Recent News
Back to the Basics: Building a Foundation for Soil Health Leadership
Written by: Rachel Owen, SHLP Participant Last month, the newest cohort of the Illinois Soil Health Leadership Program gathered in Peoria for our first training session. Participants came to the program with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, but the session offered a valuable reminder for all of us: sometimes moving soil health forward requires going back to...
Meet the 2027 Soil Health Leadership Program Cohort
The Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership is excited to welcome the 2027 Soil Health Leadership Program (SHLP) cohort. This group of 25 participants represents the diversity of Illinois agriculture, bringing together farmers, conservation professionals, agronomists, researchers, technical service providers, and agricultural advisors from across the state. These participants will spend the next 18 months deepening their understanding of soil health and...
Leaders in Soil Health Multiply Statewide Outreach Efforts
The Soil Health Leadership Program helps farmers, retailers, crop advisors, and conservation professionals improve their understanding of soil health principles and the production management changes needed to maximize on-farm benefits of soil health systems. Over the course of 18 months, participants study soil structure and function, selection, seeding techniques, and termination methods for cover crop management, and communication and outreach...
ISAP Kicks Off Soil Health Leadership Program with First Training Session
On August 20th and 21st, the first session of the Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership Soil Health Leadership Program met in Peoria, IL at Illinois Central College. This two-day meeting included classroom instruction on principles of soil health and soil biology, as well as hands-on, in-field demonstrations on the Illinois Central College campus and on a nearby farm managed using regenerative...
ASHT Cohort Scouts Cover Crop Fields in Fourth Training Session
On Wednesday, April 26th, agriculture professionals met in Bloomington, IL for the fourth Advanced Soil Health Training (ASHT) hosted by the Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership (ISAP). Amidst planting season, this group of conservation specialists, agronomists, and retailers, found time to further their education with a full morning of in-field cover crop training. Just outside of McLean, Illinois, our group visited...
ASHT Cohort Gathers for Two-Day Cover Crop Training
In February, Illinois agriculture professionals gathered at the Illinois Soybean Association in Bloomington for the third session of the 2022-23 Advanced Soil Health Training (ASHT) hosted by the Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership (ISAP). The third session in the training series provided education to participants on cover crops and cover crop management. This two-day intensive classroom workshop began with Stacy Zuber,...