Illinois State Conservationist shifting roles

Illinois State Conservationist shifting roles

After 40 years with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, Illinois State Conservationist Ivan Dozier is retiring.

Looking back, Dozier tells Brownfield technological advancements have been the biggest shift during his tenure.

“For example, when I first walked into a soil conservation service office we did not have computers and now I don’t know how any of us knew how to live without them. The data has progressed and that transfers over to agriculture in the equipment and products they now use.”

He says conservation in agriculture is moving further into the spotlight, which makes it a difficult time to step down.

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