CCFB News» October 2025

For over five years, Cook County Farm Bureau has been engaged in projects and conversations related to environmental stewardship. Most notably, these projects have been related to pollinator habitat enhancement and nutrient loss reduction.

Pollinator habitat enhancement efforts

For the past four years, Cook County Farm Bureau® has been engaged in efforts to preserve, protect, and expand pollinator habitat. In 2021, Farm Bureau installed a community-facing pollinator garden in Countryside. The garden features purple coneflower, swamp milkweed, cosmos, butterfly weed, and zinnia.

In addition to the creation of a pollinator garden at the Farm Bureau office, Cook CFB has been working in partnership with Lee County Farm Bureau, Illinois Farm Bureau, and Niles Township to convert wasted green space owned by Niles Township into a pollinator rain garden. This garden will increase pollinator habitat in northern Cook County.

This project is the result of relationships built through Farm Bureau’s Adopt-a-Legislator® program. The Adopt-a-Legislator program matches urban legislators with downstate county Farm Bureaus in an effort to build relationships and expand individuals’ knowledge. State Representative Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, a Cook County legislator who is “adopted” by Lee CFB and brought the project forward.

Cook CFB has increased public awareness of pollinators and their importance to agriculture through education initiatives. These initiatives illustrate how Illinois farmers support and protect pollinators.

• Low-cost pollinator seeds to Farm Bureau members.
• Education and promotion events held in partnership with Lincoln Park Zoo and Brookfield Zoo.
• Education and promotion of farmers’ contributions to pollinator habitats through social media and Farm Bureau’s member-only publication, Co-Operator.

In 2026, Cook CFB plans to partner with Global Gardens Chicago (GGC) to install pollinator education signs near a new pollinator space. The Chicago Park District has already purchased and planted trees and has budgeted for pollinator plants. In addition to the signs, the garden and partners will host a pollinator community event.

Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy

Mississippi River Basin states have received guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency since the mid-2000s to develop state-led plans to reduce nutrient loads discharged into rivers and ultimately the Mississippi River. Based on federal guidance, Illinois launched a statewide Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, which was developed by numerous partners, including state agencies, extension services, and a multi-stakeholder group.

Illinois Farm Bureau developed the Nutrient Stewardship Grant Program, which Cook CFB has utilized to develop locally led projects to support the reduction of nitrogen and phosphorus loss. These initiatives illustrate avenues farmers are taking to investigate nutrient reuse and to share knowledge and best practices.

• Research by the Margenot group at the University of Illinois has established that struvite – a slow-release, recycled fertilizer – is a viable phosphorus source for specialty crops, including vegetables. Struvite can meet crop needs while offering a ‘double dipping’ of phosphorus loss reductions. This research utilizes non-wastewater derived struvite.

• To foster further collaboration and the sharing of knowledge, Farm Bureau and partners hosted Field Days to discuss nutrient loss reduction research results, practical nutrient management strategies, and plasticulture practices in vegetable production. Attendees were able to connect with experts, explore on-farm research, and see sustainable practices in action.

In 2026, Cook CFB will continue these efforts. Members interested in learning more about Farm Bureau’s environmental stewardship efforts are encouraged to contact Bona Heinsohn at [email protected].