Continuing its emphasis on conservation, the US Department of Agriculture has awarded some new grants for Illinois, Iowa, and 29 other states. Today Secretary Tom Vilsack made the announcement at a farm in Rock Island County.
He says the 15.7 million dollars from the Conservation Innovation Grant program will help universities, non-profits, and other groups develop new conservation methods.
"Conservation has this extraordinary opportunity not only to preserve the soil which is critically important this farming operation and every farming operation. But also to preserve the quality of the water and the quantity of water that we have available. That's why we've been focused on trying to find creative and innovative ways to encourage more conservation."
Vilsack says one of the key challenges farmers are starting to face now is changing weather patterns.
"Farmers want to know how to deal with the variations of weather they're beginning to see - the more intense storms, the longer droughts, the occasional flood, or the tornado that's destructive. These are the kind of programs that will help us learn a little bit more about that."
Since it started several years ago, the Conservation Innovation Grant program has funded more than 300 projects totalling 126 million dollars.
One of the new grants will be used by the National Corn Growers Association in Illinois, Iowa, and 5 other midwestern states, to find ways to improve farm productivity, and increasing the number of farmers participating in conservation programs. Two other grants will be used to experiment with cover crops in Iowa to improve soil health.
Vilsack was accompanied by 17th District Congresswoman, Cheri Bustos, who's a member of the House Agriculture Committee.
(photo: (l to r) Illinois Ag. Director Bob Flider, Tom Vilsack, Cheri Bustos)