen use efficiency numbers for corn in Illinois ranges from 0.8 to 1.2 lb N/bu based on yield goal, previous crop, manure credits and other incidentals. Recent studies have enhanced the process of identifying optimum N needs based on N prices and value of corn (Nafziger et al, 2005). As N prices continue to escalate, further fine tuning of the nitrogen rate equation will be needed.
Changes in ... more. |
Just a quick reminder, Tier II reports and Pesticide Production reports are due March 1, 2012. Don't forget to attach a current MSDS for products reported on your Tier II. IEMA is under a court order following a lawsuit torequire currentMSDS when submitting a Tier IIreport.
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Two years ago, IFCA, the Illinois Agricultural Aviation Association (IAAA) and the IL Dept of Ag partnered to ensure that the Driftwatch.org website was implemented in Illinois. This is an effort to build communication and awareness between crop applicators and specialty growers who may have crops sensitive to some products used in grain production. Since then, many specialty growers, vineyards, orga ... more. |
If you will be applying pesticides to water this spring, you will most likely need a NPDES permit from IEPA. Certain other application activities may also trigger a NPDES permit such as mosquito spraying. Illinois EPA administers this program. They have provided a powerpoint presentation that walks you through the process to help you determine if you will need a permit, and IFCA has also develo ... more. |
The IDA Weights & Measures regulations require large scales to have a Certificate of Conformance (COC) showing that the device meets the NTEP standards. On the IFCA website we have posted several guidance documents from IDA to help you determine if your scales are in conformance. This is a worthwhile endeavor, because determining the status of your scale will also help you determine what replacem ... more. |
The IL Dept of Ag Weights & Measures regulations require all measuring and metering devices used for the sale of a product to a consumer be in conformance with the National Type Evaluation Program (NTEP). This has been a requirement of the regulations since the late 1980's. In our industry, there are some older flow/paddle/vane type meters used to measure liquid fertilizer or pesticides, and ... more. |
The Keep it for the Crop Program (KIC) has been incredibly well received by ag retailers and growers alike. As Dan Schaefer, Director of Nutrient Stewardship, meets with dealers and growers in the priority watersheds, it is readily apparent that finding ways to reduce nutrient losses equates to increased yields, which is a win/win for agriculture and the environment. In addition to supporting KIC, IF ... more. |
S. A. Ebelhar, E. D. Nafziger, J. Niekamp, R. Higgins and C. A. Bradley
Over the past 30 years, corn yields in Illinois have increased by 65% from an average of 102.7 bu/acre to 169.8 bu/acre. At the same time soybean yields have only risen 37% (from 34.5 to 47.3 bu/acre) and wheat yields have only risen 35% (from 45.1 to 60.6 bu/acre). There are reports of 160 bu soybeans/acre and 151 bu soft red ... more. |
F.G. Fernández, S. Ebelhar, K. Greer, and H. Brown
Corn (Zea mays L.) is the most important crop in Illinois and is grown under many different soil and environmental conditions. Sulfur (S) has long been recognized as one of the essential elements for plant development. This nutrient has been classified as secondary, even though it is required in amounts similar to those of phosphorus by the ... more. |
Emerson D. Nafziger and Robert A. Clark
With the expected commercialization of “nitrogen-use-efficient” hybrids within the next few years, the hybrid x N rate question is going to take on more importance. Nitrogen nutrition of NUE hybrids will presumably need to be managed differently than it is with “normal” hybrids, whether that be using the same rates of N with the expec ... more. |
Last month, IEPA presented information about the new NPDES pesticide permit requirement at the IFCA convention. This is a new federal regulation that went into effect in November 2011. IFCA has published a fact sheet that explains the types of applications that require a permit, how to file for a permit and the recordkeeping requirements. We are still working with IEPA to clarify the situation ... more. |
Funeral services for Mike Walden of Fertilizer Dealer Supply, who died suddenly on February 4th, will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 802 E. Douglas, St. Joseph, with the Rev. Seth Jersild officating. Burial will be in Bill Huss Chapel Cemetery St. Joseph.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. Freese Funeral Home 302 E. ... more. |
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is requesting comments before June 30, 2011 on how to define implements of husbandry. IFCA is submitting comments on behalf of our members urging FMCSA incorporate a definition for implements of husbandry and allowing them to be utilized within a 150 air mile radius of the field of application or ag retail facility. Please take time to view the atta ... more. |
Federal Motor Carrier Administration (FMCSA) is requesting comments before June 30, 2011 on how to define implements of husbandry. IFCA is submitting comments on behalf of our members urging FMCSA incorporate a definition for implements of husbandry and allowing them to be utilized within a 150 air mile radius of the field of application or ag retail facility. Please take time to submit comments to F ... more. |
The 2011 IFCA mini-bulk recycling program is scheduled for the week of September 26 at two collection sites. Effingham Equity in Montrose, IL will host one collectionsite in which tanks will be transported directly from Montrose to Tri-Rinse, Inc. in St. Louis. The second collection site, yet to be determined, will have a chipper on site to grind the tanks. Forcompaniespartici ... more. |
TRANSCAER (Transportation Community Awareness Emergency Response) is a voluntary national outreach effort that focuses on assisting communities to prepare for and to respond to a possible hazardous material transportation incident. On Friday, October 21 and Saturday, October 22 from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm Aventine Renewable Energy, Inc. in Pekin, IL will host an Anhydrous Ammonia Training Tour/Ethanol Safety Sem ... more. |
Companies that submitted a Tier 2 report to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) back in March were contacted by IEMA in July to submit electronic copies of MSDS for each product reported for 2010. IEMA has been challenged in court by an environmental group and are under a court order to make MSDS available to the public in case anyone submits a request to see a company's Tier 2 report. ... more. |
Click here for a synopsis of the recent court ruling that could require all pesticide applicators to obtain a permit to apply agrichemicals, as well as IFCA's comments to USEPA on this matter.
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Unless USEPA grants an extension, by April 9, 2011 anyone who applies a pesticide to water or has a license to treat for mosquitoes must get a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit from Illinois EPA. This is a new federal law that came about as a result of a lawsuit filed by environmentalists a few years ago. It essentially puts pesticide use under the umbrella of the Cle ... more. |
IFCA is partnering with The Asmark Institute to schedule Pesticide Applicator Training (PAT) courses throughout Illinois the week of August 6, 2012. This new course is an innovative approach and includes classroom and hand-on training with many interactive tools. It is taught by an expert in the field, Dr. Bob Wolf of Kansas State University. The course costs only $220 per person and participan ... more. |
Two new IFCA members have been elected to serve on the IFCA Board Of Directors. Carl Kessler, Sales Manager for Syngenta was elected to represent the seed industry in his role on the IFCA Board. Carl residesin Auburn, IL. Also elected to the IFCA Board of Directors is John Musser of Stephenson Service Company. John is the Senior Sales Leader forStephenson Service facility in S ... more. |
Precision Tank & Equipment Company and Brand Consolidated, Inc. have announced the winners of the Nationwide ticket drawing at the IFCA Convention & Trade Show in Peoria. Ticket winners will attend the Nationwide race in Indianapolis, IN on July 28, 2012 and get to meet the Brandt Consolidated #31 driver Justin Allgaier. Each of the following winners will receive two tickets. Congratula ... more. |
Dear Valued Member,
We invite you to review and consider the following special offer available exclusively through our affiliation with the Asmark Institute.
EPA requires a label accompany every pesticide to the end user. For retailers providing custom application, this can be very difficult, especially when pulling from minibulk and bulk tanks. The 2012 Applicator Manual is ... more. |
IFCA would like to thank all the members and exhibitors for attending the 2012 Annual Convention and Trade Show.The show was very well attended and we had a lot of positive feedback from our membership regarding the show. If you have any suggestions tomake nextyear's show even better pleasesend us an email or give us a call at the office.
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F.G. Fernández, D. Schaefer, and K. Greer
Row-crop agriculture in the Mississippi River Watershed is under intense pressure to reduce
nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) loads that can eventually exacerbate the hypoxia zone in the
Gulf of Mexico. To reduce nutrient and sediments losses, more precise application and
placement of nutrients, (especially N and P) along with less tillage, are ... more. |
The 2011 survey of Illinois farmers concerning farmer reactions to restrictions on fall application of nitrogen was conducted in the summer of 2011. The survey was mailed to 1,162 farm operators in Dekalb, LaSalle and McLean counties. These were farm operators with more than 100 acres who were listed as Federal farm program participants. The farm operator address database was based on 2009 information and was pr ... more. |
The Crop Physiology Laboratory at UIUC has conducted experiments over the last 20 years to identify the principle factors that result in increased corn yields.The seven factors that were found to have the greatest impact on corn grain yields are weather, nitrogen, hybrid, previous crop, plant population, tillage, and growth regulators.Based on this information, an omission plot experimental desig ... more. |
Emerson D. Nafziger
There has been recent interest in producing ethanol from crop residues to reduce U.S. reliance on imported fossil fuels. In the Midwest, corn residue remaining after grain harvest is one of the most abundant sources of crop residue. If corn residue removal for ethanol production will occur, we believe that it will preferentially occur in fields where corn is grown continuously ... more. |
The Annual IFCA Convention and Trade Show is January 17 – 19th and Friday, Jan 6th is the deadline for the pre-registration price of $65. Go to www.ifca.com and click on convention to register on-line and see the schedule of events. Avoid the lines in Peoria by registering early and save $15 on your registration fee. Hope to see you there.
... more. |
The Asmark Institute today announced plans to construct a new training complex in Bloomington, IL to host its Ammonia Technician Course and a series of new courses designed for grain facilities. Bloomington, IL is centrally-located within the United States and offers several advantages, especially to the agricultural industry. The 26,000 square foot complex is expected to host a wide variety of meeti ... more. |
At the IFCA Convention January 17-19, 2012 at the Peoria Civic Center, we will offer 3 NM, 2 SWM and 1 PD on Jan 17 during the FREC/CCA Session, 2.5 PD on Jan 18 and 2 IPM, .5 CM and 1 PD on Jan 19th. Please to to www.ifca.com and Click on "Convention" then "Program" to see the schedule of events. The programs we are offering cover agronomy topics, regulatory compliance issues that are critical to yo ... more. |
IFCA was saddened to learn that a pioneer of the Illinois ag retail industry, Jack Herrin, passed away suddenly on December 16. Jack started Herrin Ltd. Fertilizer in 1954, with plants in Buffalo, Berry and Mt. Pulaski, IL; he had also been a stockholder in Brandt Consolidated in its early days. Jack also served the industry on national associations including the National Fertilizer Solutions organiz ... more. |
The IFCA office will be closed from Friday, December 23 through Monday, December 26 in observance of Christmas and Friday, December 31 in observance of New Year's Day. If you have an emergency, please feel free to contact Kevin Runkle at 309.826.1318.
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If you register for the IFCA convention prior to January 6 you save $15. The cost to attend this 3 day event with plenty of education sessions, a great trade show and all the social networking opportunities is only $65 for IFCA members. It's a great bargain! You can register on-line by going to www.ifca.com and click on "Convention." The complete program is also posted on our website. ... more. |
Click to view and print the IFCA Board of Directors Nomination Form. Nominations are due back to IFCA by November 29, 2011.
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Dear Valued Member,
We invite you to review and consider the following special offer available exclusively through our affiliation with the Asmark Institute.
There are many good sources of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for pesticides, however the unusual or hard-to-get items such oxygen, acetylene, fuels, fertilizers, welding rods, micronutrients, paints, grain treatments, spray addit ... more. |
In the coming days you will receive the registration form for the IFCA Convention, which is January 17-19, 2012 at the Peoria Civic Center. We have a great program planned with plenty of CEU hours and insightful sessions on business related issues. To view the program, go to www.ifca.com, click on Convention, then on Program. Watch for your registration form in the mail and sign up early to get ... more. |
This year the IFCA Board must fill two vacancies: Rodney Phelps from Monsanto is retiring as the Seed Industry representative, and Dennis Ross from CPS is retiring from the Retail Representative in District #1 (NW Illinois). You can nominate someone for these positions by simply sending an email to leslief@ifca.com or by going to the IFCA website to view, print and fax in a nomination form. Boa ... more. |
The IFCA leadership would like to thank everyone for the successful stewardship efforts this year on fall applied nitrogen. It was evident from the number of shipments that the majority of fall ammonia was applied in November, giving the soil time to cool off. In recent years, it was common for the industry to begin application in mid October so a big THANK YOU to everyone who set a great stewardship ... more. |
USEPA and Illinois EPA issued their General NPDES Permit for pesticide point source discharges on October 31, 2011 at which time the permit has become effective. A NPDES permit is required by operators who discharge biological or chemical pesticides, that leave a residue, to waters of the state or waters edge. An operator is defined as an entity with control over finances or the decision to perform p ... more. |
Two IFCA Board Members are retiring on January 18, 2012 after serving two terms on the board. Rodney Phelps, the Seed Industry Representative, and Dennis Ross, the Retail Representative for District #1 in NW Illinois have provided outstanding leadership and we thank them for their volunteer service to the IFCA. Three other board members are also running for re-election in their respective seats. ... more. |
With Jim Larkin taking the reigns as interim Director of the IL Dept of Agriculture, Jerry Kirbach is now overseeing Jim's former role in the Bureau of Ag Products Inspection, overseeing the anhydrous ammonia, fertilizer, seed and feed regulatory programs. Our industry continues to be very fortunate to have good people in these positions at IDA who understand the day to day operations of our members an ... more. |
Now that the federal requirement for a NPDES permit for pesticides is in effect, Illinois EPA has made the permit available. The question is, what pesticide application activities would require you to obtain a permit? IFCA has prepared a guide to help answer this question. Any pesticide application made to water with a pesticide labeled for aquatic use will require a permit, and any mosquito tr ... more. |
EPA is seeking comments on a petition from the group "Save the Frogs" asking the agency to ban the use and production of atrazine. EPA posted the petition for public comment consistent with its goal to be open and transparent in scientific and regulatory processes. Having said that, none of the information in the Save the Fogs petition justifies a change in EPA's 2010 conclusion, nor does it prov ... more. |
The US House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly this summer to eliminate the USEPA regulation that will require applicators to get a NPDES permit in order to apply pesticides on or near water. Since then, the US Senate leadership has refused to allow the bill a simple up or down vote, despite the fact that the majority of US Senators oppose the NPDES pesticide permit requirement. Without Congres ... more. |
The "Keep it for the Crop" (KIC) nutrient stewardship program recommends that fall applied anhydrous ammonia be stabilized to reduce nitrification and protect against nitrate leaching losses. The 24th edition of the IL Agronomy Handbook also recommends waiting until the daily maximum soil temperature reaches 50 degrees. You can view the daily maximum temperatures at www.ifca.com, click on "Illinois S ... more. |
Ag retailers who participated in the IFCA minibulk recycling program this fall helped us safely recycle almost 700 old minibulk tanks. Thank you to everyone who participated in this program, which ensures the plastic is used only in an approved manner once the tanks are destroyed. Special thanks to Evergreen FS and Effingham Equity who hosted collection sites. IFCA appreciates the partnership w ... more. |
We've been getting calls from members asking which CDL category they should declare beginning January 30, 2012 and prior to January 2014. For the majority of our members who are engaged in the supply and delivery of farm supplies, equipment or commodities, the answer is fairly simple. If you are involved in crossing states lines to conduct commerce as an agricultural supplier, then you should dec ... more. |
Basics in Applied Agronomy is an internet course offered by the U of I on Monday evenings from November 7th through January 30 and provides a comprehensive background in soil and water, nutrient, pest and crop management. It is an excellent program taught by Dr. Howard Brown, offers 27.5 CEUs, and can help you prepare for the CCA exam. To register, go to http://oce.illinois.edu/Catalog
... more. |
We were pleased to learn this week that Jim Larkin, the Bureau Chief for Ag Products Inspection, was named the interim Director of the IL Dept of Agriculture following Tom Jenning's retirement on October 18th. IFCA has worked closely with Jim for many years on fertilizer, anhydrous ammonia and seed issues. We wish Jim the best and offer him our full support.
