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Volume 141 No. 43

Friday, October 2, 2015

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Challenging can be a challenge How to offer more for students who excel By Zachary J. Pratt news@tonicanews.com

LOSTANT — The Lostant School Board is contemplating the possibility of organizing additional coursework for students who excel in the tasks they are already given. During its meeting Wednesday, Sept. 23, the board discussed a request from a family, which suggested that children be able to take digital coursework at home. The idea that the school might pay for this work was also included. Since he had sent the request, Mike Philips, school board

president, explained the reasoning behind it. “Our thinking was if a child advances quickly enough in the enrichment program — we don’t want to pile stuff on — it would give him something to do,” Philips said. “Mainly it’s to make sure the challenge stays there.” The school would not necessarily have to pay for the program, but it could be there as support. “What we were looking for, and what I would like to see, is that the school provide a bit of structure,” Phillips said. It was mentioned sometimes parents think their children are more advanced and ready for more than they actually

are. If this program were in place, they might go to the school with the idea, and the school could look at what the child is doing in class. If the student seemed ready for the additional coursework, the school could recommend it. But there is also the option, if it appears adding to the child’s workload is likely to cause issues, the school might bring its concerns to the parents’ attention. If it was decided the student was ready to take on the additional work, the school could have a role with that as well. “The kind of support the school could provide is if a parent says they’d like their child to take another class — and the school says it’s a good idea, and there are other kids

Challenging Page 2

Meet you on the dark side of the moon

Tonica News photos/Becky Kramer

Sunday night’s blood supermoon lunar eclipse was a photographer’s paradise. Stargazers in many parts of the world had their cameras ready for a rare supermoon eclipse, the first of its kind since 1982, and the last we’ll see until 2033. The supermoon phenomenon occurs when the moon is full at its perigee — the closest part of its orbit around Earth (226,000 miles), meaning it appears larger in the sky. And those lucky to be in North America, South America, West Africa and Western Europe — including Tonica News readers — could also enjoy the blood moon as a total lunar eclipse also occurred.

Tonica School Board OKs new budget New mentoring program for students has been created By Zachary J. Pratt news@tonicanews.com

TONICA — The Tonica School Board met for its monthly meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 23, a different day than was originally scheduled. The board ran through a number of items, such as the new budget, which was approved. Principal Duane Schupp has put together a reading committee to consider a new series to replace the current 1998 series for kindergarten through eighth grade. The school architect met with administration to review the building. There is a new student mentoring program each Wednesday, where junior high students mentor students in kindergarten through fifth grade. The junior high students are also engaged in community works. This began when 40 students cleaned Vol. 141 No. 43 Two Sections - 16 Pages

up garbage around town. In the area of technology, the school will purchase new copiers from RX Dixon, from where they will also be networked, and will utilize a new one-year contract with Zobrio for IT support. The school now has an agreement with BTU of St. Louis for E-Rate applications. The board discussed the state’s move toward tax caps statewide, focusing on the impact it might have on the Tonica School District, its residents and its students. The board hired a new girls’ basketball coach as well as a part-time custodian, while also approving Janet Martin’s intent to retire. The teacher benefit and salary report was approved, along with the annual school recognition application and the sale of old yearbooks. Bids on snow removal can now go through, as Tonica school prepares for the coming winter.

Remembering Jeremy Zulz Lostant school looks for ways to memorialize former employee By Zachary J. Pratt news@tonicanews.com

LOSTANT — The sudden passing of Jeremy Zulz, a 25-year-old Wenona resident who was head of maintenance at Lostant school and died as a result of a car accident on Sept. 6, left the Lostant Community School, as well as the community as a whole, saddened. Now, various efforts have sprung up to memorialize him. At its Wednesday, Sept. 23, meeting, the Lostant School Board discussed various possibilities through which Zulz might be remembered.

Remembering Jeremy Page 3

Have you ordered your tickets for Women of Distinction? Illinois Valley Living Magazine and the Tonica News invite you to this event, set for 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday. Oct. 15 at Hornbaker Gardens in Princeton. Call 815-875-4461, ext. 6320, for tickets and details.

2 Local 2 • The Tonica News • Friday, October 2, 2015

Seeking Sources

Lostant school field trips should be a blast

Where in the world is The Tonica News? Are you planning a vacation or holiday trip? Don’t forget to take along a copy of the The Tonica News. Once you get to your destination, have someone snap a photo of you holding the newspaper, and then send the photo to us along with pertinent information about who is in the photo and where you are. We’ll be happy to share your photo with other Tonica News readers, your friends, family and neighbors. Email your photo and information to news@tonicanews.com. You can also drop it by our office in Tonica.

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Superintendent discusses PARCC testing By Zachary J. Pratt news@tonicanews.com

LOSTANT — The students at Lostant Community School will attend a set of field trips in the near future, as approved by the Lostant School Board during its meeting Wednesday, Sept. 23. Marjorie Archdale, a teacher at the school, requested the board approve a collection of field trips for the different grade levels. The first covered was for the older students. Archdale wants to take them to a quarry. The quarry’s policies are what caused the split in age groups. “The quarry that we are going to — Lafarge in Utica — will only take fifth through eighth grade,” Archdale said. Archdale said Mike Philips, president of the school board, has better contacts, which could have helped with the quarry selection. Unfortunately, taking the children to these quarries is not always possible. Philips said there is another quarry, a smaller business, that would have been a good option, except they stopped allowing groups of students under college age. “A lot of quarries are getting stricter about letting people in,” Philips said. Even so, Lafarge has agreed to allow the field trip and is even preparing a special event. “A surprise that was told to me was that they might

do a blast for us,” Archdale said. This does require parents to fill out waivers and permission slips. “The kids were excited,” Archdale said. “We might be able to see stuff blow up.” The younger children would be treated to a different experience. “I would like to take the younger kids to a sand, gravel operation,” Archdale said. She said this might be preferable to the quarry, even if Lafarge had allowed the age group. “It would be a better fit for them,” she said. Archdale also explained her idea to take the kindergarten students on a walking field trip. The board approved all the field trips. The board also discussed the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) and the testing it provides. Superintendent Sandra Malahy opened discussion regarding the test scores. “This week, it was reported in the news that the State Board of Education released the PARCC scores,” Malahy said. She clarified that this did not allow people to look at the scores for the Lostant School District. “They did not release the individual district scores,” Malahy said, only the overall scores for the state of Illinois. “We’ll need to look at this when we get our own scores and see how we fare on

Challenging From Page 1 too — we could suggest, try to get them to take the same class, and they can help each other,” Philips said. “If we set this precedent, we open it up to all children and all families,” Malahy said. She does not want the impression of favoritism. “I don’t care what your socio-economic situation is,” Malahy said. “That has nothing to do with it.”

this continuum of scoring.” The scores have no bearing on school performance at the present time. “We are not held against this,” Malahy said. “Yet.” Malahy, however, is not impressed by the scoring process. “You have to show student growth,” Malahy said. This presents a problem when there are no previous scores to go by. “This is from a test that’s brand new,” Malahy said. “We were measured on the first test against the second test, with three weeks in between.” Part of her questioning comes from comparing test scores on a constantly evolving test. “They’re changing the test,” Malahy said, addressing the issue of score comparison. “How valid is that?” “I don’t put a lot of stock in test scores,” Malahy said. “I put more stock in what the kids are doing in the classroom.” It is a different factor of the PARCC scores, though, that causes Malahy to feel the results ought to be disregarded. “If a subgroup has less than 10 students, they do not report that,” Malahy said. “So we will only have one grade reported. What’s the sense of that for the parents, for you? If it’s not important to report all our children’s scores, why should we take this seriously?” The board learned the school district is in good standing, according to its recent audit presented by Brandon McNeill of Hopkins and Associates. McNeill gave a brief pre-

“The kids were excited. We might be able to see stuff blow up.” Teacher Marjorie Archdale sentation, followed by the overall opinion. “We have issued a clean audit opinion,” McNeill said. The district was given a score of 3.65 out of a possible 4.0. According to McNeill, this “qualifies the district for the highest ranking.” The final judgment was stated as favorable. “We have uncovered no significant audit adjustments that need to be made to the district books,” McNeill said. In other news: • The board held a public hearing regarding the district budget before the meeting. “This is the final budget going to the state,” Malahy said. • The board recognized the Parent Teacher Organization for its donation of $380 toward BrainPop and $130 toward Spelling City. “And I understand that they were going to give out additional money to teachers; there was an email sent out instructing teachers to contact the PTO,” Malahy said. “The PTO has been funding us very well.” • Malahy recognized Nicole Larson and Carol Spangler, as well as Jennifer Tooley, for helping out around the school. • The eighth-grade Little Caesar’s fundraising event

Everything depends on what the child is ready for and on what might be the most benefit. “It has everything to do with the child ... and what kind of student they are at that time,” Malahy said. If the school cannot recommend a student take part in the program at one time, that does not preclude the child from taking part later. “That could change,” Malahy said. “Students do improve.” The idea is not without its issues, as Malahy pointed out.

will take place in the near future, though no specific date was announced at the meeting. • The school recently encountered some issues. “We had a leak in the roof, and it — this time — ran to the corner of the boys’ locker room,” Malahy said. Because of this, the inspector said they had to run samples. “They took three samples; they never take one,” she said. The samples were agreeable, and the school can now begin repairs. • The board received an update regarding work on the basement. “They went above and beyond everything. They took care of everything for us,” Malahy said. “The basement is in working order and ready.” If anything goes wrong with the system, it should not cause substantial issue. “I know how to fix the entire pump system if it goes down,” Malahy said. “I hope I don’t have to.” • The board approved the reimbursement of Marjorie Archdale of $1,400 with an agreement to stay three more years. • The board approved the resignation of parttime custodian Matt Farb, the employment of Tricia Haynes as a paraprofessional and the employment of William Weistart as a custodian.

