Loyal to the soil: Lawmakers hear importance of soil health

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Farmers, educators, gardeners, advocates, students and others filled the Capitol Rotunda March 6-7 to celebrate the third annual Soil Health Week.

The two-day lobbying events were part of a weeklong celebration that included daily activities aimed at highlighting the vital importance of soil health.

The rally and lobby day on March 6 was led by the Illinois Stewardship Alliance, Illinois Environmental Council, Illinois Soybean Association, and Illinois Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

A Saving Tomorrow’s Agriculture Resources rally was held the following day, showcasing the boots-on-the ground work by SWCDs throughout the state, celebrating the impact of legislation enacted and advocating for continued state support.

“Soil Health Week is a uniting opportunity. We have legislators from both sides of the aisle. It proves that soil is basically an opportunity to bring us together,” Michael Woods, Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts executive director, said at the March 6 gathering.

“It’s not just beneath our feet, but it’s a fabric of our community, it’s a fabric of our society and it builds what makes Illinois strong, a strong vibrant agricultural community.

“We’ve been talking about the present. We’ve been celebrating the past. March 1, 86 years ago, FDR signed an amazing piece of legislation creating the Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and he said, ‘the nation that destroys its soil, destroys itself.’

“Today, we’re united to showcase that we will not allow the soil in Illinois to be destroyed, and we’re going to do that for the next generation.”

Arts, Science Display

As part of the Soil Health Week observance, an Art and Science of Soil Health display was featured in the rotunda staffed by conservation planners with the Capacity Building Initiative, a U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and Illinois Department of Agriculture-funded initiative promoting bottom-up agroecology.

Forty conservation planners around the state work out of NRCS and SWCD offices assisting farmers around the state.

Rotunda visitors were invited to leave their brush strokes with soil-based paints on a large map of Illinois illustrating Illinois’ diversity of agriculture, watersheds and conservation.

“We’re advocating soil health and how important it is to connect agriculture to conservation. We’re doing that sort of through the blending of science and art, showing people that by using soil and connecting it to our every day, we can kind of bridge that community gap that might be missing in conservation and agriculture,” said Taylor Hartke, Clay County.

The display was located near the main public entrance and there has been very positive response.

“They’ve been super excited, super involved, they want to learn more and how they can help. They’ve really been showing an interest in realizing that our soil health is connected to our every day health in our lives,” Hartke said.

Soil Connections

Guest speakers at the March 6 rally extolled the importance of soil health as it serves as the foundation for all life.

“This is the third annual Soil Health Week celebrated in Illinois. This showing is proof to us that soil is the ultimate connector. It’s really awesome to see how this event has grown,” said Liz Rupel, Illinois Stewardship Alliance lead organizer.

“It’s a joy to be here with all of you. I can see that by the work that we’re doing and the partnerships that we’re growing through this event, we are making a huge difference together.”

State Rep. Charlie Meier, a member of House Agriculture Committee and southern Illinois farmer who lives on his family’s Centennial Farm in the house built by his great-grandparents, led the move to pass a Soil Health Week resolution the past three years.

“We’re busy on the farm today. My sister is hauling corn. I have a neighbor working ground, and we’re also putting down anhydrous,” said Meier, R-Okawville.

“The Stewardship Alliance is a great organization and it’s about all of us working together. Everybody loves to know where their food comes from. It doesn’t come from Walmart. It doesn’t come from Sam’s.

“A lot of it comes from farms right here in Illinois, these groups that we’re working with promoting small farms, orchards, large farms, working together as we move different bills.

“We’re trying to make Soil Health Week permanent in Illinois so we don’t have to do it every year.”

Leadership Support

Chairs of both the House and Senate agriculture committees stressed the need to protect soils.

“Soil is an essential natural resource and Illinois farmers and professionals play a critical role in managing our state’s water and soil resources. As chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I want to make sure that our farmers are heard and they are true partners in our agriculture agenda for Illinois,” said state Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield.

“Over 75% of Illinois’ land is under cultivation, and even the parts that aren’t still benefit from nature’s in inherent beauty and bounty. Even the very air we breathe comes from plant life, and plant life relies on soil to live. That’s why it’s so important that we stay engaged, involved and proactive when comes to the health of our soil,” said state Rep. Sonya Harper, D-Chicago.

“With unhealthy soil, we don’t have the flowers, we don’t have the trees, we don’t have the crops, we can’t feed our livestock, we don’t have the critical inputs for factories and industry, we don’t have a vibrant economy. Without healthy soil, we don’t eat and we don’t breath.

“Human health, animal health, community health, family health, economic health, if you think about it, every one of these is balanced on top of soil health. Soil is the foundation for everything else.”

The Illinois Soybean Association partnered with the Illinois Stewardship Alliance, AISWCD and Illinois Environmental Council for the Soil Health Week observance.

New Partnership

“The state of Illinois provides about $1 per acre in support for conservation in agriculture. We think that number should be a lot higher. We think a lot of you think that number should be a lot higher because all of you are loyal to the soil. So, let’s start a chant, ‘loyal to the soil,’” said Andrew Larson, ISA director of government relations and strategy.

“We’re proud to be partnering for the first time with the Stewardship Alliance at Soil Health Lobby Day and we look forward to do this for years to come. I know you talked about some really critical legislation so far today.

“We’re very supportive in increasing funding and engagement like programs for the Fall Covers for Spring Savings that’s sponsored by Sen. Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) and Rep. Janet Yang Rohr (D-Naperville). There are also initiatives to get more permanent funding for Soil and Water Conservation Districts and their partners around the state.”