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Click on these links to view the letter to IFCA members, survey and four year Illinois nitrogen averages as it pertains to the study IFCA is partnering with Illinois State University to provide the economic consequences of eliminating fall anhydrous ammonia application.
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TRANSCAER (Transportation Community Awareness Emergency Response) is a voluntary national outreach effort that focuses on assisting communities to prepare for and to respond to a possible hazardous material transportation incident. On Friday, October 21 and Saturday, October 22 from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm Aventine Renewable Energy, Inc.in Pekin, IL will host an Anhydrous Ammonia Training Tour/Ethanol Saf ... more. |
Tom Jennings, Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture, will retire on October 18 after more than 30 years with IDA. We recognize a committed, hard worker when we see one and Tom has been all of that and more. His leadership at IDA has strengthened the agribusiness industry and his personality and dedication made working with him a true pleasure. Thank you Director Jennings for your i ... more. |
Click here for the Pesticide Testing & Training Schedule for Illinois web.extension.illinois.edu/psep/
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We know that the new CDL certification requirement is confusing. This new process requires everyone with a CDL to visit an Illinois Secretary of State CDL office sometime between January 12, 2012 and January 31, 2014 to declare the type of CDL driver that you are (one of 4 categories). Please visit www.ifca.com and you will see a memo from the SOS posted on our website that explains the categories in ... more. |
This fall, IFCA willhelp hostfour locations so our members can properly recycle mini-bulk containers. Registration forms and recycling guidelines have been mailed out to IFCA members but if you need another copy please contact the IFCA office. If your company has 300-400 mini-bulk containers then a chipper can be brought directly to your facility so the containers can be chipped, bagged a ... more. |
Click here for guidance from theUniversity of Illinos regarding fertilizer recommendations for the 2010 crop and best management practices for fall applied nitrogen.
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IFCA retail members should have received a 11 x 17 "Keep it for the Crop" poster with recommended management practices for fall fertilizer season. Please post this in your office and share the message with your customers.
KIC is Illinois agriculture's program. We intend to provide sensible guidelines for nutrient application as well as measure the adoption of the 4Rs of fertilizer use ... more. |
Mark your calender for January 17-19, 2012 for the IFCA annual convention in Peoria, Illinois.
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KIC by 2025. You have, and will be hearing a lot about this program. In fact next week, we will be sending a KIC poster to our ag retail members asking for your cooperation to post this document in your office; it contains key best management practices for fall fertilizer application. The University of Illinois has also provided a new fall fertilizer guidance document, which is posted on the IF ... more. |
Despite legislation a few years ago that made 80,000 lbs the default weight limit formula for Illinois roads, state and local jurisdictions still retain the ability to permanently or temporarily post roads below this limit. And of course this is occurring during the harvest season. There is a provision in the Illinois Vehicle Code (5/15-111) that provides a 5 mile access from any Class I, II or III d ... more. |
University of Illinois Fall 2011 Nitrogen Recommendations
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Click on the link to view the Illinois Department of Ag schedule for pesticide jug recycling.
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Taking implements of husbandry, such as NH3 nurse tanks,across state lines has been a controversial topic over the last few years. DOT has just recently clarified that implements of husbandry are not commercial motor vehicles (CMV) and therefore not subject to the CMV regulations. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) authority covers persons who operate a commercial mot ... more. |
James M. Lovdahl, age 70, of Monmouth, Illinois; passed away at OSF St. Mary Medical Center in Galesburg, on September 3rd at 12:40 pm. Jim was born on July 25, 1941 in the rural Monmouth area. In 1972 he and his brother Cecil Lovdahl, purchased the Monmouth Grain and Dryer. Upon retiring in 2007, he pursued his love of woodworking by building his dream workshop and cabin for his grandchildren. ... more. |
"Keep it for the Crop by 2025" (KIC by 2025 for short) is a program you will be hearing a lot about and its success will help ensure a climate that allows ag retailers and growers to control their future when it comes to nutrient management. Faced with growing pressure from USEPA and environmental groups to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus levels in Illinois lakes and streams, IEPA held several nutrient stak ... more. |
View the Press Release on Illinois Agriculture's "KIC by 2025" nutrient stewardship program and the map of the six priority watersheds.
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Announcement of Illinois agriculture's enhanced nutrient stewardship program.
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Thanks to all who attended MAGIE 2011 last week. The show was another big success with near record attendance onWednesday and Thursday. The 30th Anniversary ribbon cutting ceremony went off without a hitch and the increased attendance showsMAGIE is truly a premiere outdoor equipment show tailored for ag retailers.
From the IFCA staff to all who helped, THANK YOU. ... more. |
AGCO Application Equipment is giving away a brand new Harley-Davidson motorcycle to the 2011 AGCO applicator of the year. This award recognizes the exceptional work and professionalism displayed by custom applicators. It is up to ag retailers to submit the nomination for this award. The entry form can be found at http://search.applylikeapro.com and the deadline is October 15, 2011. The to ... more. |
The Illinois Department of Agriculture Bureau of Ag Product Inspection has notified the IFCA office regarding ag retailers pulling two nurse tanks behind a tool-bar may require two back check valves. Nurse tanks pulled in tandem or side by side and connected to two separate heat exchangers on the tool-bar are required to have two back check valves installed prior to the equalizing line on the toolbar. ... more. |
On Thursday, August 25, 2011 from 9:00 am to 11:30 am CST Nancy Fitz of the US EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs will host a webinar for anyone interested in the new refillable container, labeling and repackaging rules for pesticides that became effective August 16, 2011.You can reserve your webinar seat now at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/612145857 .
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The IFCA office will be closed the afternoon of Monday, August 22 through Thursday August 24 for MAGIE. Although pre-registration is closed for MAGIE you can still register at the door for $15. Comecelebrate the 30th anniversary of MAGIEat a ribbon cutting celebration at 8:00 am on Wednesday, August 24 at the registration building. If you have an emergency you can contact Kevin Runk ... more. |
Next week IFCA staff will be at the McLean County Fairgrounds (formerly Interstate Center) in Bloomington, IL preparing for the Midwest Ag Industries Exposition. Registration brochures have been sent to all IFCA members, but online registration will be available until close of business August 17, 2011 at a cost of $12. After August 17 you will need to pay at the door and the fee is $15. Come he ... more. |
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 is the compliance date by which all pesticide portable refillable containers must meet new USEPA regulations if you refill bulk pesticides into portable refillable containers (mini-bulk). Last month IFCA published a brochure that explains this new regulation and provides guidance on how to comply with the requirements. Any portable refillable container (PRC) filled on or afte ... more. |
This week, FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro and her management team spent two days in central Illinois learning about agricultural equipment, farm operations and talking with members of the ag industry. Illinois Farm Bureau organized the event, and IFCA participated along with our members Brandt Consolidated at Lexington, Evergreen FS at Yuton Elevator and Martin Implement in Roanoke who all hosted the FMCSA ... more. |
There have been a lot of stories, blogs and concern about the recent request for comments from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regarding whether they should be regulating implements of husbandry and considering farmers as "for hire" if they have a 50/50 cost share agreement with a landowner.
The ag organizations, including IFCA, ARA, TFI and the Farm Bureau have been ... more. |
Next Tuesday is August 16 which is the compliance date by which all pesticide portable refillable containers must meet new USEPA regulations if you refill bulk pesticides into portable containers. We hope you have read the IFCA brochure that explains this regulation and provides guidance on how to comply. The most important thing you can do is to get a handle on which containers you will use for your ... more. |
HR 872 is legislation in Congress to eliminate the need for pesticide applicators to get a NPDES permit in order to apply pesticides on or near water. The bill passed the US House with a significant majority, but is experiencing roadblocks in the Senate. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Maryland) and Senator Barbara Boxer (D-California) have joined forces to block a vote on HR 872 even though it has already pas ... more. |
Companies that submit a Tier 2 report to IEMA recently received an email from IEMA requesting a copy of the most recent MSDS for products reported in the annual Tier 2 report. After discussing this request with representatives from IEMA, IFCA learned they are under a court order to make MSDS sheets available to the public if anyone requests to see a company's Tier 2 report. You can electronically s ... more. |
The Midwest AG Industries Exposition is celebrating its 30th year this summer. By now you should have received the registration brochure. Come help us celebrate on August 24th or 25th and see all the latest and greatest in ag products and equipment. On the 24th stay for the complimentary Tailgate Party in the food tent at 3:45 pm for prizes, refreshments and all you can eat chicken wings. Also find out ... more. |
Get your foursomes together and come to one, two, or all three of the golf outings we are offering this year. Your participation makes it possible for IFCA to award five $1,000 scholarships to students studying agriculture who may become future members of our industry. Please contact Leslie at the IFCA office to turn in your foursome. If you don't have four people, no problem, we'll help fill in the ... more. |
IFCA members who handle bulk pesticides should have received a brochure from IFCA that explains in detail how to comply with the new pesticide minibulk rules. These rules take effect August 16, 2011. We have been getting questions about how to retest minibulks for continued service. We have prepared a one page instruction sheet for pressure testing minibulks; this process is required every 2.5 ... more. |
The Midwest AG Industries Exposition is celebrating its 30th year this summer. Come help us celebrate on August 24th or 25th and see all the latest and greatest in ag products and equipment. On the 24th stay for the complimentary Tailgate Party in the food tent at 3:45 pm for prizes, refreshments and all you can eat chicken wings. Also find out which exhibitor will be this years CropLife Iron&# ... more. |
Get your foursomes together and come to one, two, or all three of the golf outings we are offering this year. Your participation makes it possible for IFCA to award five $1,000 scholarships to students studying agriculture who may become future members of our industry. Please contact Leslie at the IFCA office to turn in your foursome. If you don't have one we can help. The outing date ... more. |
This year, IFCA will be hosting three golf outings. Thursday, July 28 at the WIU Golf Course in Macomb, IL is the first outing followed by Oak Ridge Golf Course in Seneca, IL on Thursday, August 4 and Scovill Golf Course in Decatur, IL on Thursday August 11. You should have received the registration brochure by now but if you have not, please contact Leslie Forrest at the IFCA office.
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On the IFCA home page at www.ifca.com you can click to see the schedule for the Illinois Dept of Ag pesticide jug recycling dates and locations. IFCA will also offer a special minibulk recycling opportunity later this summer. We'll be sending out the minibulk registration forms later this month.
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Please support the IFCA scholarship fund by signing up for a fun day of golf with your peers. The dates for the outings are below. You should have received a registration brochure in the mail, or contact Leslie for assistance in getting registered.
July 28 at Harry Mussatto Course at Western IL University
Aug 4 at Seneca's Oak Ridge Course in LaSalle
Aug 11 at Scovill ... more. |
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance is preparing for a 72 hour safety blitz June 7-9. USDOT, State and Local law enforcement officers will be targeting commercial motor vehicles. Then intend to stop 14 vehicles every minute throughout the US. The primary violations reported by the CVSA is for brakes and logbook violations.
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The Illinois Vehicle Code has a special section pertaining to self-propelled implements designed for the application of plant food and agricultural chemicals. If you drive down the highway loaded with fertilizer or agrichemicals, you must license the vehicle. If you always transport it empty and tender it at the field, it does not need to be licensed. Remember that if you do choose to put on a ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) issued a press release May 31 announcing that between 1980 and 2010, US corn farmers nearly doubled their production using slightly fewer nutrients than were used in 1980. This data is based on USDA statistics that were recently released on fertilizer application rates. A copy of the full press release with exact figures on corn yields and pounds of nutrients used per b ... more. |
The Illinois legislature has adjourned, leaving Governor Quinn with a decision on a major expansion of gaming as the solution to our state's deepening fiscal crisis. SB 2010 amending the IL Fertilizer Act to secure and enhance nutrient research programs passed the Senate unanimously but the House leadership would not let the bill advance as they focused on the new legislative district maps and the budg ... more. |
The National Agronomic Environmental Health & Safety School has posted the agenda for their August 23-24 meeting, which will be held at the Doubletree Hotel in Bloomington IL. Go to www.naehss.org to view the agenda and to register for the school. There are top-level speakers from the USDOT and FMCSA discussing nurse tank inspections and motor vehicle enforcement, and a speaker from USEPA explain ... more. |
As former Governor Rod Blagojevich takes the stand at his criminal trial in Chicago, the Illinois legislature is working to finish business before the scheduled May 31 adjournment date. With 3 days to go and an $8 billion dollar budget deficit, a state budget has not yet been proposed (on paper anyway) and new legislative district maps are the main focus of attention. It was reported earlier this wee ... more. |
Mark your calendar! MAGIE will be held August 24-25, 2011 at the McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington, Illinois.
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The Illinois General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn May 31. From now until then they will release new legislative district maps, propose a state budget and deal with hundreds of pieces of legislation that are still moving through the process. One of those bills is SB 2010, which is legislation that IFCA initiated to privatize the Fertilizer Research & Education program to protect it from consta ... more. |
This year IFCA is hosting three golf outing, including a new event in Western Illinois. Registration forms will go out next week so watch your mail. The dates and locations are:
July 28 at Harry Mussatto Golf Course in Macomb
August 4 at LaSalle Oak Ridge Golf Club
August 11 at Scoville Golf Course in Decatur
Lunch will be served at 11 am with shotgun start at No ... more. |
On June 1-2, IFCA will participate in a Nutrient Stewardship Summit in Chicago which is being organized by The Fertilizer Institute, Ag Retailers Association, Canadian Fertilizer Institute, International Plant Nutrition Institute and the Certified Crop Advisors. Jean Payne will be presenting the proactive efforts that IFCA is engaged in with regard to Illinois agriculture's commitment to "Keep it on th ... more. |
It's going to get very hectic for everyone when planting begins in earnest. If you experience any compliance issues with any state or federal agency during the hectic season, please don't hesitate to contact IFCA for assistance. Be careful on the roads and good luck with all the duties that will be demanded of the retail sector during this busy season.
