In September 1999, Prairie Rivers Network released "Dirty Water, Dirty Business" at a press conference in the State Capitol Building. "Dirty Water, Dirty Business" examines Illinois' number one source of water pollution -- the agricultural industry -- and reveals how the industry's most visible representative, the Illinois Farm Bureau, delays progress on solving water quality problems caused by that industry.

Prairie Rivers began researching Illinois Farm Bureau policies on river issues after finding itself at odds with that organization's representatives on a host of water quality issues in recent years. Instead of helping family farmers find solutions, they often sought to delay progress.

The Illinois Farm Bureau has amassed a great deal of political and business power. While publicly stating they represent the interests of the family farmer, they seem to have much more in common with big business.

The Illinois Farm Bureau owns, either in full or part, a number of companies that sell the farmer his crop and personal insurance; seed, fertilizer, other agricultural chemicals; and the advice on how to apply it all. Country Companies Insurance, Growmark, Farm Services and Prairie Farms Dairy are among the many companies controlled by the Illinois Farm Bureau.

The Farm Bureau is classified as a non-profit organization while earning tens of millions of dollars each year. The Illinois Farm Bureau employs 42 registered lobbyists to advocate industry friendly positions, sometimes at the expense of clean water.

The agricultural industry is not currently held accountable for its pollution and the downstream impacts it has on landowners, communities, and the environment. These water quality impacts are well documented. According to Illinois EPA, over 85% of the waterbodies requiring clean-up plans are impaired in whole or in part by the agriculture industry. Numerous reports issued by local, state, and federal agencies along with a flood of findings from other scientists and researchers show that the agricultural industry is the number one polluter in Illinois.

The Illinois Farm Bureau has consistently resisted efforts to find long-term solutions to these water quality problems. They do this in a variety of ways. One tactic is to repeatedly call for "sound science", insinuating that the huge number of scientific studies that link polluted agricultural runoff to poor water quality are flawed. This is similar to the stall tactic that the tobacco industry used when scientific studies linked smoking to cancer.

The Illinois Farm Bureau also opposes holding the agricultural industry accountable for the water pollution it creates. They advocate "education, voluntary compliance, financial incentives, and other non-punitive means to encourage compliance."

Before the Clean Water Act, we relied on other industries' sense of volunteerism to protect our waters, and our waters suffered.

Agriculture's record shows painfully slow progress, despite hundreds of millions of dollars being spent and enormous efforts by a lot of farmers. Family farmers are doing all they can -- the agricultural industry and the Illinois Farm Bureau must help the farmer find solutions, rather than impede progress.

Prairie Rivers Network researched and produced "Dirty Water, Dirty Business" to encourage public debate on pollution from the agricultural industry, and looks forward to encouraging an honest dialogue to improve Illinois' rivers and streams.

Those interested in "Dirty Water, Dirty Business" can read it online at http://www.sustainusa.org/prairierivers/prn.html, or to receive a copy, send a check for $6.50 to Prairie Rivers Network, 809 S. Fifth St., Champaign, IL 61820.

 

Dirty Water, Dirty Business:

Illinois Farm Bureau resists attempts to hold the agriculture industry accountable for the pollution it creates.

Illinois Farm Bureau resists the enforcement of laws already on the books, and seeks to weaken the Clean Water Act through aggressive lobbying efforts.

Illinois Farm Bureau champions the rights of drainage and levee districts that often contribute to the physical destruction of streams.

Farm Bureau ownership of insurance and agriculture companies blurs the line between being an advocate for the agribusiness industry and advocate of the family farmer.

Illinois Farm Bureau Facts:

Less than one fourth of their 354,000 members may be farmers. Most of their members are owners of Country Companies Insurance policies, not farmers.

They have offices in 97 counties and employ 42 paid lobbyists.

18 companies are owned in full or in part by the Illinois Farm Bureau, including Country Companies Insurance, Growmark (a joint venture with ADM), Farm Services (FS), and Prairie Farms Dairy.

In 1998 Growmark, a company owned by Illinois Farm Bureau, had net sales of $1 billion, net income of $300 million, and assets of $65 million.