“I’m not sure how to monitor for it. I’m not sure how to plan for it in the budget,” Malahy said. “If a student drops out or doesn’t pass, we have that expense.” Despite her uncertainty, Malahy supports the proposition. “I believe we should do this,” Malahy said. “I’m just not sure how. “I would like to recommend that we put this on another board agenda, and we all come together at that time and bring ideas,” Malahy said. Further discussion was tabled until a later meeting.

3 Obit REcords Friday, October 2, 2015 • The Tonica News • 3

Extra scrimmage games and new volleyball uniforms Lostant to offer open gym By Zachary J. Pratt news@tonicanews.com

LOSTANT — Nicole Larson provided the athletic director update at the Lostant School Board meeting Wednesday, Sept. 23. Larson provided a report on extra games for the year. “The extra games are scrimmage games, and those are the schools who aren’t overloaded with games and have agreed to scrimmage with us,” she said. For these additional games, Lostant will play both Deer Park and Holy Family. With Deer Park, the grades playing will be fifth and sixth, whereas against Holy Family they will be playing grades fifth through seventh. “Those are the ones, for sure, we will be playing,” Larson said. These scrimmage games apply to boys’ basketball only, as there were no openings for other schools to participate in girls’ basketball scrimmages. Larson hopes beginning preparations sooner will rectify

the issue next year. “At the end of this school year, after the meeting, if it looks like it’ll be the same way, I’ll get started earlier,” Larson said. With any luck, extra games will not be limited to basketball. “I am working on volleyball,” Larson said when asked about other sports. Larson also presented an update on the proposition to hold an open gym. The idea is to give children something to do by opening up the gym for their use. “It won’t start until November,” Larson said. She indicated the program would likely last through February. However, the school is in need of volunteers for the open gym. Larson has created a sign up list to help schedule chaperones. Dianna Loerger, board member, took the opportunity to request those present might sign up. “Nicole’s pushing it to get kids off the streets, doing something,” Loerger said.

The board approved open gym November through February, with parents as chaperones. It is set for Wednesdays and Fridays. In related news, the board discussed the new volleyball uniforms. The issue in question was what would happen if parents did not approve of the uniform. “If someone says, ‘My kid’s not wearing that,’ and that’s what decides whether we have a team?” Superintendent Sandra Malahy said. With so few children who might try for the team, this would affect the whole program. “I don’t want to not have a team. I’m just trying to take a proactive approach of thinking ahead,” Malahy said. Malahy presented a possible solution: “Do we have an Option B?” she asked. This would negate the potential to lose the team over the uniform style. “You’ll provide the recommended and an alternate?” Malahy asked. It was decided the school would have another option for the uniform.

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Remembering Jeremy From Page 1 One suggestion was to include armbands on team uniforms. “A family — at least one — threw out to the coach the possibility of memorializing Jeremy by wearing armbands,” Superintendent Sandra Malahy said. The main issue with that is the possibility it would breach rules. If the armbands caused issues regarding uniform regulations, the school would then have to forfeit the season. “You’ve sewn the bands on,” said Malahy, explaining why the suggestion might not work. Mike Philips, school board president, agreed with this conclusion. “I completely understand why the kids want to do that,” Philips said. “But because of the rules it doesn’t seem feasible.” As the board threw ideas around, it was suggested they could take the basic idea but make it easier and less risky to implement. The possibility of using sweatbands or headbands came into the conversation. “I like the idea of the sweatbands and the headbands,” Philips said. If these articles were to cause any issue with regulations, they could simply be removed. Because these would not be attached to the clothing, they would not officially change anything or require any sort of policy, which meant the board did not have to vote on the idea.

The idea the school could dedicate the season to Zulz was also suggested. “I think it’s wonderful that they want to honor Jeremy,” Dianna Loerger, board secretary, said. She thought, however, there might be some other way to better memorialize Zulz. “If the kids want to do something, let’s do something substantial, that they can remember,” Loerger said. “Like they can watch a tree grow or something.” This suggestion echoed a different request. “The second request came from a family in the district who would like to donate and plant a tree,” Malahy said. A discussion followed, in which it was suggested the tree would not need to be donated. In any case, the overall idea garnered some approval. “There’s a precedent and a history to that,” Malahy said. Philips attached his own idea to the request: “If we did that, I’d like to put a plaque there,” he said. A method already in place came about when Zulz’s family brought three pictures to the school with the idea they could be given to students. The school sent a letter to parents saying that children were able to obtain pictures of Zulz if they desired. “It wasn’t a long illness or something,” Malahy said. “It was an accident; it was a tragic thing. There was no time to prepare anything.”

LaSalle County Sheriff’s office At 8:20 a.m. Sept. 21, LaSalle County deputies investigated a two-vehicle accident on Route 251, north of North 25th Road in Peru Township. Leann R. Love, 39, of Tonica was traveling north on Route 251 and started to slow down because of stopped traffic. Brianna L. Cusac, 26, of Streator was traveling behind Love and struck Love’s vehicle in the rear. At 8:45 a.m. Sept. 21, LaSalle County

deputies investigated a two-vehicle accident on Route 251, north of North 25th Road in Peru Township. Miranda Kennedy, 30, of Streator was traveling north on Route 251 and was distracted by another accident. Kennedy failed to slow down and struck the vehicle of Mason P. Moriarty, 21, of Tonica in the rear. Kennedy was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

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4 Perspective 4 • The Tonica News • Friday, October 2, 2015

The Editorial Page The Tonica News Sam R Fisher

Terri Simon

Publisher

Editor

A day in the life of ... Being editor of this newspaper has its perks ... Really. While there are days when I really have to dig down deep to find those assets, other days they come without notice ... dancing their way into my life unexpectedly. Let me preface this by saying I didn’t grow up yearning to be an editor of a newspaper. Actually, I wanted to be a tight-rope walker in the circus, followed by a baton twirler, followed by a first-grade teacher. For reasons unknown and other reasons quite obvious, none of those things panned out. Many, many, many years later, I find myself behind this computer, looking out Terri Simon from my office on a newsroom filled with incredibly talented people, and torn between the concepts of how I got this lucky and why in the world did I ever accept the job of editor. Bottom line is, though, just like I remind the staff here ... We make our living at the end of our fingertips as they press the keys on the keyboard, creating that which others will read and interpret in their own minds. A day in the life of an editor is interesting ... to say the very least. It’s a juggling act I’ve yet to perfect, however, I’ve learned — much to my dismay — that perfection will never arrive; primarily because I work with the human spirit, and as we all know, perfection is as elusive as that perfect word we attempt to find in our own heads as we put pen to paper. It’s been said that journalists sit down at their keyboards and open a vein before pouring their own heart and soul into another’s story. In the perfect world, that is an ideal description of this job, this newsroom staff, this occupation, this career. But there are days — occasionally weeks on end — where we muddle through notebooks of notes, listen to hours on end of meeting tapes, research subjects of which we have no interest, answer telephone calls that clearly aren’t on our busy agendas, make time for people who don’t understand looming deadlines ... I could go on and on. These are the days when I go home at night, my mind still in a whirlwind, wondering if I can do this one more day. Please don’t misunderstand. The aforementioned paragraph sounds like gloom and doom, but nothing could be further from the truth. When I sift through all the chaos, all the mindless little things I contend with, all the (for lack of a better word) crap ... the most basic of all attributes of being an editor far outweigh the things that tend to get in the way of this job. ... You see, I get to meet, learn about, understand and appreciate people in a manner few will ever realize. I can’t even begin to tell you the number of people who have crossed my path throughout the past 20-plus years — people whose stories have had a lifelong impact on me and whose inspirational words have affected me in a positive manner. Ironically enough, they usually weren’t those in powerful positions or those with names you’d no doubt recognize. Instead, they have been the people whose hearts are huge; people who have learned to dig down deep into their souls for understanding; people who appreciate the world they have been offered and make the best of oftentimes adverse situations. Forget about the deadlines. Forget about the fact that as a newspaper, we publish our mistakes for everyone to see, when the rest of the world just makes mistakes and moves on. Forget about the well-known fact there aren’t enough hours in the day. Forget about being dog tired when you finally see the lights in your own home, especially when you left for work long before the sun came up. Forget all of that. It doesn’t matter. What matters in this job? It’s plain and simple ... people. And from that perspective ... I’m honored to sit at this desk that publishes YOUR hometown newspaper. It’s as simple ... and as complicated ... as that. I think I can safely speak for the entire newsroom staff, when I say we care very much about the people who live, work and play in this area. They are our bread and butter, so to speak, and we are consistently honored and humbled by them. Tonica News Editor Terri Simon can be reached at tsimon@tonicanews.com.