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This year Governor Quinn and members of the legislature have stated that worker's compensation reform is a priority to help reform the business climate in Illinois. According to the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, nearly everyone recognizes that substantial changes need to be made to current Illinois law on this subject, but the legislature has yet to act on any meaningful legislation. Senator Kyle ... more. |
This year IFCA initiated SB 2010, which is legislation amending the Illinois Fertilizer Act. SB 2010 will move the Fertilizer Research & Education Council out of the IL Dept of Ag and into a public-private partnership with the IDA. This will ensure that IDA continues to provide oversight on the collection of the tonnage fees and the required tonnage reports, but that the funds collected are held ... more. |
This afternoon, March 31, the US House of Representatives voted 292-130 to approve HR 872, which would eliminate the NPDES permit for pesticide applicators. Thank you to the many IFCA members who contacted your Congressman to ask for a YES vote. It makes a difference!
Attached is the roll call of the vote. We had great bi-partisan support from our Illinois Congressman, including ... more. |
This afternoon, March 31, 2011, HR 872 which restores FIFRA as the over-riding legislation that governs pesticide regulation, passed the US House of Representatives by a strong vote of 292-130.
We owe a huge thank you to the many Illinois Congressman who supported our industry on this issue including the honorable Tim Johnson, Jerry Costello, Aaron Schock, John Shimkus, Bobby Schilling, Don Manzullo, ... more. |
This afternoon, March 31, 2011, the US House of Representative voted 292 - 134 in favor of HR 872 which would eliminate the NPDES permit for pesticide applications. Thank you for all the calls that IFCA members made to your US representatives to ask for a YES vote.
We had great support from our Illinois Congressional delegation on this issue, and we'll post the voting summary as soon as it ... more. |
The Sixth Circuit Court has granted USEPA's requested six month stay for compliance with the NPDES permits. The deadline for complying with this regulation has been changed from April 11, 2011 to October 31, 2011. In the meantime, legislation has been introduced in Congress which will exempt agriculture from having to comply with this burdensome requirement.
This week, probably on ... more. |
The Sixth Circuit Court has granted USEPA's requested six month stay for compliance with the NPDES permits. The deadline for complying with this regulation has been changed from April 11, 2011 to October 31, 2011. In the meantime, legislation has been introduced in Congress which will exempt agriculture from having to comply with this burdensome requirement.
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All IFCA ag retail and distributor members should have received a UPS envelope with the IFCA compliance posters containing USEPA registration numbers, USDOT shipping descriptions and WPS compliance requirements. We do have some extras at the office so if you would like an additional set, just give us a call.
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IFCA will be offering our members an opportunity to recycle old pesticide minibulks this fall. In early June, watch for a letter explaining the tank registration process and the cleaning instructions. This year we will offer you several opportunities to recycle your old tanks, by either taking them to a designated collection site or we'll offer assistance in helping you transport them directly to ... more. |
The democratic leadership and the Governor appear to have come to an agreement on a plan to raise taxes in Illinois, although this morning it appears deliberation on the details is still going on betweenGovernor Quinn, Senate President Cullerton and House Speaker Madigan.
It appears the tax increases may be as follows:
Personal Income Taxes ... more. |
You should have received your 2011-2012 IFCA Directory. Thank you to all of our advertisers who make this listing of our members possible. If you did not receive a directory, please contact Leslie. Also, the Asmark/IFCA compliance posters with USEPA registration numbers, USDOT descriptions and Worker Protection Standard Requirements should arrive shortly, so watch for them.
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There are over 93 co-sponsors to HR 872, a bill in Washington D.C. that will eliminate the pending requirement for a NPDES permit if you apply pesticides to water or treat for mosquitoes. Illinois Congressman Tim Johnson, Aaron Schock, Jerry Costello, John Shimkus and Bobby Schilling are all sponsors of the bill, and it has passed out of committee. There is still an April 9, 2011 compliance date for ... more. |
Senate Bill 2010 amending the Illinois Fertilizer Act passed the Senate Ag Committee unanimously last week and has bi-partisan co-sponsors and support. This bill seeks to create the Nutrient Research and Education Council and set up a private partnership with IDA to collect a tonnage assessment to significantly enhance our nutrient research and education activities. SB 2010 is an initiative of the IF ... more. |
The Illinois House Revenue Committee defeated two amendments to SB 4 that would have put a sunset date of December 12, 2012 on nearly all sales tax exemptions and credits, including the exemption for ag chemicals, feed, seed, fertilizer and farm machinery and equipment. As of now there is no legislation in play to remove these exemptions but we are carefully watching the developments at the state capitol.& ... more. |
Have you seen the movie Groundhog Day? Once again we have to fight at our state capitol to retain the sales tax exception for ag inputs and farm machinery. There was an amendment placed on Senate Bill 4 that puts a sunset date of December 2012 on all existing state tax credit and exemptions, including the ag input and equipment sales tax exception along with most state income tax exemptions, credits ... more. |
Click below for information on the economic impact of the Waxman/Markey Climate Change Legislation (HR 2454)
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Please call US Senators Roland Burris and Richard Durbin before 9 a.m. tomorrow (July 28) and ask them to vote no on HR 2868. This bill seeks to expand the Department of Homeland Security regulations to require facilities to adopt Inherently Safer Technology (IST) protocols.
This expansion of the DHS regulations will have a negative impact on products sold in our industry including some pesticides and ... more. |
Very soon, possibly on March 8th, the Illinois Senate Agriculture Committee will debate Amendment #1 to SB 2010, a bill amending the Illinois Fertilizer Act. IFCA initiated this legislation with the support of the grower organizations including Illinois Farm Bureau and Illinois Corn Growers Association, and working closely with the Illinois Department of Agriculture on the language.
Since S ... more. |
Very soon, possibly on March 8th, the Illinois Senate Agriculture Committee will debate Amendment #1 to SB 2010, a bill amending the Illinois Fertilizer Act. IFCA initiated this legislation with the support of the grower organizations including Illinois Farm Bureau and Illinois Corn Growers Association, and working closely with the Illinois Department of Agriculture on the language.
Since S ... more. |
Unless USEPA grants an extension, by April 9, 2011 anyone who applies a pesticide to water or has a license to treat for mosquitos must get a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit from Illinois EPA. This is a new federal law that came about as a result of a lawsuit filed by environmentalists a few years ago.
In December, Illinois EPA informed the Illinois ag industry th ... more. |
Funeral services for Mike Walden of Fertilizer Dealer Supply, who died suddenly on February 4th, will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 802 E. Douglas, St. Joseph, with the Rev. Seth Jersild officating. Burial will be in Bill Huss Chapel Cemetery St. Joseph.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. Freese Funeral Home 302 E. Grand ... more. |
We are deeply saddened to learn that Mike Walden of Fertilizer Dealer Supply died on Friday, Feb 4 after contracting a sudden illness. Mike was only 41 years old and leaves behind his wife and two young children.
We will remember Mike for his energy, good humor and dedication to his profession. He was an asset to his customers, to his employer FDS and to the entire ag industry. He f ... more. |
On January 20th at the IFCA Convention, the IL Department of Agriculture announced the launching of Driftwatch.org, a website that seeks to enhance communication between specialty growers and pesticide applicators as a tool to help about drift conflicts between modern grain production and operations such as vineyards, nurseries, certified organic farms, vegetable production and apiaries. IDA and IFCA prepa ... more. |
Clic on the PDF to view the presentation at the 2011 IFCA Convention and Trade Show regarding upcoming minibulk regulations.
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IFCA would like to thank all the members and exhibitors for attending the 2011 Annual Convention and Trade Show. We had great attendance and positive feedback from members regarding this week’s show. We will be posting some of the presentations to the website for anyone interested in reviewing some of the presentations from the show.
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James (Rob) Lancaster, 55 of Miner, IL, was fatally injured in a utility vehicle accident on Sunday, January 16, 2011 near Minier, IL. Rob was an employee of Peine, Inc. since 1976. Mr. Lancaster was a floater operator and manager of Peine, Inc.’s equipment fleet for 29 years prior to his passing. He was very well known by those in the agricultural community and volunteered much of his personal ... more. |
James (Rob) Lancaster, 55 of Miner, IL, was fatally injured in a utility vehicle accident on Sunday, January 16, 2011 near Minier, IL. Rob was an employee of Peine, Inc. since 1976. Mr. Lancaster was a floater operator and manager of Peine, Inc.’s equipment fleet for 29 years prior to his passing. He was very well known by those in the agricultural community and volunteered much of his personal ... more. |
The IFCA Convention is a great place to learn about new regulations impacting our industry, including the August 2011 minibulk compliance requirements, the regulations pertaining to the permitting and inspection of large fertilizer storage tanks, the implementation of the new Driftwatch.org website and an update on where Illinois EPA is at on the new NPDES permit requirements for pesticide applicators. All ... more. |
Please click on the PDF to access the proposed comparable tax rate increases.
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IFCA and Illinois ag groups are coordinating our efforts to work with Illinois EPA to ensure that the NPDES pesticide permit requirements do not impact agricultural production practices in Illinois. Currently, Illinois EPA is proposing that pesticide operators who apply pesticidesonor near water are subject to the permit requirements.IEPA's current stance is that even dry di ... more. |
Friday, Jan 7th is the deadline for pre-registration for the IFCA convention. You can go to www.ifca.com to register on-line. Avoid the lines in Peoria by registering early and you also save $15 on the registration fee. To see the schedule of events for the show, go to ifca.com click on convention, then "program."
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The new regulations for pesticide minibulks takes effect in August 2011. But you can come to the IFCA convention on January 20th to learn first-hand from the IL Dept of Ag what this program will require of retailers who refill minibulks or offer minibulks to farmers. Start getting prepared for these new requirements by attending this session. At this workshop on the 20th we'll also have a p ... more. |
We are still waiting for USDOT to finalize the rule that will roll the special permit program for ammonia tanks missing their data plates into the permanent DOT regulations. Many IFCA members are due for the 5 year re-test on the tanks missing their data plates. We encourage you to re-test the tanks and complete the same paperwork as in the past until the final DOT rule is in place. The final r ... more. |
The pre-registration deadline for the 2011 IFCA Convention & Trade Show is Friday, January 7, 2011. The pre-registration fee is $65 for IFCA members, but after January 7, 2011 the registration fee will be $80 for IFCA members. Online registration for the convention will be available until January 15, 2011.
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The Illinois EPA is in the process of finalizing a state NPDES permit for pesticide applications as required by a federal lawsuit last year. The ag industry groups, including IFCA, are meeting with Illinois EPA to express serious concerns over the language in the Illinois permit. While the federal lawsuit requires pesticide applications made directly to water to obtain a NPDES permit, the draft permi ... more. |
The annual IFCA Winter Convention and Trade Show kicks off on Tuesday, January 18, 2011 and the deadline for pre-registration is Friday, January 7, 2011. Online registration is available by going to http://www.ifca.com and clicking on "Convention" then "Registration". There will be 100 exhibitors offering various types of products and services for your business. There are also CEU credits offered throughout ... more. |
Reminder: Do you have your NTIP addendums completed and on file for every nurse tank in the NTIP program? You must do this before February 2011. Instructions for completing this requirement are posted at ifca.com or call us for help.
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IFCA is saddened to learn of the passing of Ollie B. Myers. Ollie, 83, was a pioneer of the Illinois fertilizer industry.
Ollie was a WW II veteran and a graduate of the University of Illinois. He began his career in agriculture in 1951 as a vo-ag instructor at Lexington High School. In 1955 the Glenn Kemp family gave Ollie an opportunity in the fertilizer business, and he founded Myers In ... more. |
It is with deep regret we inform you of the unexpected passing of Jason “JR” Ray, General Manager of Mid-State Tank Co., Inc.
Jason passed away 6:40 PM, October 10, 2010 at Springfield Memorial Hospital in Springfield, Illinois due to unknown health complications.
Jason was respected around the community and very active with the Arthur School District and the Vine Street Christian Church in Arthur ... more. |
We want to thank the many IFCA members who continue to hold back on applying nitrogen until the soil temperatures reach and will most likely stay at 50 degrees or below. The newly updated agronomy handbook no longer recommends applying ammonia above 50 degrees even when a stabilizer is used. The old saying of "stabilize at 60 or wait until 50" no longer applies, and while we understand that it takes a w ... more. |
We appreciate hearing from our members regarding Fall N best management practices. Many of you shared with us that you and your customers were not aware that there were major changes made with regard to the timing of fall N applications, mainly waiting until the soil reaches 50 degrees.
We have posted an excerpt from the new Illinois agronomy handbook at the IFCA home page at www.ifca.com. In ... more. |
If you are transporting ammonia from the terminals to the retail sites, please print off the federal Hours of Service waiver that is posted at www.ifca.com and carry it in your truck. Most state and federal law enforcement officers should be aware of the HOS waiver for ammonia transport within a 100 mile radius of the distribution point, but if you run across one that isn't, having proof on hand might get ... more. |
The Illinois Secretary of State reports to us that the number of drivers holding CDLs in Illinois has remained fairly consistent despite the increased standards for training, testing and a focus on enforcement. In 2004, Illinois had 462,830 CDL drivers. In 2009, the number was 459,841. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released statistics recently that shows that in 2009, fataliti ... more. |
Please mark your calendards for January 18-20, 2011 for the IFCA Convention in Peoria, IL. The Convention Committee and IFCA staff is working on the program and potential exhibitors will receive a packet in the next few weeks. Mark your calendar for thiscan't miss industryevent! |
Despite what you may be hearing, there is absolutely ZERO truth to ag retailers or farmers getting tickets, fines, being jailed, or having stop use orders issued against them for applying fertilizer this fall.
