The year 2020 is one that most will never forget! Despite the many disappointments and challenges presented during 2020, AISWCD and its member districts have much to be proud of. As we start this new year, we hope you will join us in taking a moment to look back on the successes of 2020 which... Continue reading→

Please join AISWCD and S.T.A.R. for the new Brown Bag Brunch and Learn series. This will be a recurring series on the first Wednesday of every month focusing on S.T.A.R. and other agriculture conservation topics. While an hour has been blocked for the series we will try to keep them shorter, about 30-45 minutes. This... Continue reading→

Lawmakers will return to Springfield this Friday, January 8th for a lame duck session of the Illinois General Assembly. Lawmakers are expected to meet through the weekend and next week, and once again, will operate under COVID-19 guidelines. This means that lawmakers will be spread out and accessibility to certain groups will be reduced –... Continue reading→

Listen and watch! Miss the CRP training or S.T.A.R. Holiday Webinars? No problem, we’ve got you covered! We have posted links here for later viewing! CRP Training Webinar | NRCS | 12-16-20 CRP Training Webinar | SWCD | 12-16-20 S.T.A.R. Holiday Webinar | 12-17-20   Continue reading→

Successful Farming: Carl Zimmerman in Earlville, Illinois, farms 1,600 acres of corn and soybeans on land that his father began farming in 1966. Over time, the Zimmermans have increased their acres (his father started with 350), raised cattle and hogs, and built up the soil through cover crops and no-till management. “What got us started... Continue reading→

AISWCD, in partnership with Saving Tomorrow’s Agriculture Resources (S.T.A.R.), is hosting a 1-hour webinar on Thursday, December 17th from 1-2:00pm. The webinar will provide attendees with highlights from the Crop Year 2019 Annual Report, sneak peaks of upcoming S.T.A.R. incentive pilot programs, and updates to the S.T.A.R. Progressive Web Application that will bring greater user... Continue reading→

The outcomes of the 2020 Presidential and Congressional elections will undoubtedly have a great influence over conservation, agriculture and natural resource policy over the next two years. While in most elections, Americans could wake up the next morning knowing who controls Congress and the White House, this election is certainly an outlier due to a... Continue reading→

AISWCD supports “No-Till November”, an annual campaign organized by the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service that encourages farmers to “leave the stubble” after harvest by not disturbing the soil and allowing it to recuperate during the winter months before the next growing season. The benefits of this conservation practice are numerous and include; reducing erosion... Continue reading→

Nick Longbucco has been named coordinator of the Saving Tomorrow’s Agriculture Resources initiative. He will be working with conservation districts in Illinois and other partners to grow the program and support farmers in their conservation journey. A strong proponent of soil health and nutrient management practices, Longbucco has experience collaborating with farmers, government agencies and... Continue reading→

Today, the Saving Tomorrow’s Agriculture Resources (STAR) initiative introduced Nick Longbucco as its new fulltime Coordinator. Longbucco will be engaging with Conservation Districts and other partners to grow STAR and support farmers in their conservation journey. A strong proponent of soil health and nutrient management practices, Longbucco has experience collaborating with farmers, government agencies and... Continue reading→