Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski visited the Bob and Mark Bunselmeyer Farm in Maroa, IL this week to learn more from Illinois farmers about conservation practice adoption. The visit featured an opportunity for the congresswoman to talk with Precision Conservation Management (PCM), IL Corn, and PepsiCo, an important PCM partner. 

To accomplish its sustainability goals, PepsiCo’s approach is to source crops and ingredients in a way that accelerates regenerative agriculture and strengthens farming communities. PepsiCo is one of the first major consumer packaged goods companies to work directly with farmers to create positive environmental change. 

Through PCM, a program created by farmers, for farmers to build farm income and environmental outcome understanding, PepsiCo offers incentives for conservation practice implementation. A PCM specialist works with each PCM farmer to evaluate management practices and help reduce financial risk of conservation practice adoption through incentives, like those offered by PepsiCo. 

During the meeting, Rep. Budzinski learned the challenges that impact farmer adoption of conservation practices, as well as what farmers are looking for in conservation policy. PCM shared that the top three priorities of farmers in a conservation program are: 

1. Financial assistance – a good payment rate 
2. Flexibility in practice standards 
3. Simple contract terms 

Rep. Budzinski is one of five Illinois members of the House Agriculture Committee and represents Illinoisians in very agricultural areas of the state. She represents farmers in her district, but also large agricultural industries like ADM and Caterpillar and research institutions like the University of Illinois, all of which must work together to help farmers solve Illinois' environmental challenges.