We have tracked down every rumor that has been reported to IFCA to confirm its falsehood, and we also talked with our state regulatory agencies to confirm that there are no enforcement actions takin ... more. |
It is nice to see the soil temperature site colored green today. Thank you to so many IFCA members who worked with your customers to encourage them to wait until the soil temperatures reached 50 degrees before applying nitrogen, in adherence with the recommendations in the IL Agronomy Handbook (click on this link to see therevised chapter on fall N) www.ifca.com/show_file.php
Even with the soil ... more. |
We know that you may be busy next Tuesday,but please take time to vote and encourage your employees to vote as well.So much is at stake! Our volunteer army puts their lives at stakein other countries to secure this right for others, so we must not take it for granted here at home. Too many have sacrificed and died in our country's history for us to not take the time to go to ... more. |
The IFCA Convention is Jan 18-20, 2011 at the Peoria Civic Center. The registration brochures will go out in about a week. We have 10 hours of CCA credits available during the convention and a thought-provoking general session on the nutrient management challenges facing Illinois. If you sell fertilizer, you need to be there because life as we know it regarding fertilizer use is changing rapidly a ... more. |
The recent elections promise some change in Washington. At our state capitol, however, little has changed. With a $14 billion dollar deficit and a pension deficit nearing $90 billion the fiscal situation in Illinois is bleak for sure. At our Ag-SOLVE breakfast on January 19th, Tom Johnson with the IL Taxpayers Federation will tell us what to expect in terms of changes in state taxes and revenue en ... more. |
We'd like to thank all of our exhibitors and those who attended MAGIE last week. The show was a great success with an exceptionally large crowd on Wednesday.Special thanks to the MAGIE committee and IFCA board member volunteers who put in long hours to make the show run so smoothly!
The dates for MAGIE 2011 are August 24-25, 2011. |
It is with a heavy heart that we share with IFCA members and friends the news that Mark Stivers passed away suddenly yesterday afternoon (Aug 30) from an apparent heart attack. Mark was with the Helena Chemical team and wasserving in his eighth year on the IFCA Board of Directors as a member of the Executive Committee and as ourFinance Officer.
We are so shocked and saddened at the unexp ... more. |
The visitation and funeralfor Mark Stivers, IFCA Board Member and employee of Helena Chemical Company will be on Saturday, September 4, 2010 at Calvert Funeral Home in Clinton, IL located at 201 S. Center Street.
The visitation will be from 9:30 am to 11:00 a.m with the funeral at 11:00 a.m. You may check the Calvert website at www.calvertmemorial.com for details regarding the services and mem ... more. |
Attached is flyer for the September 8, 2010 “Rally for Jobs and Energy”. There are currently 31 partnering organizations and a great list of speakers headlined by Mike “Da Coach” Ditka. We are working to build a large crowd for the event and expecting significant media coverage. Please do all you can to encourage your members to attend.Doors will open at 11am wi ... more. |
Due to some unfortunate accidents resulting in some deaths at some grain facilities in Illinois, OSHA is taking a proactive approach and conducting audits at some Illinois grain facilities.OSHA will be looking at proper employee training, PPE, confined space entry plans just to name a few.With fall harvest just beginning in some parts of Illinois, please take the time to make sure you are in compliance ... more. |
IFCA has printed another 15,000 emergency response wallet cardsfor our members to give to employees and customers in the event of a release of anhydrous ammonia. If you need a supply of these,give us a call. USEPA has been very strict this year regarding the 15 minute rule if a reportable quantity release of NH3 occurs. Some IFCA members are facing fines up to $30,000 for not contactin ... more. |
The IFCA office will be closed Friday, September 24, 2010. If you have an emergency or need immediate assistance, please contact Kevin Runkle at 309.826.1318. |
The Federal Motor Carrier SafetyAdministration (FMCSA) has granted an Hours of Service exemption for ammonia distribution for a period of two years. IFCA sent a note to FMCSA informing them that ammonia application may begin by the 2nd week of October in northern Illinois, and that a very timely decision would be most helpful. Theruleis for a 2 year exception for anhydrous ammonia tran ... more. |
The Illinois EPA recently held a Nutrient Summit bringing together state agencies, universities, municipalities, agriculture and environmental activists. USEPA is forcing states to setwater quality standards for nitrogen and phosphorus in streams that will severely challenge agriculture, municipalitiesand other industries. Most of these developments have been driven by lawsuits filed by envi ... more. |
Last week USEPA came to Champaign, IL to put on a seminar on the new container and containment regulations. The IL Dept of Ag was involved in putting on this meeting and IFCA members participated along with state pesticide officialsfrom Illinois and Indiana.
IFCA is working on a brochure that we hope will clarify what the new rules will mean for portable refillable pesticide containers (minibu ... more. |
We know that everyone is busy but want to remind you that if you have ammonia nurse tanks enrolled in the Nurse Tank Inspection Program, you have until February 2011 to file the addendum to the NTIP inspection report that you keep on file for these nurse tanks. Please review the information on the IFCA website regarding the addendum. The addendum is required by USDOT and failure to comply by February 20 ... more. |
IFCA has developed a full size color brochure that takes a hard look at actual accidents that occurred in the spring of 2010 with ammonia transportation and application.
The brochure describes numerous incidents, the county in which they occurred, has color photos,and for each incident makes specific recommendation on how they could have been prevented. We are distributing the brochure at the ... more. |
You belong to IFCA because you want us to watch out for your best interests and defend our industry to secure a prosperous future. That is what this message is all about.
This fall promises a cherished opportunity to get tillage and fertilization done now. But, now more than ever we are under the microscope from activist groups who are pressuring USEPA through lawsuits to develop nutrient stan ... more. |
You belong to IFCA because you want us to watch out for your best interests to secure a prosperous future. That is what this message is all about.
This year more than ever, we are under the microscope from activist groups who are pressuring USEPA through lawsuits to develop nutrient standards in all water bodies. They have been successful in Florida and the Chesapeake Bay, and they are threatening to ... more. |
It is with deep regret we inform you of the unexpected passing of Jason “JR” Ray, General Manager of Mid-State Tank Co., Inc.
Jason passed away 6:40 PM, October 10, 2010 at Springfield Memorial Hospital in Springfield, Illinois due to unknown health complications.
Jason was respected around the community and very active with the Arthur School District and the Vine Street Christian Church in Arthur ... more. |
If a facility stores 1,320 US gallons or more of oil, oil products such as diesel fuel, gasoline, lube oil, hydraulic oil, adjuvant oil, crop oil, vegetable oil or animal fatin aboveground containers, the deadline to implement a Spill Prevention Control & Countermeasure (SPCC) Plan is November 10, 2010. The SPCCregulation requires a covered facility to prepare and implement an SPCCPlan w ... more. |
The 2010 IFCA Motorcycle Ride this year features a scenic trip through Northern Illinois to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to visit the Harley Davidson museum. The dates are September 8-10, 2010, with the riders departing from Peoria, IL at 9:30 a.m. on September 8th and returning on the 10th.
The details of the motorcycle ride are attached in this email, and also posted at the IFCA website at www.ifca.com.&n ... more. |
We've had tremendous response from exhibitors and attendees for the 2010 MAGIE show, with this year's show featuring even more exhibitors than in the past and many new companies attending. This is the last week to pre-register for MAGIE to avoid long lines at the show.On-line registration is closed but you can fax your registration form to us at 309.827.2779 or contactthe IFCA office ... more. |
A new law signed by Governor Quinn enacts several new fees for services provided by the Illinois Department of Agriculture. The only fee impacting ag retailers is a new $100 containment permit fee to be paid once every five years when the permit renews or when a new permit is requested. The IDA has mailed out a fee invoice to facilities that have a containment permit renewing this year. IFCA suppo ... more. |
This week US Senators Blanche Lincoln from Arkansas and Senator Saxby Chambliss from Georgia introduced a bill that clarifies that if pesticides are applied according to the label, that the new NPDES permit requirements do not apply. The legislation, S 3735, states that pesticide applications are not subject to regulation under the Clean Water Act. We thank our national association, Crop Life America, f ... more. |
Don't miss out on MAGIE 2010, which is August 18-19 at the McLean County Fairgrounds (formerly known as the Interstate Center). We have some new exhibitors this year and the returning exhibitors are bringing a lot of equipment and planning some special demonstrations and booth attractions. You may register at the door or contact IFCA to get your badge done ahead of time so that you don't have to ... more. |
If you want to learn more about the new regulations if you store more than 1,320 gallons or oil or fuel(Spill Prevention Control& Countermeasure) the details on the rules for portable refillable pesticide containers (PRCs) and the new driver safety rating system that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is unveiling, you can attend the National Agronomic Health & Safety School held Au ... more. |
PLEASE send in comments to FMCSA on the agricultural exemption from the Hours of Service regulations. We have posted sample comments at www.ifca.com to help you prepare your letter. We must make the case to FMCSA that the exemption should apply for all deliveries from the terminals to the retail sites, including not only ammonia but also liquid and dry fertilizer. Comments are due this Frida ... more. |
If you have not already done so, please take a few minutes today to send in comments to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regarding their proposal to enact a 2 year waiver from theHours of Service regulations for the shipments of anhydrous ammonia between the terminals and the retail sites. The current waiver that the industry has been operating under expired in late June.
It is essenti ... more. |
If you have a large fertilizer storage tank with a capacity of 100,000 gallons or more you should be aware that the new API 653 tank inspection standards are resulting in some tanks be de-rated to a new, lowerfill level. If your large tank is up for a permit renewal, you will have to demonstrate a process or system to ensure that you do not fill the tanks above the new fill level. IFCA staff ... more. |
The Illinois EPA has organized a 2 day nutrient summit on September 13-14 in Springfield. Stakeholders who are invited include agriculture, municipal water treatment systems, environmental groups, academic, scientists, etc. The goal is to have an overall discussion of how we can reduce nutrient losses to rivers and streams, with participation toward these goals fromall segments of society.&n ... more. |
Purdue Extension has prepared an excellent guide called "Plan Today for Tomorrow's Flood." It is a full color booklet featuring photos of how floods have impacted ag retail sites, and providing detailed guidance on how to plan and respond if flood waters threaten. IFCA has secured copies of this booklet for our members, free of charge. If you would like copies for any of your facilities, give ... more. |
IFCA would like to thank our members who handed out the emergency response cards to farmers and helped to train them on the procedures to follow if a reportable release of ammonia occurs. There were several incidents this year in which farmers didmake the phone calls toIEMA, the National Response Center and the LEPC because it occurred when he was in control of the product.In some case ... more. |
The 2010 IFCA golf outings will be held on Thursday, July 29 at Seneca’s Oak Ridge Golf Club in LaSalle and Thursday, August 5 at Scovill Golf Course in Decatur.If you are interested in attending the IFCA golf outing, please contact the IFCA office to register.IFCA member participation and donations make it possible for IFCA to award five $750 scholarships annually to students studying agriculture ... more. |
Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the 2010 MAGIE show. MAGIE is the largest outdoor equipment show in the country that offers the latest in state of the art equipment and technology designed specifically for ag retailers. The 2010 MAGIE show is August 18 and 19 at the Interstate Center in Bloomington, IL. Online registration for MAGIE will be available Friday, July 2. Cost of reg ... more. |
The IFCA office will be closed Friday, July 2, 2010 through Monday, July 5, 2010 in observance of Independence Day. We will be back in the office on Tuesday, July 6, 2010. If you need immediate assistance or have an emergency, please do not hesitate to contact Kevin Runkle at 309.826.1318. |
This week the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a proposed rule pertaining to the ag hours of service exception for the transportation of ag supplies. This past spring our industry had been operating under a 90 day special waiver to use the HOS exception for ammonia transportation between the terminals and the retail sites. The waiver expired in late June, leaving us again in li ... more. |
The IL Dept of Ag has announced the recycling dates and locations for 2.5 gallon pesticide containers. The schedule can be accessed at www.ifca.com or by going to the IDA website at http://www.agr.state.il.us.
We also want everyone to get used to the new term for minibulks. In their new rules governing minibulks, USEPA calls these tanks Portable Refillable Containers or PRCs for short. If ... more. |
We still have space at the IFCA Golf outings. The outing in LaSalle, IL is on July 29 and August 5 in Decatur. Proceeds from the outing go toward the IFCA scholarship fund. Please support students who want to work in our industry with a fun day on the golf course. To register, please contact IFCA at 309.827.2774. |
Exhibitors are excited about the MAGIE show August 18-19 and are really preparing some special events at their booths. You should have received your MAGIE registration brochure in the mail. You can also register on-line by going to www.ifca.com and clicking on MAGIE. Exhibitors and the layoutare listed on the site as well ashotels. We are looking forward to seeing everyone next m ... more. |
For the past year, IFCA has been working with our national organizations, with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and with our US Congressmen to restore the Hours of Service (HOS) exemption for the transportation of ag inputs between terminals or warehouses and retail sites.
Last year, the FMCSA instructed the industry that the exemption from HOS only applies for retail to farm and farm to fa ... more. |
Thanks to all the IFCA members who contacted our US Senators to express opposition to efforts to include mandatory Inherently Safer Technology (IST) provisions in HR 2868. The Senate Homeland Security Committee (of which Senator Burris is a member) amended the bill to only include a provision that authorizes a grant program within the Dept of Homeland Security for companies that want to explore the possibilit ... more. |
IFCA received word from one of our members that the USDOT Office of Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety (PHMSA) conducted an unannounced visit to their ag retail sites to inspect ammonia nurse tanks. IFCA met with PHMSA staff who are based in Des Plaines, IL last year to discuss ammonia inspection programs and outreach efforts. We are working with PHMSA to ensure that inspections recognize the Dept ... more. |
Please register for MAGIE prior to August3 to get the reduced registration rate of $12. After August 5 the price goes to $15 per person. The number of MAGIE exhibitors this year exceeds the previous years and indications are that the exhibitors are planning some terrific displays and events at the show. MAGIE is the premier equipment show for the ag input industry, so you don't want to m ... more. |
Please see the Regulatory Alert posted at www.ifca.com and send in written comments to FMCSA regarding the Hours of Service exemption for agricultural inputs. We are fighting very hard to keep the exemption for all movements of fertilizer from the terminals and warehouses to retail sites. Right now the FMCSA is only proposing to grant a 2 year exemption for anhydrous ammonia. A sample letter is po ... more. |
We have been telling you recently about IFCA working with the IL Sec of State to resolve the issue of titles and license plates for nurse tanks. Some recent clean-up changes in the Vehicle Code eliminated the ability of our industry to obtain titles for nurse tank trailers, and thus eliminated the ease in getting license plates, which are required by law for nurse tank fertilizer trailers.
