217 Today: An alternative to the USDA Organic label could be more accessible for farmers. Can it stick?

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Jennifer Duensing stands in front of a pig pen on her farm in Prairie du Rocher, Illinois on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024.
  • Photo: Harshawn Ratanpal / KBIA

Monday, March 24, 2025

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Today’s headlines:

  • Governor JB Pritzker and Senator Dick Durbin both say that voters must put pressure on Republicans in Congress to avoid cuts to social services.
  • As the Trump administration plans to dismantle the Department of Education, advocates in Illinois say the state needs to step up its commitment to public education.
  • Later today, the Fighting Illini women’s basketball team will face the Texas Longhorns in the NCAA Tournament.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how an alternative to the USDA Organic label could be more accessible for farmers.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Lisa Kurian Philip, Colin Hislope and Harshawn Ratanpal.

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Stephanie Mosqueda

Stephanie Mosqueda is a senior majoring in journalism at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with minors in Spanish and public relations. She is the 217 Today producer and a reporter for the Illinois Student Newsroom.