To meet Illinois’ aggressive water quality goals and sustainably feed a growing world population, agricultural conservation practices need to work at the individual farm and field level. Communicating how conservation solutions solve real issues farmers face, while also providing environmental benefits, will be key to long term adoption. The IL STAR Coordinator will help implement... Continue reading→

  CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – STAR (Saving Tomorrow’s Agriculture Resources), an initiative developed by farmers for farmers, is excited to release its annual report for the 2020 crop year. The report documents STAR’s continued growth and summarizes the benefits of in-field practices implemented by Illinois’ farmers and landowners. “The Illinois Department of Agriculture commends STAR on... Continue reading→

Considering cover crops? Check out this great reference guide from the Nutrient Research Education Council for great tips on successfully implementing cover crops to reduce soil erosion, nutrient management,  and improve water quality.  View the guide by clicking HERE.     

Did you miss us at the Farm Progress Show!? No worries! Check out some of our great photos to see what we were up to!  

While water may be top of mind for you this summer as you head to lakes and rivers and down countless glasses of ice-cold water, I’ve spent pretty much my entire career thinking about our water, and what I can do to keep Illinois drinking water clean and safe. After all, I drink the same... Continue reading→

On July 25, 1946 at the Morrison Hotel in Chicago, Illinois, 18 representatives from 17 states created the National Association of Soil Conservation District Governing Officials. In 1970, during the annual convention in San Francisco, the association’s name was shortened to the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD). As part of the NACD’s 75th Anniversary... Continue reading→

There are many different “definitions” of the word conservation. Webster’s dictionary is “a careful preservation and protection of something, especially planned management of a natural resource, to prevent exploitation, destruction, or neglect. Another definition from Wikipedia is “the preservation or efficient use of resources, or the conservation of various quantities under physical laws.” Let’s look... Continue reading→

The annual AISWCD Poster and Photo Contests, part of the larger national competitions hosted by the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), provides students from kindergarten through 12th grade as well as adults the chance to have their art displayed as part of a national conservation outreach initiative. Each year, the winning entries reflect NACD’s... Continue reading→

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→