We are ha ... more. |
If you had a reportable ammonia release this spring and called IEMA, NRC and your LEPC you must also, as soon as possible, send a written follow up report to IEMA and your LEPC. The information that must be contained in the report is listed on the IEMA Emergency Response Notification Fact Sheet posted on the IFCA website. Go to "Regulations" then "Emergency Release Info" and then the headline "Emergency ... more. |
This summer IFCA will be working hard along withmany other ag groups to continue to secure the hours of service exemption for farm supplies being transportedfrom terminals/warehouses to theag retail sites. This year FMCSA granted a special 90 day waiver only for the movement of anhydrous ammonia from the terminals to the retail sites. FMCAS did not exempt movements of other products, s ... more. |
We all know the state's financial situation. Dire is an understatement. The impact on the IDAand the regulatory programs they provide for our industry can not be sustained without securingfunding outside of the state general revenue fund. This year IFCA supported reasonable fee increases for the IDA regulatory programs to ensure that IDA can continue to retain personnel to issue pe ... more. |
This year, IFCA supported moderate fee increases upon our industry to ensure the continued operation of the Bureau of Environmental Programs at the Illinois Dept of Agriculture. HB 4866 has passed both Houses and awaits the Governor's signature. The unfortunate reality of our state budget situation is this: the state was not going to fund at a sustainable level the regulatory programs vital to ... more. |
We were very sorry to learn that Mike Seger of St. Jacob, ILpassed away suddenly last Sunday at the age of 55 from a heart attack. Mike worked many years for Bergmann-Taylor and was recently the marketing manager for Madison Service Co. Our condolences to Mike's family and to his many friends in the ag input industry. |
The U.S. Senate has introduced their version of the Cap & Trade bill. Ford West of The Fertilizer Institute said "The climate change legislation provides government incentives that will encourage a wide range of utilities to switch to natural gas as an alternative for generating energy, as well as incentives for natural gas vehicles. This will undoubtedly increase the demand for and the price of nat ... more. |
The State of Illinois has settled a class action lawsuit filed by business groups alleging that the state had been overcharging employers for worker's comp rates. The lawsuit alleged that the surcharge had been deliberately set to raise an amount in excess of the money needed to pay for the operations of the Worker's Compensation Commission and was used to generate revenue for the state's general ... more. |
IFCA recently learned of a policy within the IDA Bureau of Weights and Measures that requires scales to be NTEP approved or meet NTEP conformance standards if a change of ownership takes place. Years ago when IDA adopted the national standards for scales and measuring devices, they grandfathered in existing facilities to prevent the new rule from being overly burdensome on the industry. However, in orde ... more. |
As if the President's Report on Cancer wasn't bad enough, claiming among other things that fertilizer causes cancer, the latest attack on agriculture was released today claiming that exposure to pesticides is a possible cause of attention deficit hyperactive disorder. All you will hear in the mainstream mediais the attention grabbing headline,but if anyone cares to read the actual report i ... more. |
The spring 2010 fertilizer season was two seasons rolled into one, no question. However, based on the calls we received at IFCA we could tell that there appeared to be more accidents with ammonia than usual. Concerned, we asked the IL Dept of Agriculture's Bureau of Ag Products Inspection management team to sit down with IFCA to review the spring season and discuss the types of accidents that occurr ... more. |
As the busy post-application season approaches, we have received calls regarding the regulations for aerial applicators. Two years ago IFCA developed a brochure in conjunction with IDA that explains the regulations for licensing and containment for aerial application. We have re-posted the brochure to the IFCA home page, so if you are working to bring in any aerial applicators from out-of-state, please ... more. |
Yesterday the USEPA released the draft NPDES permit that will be required for certain pesticide applications. The permit would apply to the following pesticide uses: 1) mosquito or other flying insect control; 2)aquatic weed and algae control; 3) aquatic nuisance animal control; and 4) forest canopy pest control. The permit does not cover terrestrial applications to control pests on agricult ... more. |
The IFCA office observes President's Day and our office will be closed on Monday, February 15th. |
Thanks to the many IFCA members who have penned a letter to USEPA expressing your opposition to their proposed pesticide drift labeling language. We cannot stress enough that this proposal is equally serious to the proposal USEPA made years ago suggesting putting a 10 mph wind restriction on the pesticide label. USEPA is proposing aprecautionary principle standard that you may not apply pesticides ... more. |
Tomorrow, Feb 23 at 2:00 pm in room 413 of the Stratton Building in Springfield, the House of Representatives Environmental Health Committee will hear the testimony of Dr. Tyrone Hayes of theUniversity of California Berkeley. Dr. Hayes lectures frequently against the use of atrazine despite the fact that his research has been discredited by USEPA. The USEPA is on record stating that Dr. Hayes' ... more. |
There is an important effort underway to ensure that the legislative districts of Illinois are assigned in a manner that is fair and impartial. It's called the "Illinois Fair Map Amendment." This effort is attemptingto take the drawing of Illinois' legislative districts away from legislators and put it in the hands of an independent commission that is fair, impartial and the process open t ... more. |
IFCA learned this afternoon that the U.S. Supreme Court has decided that it will not review a recent court ruling from the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Ohio regarding National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits being applied to pesticide applications.
Crop Life America and a host of agricultural industry allies as well as the American Farm Bureau Federation had filed a petition on N ... more. |
Please go to www.ifca.com to see the updated legislative report on bills were are managing on behalf of our members. We have at this point in time resolved the potential for pesticide application pre-notification legislation by working with Senator Dave Koehler (D-Edwards) on a resolution. The resolution (SJR 105)encourages the IL Dept of Ag to implement a web-based program that allows organic gro ... more. |
The deadline to submit comments to USEPA on their proposed spray drift label language is Friday, March 5, 2010.
The USEPA is proposing to insertlanguage on the pesticide labels thatreads "do not apply this product in a manner that could cause an adverse effect to people or any other non-target organism." Currently the USEPA regulations take into account that the use of the product should ... more. |
The Illinois House Environment & Energy Committee will hear HB 5521this afternoon at 4 p.m. that seeks to establish fees based on the number of chemicals that your report on your annual Tier 2 chemical inventory report.
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) is proposing a $50 fee for each facility that files a report plus an additional $20 for every EHS chemical and $10 for every non-EHS chem ... more. |
On Wednesday,Jean Payne provided testimony before the IL House Environment & Energy Committee opposing the Tier 2 chemical inventory fees. For the majority of IFCA members, the annual fee would have exceeded the amount you pay in IFCA dues. The majority of legislators on the committee agreed with IFCA's position and voted down the legislation.Thank you to all our members who ca ... more. |
Yesterday, Illinois Congressmen Aaron Schock, Tim Johnson and John Shimkus joined with several other Midwestern Congressman to send a letter to Dept of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood urging him to support the agricultural hours of service exception and the use of the exception for all distribution segments within a 100 mile radius. Congressman Jerry Costello's office is also weighing in to support th ... more. |
SNAFU. You know what that stands for right? We learned this month that some "clean up" changes made in the Illinois Vehicle Code last year accidentally eliminated several important things for agriculture. One of them is the ability to obtain a title for nurse wagons, which you need in order to get them registered and the license plates which are required by law. The other makes it illegal to ... more. |
A few weeks ago we told you about a problem in the IL Vehicle Code that is making it difficult to obtain a title and thus license plates for fertilizer wagons. IFCA worked with the IL Sec of State officers to ensure you can still get license plates for your fertilizer wagons until we can fix this problem with legislation. If you don't have a title or certificate of origin for the trailer from the ma ... more. |
Now that the spring ammonia classes are over, if you hire an employee to help with spring ammonia season and they didn't attend the training you can have them complete the IFCA and IDA on-line training program which will get them a90 daytemporary training certificate until the employee can attend the fall ammonia classes. The cost for the on-line program is $40.You can access the o ... more. |
IFCA has mailed all of our retail, transporter and distributor members a set of 2010 compliance posters listing the USDOT shipping descriptions, USEPA pesticide registration numbers and Worker Protection Standard requirements for agrichemicals used in production agriculture. Each facility receives one set of posters free, but if you would like to order additional sets you can do so by calling our office. ... more. |
The first anhydrous ammonia school is being offered on January 20th at the IFCA Convention in Peoria. The schedule for other classes throughout the state is posted on the IFCA homepage at www.ifca.com. Watch for a registration flyer later this month and call Kevin Runkle if you have any questions about the requirements for ammonia training. |
The Obama Administration filed a brief this week opposing the agricultural industry's petition asking the US Supreme Court to re-hear the case that will require federal NPDES permits for pesticide applications that occur on or near water. Crop Life America (our national crop protection industry association) and The American Farm Bureau Federation filed the appeal with the Supreme Court and The National As ... more. |
We have sold out the booth space for the IFCA trade show! Plus it looks likeMother Nature is going to give us a little reprieve from the cold weather as we all head to Peoria for the IFCA Winter Convention. We have a great program with 12 CEU credits and timely updates on spray drift issues, NPDES permits, new minibulk container regulations and a regulatory workshopcovering transportation re ... more. |
We were saddened to learn that Gene Thomas, who worked for Twomey Company in Smithshire, IL for more than 50 years, passed away Thursday, Jan 21 at the age of 83. In his long and dedicated career, Genehad served as the Chairman of the IFCA Board, was a Navy veteran and dedicated his life to serving agriculture and the community of Smithshire.
Services are scheduled for 2 pm on Monday, January ... more. |
IFCA Program Manager Leslie Forrest said it best this week when someone asked her at the convention, "What's the attendance like?"She replied "awesome!" She's right;we had approximately 1,400 attendees, up several hundred from last year.
We'd like to thank our members, exhibitors, sponsors, speakers and university representatives who all worked with us to make the 2010 ... more. |
The USEPA is seeking public comment regarding proposed changes in language on pesticide labels to address pesticide drift.In the opinion of our industry, this proposal is more onerous than the attempt the EPA made years ago when they sought to put in a wind restriction of 10 mph for pesticide application. This new proposal will apply a subjective standard for pesticide application that will ... more. |
IFCA would like to congratulate Allen Summers of the Asmark Institute on making it to his 50th birthday. A large birthday celebration is planned for Allen in sunny Las Vegas, Nevadaover the upcoming weekend. Anyone who would like to wish Allen a happy birthday, please call the Asmark Institute at 270.926.4600 ext 201.
Congratulations Allen!
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The Illinois House of Representatives Environmental Health Committee has scheduled a hearing on February 23 to give an audience to a professor from the University of California Berkeley who wishes to share his opinions about atrazine. Dr. Tyrone Hayes has frequently given speechesonhow he believes atrazine causes homosexuality, chemical castration, feminization and various cancers. His work ... more. |
To keep track of the legislation IFCA is working on this year, go to www.ifca.com, click on legislation, then "legislative updates." There are two bills seeking to regulate the use of fertilizer on turf and fee increases for Tier 2 reports. The IL Dept of Ag is also seeking some fee increases to help keep the Bureau of Environmental Programs afloat. There is a proposed fee of $100 for an agrichemi ... more. |
The IFCA Winter Convention & Trade Show is January 19-21, 2010 at the Peoria Civic Center. Registration information will be mailed in early December but please mark your calendars. The meeting starts with a CCA session on Tuesday, Jan 19th; the IFCA annual meeting is at 4:30 pm on the 19th, followed by some great speakers and a great trade show on Jan 20th and 21st. Watch for more information! |
IFCA continues to engage with the Illinois State Senate Ag Subcommittee that was created to address concerns with pesticide drift. At the subcommittee meeting on October 28th, Senator Dave Koehler expressed his desire to draft legislation requiring pre-notification for aerial applications. IFCA, the IL Ag Aviation Association and IL Farm Bureau continue to voice our concerns with this approach and will ... more. |
Would it surprise you toknow that for 20+ years, implements of husbandry that cross a state line must adhere to the safety regulations in the federal motor carrier safety regulations? That means brakes, lights, pintle hooks, etc. That's because whil the states exempt implements of husbandry from most regulations, the federal regulations have no such exemption. These regulations apply for ... more. |
The speakers and topics for agronomy and business courses at the IFCA convention have been approved by the CCA Board. We have 12 hours available;to see the breakdown, go to www.ifca.com, click on "Convention" and then the link to "Topics and Approved CEU Credits for IFCA Convention." You can pre-register for the convention before January 8 to assure the rate of only $65.00. Where can y ... more. |
The Illinois DOT has been busy conducting audits. These are normal compliance reviews for shippers and carriers and the officers are the same guys that you see in the IDOT booth at MAGIE and the IFCA Convention. Usually they will give you a few days notice so that you can get your paperwork together. On our website, there is a document from IDOT that lists the items they will ask you for during a ... more. |
Attached with this email is the detailed schedule for the IFCA convention including a description of the many topics and speakers we have for you this year. Your Convention Committee really has a GREAT line-up to help your business in 2010. Take a minute to check it out, if you cannot open the file it's also posted at www.ifca.com
Credits for Certified Crop Advisors have been assigned,there ... more. |
If you have a son, daughter, niece, nephew etc. who is in college and wants to pursue a career in agriculture, please have them complete the IFCA Scholarship Application and send it to our office. The deadline is Dec 18th but we'll extend it a few extra days. The form is available at www.ifca.com. |
Effective January 1, 2010, Illinois is adopting a uniform speed limit on Interstate Highways of 65 mph. The means that commercial motor vehicles will be able to travel 65 mph instead of 55 mph. BUT: until the state gets all the speed limit signs replaced, the posted speed limit applies so be careful. The Illinois State Police asked us to remind everyone that the posted speed limit is the law ... more. |
The Illinois primary is February 2, 2010. It is abnormally early and thus is getting very little attention. But, this is your opportunity to cast your vote for your state representatives and all the executive state officers including the candidates for Governor. Please put February 2 on your calendar and make sure you play a part in the future of Illinois. The Chicago Tribune website h ... more. |
January 8th is the deadline for pre-registration for the IFCA convention. Just go to www.ifca.com and click on Convention to register on-line. Attached is the full convention schedule filled with great speakers on a wide range of timely topics. We have a full house with the trade show and some great hospitality events planned for the night of January 20th. Escape the cold weather and winter ... more. |
Dr. Fabian Fernandez of the University of Illinois Dept of Crop Sciences has provided a guidance document on nitrogen issues and recommendations for the 2010 crop as well as best management practices for the fall application of fertilizer. Please go to www.ifca.com to download the document and to also see the daily 4 inch soil temperatures.
