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217 Today: This farmer’s livelihood was ruined by PFAS-contaminated fertilizer that few Midwest states test for

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Jason Grostic, a Michigan farmer, said he was on track to run a fully self-sufficient operation and open a storefront for his beef products before PFAS contamination turned his world upside down. "We were going to be pasture-to-plate; we were trying to be those people," Grostic said. "And it never happened, and it never will."
  • Photo: Adam Miedema / WCMU

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Today’s headlines:

  • Many Illinois residents have had their federal student loans canceled under a new repayment plan.
  • The state of Illinois is finally making available $18.5 million to assist and protect witnesses of violent crime.
  • This year’s daylight saving time started this weekend when Illinois residents moved their clocks forward one hour. But a new proposal in the Illinois House would set a permanent standard time across the state. 
  • Two local groups are working with artists to create murals honoring the lives and contributions of African Americans in the Champaign County area.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how farms across the Midwest use biosolids—a type of byproduct from wastewater treatment plants—to fertilize their land.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Lisa Kurian, Mawa Iqbal, Jade Marceau, Stephanie Mosqueda and Teresa Homsi.

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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.