First Amendment “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” Constitution of the United States, 1789

What I’ve learned about runners It’s been seven months since I started a running program, and I truly feel I am fitter and stronger than I have been in years. I’m not setting any speed records and I know I never will, but I’ve steadily improved and am now starting to bump up my weekly mileage in preparation for the Lincoln Presidential half marathon in April. Here’s a few things I’ve learned in the past few months that only runners will understand. Personal bests: It doesn’t matter how small the margin, when you beat your personal best time, even if it is by a second, you feel like there’s nothing you can’t accomplish. My best time for a one-mile run just improved the other day. I went from a best of 10 minutes and 30 seconds, down to 10 minutes and 25 seconds. Sure, it was only a five second difference, but I acted like I had just landed on the moon. It was a big moment for me. Beating a man: This one is for the ladies. Men, in general, are faster runners than women. That’s a fact. And that is why there is nothing I love more than passing a male runner during a race. Genetics give them an edge, which is why I want to suppress a giggle every time I pass one. I have always rooted for the underdog, and in running, women are definitely the underdogs. There’s always someone faster ... and they might be double your age: I think most runners reach a point where they start to feel a bit smug. Maybe they’ve just beat someone in a race who is a decade younger than they are. Or maybe they’ve just beat their personal best and are feeling like a rock star. That feeling doesn’t

Shannon Serpette COMMENTARY last long in running. Case in point: I was out for a one-mile speed run the other day, and I was crushing it. I knew I was on pace for one of my best times ever. As I was running the last lap, a well-known runner from my town, a man in his 80s, passed me. I was bested by an octogenarian and we both knew it. With a smile, he kicked past me effortlessly. My feelings of self-satisfaction evaporated as quickly as they came on, and he probably had the biggest smile on his face the rest of the day. You learn to love dressing like a superhero: I never thought my wardrobe would include so much spandex and so many bright colors. Barely moving: Some days you feel like The Flash out there running, but other days it is a struggle just to finish your miles and you feel like you’re barely moving. There have been days I felt like I would look down at my feet and see a snail passing me. Every runner knows what this feels like. You’re in a brotherhood: Despite wanting to beat them in every race, you greatly respect other runners, often even before you know them. You share the same struggles and have the same passion. It’s fun to meet others who understand things like foam rollers and plantar fasciitis. Can do attitude: Most runners I know have a can-do attitude. My

own threshold about what I can do has greatly improved since I started running. I figure if I can tough it out for four or five miles without a problem, I can do almost anything. You’ve realized running doesn’t sap your energy, it gives you energy: In my early days, I thought running three or four miles would exhaust me, and I’d better not plan on doing anything else after that. Now I’ve realized I have far more energy after a run than I do on non-running days. A carboholic’s paradise: There’s not much I love more than carbs. Whether it is pasta, bread or crackers, I’m happy. As long as I’m running, I feel I can guiltlessly indulge in carbs, within moderation, of course. One of the reasons I’m doing a half marathon in the spring is because I’m gleefully imagining all the carbs I can eat while training. An obsessive need to perfect the playlist: Let’s be clear — without music, I would never, ever run. It gives me something to focus on besides my heavy panting, and it keeps me entertained. Music inspires me to run faster when I need to, and it gives me a few minutes where I can just unwind while getting my exercise in. Since it is an integral part of my run, I spend a lot of time on it, adding and removing songs from my playlist. I have different playlists for 5Ks, half marathon training sessions and slow runs. I’m always on the lookout for good running music, so if anyone has some suggestions, please email me. I’d love to hear them. BCR Copy Editor Shannon Serpette can be reached at sserpette@bcrnews. com.

Chasing happy According to David Jeremiah, if you type “happy” into Google, more than 650 million entries will come up. Clearly, we are obsessed with becoming happy. And that begs me to think, with all of the luxury items and abilities our society has, why can’t we find happiness? Shouldn’t that weekly mani/pedi, 80-inch TV, double chocolate cookie dough custard with caramel and fudge swirls (I definitely thought about that one too much), and 50-pound weight loss and makeover job fix that itch? Or what about those dime a dozen self-help books? Why are we so happy-void people anyway? What does it even mean to be happy? That’s a puzzler right there. I’m not actually sure if I have a concrete answer, but I have experienced the symptoms of what I’d call happiness: Peace, contentment in my situation, a smile that refuses to leave my face. And the funniest part is that it never seems to happen when I try one of those get-happy techniques. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m never looking for happiness when it hits me. I believe this revelation began earlier this year with God nudging me a little, bugging me to really seek Him out and get off my butt and start doing something for Him. I was in an uncomfortable place, dealing with some struggles I couldn’t seem to overcome, and my pitiful routine simply wasn’t working. So I began intentionally reading my Bible and searching for my “place” in life. At the time I still didn’t even know what I wanted my major to be, and that was really weighing on me. Like, come on God, I’ve put all this work into school, so why haven’t you given me insight about this perfect plan you have? Everybody and their brother tells me you have one, but I’m sorta thinking mine got tossed in a trash bin somewhere. So amidst my searching I stum-

Danae Ross COMMENTARY bled upon Beachbody, a fitness and health company that helps people lose weight, get fit, feel good, gain financial stability, all the works. I really wanted to try one of the products but didn’t want to pay full price, so I signed up as a coach to get the discount. Shortly after falling in love with it, though, I decided I actually wanted to coach and help people gain back health and confidence in themselves. I struggled enough with eating myself (and still do sometimes) that I never want someone else to have to deal with that alone. So I started posting my about my routine, healthy recipes, workouts and how God was helping me do all of this and changing my heart in the process. It was SO out of my comfort zone. I almost never posted much on social media before this and was sure people were thinking, “Who does this girl think she is? How annoying.” But after getting really honest and connecting all of my struggles and accomplishments in health and fitness to a God who is greater than any issue I face, people started reaching out to me, thanking me for the posts, seeking out my opinion and help, talking to me about God and my faith. At first my introverted self was slightly overwhelmed that anyone was even reading the posts, but then it motivated me to work even harder at it, to be intentional about my faith-health journey and make it a consistent habit to write posts, reach out and encourage people, and pour into the fitness challenge groups I was running (and still do) as a coach. Each little conversation, the uplifting ones as well as the challenging

ones, brought me more and more purpose. They brought me joy and a deep sense of peace that I was doing the right thing. I am not perfect, and I don’t have all of the answers; I was simply being honest about my journey and showing people the constant work God was doing in my heart. And it made me genuinely happy. Not because I was serving myself or looking for ways to make myself happy, but because I was attempting to serve others and glorify God with what He was doing in my life, right where I was. Right where I am now. I haven’t graduated college yet, figured out where I will work, where I will live, who I will marry; I don’t have much money; my car is always on the fritz; my family argues a few times too many; I mess up; get moody, fail ... yet none of that matters. In the midst of my average life I find happiness on a regular basis when I seek out God and try to serve others and honor Him amongst my daily adventures. So I guess the point of this rat trail is that happiness is not something you buy. It’s not something you chase after. It finds you. It sneaks up behind you when you stop searching for it; forget about yourself, and start putting your efforts into living the life God gave you with intention. Doing your best to use your gifts and belongings to love on and help others. It doesn’t have to be lavish or perfect. Simply come as you are and say, “God I don’t have much to offer, but use me today and I will do my best to obey.” And you can get all that for a charge of zero dollars and zero cents, free advice from the nosebleed section. I can’t say that it is a quick road to happiness, but give it a try and I guarantee good results, no warranty or return policy needed. Danae Ross of Wyanet is a junior at Judson University. She can be reached at diamondspride30@yahoo. com.

5 Life Friday, October 2, 2015 • The Tonica News • 5

Community

Eating ... or playing?

IVCC will host boys instructional league OGLESBY — Illinois Valley Community College men’s basketball coach Chris Herman and his players will host a fall instructional league for boys from third through eighth grade from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11, and Saturdays, Oct. 17 and 31. Emphasis will be placed

on individual and team defense and offense, shooting, ball handling and league play. Participants will interact with Herman, assistant coach Justin Jacobson and members of the 2015-16 team. The $60 registration fee includes a T-shirt. To register, call 815-224-0593.

Parkinson’s support group to meet SPRING VALLEY — St. Margaret’s support group for persons affected by Parkinson’s disease will meet at 1:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, in the hospital’s first floor presentation room. This month’s speaker is Sarah Stasik from Home Instead Senior Care. Sarah is a Home Care Consultant and will offer suggestions and support for caregivers. This meeting will be especially informative for those who care for spouses, or any family member who has a chronic illness. Free valet parking is provided, and wheelchairs are available in the hospital. For more information, call 815-664-5311.

Memorial Mass on Oct. 4 SPRING VALLEY — A Memorial Mass will be held at St. Margaret’s Hospital at 8 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, in the hospital chapel. Family and friends are invited to attend the Mass, which is held in memory of those individuals who passed away at St. Margaret’s Hospital during the months of July and August of 2015. Refreshments will be served immediately following the Mass in the hospital’s upper lobby. For more information, contact St. Margaret’s Pastoral Care Department at 815-664-1155.

