Recent News

Farmers and Communities Reap the Benefits of Planting Covers

Farmers and Communities Reap the Benefits of Planting Covers Acres planted to cover crops and enrolled in the Department of Agriculture’s “Fall Covers for Spring Savings” Program provided economic benefits to farmers in the form of a five dollar an acre discount on crop insurance premiums.  The 50,000 acres enrolled in the program also provided environmental benefits to Illinois communities....

Navigating A Few ISAP Farmer Resources in the Face of COVID-19

Navigating A Few ISAP Farmer Resources in the Face of COVID-19 Many of us are being impacted by the corona-virus pandemic—especially our farmers. ISAP partners are trying to navigate this by providing aid and educational materials to those that are directly impacted in Illinois and beyond. ISAP’s foundation stems from collaboration and positive movements for improving agriculture and water quality...

Nutrient loss reduction efforts include outreach, watershed planning

Nutrient loss reduction efforts include outreach, watershed planning here’s plenty of nutrient loss management research data available, but it doesn’t do much good if it isn’t disseminated to farmers to show there’s proof in the pudding. That’s where University of Illinois Extension and other partner organizations come in.  I recently spoke with AgriNews about outreach being conducted in watersheds across...

ISAP Aggregate – March

Read the latest ISAP "Aggregate" Newsletter for March! AND Read the "extra" for March!

Strategies to Reduce Nitrate Loss from Tile-Drained Cropland

Strategies to Reduce Nitrate Loss from Tile-Drained Cropland The recently released Illinois EPA and Department of Agriculture biennial report on Illinois’ Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS) showed that nitrate and phosphorus loads, in addition to water flows, have increased statewide since 2013. While it may appear there has been no progress in reducing nutrient runoff, particularly from our farm fields,...

Building Evidence on Soil Health for Illinois

To ensure a sustainable future for the land there’s one place more and more farmers know they can turn: the soil beneath their feet. American Farmland Trust partnered with USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service on four new case studies that show healthier soil on farmland brings economic benefits to farmers and environmental benefits to both farmers and society. One of those farms...