1 Front Volume 142 No. 36
Friday, August 12, 2016
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GMOs: The labeling law New law will help consumers, farmers By Goldie Rapp news@tonicanews.com
PRINCETON — President Barack Obama recently signed into law a bill that will require labeling of genetically-modified (GMO) ingredients. It’s been a long battle fought between both the pro-GMO and anti-GMO positions leading up to the passage of this new
wallets from a jump in prices at the grocery store, this bill will help prevent an expensive patchwork of state-by-state mandatory GMO food labeling laws,” he said. Russ Higgins, an ag educator with the University of Illinois Extension office, also stated he felt it was an advantage the bill supersedes state requirements, especially after states like Vermont had already began passing its own GMO requirements. “Trying to imagine the retailers — if the states all had different rules, what would that entail them to do?” Higgins questioned. “I think it’s important a fed-
law. Now that the ink has dried, many are saying neither sides are 100 percent agreeable to the bill. While some points in the new law are still unclear, the one requirement that’s for sure is food packages will have to include either a QR code, a symbol, 800 number or plain text if the ingredients contain GMOs. Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) President Richard Guebert Jr. made a statement on behalf of the IFB saying it was pleased with the labeling bill, which would prevent a rise in food prices. “In addition to protecting Americans’
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eral law was passed rather than what could have been potentially 50 individuals states addressing this issue.” Higgins pointed out how that could have trickled down and impacted costs for producers, who are already concerned over the low commodity prices. “If you’re out on the countryside, any enthusiasm for this great crop we’re watching is just tempered because of commodity prices. It’s just a little sobering in the farming community right now,” he said.
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Ag retailers go back to school IVCC’s Field Day helps mark return to ag By Dave Cook
news@tonicanews.com
Tonica News photo/Dave Cook
Salina Breckenridge is pictured with one of her award-winning Call ducks, the first breed of bird she entered in poultry competition. A bantam breed, Call ducks are now generally kept as pets, but their first recorded use was as decoys by hunters in the Netherlands, although it’s believed they originated in the Far East.
Salina Breckenridge takes flight in poultry competition By Dave Cook
news@tonicanews.com
STREATOR — Salina Breckenridge, 10, had a blue ribbon year at the recent Marshall-Putnam 4-H Fair. The Lostant Grade School fifth-grader, a member of the Lostant Leaders 4-H Club, won 17 blue ribbons and dominated
Vol. 142 No. 36
ect. Last year her skills won her a blue ribbon. Breckenridge said, “I tried to make a teddy bear cake this year, but when I was decorating it the day of the fair, the head fell off, so I couldn’t do the cake competition this year.”
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the poultry competitions. Breckenridge, in her fifth year with 4-H, won two blue ribbons for cooking and one for the dog show with her Beagle, Bailey. While Breckenridge won the cooking ribbons with her coffee cake and chocolate crinkle recipes, she missed a chance for an additional ribbon with her cake decorating proj-
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OGLESBY — As IVCC celebrates the return of its ag program for students preparing to enter the field, it’s also partnered with the University of Illinois Extension, the Illinois Farm Bureau, the Illinois Council on Best Management Practices (CBMP), the Soil Health Partnership and the Illinois Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) Program to help build the knowledge of current farmers and agronomists. IVCC hosted its first Ag Field Day on Aug. 2, and the topics focused on cover crop management for ag retailers, the importance of nutrient loss reduction strategies and the impact of soil health on the industry. “We’re trying to bring the idea of best management practices to them, but for them to do them for their own economic reasons, for their own profit. These practices are also good for the environment,” Jim Isermann, field manager for the Soil Health Partnership, said. The day’s program was designed for agronomists and CCAs, and there were approximately 25 people in attendance from throughout the local area. “We’ve had a lot of interest and good questions. Some of the farmers here have already been experimenting and are looking to build their knowledge base,” Russ Higgins, commercial agriculture educator for the Extension, said. During his presentation, Isermann explained why the program was valuable to local ag retailers and why thorough knowledge of cover crops is necessary. “They (farmers) want to work with an ag retailer who knows what’s going on and has the same concept of farming as they do, and those farmers are growing,” Isemann said.
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