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Lostant School Board worries nutrition is being sacrificed for recess time By Zachary J. Pratt news@tonicanews.com

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number of teachers to help with one thing at the same time. “So here’s what’s happened with the little ones,” Malahy said. “With busy parents, with single parent families, we have found that K through second students do not have a lot of support.” “We’ve created a block of time where people work with the K through second children on those skills we used to work on at home,” Malahy said. The board contemplated the possibility of allowing snacks during study hall, which might work if the parents provide these snacks for their children. It is also possible the break between lunch and recess might become more fluid. “I did think about, since we’re so small,” Malahy said, “if we let everyone eat and once they’re done, they can be let out.” “I didn’t think we’d solve it tonight,” Philips said, “but it was worth thinking about.” The board will continue to discuss the issue at a later time.

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30-minute block. They cannot be moved around at the present time. One reason for this is that the physical education teacher is only part time and can only be there at certain times, which is why recess is already scheduled where it is. The school cannot fix this issue by giving recess to another teacher. “No teacher can be assigned recess duty because it’s not in their contract,” Malahy said. Bob Lawless, school board vice president, recounted the solution used when he was a kid. “When I went to school,” Lawless said, “the janitor supervised.” This is not going to happen in Lostant. Malahy said it would require too much of the janitor. Furthermore, such a position is not trained for the requirements. “People in that position are also not usually required to be around kids all day,” Malahy said. “I hesitate to set that precedent.” The enrichment program is also causes scheduling issues because it requires a

LOSTANT — Reports of shorter lunch periods impacting students’ food choices have been emerging, causing concern. During its meeting Wednesday, Sept. 23, the Lostant School Board discussed reports regarding the eating habits of students when given a short time to eat and contemplated what to do about the trend. “There were some questions, just nutrition-wise, if you make the kids eat too fast, they eat less well,” Mike Philips, board president, said. “They eat their sweets first.” “That was one of the things the researchers found, was the kids weren’t eating everything,” Philips said. “It’s not necessarily obvious. The kids make their choices and eat what they OGLESBY — The Nine Patch Quilt Guild will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, want because they don’t at the Dickinson House in Oglesby. At the meeting, the October Retreat will be dishave time.” cussed, and officers will be installed for the 2015-16 year. Annual dues should be Superintendent San- paid at this meeting. New members are always welcome. Meetings are held the sec-

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dra Malahy provided an account on how she has had to update the schedule to accommodate all the school’s obligations. She said there are constantly more requirements the school has to meet, and both lunch and recess together have had to be put into the same 30-minute block. This compression is why Philips thought the issue needed to be addressed. “I think it’s the kind of thing we need to think about,” Philips said. “What happens is, you fix all the other problems, and the one thing you weren’t paying attention to gets crunched.” “I think the general issue is the kids know how long lunch is,” Philips said. “And they’re not going to ask for longer lunch. They want to have time for recess.” Shortening recess to give lunch more time within the block, Philips indicated, is not the answer. “The kids need time for recess, so they can run around,” he said. Not much, it seems, can be done with both activities occupying the same

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6 Life/Classifieds 6 • The Tonica News • Friday, October 2, 2015

Menus and Activities dressing, apple slices, caramel, Lostant Grade School ranch milk.

‘Ghosts of Ottawa past’ guided tour OTTAWA — On Friday, Oct. 9, and Saturday, Oct. 10, the Reddick Mansion Association will reprise its “Ghosts of Ottawa Past” program with some new and different stories. The guided tour will begin in the candle-lit Reddick Mansion where participants will encounter a visit from some of the mansion’s previous residents. The program will also include an approximate half-mile outside walk along Columbus Street. The tour will stop at the site of the last hanging

in LaSalle County and the location of a murder along the I & M Canal. During the walk, other famous and infamous ghostly characters from Ottawa’s past may also appear. Two tours will be given each night: one at 7 p.m. and one at 9 p.m. After each of the walking tours, the groups will return to the Reddick Mansion where refreshments will be served. The cost is $10 per person and, due to the subject matter, participants should be at least 12 years old. For

reservations, call the Reddick Mansion at 815-4336100. Each tour is limited to 20 people, and reservations are strongly suggested. All money raised will be used for the preservation and renovation of the Reddick Mansion. The Reddick Mansion, at 100 W. Lafayette St., was built in 1858, and is listed in the National Register of Historic Sites. It is open to the public for tours and also has meeting/reception rooms available for rent for special events.

Scholarship open to high school seniors MOLINE — Midwest Technical Institute and the mikeroweWORKS Foundation announced the third annual mrWF/MTI scholarship program for graduating high school seniors beginning Sept. 14. The 2015-2016 program will award seven graduating high school seniors with a 100 percent tuition-paid scholarship for any of MTI’s workforce training programs. Winners will have the opportunity to select from a number of in-demand vocational courses and programs including welding, HVAC, medical assisting, dental assisting, truck driving and more. The program, in collaboration with TV personality Mike Rowe, was established in 2013 as a partnership between MTI and the mikeroweWORKS Founda-

tion to foster an interest in a wide range of mechanical trade and allied health careers. Each year, approximately $800,000 in scholarship funds is awarded to help high school students gain the skills and experience necessary to secure meaningful employment in today’s competitive workforce and develop into industry-leading professionals. Speaking of the program’s importance, MTI’s director of high school development Eric Gleason believes the program can play a vital part in helping today’s high school students realize their future without the expense of a traditional college degree. “Student loan debt can follow you for many years and this scholarship opportunity allows you to gradu-

ate debt free,” Gleason said. “For example, as a college graduate, I still owe $4,000 and I am 36 years old.” To be eligible, students must be graduating seniors during the 2015-16 academic year and submit a brief essay and video detailing why they should be selected as a scholarship winner. Submitted videos will be uploaded to MTI’s website for a period of public voting where the video with the greatest number of votes will be declared the winner. Submissions will be accepted through March 25, 2016. Public voting on student videos will run from April 1 to May 1, 2016, and winners will be announced on or about May 6, 2016. For more information, visit www.midwesttech. edu.

–––– Classifieds –––– General Terms and Policies

The Tonica News reserves the right to classify correctly, edit, reject or cancel any advertisement at any time in accordance with its policy. All ads must be checked for errors by the advertiser, on the first day of publication. We will be responsible for the first incorrect insertion, and its liabilities shall be limited to the price on one insertion. CLASSIFIED LINE AD & LEGAL DEADLINES: • Friday Paper deadline Friday before by 3pm We Accept Call 815-875-4461 classified@bcrnews.com

- 200 Employment 232 • Business Opportunities PROMOTE JOB OPENINGS We can help get your business fully staffed. Call 815-875-4461

- 400 Merchandise 450 • Under $1000 4 piece wicker set $200; 2 drawer filing cabinet $10; classical record sets $3 each. Call 815-869-3054 Ladies Montgomery Ward bicycle from the 40's, reconditioned, like new. $50. 815-879-9671

450 • Under $1000

460 • Garage Sales

Cornet with case, mute, and music holder. $300. Call 815-454-2707

HENNEPIN FALL TOWNWIDE GARAGE SALES Friday & Saturday, October 2 & 3; 8am – 3pm Maps available at North Central Bank, Hennepin Food Mart and Country Stop Restaurant

Power vent LP water heater, 1-1/2 years old. $425. Call 815-303-9456

450 • Under $1000 ************ HAVE SOMETHING TO SELL? Put your ad in for FREE Items $1,000 or less can run FREE for 1 time. Limit of 5 lines. Up to 3 items with price and price totaling under $1,000. 1 ad per household per week. No commercial ads, firearms or animal sales. E-mail information to: classified@ bcrnews.com (include your name, address & phone number) No Phone Calls!

460 • Garage Sales * FLEA MARKET * Sunday, October 18th, 9am-2pm. Bureau County Fairgrounds, Princeton. $1 Admission For Information Call 815-303-2905 HENNEPIN 327 North 5th Street. Thursday, Friday, Saturday, October 1, 2, 3; 8am-5pm. Friday & Saturday is TOWN-WIDE SALES. Rod & reel, fishing tackle, golf clubs, glassware, books- hard & soft, vinyl records. Misc. items

- 700 Real Estate For Sale 767 • Mobile Home Sales **************** PUBLISHER'S NOTICE All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call, HUD tollfree at 800 669-9777. The toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 800 927-9275

Breakfast Oct. 5 — Breakfast toast, yogurt, cereal, fruit and juice. Oct. 6 — Honeybun, yogurt, cereal, fruit and juice. Oct. 7 — Pancakes, sausage, syrup, yogurt, cereal, fruit and juice. Oct. 8 — Breakfast pizza, yogurt, cereal, fruit and juice. Oct. 9 — No school.

Oct. 9 — No school.

Putnam County Community Center

Lunch Oct. 5 — Bosco sticks, celery sticks, applesauce, milk. Oct. 6 — Sloppy Joe on bun, chips, pears, milk. Oct. 7 — Tortellini with meat sauce, salad with french and ranch, garlic bread, apricots, milk. Oct. 8 — Nachos and cheese, broccoli, pineapple, milk. Oct. 9 — No school.

