As a longtime family farmer, I have really enjoyed serving this year in Springfield as Chair of the Illinois Senate Agriculture Committee. We cannot underestimate how important our agriculture industry—the crops we grow, the families we support and the jobs we create—is for our success as a state, and as a nation.

With the opportunity to support a vibrant farming landscape comes a responsibility to protect our lands for generations to come. Promoting agriculture conservation practices is a priority of mine, and of many of my colleagues in the legislature.

I have been excited to work this spring with a coalition of agricultural and environmental advocates led by American Farmland Trust and the Illinois Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, with the mission of encouraging more Illinois farmland to feature cover crops. Cover crops are planted to protect soil from erosion and nutrient loss when those fields are not filled with corn, soybeans and wheat for harvesting.

The coalition is pushing for a much-needed expansion of a program through the Illinois Department of Agriculture called Fall Covers for Spring Savings, which helps farmers get discounts on crop insurance for their cover crop acres.

The program has been a smashing success. In 2020, farmers reached the maximum 50,000 acres funded in just 12 days, and more than double that number of acres could have been funded if state funds were available. This year, the demand soared: the 50,000-acre limit was hit in less than 12 hours, and interest topped 185,000 acres.

I am supportive of the coalition’s efforts toward a significant increase in funding for this program. As I write this column, we are wrapping up the spring legislative session and a new state budget that I hope will prioritize cover crops and other agriculture conservation tools. I will continue to work with advocates and my legislative colleagues to promote these programs in the years to come.

I will have more in my June update regarding the legislative progress on other issues this spring. After 2020, when we were largely sidelined because of the pandemic, I have welcomed the chance to get to work on our state’s most pressing issues in Springfield.

I am encouraged by the governor’s announcement in May that we will more fully reopen the state this summer, and that we continue to vaccinate more people – including our younger people – to eventually end this pandemic. Please support our local businesses, take a minute to thank your health care professionals, and do something kind to show teachers how much you appreciate their patience and determination during these two trying school years.

Please take advantage of getting your COVID-19 vaccine as soon as you are eligible. I urge you to contact me anytime I can help at 708-756-0882 or http://www.senatorpatrickjoyce.com/. I will continue to share the latest news on my website and on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/senPatrickjoyce40/.

Sen. Patrick Joyce

D-Essex, 40th State Senate District