On a related note, IFCA continues to attend meetings regard ... more. |
The University of Illinois is offering an on-line"Basics in Applied Agronomy" course designed to provide participants with a comprehensive background in soil and water management, nutrient management, pest management and crop management. This course is designed around the four basic agronomic categories defined by the CCA program, so it makes for a great prep course if you plan to take the CCA exam on F ... more. |
IFCA members continue to get hammered with huge fines from Region 5 USEPA for failing to report ammonia releases of100 lbs (18gallons) or more. In most cases the facility is reporting the incident, but not "immediately." If you have any reason at all to believe a reportable release of ammonia has occurred at your facility or while in your possession during transportation or application you m ... more. |
The dates for the IFCA Winter Convention are January 19-21, 2010 at the Peoria Civic Center. The convention starts on a Tuesday with a CCA session and the trade show is the 20th and 21st. Exhibitor packets will be sent out shortly! |
IFCA in conjunction with the Asmark Institute recently developed a fire prevention plan for members free of charge. The plan came about due to a need for IFCA members to work with their local fire departments to communicate and plan in the event of a pesticide fire. To date, nearly ninety companies have used the plan in which they have reported monetary savings with their insurance provider. The f ... more. |
We'd like to thank all the IFCA members who contacted their US representative to oppose HR 2868, the Chemical Site Security legislation, which contains provisions on "inherently safer technology" and poses a serious concern to products like anhydrous ammonia and some pesticides. The bill passed the US House by a vote of 230-193. All the Republicansvoted NO and 21 Democrats (including Congressw ... more. |
IFCA was alerted recently that the USDOT is looking at taking enforcement action against ammonia nurse tanks and other farm wagons that cross state lines (interstate commerce). Because the federal rules do not have a definition or specific exclusion for an implement of husbandry, the requirements for lights, brakes and other safety features apply when these vehicles are engaged in interstate commerce. T ... more. |
Illinois agriculture achieved a victory when Gov Quinn signed legislation allowing 80,000 lbs highway access on most state roads. The Illinois Farm Bureau has prepared an excellent fact sheet on the new law which is posted at www.ifca.com Please note that while access is improved, the fines for being overweight after January 1, 2010 will DOUBLE. |
On September 1, 2009 there will be a rally at the Crown Plaza Hotel located at 3000 South Dirksen Parkway in Springfield, Illinois beginnig at 11:30 a.m. The rally will begin at 11:45 and lunch will be provided.
Numerous groups are involved in this effort including the IFCA, Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Manufacturers Association, Illinois Coal Association, Retail Merchants, Midwest Truckers, Natio ... more. |
On September 1, 2009 there will be a Cap & Trade Bill rally at the Crown Plaza Hotel located at 3000 South Dirksen Parkway in Springfield, Illinois beginnig at 11:30 a.m. The rally will begin at 11:45 and lunch will be provided. More details regarding the rally are available on the IFCA website. Just click on the "Cap & Trade Rally" link.
Numerous groups are involved in th ... more. |
There will be a 2009 IFCA Motorcycle Ride on September 15-16. Those interested will depart from Peoria on the 15th for a trip to the Wisconsin Dells. Watch for a flyer from IFCA but we have also posted preliminary information on the IFCA home page at www.ifca.com. Please make your hotel reservations as soon as possible if you are interested. Thanks to John Kladstrup of Dow AgroSciences for o ... more. |
On September 30, 2009 the State Senate Agriculture Committee is holding a hearing at 10 a.m. to discuss issues of pesticide use in Illinois. Attached is the press release from the Senate Ag Committee.
This all started when the Peoria Journal Star ran a series of sensational stories about spray drift. The cases they highlight were exaggerated and in some incidences the cases were closed by the ... more. |
The IFCA Motorcycle ride is September 15-16 departing from the Peoria area and heading to the Wisconsin Dells. There is still time to participate! If you are interested please contact the ride coordinator, John Kladstrup at 217.617.2515 for details. |
IFCA is busy coordinating our testimony for the September 30 hearing on pesticide drift before the State Senate Ag Committee. The committee is also accepting written comments on this subject matter. Watch for a legislative alert from IFCA later today regarding the points to make in your written comments. Fact: In 2009, drift complaints are actually lower than in previous years, but activism ... more. |
The Sept 1 Rally in Springfield was a great success with between 700-800 people attending. IFCA's Jean Payne spoke at the rally describing the impact of this legislation on the fertilizer industry. Thanks to the following IFCA members who attended to support your Association and express concern aboutthe Waxman/Markey Bill:Rosen's, Hardy Fertilizer, The Andersons, Rentech Energy ... more. |
On September 30, 2009 at 10 a.m. in Room 409 of the State Capitol, there will be a subject matter hearing on the issue of agricultural pesticide use focusing on drift issues. This all came about as a result of media stories targeting agricultural use of pesticides, and while the stories initially focused onaerial application the issue impacts all manners of pesticide application. Attached is ... more. |
IFCA was very saddened to learn this morning that Jack Eberspacher, President and CEO of the Ag Retailers Association in Washington, D.C. died on Sunday July 5. Jack had been ill for the past few months. Jack was very involved in the ag industry his entire career, having also worked for the National Grain Sorghum Association and the National Association of Wheat Growers before joining ARA in 2001. ... more. |
New USEPA regulations that become effective in 2011 will require changes in the way our industry utilizes portable refillable containers (PRCs) otherwise known as minibulks. You may have received a poster from Crop Life America illustrating the major changes, and there are many fine points as well. IFCA has posted an industry overview of the changes on our website at www.ifca.com. It's not too ... more. |
Watch for your MAGIE registration brochures. MAGIE will be August 19-20 at the Interstate Center in Bloomington. The National Environmental Health & Safety School is also returning to the Interstate Center on Aug 18-19. The agenda this year includes timely sessions on load securement, the forthcoming rule on NPDES permits for pesticide applications, seed treatment safety, a report on large fer ... more. |
Hearty congratulations to the management and employees of Wabash Valley Service Company headquartered in Grayville, IL for winning the National Environmental Respect Award.This is the highest recognition that an ag retailer in the USA can receive for operating their business in an environmentally sound manner for the benefit of their customers, employees and the community.Mike Wilson, manage ... more. |
The Illinois legislature returns July 14th to try to resolve the state budget crisis. No one knows what to expect but state agencies including the Dept of Ag could be in for major budget cuts if something is not accomplished.At the federal level, it appears that debate in the US Senate on the cap and trade climate bill will be delayed until this fall. The ag input industry is opposed to the ... more. |
Over the past 2 years, IFCA has been communicating the position of the IL Dept of Agriculture regarding the containment requirements for aerial application. The Part 255 containment regulations require containment and load-out pads at a site if more than 300 gallons of pesticide is mixed, repackaged or transferred within a 30 day period. There is an exemption from this requirement for "temporary" loadin ... more. |
The capitol bill that Governor Quinn signed a few days ago contains a provision to grant 80,000 lbs access to all Illinois roads. The exceptions are structures like bridges or culverts that are not rated or inspected for those weights. Township officials can also still post roads for freeze or thaw. The 80,000 lbs provision goes into effect January 1, 2010. This isa provision that the ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) in Washington D.C. secured a victory for the industry this week when they were able to convince legislative leaders to remove a proposed tax on fertilizers from federal legislation that seeks to create a Clean Water Trust Fund. Originally the legislation aimed to tax fertilizer to the tune of $500 million per year to support federal investments in drinking water infrastructures. ... more. |
Yesterday the Illinois legislature came to an agreement on the budget. There isn't going to be an income tax increase; instead they are going to borrow nearly $3.5 billion against the state's pension system. There as also a bill this week to raise fees for Dept of Ag and DNR services, but that bill was never voted on. If you want to do some light readinggo to www.ilga.gov and pull up ... more. |
IFCA has been quite involved in the issues that have arisen as more wind towers are being constructed in corn and soybean fields in Illinois. We have been helping raise awareness among landownersof the impact on future aerial application in these areas and now the issue of pesticide application notification has come up. Some wind companies have requested that our members pre-notify them of pestici ... more. |
There will be a 2009 IFCA Motorcycle Ride on September 15-16. Those interested will depart from Peoria on the 15th for a trip to the Wisconsin Dells. Watch for a flyer from IFCA but we have also posted preliminary information on the IFCA home page at www.ifca.com. Please make your hotel reservations as soon as possible if you are interested. Thanks to John Kladstrup of Dow AgroSciences for o ... more. |
Don't forget to pre-register for the MAGIE show and save money...the pre-registration date ends August 1st. You can register on-line by going to www.ifca.com and click on MAGIE. You can also register at the show which is August 19-20 at the Interstate Center in Bloomington. Go to the MAGIE link on the IFCA website to see the exhibitors and schedule of events. MAGIE remains the premier ag ... more. |
IFCA is part of an active coalition opposing the federal cap and trade legislation which has already passed the House of Representatives. On September 1, 2009 the coalition which includes IFCA, Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Manufacturers Association, Illinois Petroleum Council, Midwest Truckers, Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Retail Merchants, Illinois Petroleum Marketers,the Federation of Inde ... more. |
This past week we learned that the 6th Federal Court District rejected Crop Life America's appeal to re-hear the case in whichthe court ruled that pesticide applications will be subject to USEPA pollution discharge permits under the Clean Water Act. We are not surprised that the court declined to re-hear the issue, but this setback does mean that USEPA is proceeding to draft rules that will make man ... more. |
If you plan to participate in the minibulk recycling program, you must have your registration forms in to IFCA by Aug 14. Please pay careful attention to the minibulk cleaning instructions as you prepare your tanks for the collection process. After we receive your registration forms, we will be in touch with you regarding the collection schedule and how it will proceed. If you have questions pleas ... more. |
The IFCA staff is impressed with the level of enthusiasm and interest in the MAGIE show this year from the exhibitors and the retail members! As we count down to the show dates of Aug 19-20, please make it a priority to attend because we know you will be impressed with the special events and features that the exhibitors have planned. IFCA will also be hosting ahospitality event on the afternoon of ... more. |
Pre-registration for the 2009 MAGIE show at The Interstate Centerin Bloomington, IL is higher than in previous years, with nearly 1,500 already registered to attend fromacross the Midwest. Even if you missed pre-registration, you can register at the door for $15.00. The show hours are 8-5 on Wednesday the 19th and from 8-2 on Thursday the 20th. The exhibitors are bringing some great ne ... more. |
Each year the Illinois Farm Bureau recognizes an outstanding Certified Crop Advisor at their annual meeting in December. The deadline to submit the nomination has been extended toJune 23, 2009. A farm bureau member or an employer of the CCA may submit nominations to Illinois Farm Bureau. The explanation of the program and nomination form is attached. It must include 3 letters of recomm ... more. |
An alert IFCA membercorrected us last week when we compared the state budget crisis to the song lyric "another day older and deeper in debt" which we credited toJohnny Cash. Wrong! Tennessee Ernie Ford was responsible for those lyrics. We stand corrected. But, not missing a lick, our membersuggested we could have easily compared the budget crisis to the lyrics in the Johnny ... more. |
This Friday, the US House of Representatives may vote on HR 2454, "The American Clean Energy & Security Act."
This legislation is particularly harmful to the fertilizer industry. Over the next several decades it requires energy production to move away from coal to more clean energy sources. Because nuclear power faces severe opposition from environmental groups, the likely scenario will be ... more. |
Last Friday, the US House of Representatives passed HR 2454, the "American Clean Energy & Security Act" by a razor thin margin of 219-212.
THANK YOU to all the IFCA members who made phone calls despite how busy you are.This bill was opposed by our industry as well as many others including the American Farm Bureau Federation. All six democratic representatives representing the City of ... more. |
To IFCA Retail Members:
At the January 2009 IFCA convention, we featured a session on contracts for pre-paying inputs and the issues surrounding these contracts. Because of the on-going interest in this issue, IFCA asked the legal firm who spoke at our convention to provide a guidance document covering some of the issues relative to input contracts. The attorneys at the firm have substantial e ... more. |
The Illinois legislature worked until 1:30 am on June 1 but could not come up with a wayto fill the $12 billion dollar budget gap. Failure to meet the scheduled May 31 date of adjournment means that now it will take a 3/5 majority to pass a budget and approve revenue sources to fund itsometime between now and January 1, 2010.
