SPRINGFIELD — Illinois is the latest Midwestern state to earmark funding for a program to reduce nutrient runoff from farmland into waterways. It’s the first time the state has dedicated money to its Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS). Twelve states within the Mississippi River basin have similar strategies in place, and some, like Iowa, have... Continue reading→

Conservation funding is at a crossroads in Illinois. Here’s where conservation adoption, practices and funding stand for the Prairie State. Jason Chatterton will be the first to tell you he’s no cover crop expert — that there are plenty of farmers who know more than him. Then he fishes around between soybean plants and pulls... Continue reading→

You spoke and they listened! Lawmakers heard SWCDs and our partners and soil and water conservation was funded at historic levels this spring. View the AISWCD scorecard here!  

Mark your calendar and register today for SWCD Legislative Day, held virtually on April 26, 2021! We’ve Gone Virtual! Even though this legislative day looks a little different, we need your voices more than ever to tell our legislators what we do and why we are essential to the health of soil and water in... Continue reading→

It’s easy as 1-2-3 to take action now! Please use the link below to send your lawmakers a brief, pre-written message encouraging he or she to support Senate Bill 2474 and House Bill 1792 (identical bills, just different chambers of introduction) by becoming a co-sponsor of the bills, which creates the Illinois Partners for Nutrient Loss Reduction... Continue reading→

AISWCD is conducting a brief survey to better understand farmer and landowner insights and attitudes towards the adoption of conservation measures. Farmers and landowners – take our survey for a chance to win! Take a few moments to complete the AISWCD’s Conservation Adoption Farmer Survey for a chance to win! The first 200 participants that... Continue reading→

Did you miss the ‘New SWCD Director Training Webinar’ hosted by AISWCD and the Illinois Department of Agriculture!? Don’t fret, we have you covered! View the primary PowerPoint presentation HERE!  

Composed of farm, environmental, and food retail groups, FACA was an early advocate of using voluntary and incentive-based programs to mitigate climate change. The new era of climate mitigation on the farm would look like a beefed-up version of longstanding USDA conservation programs, augmented by a carbon bank that sets a floor price for carbon... Continue reading→

The 2021 Poster Contest theme is “Healthy Forests, Healthy Communities”. The annual AISWCD Poster Contest, part of the larger national competition hosted by the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), provides students from kindergarten through 12th grade the chance to have their art displayed as part of a national conservation outreach initiative. Each year, the... Continue reading→

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Today, the Saving Tomorrow’s Agriculture Resources (S.T.A.R.) Initiative introduced a new Pilot Incentive Program in Illinois through a partnership with the American Farmland Trust. This program is offering a modest incentive to farmers willing to implement new in-field management practices that increase a specific field’s STAR rating. S.T.A.R. will work with Conservation... Continue reading→