Oct. 5 — Baked chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, stewed tomatoes and zucchini, peaches and bread. Oct. 6 — Barbecue on bun, coleslaw, baked beans, chips and dip, fruit cocktail and dessert. Oct. 7 — Ham salad on wheat bread, cream of potato soup with crackers, macaroni salad, carrot sticks and baked apples. Oct. 8 — Meatloaf, scalloped potatoes, corn, pears, bread and butter and dessert. Oct. 9 — Meatballs with gravy, mashed potatoes, spinach, fruit yogurt and wheat bread.

Tonica Grade School

Bridges Senior Center

Breakfast Oct. 5 — Waffle and syrup or cereal, toast, granola, yogurt, fruit, juice, milk. Oct. 6 — Sausage, egg and cheese biscuit or cereal, toast, granola, yogurt, fruit, juice, milk. Oct. 7 — Cheese omelet or cereal, toast, granola, yogurt, fruit, juice, milk. Oct. 8 — Powder sugar or chocolate doughnuts or cereal, toast, granola, yogurt, fruit, juice, milk. Oct. 9 — No school.

Oct. 5 — 9 a.m., Tai Chi; 10 a.m., Sewing Circle; 12:45 p.m., Bingo; 1:30 p.m., open cards. Oct. 6 — 9 a.m., Forever Fit; 10 a.m., Soldier’s Angels; 6:30 p.m., AAUW members only. Oct. 7 — 9 a.m., Forever Fit; 10:15 p.m., intermediate computer course. Oct. 8 — 9 a.m., Tai Chi; 12:45 p.m., Bingo; 1:30 p.m., open cards. Oct. 9 — 9 a.m., Forever Fit; 10 a.m., caregiver support group; noon, Wii bowling banquet. The Bridges Senior Center is a congregate meal site. Meals, provided by Voluntary Action Center, are served from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday for a suggested donation of $3.50. A 24-hour advance reservation is required. For more information, call 815-431-8034.

Lunch Oct. 5 — Hot dog on bun, baked beans, fruit, zert pudding, milk. Oct. 6 — Rotini, meat sauce, shredded lettuce, salad dressings, fruit, bread sticks, milk. Oct. 7 — Early dismissal, no lunch. Oct. 8 — Pizza bosco stick, carrots,

999 • Legal Notices

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP Management, and Circulation 1. Publication Title: The Tonica News 2. Publication Number: 633-340 3. Filing Date: September 25, 2015 4. Issue Frequency: Weekly 5. Number of Issues Published Annually: 52 6. Annual Subscription Price: $22.00 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: 800 Ace Rd. Princeton, Il. 61356; Contact Person: Abbie Clark; Telephone: (815) 875-4461. 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher: 800 Ace Rd., P.O. Box 340, Princeton (Bureau County), IL 61356-0340 9. Publisher: Sam R. Fisher, 800 Ace Rd., Princeton, Illinois 61356; Editor: None; Managing Editor: Terri Simon, 800 Ace Rd., Princeton, Illinois 61356 10. Owner: B.F. Shaw Printing Company, 444 Pine Hill Drive, Dixon, IL 61021 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: None 12. Tax Status: N/A 13. Publication Title: The Tonica News 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: August 28, 2015. 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation; Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date a. Total Number of Copies (Net press run): 405/399 b. Paid and/or Requested Circulation: (1) Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on Form 3541: 84/75 (2) Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541: 223/209 (3) Paid Distribution Outside the Mails Including Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid Distribution Outside USPS : 40/39 (4) Paid Distribution by Other Classes of Mail Through the USPS: 0; 0 c. Total Paid Distribution: 347/323 d. Free or Nominal Rate Distribution by: (1) Free or Nominal Rate Outside-County Copies included on PS Form 3541: 0; 0 (2) Free or Nominal Rate In-County Copies Included on PS Form 3541: 0; 0

(3) Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at Other Classes Through the USPS: 0; 0 (4) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail: 0; 0 e. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution: 0; 0 f. Total Distribution: 347/323 g. Copies not Distribution: 58/76 h. Total: 405/399 i. Percent Paid: 100%; 100% 16. Publication of Statement of Ownership: Will be printed in the October 2, 2015 issue of this publication. 17. Sam Fisher, Publisher, 10/2/15 Published in The Tonica News Oct. 2, 2015.

PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES The Tonica News Classified MarketPlace brings you the public and legal information you have a right to know. Check out each publication for information about your community and stay informed!

www.tonicanews.com

LEGAL I, Donna Naas, Supervisor of Richland Township, LaSalle County, Illinois Being sworn that the following statement is a correct report for the Fiscal Year beginning April 1, 2014 and ending March 31, 2015 Town Road & Bridge General Fund Fund Assistance Fund Balance April 1, 2014 Checking & Investments $6,562 $9,902 $14,129 Income Property Tax $35,579 $17,254 $2,059 Replacement Tax 1,654 3,368 Interest Earned 15 Miscellaneous Income 1,232 Transfers 2,633 Total Income $41,098 $20,622 $2,074 Expenditures Administrative $35,722 $16,751 $1,053 Note Payment 5,655 5,655 Total Expenditures $41,377 $22,406 $1,053 Balance March 31, 2015 Checking and Investments $6,283 $8,118 $15,150 Total Debt Beginning of year $49,003 Retired Current Year 9,085 Outstanding End of Year $39,918 TOWNSHIP - COMPENSATION SUMMARY: Range: Under $25,000. Bruce Cooper; Donna Naas; Karen Breckenridge; Donald Miller; Karen Schmitt; Lynn Schmitt; Karen Kay Wolf TOWNSHIP - EXPENDITURE SUMMARY: IRS -$4,146; Illini State Bank $5,655; All other disbursements less than ($2500) - $31,576 ROAD DISTRICT - EXPENDITURE SUMMARY Grainco FS - $3,169; Illini State Bank - $5,655; TOIRMA - $2,513; All other disbursements less than ($2500) - $11,069. Published in the Tonica News Oct. 2, 2015.

Friday, October 2, 2015 • The Tonica News • 7

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2 2 • Fall 2015

Ag Matters

Harvester red, born and bred The Schrowang family builds an impressive collection By Dave Cook

news@putnamcountyrecord.com

GRANVILLE — The only green tractor you’ll find on Lloyd Schrowang’s family farm in Granville is located on a shelf in a toy cabinet. Everything else on this farm is associated with one color and one color only — red, International Harvester (IH) red to be exact. “I started collecting toys when I was a kid. I’ve repainted some of them, but you didn’t worry about keeping them back then, you played with them,” Schrowang said.

His family has been farming the same land for three generations, and they’ve always been an IH family. “That’s what we always had, it’s what I grew up with. It’s why I kept with IH,” Schrowang said. His sons are farming the land now, and the sense of connection between family and the land is apparent. “I’ve lived here all my life. I’ve never lived any place else except the two years I spent in the Army,” said Schrowang. His father bought a

Collection Page 3

“I started collecting toys when I was a kid. I’ve repainted some of them, but you didn’t worry about keeping them back then; you played with them.” Lloyd Schrowang

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Ag Matters photo/Dave Cook

Granville’s Lloyd Schrowang stands next to his first and favorite tractor, a 1953 International Harvester Super M. Purchased new by his father, Lloyd took it over in 1958 and has since logged countless hours aboard the old red tractor.

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3 Fall 2015 • 3

Ag Matters

Collection From Page 2

Ag Matters photo/Dave Cook

A total of 48 tractors were recently on display at the Granville farm of the Schrowangs on Aug. 20-21. There was also memorabilia, art and a collection of miniature buildings on display. Lloyd Schrowang has been restoring tractors for the past 20 years.

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Collection Page 4

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new IH Super M in 1953, and Schrowang took it over when he started farming in 1958. That Super M is still part of the family. It was easy to find among the 48 tractors he, his wife Loretta, and their sons, Gregg and Gene, had displayed at their farm in two long, shiny red rows on Aug. 20-21. It sat unrestored, wearing the wellearned patina fitting of a hard working, yet loved mechanical workhorse. It’s still his favorite. “There’s only about three I’ve farmed with, that I bought new,” said Schrowang, while discussing the 48 tractors in the collection. He bought the first piece of his collection in 1995 and has been restoring up to three a year since. “Well, what else have I got to do? I can’t sit and watch TV because there’s nothing worth watching. I don’t like to go sit in a coffee shop, so that takes care of that. You can’t sit around because if you sit around, you die,” said Schrowang. A popular question which kept popping up

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4 4 • Fall 2015

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while people viewed the collection was, “Have you got room for them all?” “I said, ‘Yeah,’” said Schrowang. The people then asked “Well, what happens if you don’t have room?” “Well, you build another shed,” laughed Schrowang. His shop is spacious, clean, well organized, and most importantly, comfortable. It’s also complete with more IH memorabilia. Infrared heaters ensure a pleasant work environment no matter the weather outside. “I’ve got a good place to work on stuff. I can keep it any temperature I want. If I didn’t have a shop like this I wouldn’t get much done,” said Schrowang. “Of the 48 sitting here, some are my sons and grandsons. A couple of them they still farm with. They aren’t really antiques, but I parked them out there so everyone could see them. The newest one here is a ‘95, and the newest antique is a ‘67,” said Schrowang. The collection also includes some McCor-

Question of the day for Lloyd Schrowang: What happens if don’t have room for another tractor? Schrowang answers: “Well, you build another shed.” mick-Deering Farmalls from the 1920’s. After walking up and down the rows and inspecting the collection, visitor Lonnie Napier was impressed. “It’s quite a collection; yes, it is. Can you imagine all of these going through Granville on a parade route? You’ve got to be quite a mechanic for all of these. They’re clean as a whistle,” Napier said. Surprisingly, parts weren’t an issue while restoring

a collection of this size. “Parts are no problem. There’s enough salvage yards around. A lot of parts, like seats and battery boxes they’re making new. There’s a demand for it,” Schrowang said. The Schrowangs invited guests into both the workshop and their home. The workshop had a small collection of miniature buildings built and assembled by other family members, and both the shop and their home featured many shelves full of toys and other memorabilia. Several works by popular agriculture artist Charles Freitag hung on the walls as did a photograph of the Schrowangs and “The Voice of American Agriculture” Max Armstrong. “He belongs to our tractor club. I’ve went on tractor rides with him and a lot of other stuff,” Schrowang said. As the family’s connection with IH will undoubtedly continue, there’s a look of pride in Schrowang’s eyes as he looks out over his family’s bright red collection. It’s not just brand loyalty which keeps this collection growing, it’s also the connection to family and farm. “You feel like you’ve accomplished something when you get done,” Schrowang said.