The legislature did approve SB 1433 on a party-line vote which ... more. |
The Sixth Circuit Court of the US today granted the USEPA's motion for a 2 year stay on the ruling that will require all pesticide applicators to obtain a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) under the Clean Water Act in order to apply pesticides. After the USEPA refused to appeal the original court ruling that extended the NPDES permit to pesticide applicators, USEPA asked the court to ... more. |
Johnny Cash once sang "another day older and deeper in debt." He was talking about working in the coal mines, but the same can be said for the budget of the State of Illinois. With the legislature still at an impasse on whether to raise the income tax, sources say Governor Quinn may be forced to lay off 8,000 state workers. To make matters worse, the bill the legislators passed weeks ago to fund c ... more. |
When we spoke in last week's Items of Interest about the ag funds being swept again, including the Fertilizer Control Fund, several members called to ask if the Fertilizer Research & Education Fund would be swept as well. According to the Director of Agriculture, the answer is no. The fund sweeps allow the Comptroller to sweep "unused" funds at that moment in time, with the provision that the De ... more. |
On June 11, 2009 USEPA again extended the compliance date for the Spill Prevention & Control Countermeasure (SPCC) rules for petroleum storage facilities to November 10, 2010. Facilities must amend or prepare and implement SPCC plans by the compliance date in accordance with the revisions to the rule. Farms must also amend or prepare their SPCC plans and implement them by that date. A final ru ... more. |
We have set the date for the 2009 IFCA Summer Golf Outings. They are:
July 30 @ Oak Ridge Golf Course in Seneca
August 6 @ Scoville Golf Course in Decatur
Mark your calendar and watch for registration information from IFCA. |
IFCA Retail Members should have received your 2009 compliance posters with USEPA Product Numbers, WPS and USDOT Shipping Descriptions. If you need additional sets of posters, please send in the order form that accompanied the posters or give us a call at the office. |
If you haven't already done so, please return the directory update information to IFCA by the end of April. If you've had changes in personnel, company name, email, etc. it's vital for us to know so that you directory listing is accurate and you also continue to get your mail and email updates from IFCA. Thank you! |
Farms are getting larger and financial institutions are becoming more involved in the input decision making process. This has resulted in an interesting new development that IFCA members should be aware of. Recently, some farm management groups have hired private applicators (farmers) to apply herbicides and insecticides to farmground in which the private applicator has no interest in the crop. Mo ... more. |
The exemption from the Hours of Service regulations is under attack once again. As Congress begins work to reauthorize the 2010 highway bill, safety groups want the HOS exemption removed. IFCA will be working hand in hand with our national organizations to support this reasonable and safe exemption. To help provide needed information to Congress and the USDOT, the Ag Retailers Association has prep ... more. |
This week an accident occurred between an ag retail vehicle and a private vehicle that took the lives of two men in the private vehicle and severely injured a third. These livesand the lives of those who love the people involved changed in a heartbeat. Please remind all of your employees to BE SAFE and BE IN CONTROL at all times. We all recognize the stresses put on our industry ... more. |
Given the severity of the penalties recently for failure to report a release on time to IEMA, the NRC and your LEPC, IFCA's advice is that if you become aware of a spill that could be an reportable quantity or a spill of a non RQ that could threaten the waters of the state (i.e. overturning a fertilizer tank in ditch) then you should immediately call IEMA, NRC and LEPC. If the spill ends up being not repo ... more. |
Congratulations to the management and employees of Wabash Valley Service Company. Their Browns, IL facility was recently named as a regional winner of theEnvironmental Respect Award sponsored by CropLife, DuPont and Farm Chemicals International. This program recognizes ag retail businesses who are preserving and protecting the environmental and operating their business in an environmentally sound ... more. |
There has been some enforcement activity recently in which warnings and tickets are being given if license plates are not on ammonia nurse tanks. The Illinois Vehicle Code section 5/3-809(a) outlines the registration requirements.The plates are can be renewed every two years for a fee of $13.00. This section is available at www.ifca.com just click on "Regulations" then "DOT." The ... more. |
The capital plan to fund infrastructure projects in Illinois is sitting on Governor Quinn's desk. It contains a provision to provide 80,000 lbs access on Illinois roads.Yes, it's true! It also contains language to make our interstatesauniform 65 mph speed limit for cars and trucks. The trade-offs include hikes in liquor taxes and increases in various vehicle licensi ... more. |
MAGIE is scheduled for August 19-20, 2009 at the Interstate Center in Bloomington. To see the layout of exhibitors, go to ifca.com and click on MAGIE. We will send out registration forms in mid July. Mark your calendars! |
IFCA has always recommended that you burn dyed fuel in your unlicensed application equipment. However, we also recognize that sometimes it isn't practical given the limitations on fuel storage and the management of keeping dyed fuel and clear fuel separated in your fleet. In 2000, IFCA help pass legislation that provides that these implements can obtain a refund of the 21.5 cent tax for clear fuel u ... more. |
If you wish to embed the IFCA and IL Dept of Ag ammonia safety video on your website, use the link below or just link to www.ifca.com The important thing is to help us get this video on to as many sites as possible where farmers can access it.Thank you. http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=3720273&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portra ... more. |
Last week IFCA sent a letter to USEPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, Attorney General Eric Holder and Solicitor General Elena Kagan asking the administration to appeal a recent federal court ruling that could require all pesticide applicators to obtain a NPDES permit in order to apply pesticides. We are also working with our Congressional delegation to encourage the Administration to appeal to ruling. USEP ... more. |
On Wednesday, April 8, 2009 Congresswoman Deborah Halvorson was at LeRoy Fertilizer in LeRoy, IL visiting with industry constituents. IFCA staff along with Ervin Caselton of Evergreen FS, John Eckley of Linco Equipment, Inc., Rich Fairfield of HG&N-Harbrand, Inc. along with Bob Spratt and Phil Lawless of LeRoy Fertilizer attending the meeting to voice concerns of issues impacting our industry. IFCA ... more. |
We have many challenges facing our industry right now, starting with the USEPA's intent to require pesticide applicators to obtain a federal permit to apply pesticides. The USEPA is also making it clear that they want to move forward again with regulating particulate matter, and Congress has started laying the groundwork on climate change legislation whichwill have a major impact on the Midwest and ... more. |
For years the trucking industry has tried to enact uniform speed limit laws in Illinois so that commercial trucks and cars can both travel 65 mph on interstate highways. This year there are two bills, HB 3956 and SB 1467 that are both up for a vote on the House Floor and Senate Floor, possibly as early as the week of March 16. Please contact your state Representative and Senator and urge them to v ... more. |
Did you know that by August 2011, new USEPA regulations will require that all pesticide minibulks be equipped with a one-way valve or tamper evident device? They also must meet UN PG III DOT standards regardless of whether the pesticide in the tanks areDOT regulated products. You are also going to have to pressure test your minibulks every 2.5 years and keep records. IFCA recognizes that we ... more. |
US Congressmen Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and George Miller (D-California) have introduced the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) also known as "Card Check." Under this proposed legislation, once union organizershad obtained the signatures of a majority of a proposed bargaining unit, they could organize it and eliminate the employee's right to a secret ballot on whether to unionize. Current law sa ... more. |
A federal court has issued a ruling that could lead to a requirement that persons applying pesticides would need to get a NPDES discharge permit from USEPA. It is quite complicated but the essence of the court's ruling is this:if pesticides are applied to land or air andif"excess" pesticides could be in any way be deposited into U.S. waters, or if pesticides or chemical waste resid ... more. |
If you are interested in seeing the detailed budget proposal announced by Illinois Governor Quinn yesterday, go to the IFCA homepage at www.ifca.com where a powerpoint file and Question & Answer document is posted.
Also don't forget to call your State Representative and encourge them to vote YES on the uniform speed limit legislation (HB 3956). There is a similar bill in the Senate (SB 1467) so ... more. |
If you burn clear, taxable diesel fuel in your floaters or pesticide applicators, you must clearly state on the refund form the description of these vehicles. The IL Dept of Revenue has recently rejected several refunds because the refund formsonly described the equipment with the model number or simply as a "sprayer." The exemption that IFCA fought to secure for our industry back in 2001 only app ... more. |
The Ag Retailers Association has provided a guidance document, written by tax attorneys, to help you properly claim the federal security tax credit for items like locks and security cameras installed at your agrichemical facility. Go to www.ifca.com and under the "Agribusiness Security Tax Credit" heading there is a document called "Tax Guide on How to Claim Exemption" that your company accountant should find ... more. |
There are some things we know about the proposed state budget, and other things we don't. Governor Quinn mentioned sweeping some special funds and closing corporate tax loopholes. So far, we have not seen a list of the fund that might be swept,or many details either on the loophole closures. The Illinois Taxpayers Federation, of which IFCA is a member, has provided an analysis of what we ... more. |
IFCA is organizing a minibulk collection program for September 2009. We need your input regarding the number of tanks you may want to recycle in this program. It only takes a minute and provides us valuable information as we plan this program. Please go to |
USEPA has delayed the effective date of the Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure Rules until January 14, 2010. In addition, they have also substantially simplified the SPCC rules for facilities with no individual tank of 5,000 gallons or more and that do not exceed 10,000 gallons of oil products at the facility. The Fertilizer Institute and the Asmark Institute are working directly with USEPA to ... more. |
We have received many calls in the past week at the office from our members expressing concern about bulk fertilizers being dumped in the fields. WhileIllinois' on-farm containment regulations allow over 50,000 lbs of bulk dry fertilizer or 5,000 gallons or more of liquid to be stored for up to 45 days by farmers, certainly from a stewardship standpoint it is not recommended. Even when under t ... more. |
On Monday, February 23 at 2:00 pm Central, IFCA's Jean Payne will be part of a panel on a DTN webinar with Ken Johnson, a fertilizer columnist, to discuss the fertilizer situation for Spring 2009. IFCA's comments will focus on the concerns that our industry has withregard to the current situation retailers face, the potentialfor spring logistical bottlenecksand the long-term changes ... more. |
As usual, thousands of pieces of legislation are being introduced in the Illinois General Assembly. Given the current $9 billion dollar budget deficit, funding for state agencies and state programs will be a high priority. IFCA is working with the agencies that oversee our industry to discuss the long-term stability of our regulatory programs. After years of fund sweeps, there is a great need and ... more. |
IEMA has extended the deadline for submitting Tier II reports to Monday, March 16, 2009. All Tier II reports are to be submitted on-line by going to www.state.il.us/iema/disaster/serc_tier2.htmand clicking on "Tier 2 Manager On-Line Submission Program" at the bottom of the page. Ifthe site plan for your facility has changed, you must also submit an electronic copy of your updated site plan a ... more. |
In 2004, the Holiday Shores Sanitary District in Madison County filed a class action lawsuit against the manufacturers of atrazine. The suit makes claim that detections of atrazine at any level poses a health risk. Now we are learning that the trial lawyers who are pursuing this case are encouraging other water districts in Illinois to join the lawsuit. So far, the city of Fairfield, IL and now Hi ... more. |
A bill to fully repeal the Commercial Distribution Fee (CDF) is scheduled to be heard this Thursday afternoon in the Senate Revenue Committee. SB 1434 will fully repeal the truck registration surcharge that was put in place by the legislature and former Governor Rod Blagojevich in 2003. The CDF was originally a thirty-six percent surcharge on the registration of any Illinois license plate over 8,000 pou ... more. |
Did you know that by 2025, 25% of the electricity produced in Illinois must come from renewable sources? There are significant incentives for wind energy, thus we've seen a multitude of companies come into Illinois and propose wind farms. IFCA and the Illinois Ag Aviation Association are meetingwith wind energy companies and farmers to communicate theconcerns we have regardingthe a ... more. |
The IFCA Office is without power, Monday, December 29th. If you need to reach the office, please call Jean at 309.826.3236 or Kevin at 309.826.1318. Thank you. |
IFCA is saddened to learn that Gordon Jenner, founder of Jenner Sales in Harristown, IL died on Sunday, January 4 2009. He was 87 and had been battling colon cancer.
The industry lost a leader, mentor and true class of gentleman with Gordon's passing. He stayed engaged in the industry until the very end and we will miss his presence, smileand his perspective and experiences he was al ... more. |
The IFCA Convention & Trade show begins on Tuesday, January 20th at the Peoria Civic Center. We have plenty of continuing education opportunities plus a trade show with 100+ exhibitors. Please see the attached file for a detailed look at the educational sessions being offered and the list of exhibitors. If you want a perspective on the economic outlook for our industry, a program on contracts ... more. |
Today the Illinois House of Representatives voted to impeach Governor Blagojevich. The vote was 114 to 1. The only no vote was from Representative Patterson, who is from Cook County. The Illinois Senate will likely begin an impeachment trial the last week of January. The Governor's officeissued a statement that said "When the case moves to the Senate, an actual judge will preside o ... more. |
Your IFCA Board of Directors is happy to announce that Jim McNelly of Two Rivers FS in Pittsfield and Travis Weaver of UAP in Blandinsville have been elected to the IFCA Board of Directors to replace Ervin Caselton of Evergreen FS and Mark Tarter of Tarter Feed & Fertilizer, who have both served two full terms on the Board. Bill Romshek of Heritage FS in Gilman and Terry Habrock of Terayne Ag Specialties ... more. |
The IFCA and the IL Department of Agriculture are holding 9 anhydrous ammonia schools this winter/spring. The first one is January 21 at the IFCA Convention in Peoria, and you can register for that on-line at the IFCA website under "convention." You should have received a registration brochure regarding the other dates and locations. This too is posted on the IFCA homepage, so if you haven't b ... more. |
The deadline for facilities ranked as Tier 4 by the Dept of Homeland Security is January 12, 2009. Sorry for the mistake. Please contact IFCA immediately if you are a Tier 4 facililty and have not completed your vulnerability assessment as required by DHS. |
We look forward to seeing youat the IFCA Convention & Trade Show next week. Please note the times and dates for the following events, which have been adjusted since the original convention registration brochure was mailed 2 months ago:
The Regulatory Compliance Workshop on RMP Updates is from 1-3 pm on Tuesday, Jan 20 in the Cheminee Room at the Hotel Pere Marquette
The CCA/FREC Session is fr ... more. |
We look forward to helping Governor Pat Quinn face the challenges that Illinois has accumulated over the past several years. While serving as Lt. Governor, Mr.Quinn has been a strong advocate for downstate Illinois and supports agriculture and our rural communities. We also look forward to working with IDA Director Tom Jennings to assure the continued cooperation between the Department of Ag and o ... more. |
Several have asked for the presentation that Dr. Abner Womack of the U-MO provided on the economic outlook for agriculture in 2009. We also have a handout provided during the presentation on contract law. If you would like to have this information, send Leslie Forrest an email at leslief@ifca.com and we'll send them to you. Thanks to everyone who made the 2009 IFCA convention a success with ov ... more. |
We know our members have been dealing with a lot of stress regarding the volatile changes in our marketplace. IFCA is working with several media outlets to let the agricultural community know how the economic downturn has impacted their local ag retailer. With so much being printed about the wholesale prices of fertilizer, it's important to remind everyone of the value that the ag retail sector brin ... more. |
The Fertilizer Institute remains watchful of a ruling from The Surface Transportation Board regarding the railroad's petition to pass along all liability costs to the shippers of ammonia. Rail rates and surcharges on ammonia rail shipmentshave skyrocketed lately, another apparent move by the railroads to price the movement of ammonia by rail out of the market. For a full story on the situation ... more. |
The Fluid Fertilizer Foundation's "Fluid Journal" is now an on-line publication only. The electronic version of the journal highlights research projects and articles pertinent to the industry and crop producers. The move to an electronic version will make this information more timely than the previous quarterly publications. The cost for the journal is only $25 per year. To subscribe go ... more. |
The staff at IFCA wants you to know that we are here to listen and sympathize regarding the pressure you are under with the late fall and unstable fertilizer prices. We know you are feeling the stress and our office has fielded a fair number of calls from members expressing concern. We also get calls and emails here at the office from farmers and the media inquiring about fertilizer prices and trends.&n ... more. |
For the last three years, IFCA has partnered with the Asmark Institute to offer affordable and high quality regulatory compliance assistance for IFCA members. It can be tough enough keeping straight which government agency is in charge of certain regulations. The Asmark Institute can offer piece of mind for you and your company so more time can be focused on what you do best, running your business. ... more. |
