Chicago's NPR News Source
How Illinois farmers are fighting climate change

Soybean and wheat fields are seen in Jeff O’Connor’s farm, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022, in Kankakee, Ill. A US Department of Agriculture move to change crop insurance rules to encourage farmers to grow two crops in a single year instead of one. Usually this means planting winter wheat in the fall, harvesting in May or June and then planting soybeans. The USDA is making it easier to obtain insurance, lessening the risk to farmers who make this choice.(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

How Illinois farmers are fighting climate change

Soybean and wheat fields are seen in Jeff O’Connor’s farm, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022, in Kankakee, Ill. A US Department of Agriculture move to change crop insurance rules to encourage farmers to grow two crops in a single year instead of one. Usually this means planting winter wheat in the fall, harvesting in May or June and then planting soybeans. The USDA is making it easier to obtain insurance, lessening the risk to farmers who make this choice.(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

How Illinois farmers are fighting climate change

Soybean and wheat fields are seen in Jeff O’Connor’s farm, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022, in Kankakee, Ill. A US Department of Agriculture move to change crop insurance rules to encourage farmers to grow two crops in a single year instead of one. Usually this means planting winter wheat in the fall, harvesting in May or June and then planting soybeans. The USDA is making it easier to obtain insurance, lessening the risk to farmers who make this choice.(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

   

The U.S. industrial farming system is just not working. It contributes to about 11 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. It can also contribute to polluting rivers and lakes, dead zones, and decreasing biodiversity.

But adopting more sustainable farming practices can make a big difference. These practices can also help soil capture carbon, instead of it being released into the atmosphere as CO2 where it contributes to warming the planet.

Reset learns more about healthy soil strategies and how advocates are encouraging farmers to construct wetlands on their farms to absorb the nitrogen from fertilizer runoff that pollutes waterways.

GUESTS: Jean Brokish, Midwest Deputy Director, American Farmland Trust

Dr. Jill Kostel, Senior Environmental Engineer The Wetlands Initiative

Karen Weigert, director of Loyola University Chicago’s Baumhart Center for Social Enterprise and Responsibility

Paul Botts, executive director The Wetlands Initiative

Jim Martin, fifth generation corn and soybean farmer, LaSalle County, IL

More From This Show
Chicago braces for surge of migrants ahead of DNC, while United Center owners unveil multi-billion dollar development plans.
For all the dairy-free folks out there, here are some options for your wine-and-cheese night.