General Assembly votes to expand Cottage Food Law SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Senate unanimously approved legislation that expands Illinois’ cottage food law. The legislation was unanimously approved by the Illinois House of Representatives. Illinois’ cottage food law went into effect in 2012, allowing farmers and local food entrepreneurs to legally make in home kitchens certain non-hazardous food products for sale at farmers’ markets throughout Illinois. Prior to the enactment of Illinois’ cottage food law, it

was illegal to sell homemade food products to the public for commercial purposes. “HB2486 supports small businesses and farmers by making it easier for them to meet the growing demand for local food and farm products,” said Wes King executive director of Illinois Stewardship Alliance, a non-profit that worked with legislators and stakeholders to champion HB2486. “It’s a good example of legislators working together in a bipartisan manner to

meet the needs of both food businesses and farmers’ market vendors.” Illinois’ cottage food law is currently limited in what types of non-hazardous food products can be made in home kitchens, where those products can be sold, who can sell the products and how much a farmer or entrepreneur can sell. HB2486 would authorize the State’s Farmers Market Task Force to develop an expanded list of allowed products beyond non-hazardous baked goods, high-acid

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jams, jellies, preserves and fruit butters; dried herbs and dried teas. HB2486 would also expand the allowable locations cottage food products can be sold to include on-farm sales and through Community Support Agriculture arrangements for farmers making allowed cottage food products featuring ingredients grown on their farm, in addition to farmers markets. The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Mike Tryon (R-Crystal Lake) and State Sen. David Koe-

hler (D-Peoria), would also relax requirements around employees having food sanitation training to sell cottage food products, allowing farmers and entrepreneurs to more easily hire staff; and increase the gross sales limit for cottage food products from $25,000 to $36,000 per year. Finally, the legislation includes a clarification around charitable bake sales, making clear that religious, non-profit and charitable bake sales are exempt from state food handling

regulation. Illinois Stewardship Alliance is a nonprofit organization that promotes environmentally sustainable, economically viable, socially just, local food systems through policy development, advocacy, and education. To keep up to date on various Illinois Stewardship Alliance policy and legislative work, visit www.ilstewards.org and follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook. com/ilstewards and twitter @ILStewards.

5 Fall 2015 • 5

Ag Matters

Moo-ving into the champion’s ring Kalie Rumbold’s skills are in the national spotlight By Goldie Rapp grapp@bcrnews.com

Kalie Rumbold, 19, of Wyanet began showing cattle at the Bureau County 4-H Fair when she was just 9 years old. Her mother feared heifers were too big to handle at the time, so she started with small bucket calves, which were tame and easier for a small girl to handle. Not long after, Rumbold’s older brother, Tyler, was awarded a Shorthorn heifer for winning an essay contest. That’s when the Rumbold family really got into the sport of showing cattle. Eventually, the Rumbolds transitioned into raising Angus cattle. “They had better genet-

Rumbold Page 6

Ag Matters photo/Goldie Rapp

Much time has been devoted throughout the years by Kalie Rumbold as she prepares her family’s animals for the show ring.

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6 6 • Fall 2015

Ag Matters

Rumbold From Page 5

ics,” Rumbold explained. “They were easier to breed, and overall, just a lower maintenance cattle.” Raising Angus cattle put the Rumbold family more in touch with larger show rings and encouraged them to try various shows around the country. Before she knew it, Rumbold had made her way from county shows to national shows. Over the years, she’s got the opportunity to travel to show rings all over the country — From Baltimore to Louisville to Denver. “We haven’t hit up

Ag Matters photo/Goldie Rapp

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Rumbold Page 7

“I just love to go out in the show ring and be able to present my animals to the best of my ability. I also love the social aspect of it. I have met so many new people, and they are going to be lifelong friends.”

Working with her family’s black Angus cattle isn’t really a job for Kalie Rumbold. Instead, she values her time with the animals and says she has learned much about agriculture along the way.

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everything yet, but we’re going to see if we can,” laughed Rumbold, who is now a sophomore at Black Hawk College. This year, she traveled to the Atlantic National Show in Maryland, where she won her first national showmanship award. While Rumbold said she appreciates every award and ribbon she has earned, her performance in Maryland made her the most proud. She ended up winning the overall contest, which earned her the chance to go back to next year’s contest as a surrogate judge. The one-time opportunity is considered a great honor.

Kalie Rumbold

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7 Fall 2015 • 7

Ag Matters

Rumbold From Page 6 When just talking generally about her love for the ring, Rumbold’s face lights up. “I just love to go out in the show ring and be able to present my animals to the best of my ability,” she said. “I also love the social aspect of it. I have met so many new people, and they really are going to be life-long friends. A lot of people say that, but it’s really true.” Her biggest inspiration in the sport is her older brother. “I look up to him. He’s really the one who got me started in it and basically taught me all I know,” she said. “Today, he’s still involved and comes to all my shows.” The many rewards in Rumbold’s career have come as the result of hard work. Prepping cattle for shows takes patience, dedication and responsibility. A regular day routine involves getting up at 5 a.m. to wash, dry and apply additives to the heifer’s hair to give it the shine it needs to stand out in the ring. Rumbold said it usually takes about two hours to complete the early morning task. Plus, the process starts all over again at 7 p.m. and ends with walking the heifers around the pasture for exercise. Rumbold admits it can become a daunting task, but her motivation to keep up with the necessary chores comes from keeping her focus on the next show. In the ring, Rumbold explained, the judges look at specific parts of the heifer — structure, balance and proportion are the main points. When it comes down to it, Rumbold said, it’s mostly about the genetics of the heifer. The only real skill involved is walking the heifer into the ring and positioning it as quickly as possible. “The quicker you get your heifer set, the better, because then the judge gets a better look at her,” she said. “I feel like everybody could do it if they put their heart and soul into it. It’s just about being dedicated and having enough time and patience.” At the end of the day, Rumbold said, this sport has taught her a lot about responsibility and showmanship. “You have to have good sportsmanship,” she said. “Even though you’re disappointed you didn’t do well, the person who did win — that’s a big accomplishment for them, and they worked equally as hard as you have, so you have to be happy for them.” Rumbold has only two years left in her career, as the age limit for junior shows is 21.

Photo contributed

Kalie Rumbold shows one of her family’s Angus cows. Rumbold has taken her showmanship skills around the country and excelled in many venues. As the youngest Rumbold, she and her family are now looking to switch gears with the sport by breeding the right genetics to sell show cattle. While plans are still in the beginning stages, the goal is to expand the operation.

“Dad, he would just really appreciate seeing other kids showing our heifers,” she said. “He would think that would just be the coolest thing. “And I support it, because it will be neat to see others kids get the opportunity that I once had with the cattle.”

