POINTLESS CHANGE
This seems really pointless if the bars in Springfield will still be open until 3 a.m. ("Sangamon County Board to vote on ending 3 a.m. liquor licenses, April 4). You're just forcing more people into fewer bars.
Chaney Lovellette
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
OVERREACTION
I live downtown, and while there are isolated incidents, for the most part it's not an issue. This seems like an overreaction to me. A year from now, someone will rally to get 3 a.m. licenses back and the cycle will start all over again. Pick your battles.
Beth Ley
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
DRINK AT HOME
Nothing except a hospital or maybe a grocery story or drug store needs to be open at 2 or 3 in the morning – go home and drink.
Barbara Miller
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
PEOPLE DICTATE THE POLICIES
David Blanchette's March 28 article, "Grass is good for land, livestock and livelihoods," addresses the realization that agricultural conservation is dearly needed across the state. At heart, the article showcased that this is a social phenomenon more than a scientific challenge.
Threats to our state's land and waterways are influenced by a wide range of political, economic and cultural factors. But in the end, the conservation of our soil and water is conceived and carried out by people (producers and landowners).
As Blanchette and his featured producers defined, the conservation of our natural and working lands is a manifestation of human beliefs and values. Choices over production practices and longstanding habits, how to prioritize returns on investments and how to advance them are inherently social. There are consequences downstream, not just locally, and for farmers' livelihoods and human lives, both rural and urban.
Jim Crum, the farmer and rancher from Cass County, declared, "You can't implement what you do not know. Once you are aware and have a clear understanding of how to do this, you're going to do it." Since 1941, producers across the state have been continually engaged by their local soil and water conservation districts on the importance of conservation practices and even offered cost-share assistance. Yet, we continue to witness producers and landowners across the state failing to heed the guidance, education and most of all, call to action.
When we talk about conserving agricultural lands and waterways, we should really be talking about changing the way people neglect to implement proven conservation practices, like cover crops, reduced tillage and regenerative livestock production.
Agricultural conservation ultimately is a social process rooted in peoples' choices. These have consequences not only for soil health and water quality, but also for producer and landowner livelihoods. We need to better understand these consequences and the barriers to producer implementation if we're going to truly advance solutions that are effective, lasting and equitable.
To this end, we need to see increased political leadership to elevate state investments into our 97 soil and water conservation districts, primed to work with producers and landowners to implement the needed conservation practices to ensure that our water runs clean and our soil remains healthy.
Michael D. Woods
Executive director
Association of Illinois Soil & Water Conservation Districts
