BLOOMINGTON – The Illinois Soybean Association will partner with the University of Illinois Extension and county Illinois Farm Bureaus to host a regional Herbicide Strategy free workshop series in Sycamore.
The workshops will update farmers about pesticide policy changes, provide steps to take to prepare farm operations, and help farmers understand the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Herbicide Strategy. Lunch also will be provided.
The workshop schedule runs from:
- 11 a.m. to noon Jan. 20 at the DeKalb County Farm Bureau office, 1350 W. Prairie Drive, Sycamore.
- 11 a.m. to noon Jan. 21 at the Illinois Soybean Association office, 1108 Trinity Lane, Bloomington.
- 11 a.m. to noon Jan. 22 at the UIUC Crop Science Research Education Center, 4202 S. First St., Champaign.
- 11 a.m. to noon Jan. 27 at the Madison County Farm Bureau office, 900 Hillsboro Ave., Edwardsville.
- 11 a.m. to noon Jan. 28 at the Will County Farm Bureau office, 100 Manhattan Road, Suite 1, Joliet.
Registration is required to attend. To register, visit ilsoy.org/latest-epa-herbicide-strategy-workshop-youre-invited/ or email gracie.scheets@ilsoy.org.
The EPA finalized its herbicide strategy in August of 2024. The strategy introduced national changes to herbicide labeling. The plan includes increasing record-keeping and planning requirements for farmers to document pesticide runoff and drift mitigation measures. The changes began from a lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity in 2011. The lawsuit argued that the EPA was not meeting Endangered Species Act obligations when labeling pesticides.
The Illinois Soybean Association upholds Illinois soybean farmers interests through promotion, advocacy, research and education to ensure profitability.
For information, visit ilsoy.org or ilsoygrowers.com.