Illinois producers wanting to pursue conservation projects have fewer resources this year with almost half of Illinois counties having lost federal conservation staff in 2025. Data published in June by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition shows Illinois had 77 fewer Natural Resources Conservation Service staff in January 2026 compared to January 2025’s staffing levels. The […]
Author Archives: Nikoel Hytrek, Investigate Midwest
Nikoel Hytrek is the Illinois State Government Accountability Reporter working out of Springfield, Illinois. She monitors the state government and policy for connections to agriculture and the food system.
Prior to joining Investigate Midwest, Nikoel completed a six-month internship at Capitol News Illinois where she primarily covered data centers, and for four years covered Iowa’s state government for Iowa Starting Line, where she covered reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, elections, the Iowa Statehouse and the environment.
Nikoel grew up in Northwest Iowa and, in 2019, received a bachelor’s in journalism from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In 2026, she completed a master’s degree in Public Affairs Reporting at the University of Illinois-Springfield.
When she’s not paying attention to the government, Nikoel likes to read, go for runs, find new coffee shops and hang out with her cat. She also enjoys live music and live theatre.
You can contact Nikoel via Signal at n_hytrek.76