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Ag Matters

Avoiding backyard garden hazards

Tips for a safe harvest in your backyard By Dave Cook dcook@bcrnews.com

Our gardens have mostly peaked. It will soon be time to harvest those late season vegetables and begin work on putting the garden to bed for the winter. It’s enjoyable work, but at the same time, work always has risks involved. The following story contains some helpful advice to assist you in getting through your gardening work safely. There are still many warm days ahead, so know your limitations when working in the heat. You’ll not only need to be sure to drink plenty of fluids while you’re working outside, but also before you enter the heat. Eating light, healthy foods will help keep you energized. Avoid drinks containing alcohol, large amounts of sugar and carbonation. Take frequent breaks and try to rest and work in shady areas as much as possible. Pace yourself and pay attention to signs of heat sickness, including a rapid pulse, difficulty breathing, nausea, head-

ache and high body temperature. Small children and older adults, along with those on certain medications or physical limitations, should take extra precaution to limit the risk of overexertion. Avoid gardening during the hottest part of the day which is from late morning to mid-afternoon. Dressing properly will help protect you from not only overexposure to the sun, but also from pests, chemicals and gardening equipment. Lower your risk from sunburn and heat sickness by wearing a lightweight long sleeve shirt, wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, pants and boots. Using insect repellent will help you avoid mosquitoes and ticks. Wear gloves to lower the risk for skin irritations and cuts. If using motorized lawn equipment, protect your hearing with ear plugs and your eyes from flying debris by wearing safety glasses. Backs and knees are familiar sore spots for many gardeners after a full day outside. Rotating

Garden Page 9

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9 Fall 2015 • 9

Ag Matters

Garden From Page 8

tasks will help you avoid repetitive movements. “Knee pads or something cushioned to kneel on helps so you don’t end up bending over, which can cause light headedness, strained hamstrings and back. Position yourself appropriately so you aren’t reaching awkwardly to harvest,” said Edgewood Farm Organics’ Katy Clarke. If you have to lift something heavy, ask for help. As the saying goes, work smart, not hard. Check to make sure your tetanus vaccination is current. Tetanus lives in the soil and enters the body through breaks in the skin. All adults should get a vaccination every 10 years. Since gardeners use sharp tools and dig in the dirt they are more likely to be exposed to tetanus. Hands and fingers are common victims of gardening injuries. Always wear gloves to protect yourself from cuts, punctures and insect bites. Use the right tool for the job and use tools which are comfortable in your hands to lessen the chance of blisters, calluses and muscle cramps. Keep your wrists and hands in a straight line when you use hand tools. Ag Matters file photo Bending your wrist weak-

ens your grip and causes hand and arm muscles to work harder and increases the risk of injury. Use rubber gloves when working with chemicals. Children are often present in gardens, and unfortunately, many accidents involve children, especially those under the age of 5. Keep children clear of equipment; teach them about the potential hazards of the it; and don’t leave equipment unattended and plugged in. Don’t allow children to operate garden machinery or ride on the back of a riding mower. Chemical safety is also important while working in the garden. Always follow the manufacturer’s directions and take precautionary measures while using them. According to the Illinois University Extension office, 90 percent of exposure a pesticide user receives is dermal. Use of appropriate clothing will reduce exposure and don’t spray on a windy day. Also avoid wearing soft contact lenses when using pesticides. Soft lenses can absorb vapors and hold them against your eyes. Don’t eat, drink or use tobacco when using chemicals. Trace amounts may be transferred from your

Garden Page 10

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Ag Matters

Garden From Page 9 hands into your mouth. Food safety is also important. Illinois University Extension educator David Shiley said, “Recently, more focus has been placed on food safety in the garden similar to the standards we have had in place for food preparations in restaurants.” Shiley recommends using some of the same practices used by larger commercial growers and includes ways to reduce bacterial contamination. “If you use manure as a fertilizer the best management practice to reduce contamination of your vegetables would be to apply manure in the fall. Manure should not be applied during the growing season or immediately ahead of spring tillage, because of potential bacterial contamination. You can also introduce bacteria into your garden by wearing the same shoes or boots used in your livestock barn or by using tools exposed to manure,” said Shiley. When the time comes to enjoy your harvest, wash your hands prior to handling the food and washing your fruit and vegetables a final time is an important step in food safety. A good approach to cleaning produce is to rinse it rather than soaking. Soaking allows the bacteria in a container of water to enter the vegetable or fruit. The risk of this is dependent on the type of produce and the differences in the temperature of the water and produce. “As for the safety of veggies, research proper storage. Different crops require different storage temperatures. If you’re harvesting greens make sure to harvest in the morning before leaves start to wilt. Also keep greens out of the sun after harvesting and refrigerate as soon as possible. Happy healthy harvesting!” said Clarke. Gardening is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and get the benefits of physical activity. If you follow these simple precautions they can help you enjoy your garden. Ignoring safety and using tools and chemicals improperly are common causes of gardening mishaps. Don’t forget, your time outside isn’t finished with the garden; we will all still have plenty of leaves to rake. Source: CDC website and the University of Illinois Extension website.

Take a stroll ... on a CROP Hunger Walk An opportunity to help the hungry, locally and globally PRINCETON — The Bureau County CROP Hunger Walk is set for 2 p.m. Oct. 11. The five kilometer walk will begin and end at the Nelson Chapel, located at: 446 Elm Place in Princeton. The First Christian Church is this year’s host church. Organized locally, the Bureau County CROP Hunger Walk has set a goal of 100 walkers and hopes to raise $11,000 to help stop hunger here in this area and around the world, through self-help development initiatives. A portion of the funds raised will go to the Walnut Community Food Pantry, the Wyanet UMC Food Pantry, the Bureau County Food Pantry, and to the Princeton and Bureau Valley Buddy Bags program. “I doubt there is any mission in this world more important than seeing that as many people as possible are fed, clothed and sheltered,” said Janet Young, regional director of the Great River Office of Church World Service. “And I’m proud to say that is exactly the mission that Church World Services and CROP, Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty, have been working on for the past 60 years! We invite everyone to work and CROP Walk with us as we celebrate our 60th anniversary year!” This year Bureau County and some 2,000 cities and towns nationwide are joining together in interfaith community CROP Hunger Walks around the theme, “We Walk Because They Walk.” Many CROP walkers will be wearing “We Walk Because They Walk” T-shirts, proclaiming their solidarity with the millions of neighbors around the world who have to walk to live – as well as with the millions served by local food pantries, food banks and meal sites here in the United States. These local ministries share in

“I doubt there is any mission in this world more important than seeing that as many people as possible are fed, clothed and sheltered.” Janet Young, regional director Great River Office of Church World Service

the funds raised by CROP Hunger Walks. Africa is one part of the world where CROP Hunger Walks are making a big difference – in helping people grow food for their families, in providing clean water to villages, in working to assure their schools are zones of safety and learning, in the struggle against the AIDS pandemic, and in countless other ways. And this year Africa presents special challenges, with the uprooting of millions in the Darfur region of Sudan by government-sanctioned violence, and the severe drought-induced food shortage plaguing Niger and other parts of the Sahel region. CROP Hunger Walks are also making a big difference in communities recovering from Hurricane Katrina – enabling Church World Services to have emergency responders trained and equipped to assist long-term recovery efforts along the Gulf Coast. For more information about the 2015 Bureau County CROP hunger Walk contact, Sarah Gladstone at Rev.SarahGladstone@gmail.com or Gene Vincent at Micahsixeight@frontier.com.

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11 Fall 2015 • 11

Ag Matters

USDA partners with EPA; offers new resources to support water quality trading Following the recent announcement of $2 million in Conservation Innovation Grants in September to support water quality trading markets, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hosted a joint workshop to expand markets for water quality benefits generated on farms, ranches and forest lands. Water quality trading is an innovative approach to reduce pollution and efficiently achieve water quality goals. Trading is based on the fact that sources in a watershed can face very different costs to control the same pollutant. Trading programs allow facilities facing higher pollution control costs to meet their regulatory obligations by purchasing environmentally equivalent (or superior) pollution reductions from another source at lower cost, thus achieving the same water quality improvement at lower overall cost. USDA and EPA signed a partnership agreement in 2013 to advance water quality trading and other market-based approaches that provide benefits

to the environment and economy. The workshop attracted more than 200 participants involved in water quality trading from across the nation. “Conservation practices that improve soil health and conserve nutrients also produce real water quality benefits. With support from USDA and our Federal partners, water quality markets can create incentives to increase these environmental benefits and boost investment in rural America. The actions we are announcing today will help us get there,” said Ann Mills, USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment. Among the new water quality trading resources announced:

EPA-USDA Water Quality Trading Roadmap The Water Quality Trading Roadmap is a decision support tool for those designing and participating in water quality trading programs. The Roadmap is a searchable database that consolidates policy guidance from EPA, information

from State programs, and examples and supporting materials from across the U.S.

EPA-USDA partnership on EnviroAtlas to support environmental markets USDA and EPA will incorporate environmental markets data layers into the Federal ecosystem service decision support tool, EnviroAtlas. The data layers will show where markets for water, carbon, wetlands, and habitats occur on the U.S. landscape, provide information about these markets, and allow this information to be displayed in the context of existing environmental data from Federal agencies.

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iment loads for use in conservation planning and environmental market credit calculation. NTT will be made available in additional regions in 2016.

USDA Environmental Markets Website USDA released the Department-level environmental markets website. The site integrates information, tools and resources on environmental markets from across the Department, allowing users to easily gain a snapshot of environmental market activities at USDA. These new resources were announced days after the Natural Resources Conservation Service awarded over $2 million in Conservation Innovation Grants to support water quality trading markets. The 2015 Water Quality Trading Conservation Innovation Grant Awardees are: Conservation Marketplace Midwest ($243,933): Proposes to develop and pilot a Field Stewards program, an innovative conservation credit system designed to allow companies in

the food industry to buy “offsets” for water quality and agricultural conservation. Through the purchase of certification credits, food companies can demonstrate sustainability to their customers without having to create a new chain-of-custody supply chain for agricultural commodities, keeping costs low for retailers and the consumer. Electric Power Research Institute ($300,000): Proposes to develop and execute, for the first time, trades of “stacked” ecosystem services-both water quality and greenhouse gas emissions reduction credits. EPRI administers the Ohio River Basin nutrient trading program, the only multi-state trading program in the country. Great Lakes Commission ($400,000): Substantial water quality issues plague the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB), leading to harmful algal blooms each summer in Lake Erie. The Great Lakes Commission proposes to develop a framework for water quality trading in the WLEB. Iowa League of Cities ($700,000): Proposes to develop a framework

for water quality trading in Iowa to support the State’s Nutrient Reduction Strategy. National Association of Conservation Districts ($116,725): Proposes to develop guidance materials and engage in outreach and training to increase participation of soil and water conservation districts in nutrient trading programs. In many water quality trading programs, district employees are the conservation experts interacting with agricultural producers generating credits from the installation of conservation practices. Virginia Tech University ($285,729): Proposes to develop the information and tools required to incorporate agroforestry into Virginia’s nutrient trading program, which currently largely depends on the retirement of marginal agricultural lands for credit generation. In December 2014, USDA, EPA and the state of Virginia celebrated a first-of-its-kind transaction when the Virginia Dept. of Transportation purchased phosphorous credits generated by a Virginia farmer.