IFCA has been asked to help facilitate productive dialogue between the wind energy companies who seek to site and erect wind farms throughout Illinois. To date we believe there has been a lack of clear communication between everyone on how these farms impact the ability to secure aerial application and in some cases the wind farm contracts have also contained provisions that could impact any production agricu ... more. |
The USDOT intends to propose rulemaking to require that all ammonia nurse tanks be tested once every five years. The tests would be similar to those already being performed on tanks that are missing their data plates. It would likely involve an external visual inspection, thickness test and pressure test. Any welding must be performed by an R stamp welder (this is already the case) and a pressure ... more. |
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The IFCA Convention is January 20-22, 2009 at the Peoria Civic Center. Don't miss presentations from a respected agricultural economist from the Food & Agriculture Policy Institute on what we can expect in terms of credit, world demand, etc. this spring. We also have speakers on agronomy topics, how to deal with "millenial" employees entering the workforce and what to consider when dealing with ... more. |
Once again the Asmark Institute is offering the MSDS books for IFCA members.There are many good sources of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for pesticides, however the unusual or hard-to-get items such as oxygen, acetylene, fuels, fertilizers, welding rods, micronutrients, paints, grain treatments,spray additives and cleaning supplies typically make maintaining a current MSDS file a real chore.& ... more. |
House Speaker Michael Madigan said today "I have allowed Governor Blagojevich six days to resign his office. It would appear this morning that he has declined to do so." Therefore, Speaker Madigan has formed an impeachment committee and will proceed "with all deliberate" speed. The committe will be composed of 12 democrats and 9 republicans. The committee will meet daily except for holidays. ... more. |
Unless you are very careful and follow all protocols, IFCA recommends against converting nurse tanks from ammonia to propane service and then back to ammonia. Ammonia and nitrogen stabilizers have a tendency to react to any foreign materials, including propane and water that can be present in the tank. Given the difficulty in repairing nurse tanks and the scarcity of R stamp welders who are the only one ... more. |
Last week Governor Blagojevich signed SB 790 into law. This law created the "Budget Relief Fund" and requires the State Comptroller and the State Treasurer to transfer money from over 100 special funds into the Budget Relief Fund. Several agricultural funds were swept including $250,000 from the Fertilizer Control Fund and $500,000 from the Pesticide Control Fund. Inspection fees paid by our indus ... more. |
If you haven't already, please take a few minutes to read the Best Management Practices for Fall Fertilizer posted on the IFCA website at www.ifca.com Everyone is anxious for harvest to finish and fall fertilizer season to commence. Please watch your local soil temperatures, also posted daily on the IFCA home page, and make the right stewardship decisions regarding the application of fall nitrogen.& ... more. |
This fall, please be awarethat personnel at the ammonia terminals will require drivers to show theirHAZMAT safetypermit prior to receiving a load of ammonia. Terminals subject to the Lake Michigan US Coast Guard Port Authority will also need to see TWIC cards from truck drivers entering these facilities as of October 31, 2008. Ifyou don't have aTWICcard you can st ... more. |
The volatility in the fertilizer marketplace has generated a great deal of interest in storage. Ag retailers and farmers are adding additional anhydrous ammonia storage, and IFCA is also fielding phone calls about the rules for dry and liquid fertilizer storage. For ammonia, thestorage requirements are the same for everyone except that farmers using ammoniaexclusively for their own farm do n ... more. |
If you are a retailer of anhydrous ammonia, please help IFCA in our efforts to put a price on the importance of the fall fertilizer season. Last week we sent out a spreadsheet prepared by researchers at Illinois State University to help determine the equipment related costs of switching from a fall season to a spring only season. With the wet fields, if you have the time to complete these forms depictin ... more. |
Last week Illinois State Senator Frank Watson (R-Greenville) suffered a minor stroke while campaigning in southern Illinois. His prognosis is very hopeful for a full recovery. Senator Watson is currently the Senate Minority Leader, and is the only true "downstate" legislator who is one of the "four tops" in leadership. He meets regularly with House Speaker Madigan, House Minority LeaderTom C ... more. |
We have mentioned in several IFCA articles thenew Federal Trade Commission regulation that requires all creditors to adopt policies to protect your clients information from identify theft. It's called the Red Flag Rule. If you are in the lending or credit business in any manner and maintainpersonal information on your customers at your business, this rule impacts you. You must have ... more. |
The IFCA Convention begins on Tuesday, January 20th at the Peoria Civic Center with the CCA Session followed by the IFCA annual meeting at the Hotel Pere Marquette. The trade show begins at noon on January 21 and ends at noon on the 22nd. Please mark your calendars! |
Senator Frank Watson (R-Greenville), who is currently the Minority Leader in the Illinois Senate, issued a statement that he will retire from the leadership position at the end of the year. Senator Watson suffered a minor stroke recently and while his prognosis is very good, his doctor has advised him to avoid unnecessary stress (like attempting to reasonwith the Governor, perhaps?)The membe ... more. |
If you haven't replied to the Illinois State University/IFCA survey asking about how your business would change if thefall application of nitrogen were restricted or eliminated, please do so as soon as possible.So far we have a 30% response rate from our retail members. Even if you do not sell anhydrous, it is still important to get your feedback on how you think your business would have ... more. |
IFCA President Jean Payne testified last week before the Surface Transportation Board in Washington D.C. on the railroad's petition to require the fertilizer industry to foot the bill for their liability insurance for carrying anhydrous ammonia. The railroads have experienced three derailments in the past 10 years involving poison by inhalation materials (ammonia and chlorine). In all three ca ... more. |
Please get registered for MAGIE by August 4th to save money; it's only $12 per person but goes up to $15 after August 4. The MAGIE show is August 20-21 at the Interstate Center in Bloomington and it's generating a lot of excitement with new lines of equipment being showcased by our exhibitors. And don't forget IFCA and IDA are offering Anhydrous Ammonia Safety Training on August 20 at 1:30 p ... more. |
Congratulations to the employees of CF Industries' Ammonia Terminal in Seneca, Illinois. They just celebrated 15,000 days without a lost time injury. Get out your calculator--that's 41 years! Wow. CF celebrated this milestone with a recognition lunch for the current and past employees of the facililty on August 26 in Morris. On behalf of the entire fertilizer industry, thank yo ... more. |
We'd like to thank all of the MAGIE exhibitors,IFCA members and many folks from out-of-state who attended the show last week and made it such a success. Thedates for MAGIE 2009 are August 19-20, 2009 at the Interstate Center in Bloomington. The National Agronomic Healthy and Safety School attracted over 100 attendees this year, and will also return to partner with MAGIE on August 18-19, ... more. |
The Illinois House of Representativesreturns to Springfield this week to debate the funding of capital projects...our state has not had a capital improvement budget for infrastructure improvements for six years and we are dangerously close to losing billions in matching federal funds for infrastructure. After the Governor's recent veto of funding for many agricultural programs as well as human servi ... more. |
Over 2,200 people from 36 states attended MAGIE. That number is up by over 200 from last year. Thanks to exhibitors and attendees who made the show a success and for the work of the MAGIE committee and dedicated IFCA board members who pitched in to make the setup and show operations work smoothly.
MAGIE 2009 will be August 19-20 at the Interstate Center in Bloomington.
The 2009 IFCA ... more. |
In the version of the budget that the Illinois legislators sent to Governor Blagojevich a few weeks ago, there were no proposed fee increases for Department of Agriculture programs. Earlier in the year, IFCA was aware of several fee increase proposals including pesticide product registration fees and scale fees. While the budget is far from being finalized (the Governor is still waiting to act on it), a ... more. |
You may have heard that Governor Blagojevich wants to move 150 Illinois DOT workers from Springfield to Harrisburg, IL, calling it job growth for Southern Illinois. This is a major concern for IFCA members. The employees that the Governor wants to move are in the Division of Traffic Safety. These are the IDOT people that IFCA works with on a weekly basis to determine the impact of federal and state hazardous materi ... more. |
Last week the Governor’s staff called a conference with agriculture and environmental groups to inform us that we face budget cuts yet again. They are threatening more cuts to 4-H, Soil & Water Conservation Districts, C-FAR and the operating budgets at the Dept of Ag, EPA and DNR if we don’t voice support for the Governor’s proposal to sweep all the state’s special funds, sell the ... more. |
Golf Outings:July 31 in Decatur; August 7 in Seneca
Motorcycle Ride:July 23-24; Location TBD; call for information
Safety School:August 19-20, Bloomington
MAGIE:August 20-21, Bloomington IL (watch for the brochure in the mail) |
President George W. Bush has removed the ban on offshore domestic energy development in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). His father, President George H.W. Bush, had put this ban in place in 1990. While this announcement ends the moratorium on drilling, it has no effect until Congress acts to remove a ban that prohibits the Dept of the Interior from using agency funds to lease areas in the OCS. W ... more. |
Please be a good steward and recycle your pesticide jugs. On the IFCA website we've posted the upcoming recycling dates. We also have convenient large plastic bags that you can store your clean, dry, triple-rinsed jugs in as you collect them for recycling. Then just toss the bag in your truck and take them to the nearest recycling location. If you would like some bags for your jugs, give ... more. |
A.C. Summers, the father of the Asmark Institute Co-Founder Allen Summers passed away suddenly and unexpectedly yesterday near his Kentucy home. Any correspondence can be sent to the attention of:
Allen & Susan Summers
4941 Goetz Drive
Owensboro, Kentucky 42301-9602 |
Both IFCA and the Dept of Ag have received phone calls recently inquiring about the on-farm storage of fertilizer. Price, supply and the inability to get product applied this spring in some parts of the state seem to be causing the interest in storing product on the farm. The Illinois Pesticide Act requires that storage of more 50,000 lbs of dry fertilizer or 5,000 gallons of liquid fertilizer be in a p ... more. |
The USEPA has enacted new regulations that require containment for the storage of bulk pesticides. While states like Illinois and many in the Midwest already havestate containment regulations,many states do not and therefore this will require many dealers in the country to construct containment and load-out facilities that meet USEPA standards.New requirements for the filling and stora ... more. |
Today, in an attempt to lower the price at the pump and bring stability to the economy, Congressman John E. Peterson (R-PA), offered an amendment to the Interior Department spending bill that would increase domestic production of oil and natural gas offshore. The amendment, which would have lifted the Congressional Moratorium on offshore energy production between 50 and 200 miles, was defeated along a party line vo ... more. |
Today, in an attempt to lower the price at the pump and bring stability to the economy, Congressman John E. Peterson (R-PA), offered an amendment to the Interior Department spending bill that would increase domestic production of oil and natural gas offshore. The amendment, which would have lifted the Congressional Moratorium on offshore energy production between 50 and 200 miles, was defeated along a party line vo ... more. |
IFCA will be one of several ag groups providing testimony on April 16 before the joint House and Senate Agriculture Committee. As you may have heard, the Dept of Ag has been instructed by the administration not to release funding for the Fertilizer Research & Education program, the Cooperative Extension Service, the Soil & Water Conservation Districts, C-FAR and the County Fair Ag Premium funds. ... more. |
If you are involved in any kind of incident that involves the release of a reportable quantity of a hazardous material, you must follow the proper notification procedures to avoid costly penalties.If a release exceeds the reportable quantity, for example more than 18 gallons of anhydrous ammonia, you must notify the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, your Local Emergency Planning Committee and the Na ... more. |
We take this moment to remember Norma Jean Peine of Minier, IL who passed away last week at the age of 86. Norma and her husband Robert were the founders of Peine Inc. in Minier, a long-standing IFCA member. After Robert was killed in an auto accident in the late 1960's Norma stayed engaged in the business, working as the plant secretary for over 20 years. We also remember Melvin Bell of Morto ... more. |
The ag input industry is very saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. George Kapusta on March 31. Dr. Kapusta was a much loved and respected agricultural professor and researcher at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale who retired not long ago. He was 75. We don't have many details but you can visit the website of The Southern Illinoisan www.southernillinoisan.com for updates. Our tho ... more. |
Every IFCA member should have received a ballot for the open slots on the IFCA Board of Directors. If you have not returned your ballot, please do so as soon as possible, voting closes the end of this week. We are electing retail representatives in District 1, District 2 and District 7, and also the Fertilizer Manufacturer and Seed Industry Representative. Your vote is important! |
Every IFCA member should have received a ballot for the open slots on the IFCA Board of Directors. If you have not returned your ballot, please do so as soon as possible, voting closes the end of this week. We are electing retail representatives in District 1, District 2 and District 7, and also the Fertilizer Manufacturer and Seed Industry Representative. Your vote is important! |
Every IFCA member should have received a ballot for the open slots on the IFCA Board of Directors. If you have not returned your ballot, please do so as soon as possible, voting closes the end of this week. We are electing retail representatives in District 1, District 2 and District 7, and also the Fertilizer Manufacturer and Seed Industry Representative. Your vote is important! |
Every IFCA member should have received a ballot for the open slots on the IFCA Board of Directors. If you have not returned your ballot, please do so as soon as possible, voting closes the end of this week. We are electing retail representatives in District 1, District 2 and District 7, and also the Fertilizer Manufacturer and Seed Industry Representative. Your vote is important! |
Don't miss the CCA Session at the IFCA Convention on January 21, 2008 in Room 400 at the Peoria Civic Center. The speakers and titles are:
9:00 am Managing Continuous Corn, Emerson Nafziger UI (1 hour CM)
10:00 am What Have We Learned from Grid Sampling?, Dave Franzen NDSU (1 hour SWM)
11:00 am Tile Drainage in Southern Illinois Soils, Steve Ebelhar UI (1 hour SWM)
Lunch at Noon Provided
1:00 pm Soil an ... more. |
The Illinois CCA Exam will go on as scheduled tomorrow despite the weather forecast. Both Illinois and Ohio are full speed ahead while Indiana has canceled and will reschedule for a week or two from now. Illinois plans to hold the CCA exams in Effingham and Peoria regardless of weather. If the exam proctors cannot get to the testing locations then the exam for that location will be cancelled and moved to a date wit ... more. |
The deadline for submitting Tier II information to IEMA is March 1, 2008. You can begin to submit your Tier 2 information at anytime by going to http://www.state.il.us/iema/disaster/serc_tier2.htm then click on Tier 2 Manager On-Line Submission Program toward the bottom of the page. The username and password to log onto the submission program can be found on your Tier 2 report from last year or by sending and e-mai ... more. |
The Governor's recent budget address was probably the shortest one in history summing up the future of our state finances in less than thirty minutes. In this short amount of time, Governor Blagojevich proposeda payroll tax, more fund sweeps, possible fee increases a three percent cut in agency budgets and a tax cut. Not to mention the governor proposed to hand out $300 per child in households ... more. |
The CCA Session on Monday January 21 offers 6 CEU hours in NM, SW and CM. It will be in Room 400 of the Peoria Civic Center...IT IS NOT AT THE HOLIDAY INN. Here's the schedule:
9:30 am – 4:00 pm, Lunch Provided
Managing Continuous Corn, Dr. Emerson Nafziger
What Have we Learned from Grid Sampling?, Dr. Dave Franzen
Tile Drainage in S IL Soils, Dr. Steve Ebelhar
Soil & Plant Factors Regu ... more. |
You cannot afford to miss the session on Wednesday, January 23 at the IFCA convention on aerial application issues. The IL Dept of Ag is changing the licensing requirements for out of state aerial applicators to ensure that they are linked to an existing, Illinois permitted aerial containment facility. In addition, more changes might be in store for 2009. To learn first-hand about this new requirement and to get yo ... more. |
Last month, Mr. R. Ryan Posten who is the Director of the Office of Hazardous Materials Enforcement at USDOT visited IFCA and asked for our assistance to communicate USDOT's concerns about nurse tank compliance issues. USDOT conducted numerous inspections of ammonia facilities in the Midwest and found some bad/illegal welds on tanks, many tanks with missing or illegible data plates that are not enrolle ... more. |
Today, October 8, 2008, Governor Rod Blagojevich named Tom Jennings as Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture. In the press release, the Governor stated "Tom has worked for the IDA his entire career and knows the agency and its responsibilities as well as anyone. His 30 years of experience as a front-line employee, agency administrator and Acting Director are tremendous assets and I'm ... more. |
Congress has recessed without addressing the energy crisis in our country. There is a bill, HR 6709 entitled The National Conservation, Environment and Energy Independence Act that will repeal the moratoria on energy production in the U.S. and open up areas off-shore for responsible drilling. The bi-partisansponsors of this bill, Congressman Peterson (R-PA) and Abercrombie (D-HI) are seeking 30 ... more. |
Click here to see press releases from the US House of Representatives on the cost of climate change legislation and the testimony of The Fertilizer Institute. |
Click this link to visit the AI homepage. |
Click here to access the General Assembly's website |
