Farm Bill Forums Being Held for Sportsmen and Women

Keeping you informed from the Legislative Floors to the Great Outdoors means taking advantage of opportunities like this in order to better educate oneself.  Sportsmen and women have been invited to attend a forum on the Farm Bill.  Many of you may know how the Farm Bill plays an important role in conservation here in Illinois.   These forums are being held by the Theodore Reosevelt Conservation Partners and the Illinois Conservation Foundation which they've entitled "Illinois Sportsmen's Guide to the 2018 Farm Bill".

According to an analysis by the TRCP, if Congress fails to re-authorize important Farm Bill conservation provisions in 2018, Illinois stands to lose up to 900,000 acres of wildlife habitat enrolled in programs like the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), and more than 16,000 acres of hunting and fishing access funded under the Farm Bill through the Illinois Recreational Access Program (IRAP). Farm Bill programs also affect downstream water quality in Illinois rivers, lakes and streams.

Illinois' Outdoors has been plagued by politicians inadequacies for far too long.  These forums are being held in the congressional districts of Congressman Mike Bost, Congressman Rodney Davis and Congresswoman Cherri Bustos, all who sit on the House Committee on Agriculture.  

Illinois Sportsmen Invited to Attend Farm Bill Forums on Jan.

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partners (TRCP), in cooperation with the Illinois Conservation Foundation (ICF), has scheduled three public forums entitled "Illinois Sportsmen's Guide to the 2018 Farm Bill." 

The purpose of the forums is to help sportsmen learn about federal Farm Bill conservation programs that are important to the future of fish and wildlife habitat, and to the future of hunting and fishing in Illinois. 

According to an analysis by the TRCP, if Congress fails to re-authorize these important Farm Bill conservation provisions in 2018, Illinois stands to lose up to 900,000 acres of wildlife habitat enrolled in programs like the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), and more than 16,000 acres of hunting and fishing access funded under the Farm Bill through the Illinois Recreational Access Program (IRAP). Farm Bill programs also affect downstream water quality in Illinois rivers, lakes and streams. 

“The 2018 Farm Bill will have a big impact on Illinois,” said Eric Schenck, executive director of the Illinois Conservation Foundation. “These forums are a chance for sportsmen to learn what is at stake and how to make their voices heard in Washington, D.C.” 

The following Sportsmen Farm Bill forums are open to the public:

• Tuesday, January 16, 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., National Great Rivers Research and Education Center, Conference Room, One Confluence Way, East Alton, IL

• Wednesday, January 17, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Illinois Department of Natural Resources (Headquarters), Lakeview Conference Room B-C, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL

• Wednesday, January 17, 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Gateway Building, Conference Room, 200 NE Water Street, Peoria, IL

To register for a Farm Bill forum and to download a copy of the “Illinois Sportsmen’s Guide to the 2018 Farm Bill”, go to www.ILCF.org. 

The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, or TRCP, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) coalition of conservation organizations, grassroots partners and outdoor related businesses, the main goal of which is enhancing conservation and preserving access for hunters and fishermen. 

The Illinois Conservation Foundation, or ICF, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) conservation organization dedicated to conserving Illinois parks, fish and wildlife areas, and natural habitats, and maintaining Illinois outdoor heritage traditions.