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12 12 • Fall 2015

Ag Matters

Tractor rollovers cause more than one-third of all farm-related fatalities Collisions are the second leading cause Despite continuous safety improvements to farm machinery by manufacturers, more than a third of all farm-related fatalities each year involve a tractor rollover, according to analysis by Country Financial of farm-related deaths in Illinois throughout the past 10 years. Collisions involving farm equipment caused the second highest number of fatalities in the same time period. From 2005 to 2015, 36-percent of all farm-related deaths in Illinois occurred as a result of tractor or other farm machinery rollover or run over. This past year, July 2014 to June 2015,

seven farmers were killed as a result of a tractor rollover. “The sad reality is while manufacturers continue to build safer farm machinery, many farmers are holding on to older tractors that lack the essential safety features of new machinery,” said Eric Vanasdale, senior loss control representative. “While new farm equipment may have roll over protective structures (ROPS) installed at the factory, many farmers are using older tractors that have not been retrofitted with ROPS.” To prevent rollovers, Vanasdale recommends farmers avoid mowing on

steep grades, hills, ditches, or pond banks, utilize tractors that have ROPS installed and to always wear a seatbelt. Some studies have shown using a seatbelt and ROPS prevent 99-percent of rollover deaths and serious injuries. “Your grandfather’s tractor has served your family well. Reward it by retrofitting it with modern safety equipment like ROPS or by turning it into a parade tractor, out of harm’s way,” Vanasdale said. Majority of collisions involving farm equipment caused by speed Fifty-three people

Rollover Page 13

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13 Fall 2015 • 13

Ag Matters

Rollover From Page 12

were killed in collisions involving farm equipment between 2005 and 2015. This represents 21-percent of all farm-related deaths in that time period in Illinois. “In most cases, drivers come upon a very slow-moving tractor or combine and think they can wait to slow down. They don’t realize most farm equipment only travels 15 to 20 miles per hour,” Vanasdale said. Vanasdale recommends drivers slow down as soon as they see farm equipment on the roadway and to be cautious of farm equipment making wide turns or sudden left turns into fields or driveways. Also, it is recommended that motorists only pass farm equipment when it is safe to do so, and they should be cognizant of upcoming hills and curves. “We all need to work together to keep the roadway safe,” Vanasdale said. “Rural motorists need to understand farm equipment is there and to share the road and farmers need to be good stewards of the roads, too.” Farmers should only move equipment during slow traffic times, and it is also encouraged that farmers always remove the corn head for transport when they are on the highways. “Corn heads get wider as equipment grows larger. Roadway accidents can be made worse by a combine with the corn head attached,” Vanasdale said. Country Financial tracks farm-related deaths each year and reports the finding in conjunction with National Farm Safety and Health Week and the Illinois Press Association. This year’s National Farm Safety and Health Week was Sept. 20-26 and focused on the theme, “Ag safety is not just a slogan, it’s a lifestyle.”

Recently I was at a farmers’ market and stopped briefly at a booth to take a look at a catalog that described all of the beef and pork products available for sale from a local farm. The farm’s emphasis was on the way the cattle and hogs were raised – outside as much as possible, pasture grazing for the cattle and a lot of room for the hogs to roam and explore. As I looked through the catalog, I noted a picture of a donkey. “Do you use guard donkeys to protect your animals?” I asked. It was at that point I immediately made a friend of the young man, who was at the booth to sell his products. He explained I was the first person to understand the picture was not used to sell donkey meat but to inform people how his animals were protected – by guard donkeys. As it turns out, donkeys have been used to guard cattle, sheep and other livestock for some time. Their use has increased as the demand for local foods, or more naturally raised meat and dairy products, has grown. Farming operations that focus on local markets often

Not Eeyore

are smaller than traditional livestock operations and the livestock on these farms spend a considerable amount of their lives outside. A reality of spending much of their life outside is that predators can appear. Over the years, dogs have been used to guard against these predators. More recently, guard llamas have appeared in fields to protect the grazing livestock. However, the young man at the farmers’ market was a strong proponent of guard donkeys. He told me that, because donkeys are territorial, they are not as protective of the herd as much as they are protective of their territory. When thinking of guard donkeys, don’t think of them carefully patrolling the perimeter of a pasture – they socialize and eat with the herd, springing into action when a threat appears. When the guard donkeys see a threat, they make a real racket, braying so loud it will hurt your ears, he informed me. If the loud noises aren’t enough to scare the predator, the guard donkey’s next move is to charge the intruder with the clear intention of

William Bailey COMMENTARY

biting and kicking it – all to protect both the donkey’s territory and the herd. While there is a lot of pasture at the Western Illinois University farm for the cattle to graze on, the idea of a guard donkey has not yet been seriously considered. Once upon a time, there were two fainting goats hanging out with the cattle, but their guarding skills were not too well honed. So, as you drive by the University farm, someday you may spot a guard donkey among the Angus and Herefords, as they calmly and safely graze in the pasture. Professor William Bailey formerly was the chief economist for the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Nutrition. He also has served as Deputy-Under Secretary of Agriculture. He is now affiliated with the Western Illinois University’s School of Agriculture.

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14 14 • Fall 2015

Ag Matters

Soybean farmers prepared for phase out of partially hydrogenated oils ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Trans fats have been an active part of the soy industry’s vernacular for decades. And, for the past decade, the industry – including the farmers who grow soybeans – have been working on solutions to meet food-customer needs for a stable oil without partial hydrogenation, which causes trans fats. The FDA’s recent announcement to phase out partially hydrogenated vegetable oils did not come as a shock to soybean farmers. In fact, the United Soybean Board (USB) has been working with industry on two replacement options for partially hydrogenated soybean oil for more than 10 years. And now, those solutions are coming to the forefront. “The soy industry estimates that 2 billion pounds of partially hydrogenated soybean oil are used in

food today,” says Jimmy Sneed, a soybean farmer from Hernando, Miss., and USB farmer-leader. “We’re excited to bring solutions like high oleic and interesterified soybean oil to the market and ready to shift the discussion to innovation.” High oleic soybeans produce an oil that food companies can use for stability without the need for partial hydrogenation. Farmers currently grow high oleic soybeans in nine states, with more acreage being added each year. Commodity soybean farmers can help with the solution, as well. By interesterifying commodity soybean oil, processors produce a hard fat, similar to the consistency of margarine, which helps meet needs for some baking customers. “The U.S. food industry continues to be an import-

ant customer to soybean farmers and the entire soybean industry,” adds Sneed. “High oleic soybeans and interesterified soybean oil are solutions brought online to help food companies maintain the taste consumers prefer, while using a domestically sourced, sustainable oil.” The FDA has been considering removing the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status of partially hydrogenated oils since late 2013. After an open comment period in 2014, it announced this week intentions to phase out partially hydrogenated oils over the next three years. Farmers interested in helping bring the solutions to the market sooner through high oleic soybeans should talk to their local seed or processing representative, or visit soyinnovation.com.

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The 70 farmer-directors of USB oversee the investments of the soy checkoff to maximize profit opportunities for all U.S. soybean farmers. These volunteers invest and leverage checkoff funds to increase the value of U.S. soybean meal

and oil, to ensure U.S. soybean farmers and their customers have the freedom and infrastructure to operate, and to meet the needs of U.S. soy’s customers. As stipulated in the federal Soybean Promotion, Research and Con-

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15 Fall 2015 • 15

Ag Matters

Farmers produce food, fiber, and fuel. Why not reduce nutrient loss on the side?

Constructed wetlands can be part of a successful farm’s operation and nutrient loss reduction strategy. Located in or next to existing ditches or waterways, these small, engineered wetlands can intercept and reduce nutrients in tile-drainage before it leaves the field. • The Wetlands Initiative (TWI) is looking for farmers in the Bureau County area who are interested in voluntarily implementing this NRCS conservation practice on their farmland through a federal program (EQIP or CRP). • TWI will provide additional financial and technical support to willing landowners. • Join the farmers who have already built a wetland. For more information on this project, please call TWI at (815) 481-0778 or Princeton NRCS Field Office at (815) 875-8732 The Wetlands Initiative is an Illinois-based nonprofit dedicated to restoring wetland resources for people and wildlife. TWI PROJECT SUPPORT PROVIDED BY THE ILLINOIS NUTRIENT RESEARCH AND EDUCATION COUNCIL.

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16 16 â€˘ Fall 2015

Ag Matters