Illinois Sustainable Agriculture Partnership Releases Inaugural Annual Report
[button text=”View 2020 Annual Report” link=”https://ilsustainableag.org/annual-report/” style=”default” size=”normal” target=”_blank” display=”inline” icon=”no”]
ISAP’s mission is to create a network to support a systems approach to improve soil health and reduce nutrient loss.
DEKALB, Ill. – The Illinois Sustainable Agriculture Partnership, ISAP, is excited to release its 2020 Annual Report highlighting efforts to strengthen Illinois agriculture and expand partnership capacity amid an unexpected and challenging year. The report features our newly adopted Theory of Change and recaps partnership activities to improve soil health and reduce nutrient loss.
Jill Kostel, ISAP Chair and Senior Environmental Engineer for the Wetlands Initiative, notes, “Working collaboratively with partners is our key to success! The annual report includes examples where multiple organizations worked together to deliver ISAP programs throughout the state.”
During the year, members of ISAP participated in a series of discussions to refine ISAP’s purpose and priorities. The resulting “Theory of Change” ensures our work will be effective toward meeting the goals of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS) and achieving environmental outcomes that improve water quality and soil health across the state of Illinois.
“With our strong foundation, the newly adopted Theory of Change provides a coherent framework that will guide our work in the coming years and ensures that all partners are working toward the collective vision,” added Jean Brokish, ISAP Coordinator and Program Manager for American Farmland Trust.
The report highlights key activities in ISAP’s four program pillars, including ISAP’s risk management conference which emphasizes the use of soil health and conservation drainage practices as tools to mitigate production risk. In addition to publishing a fact sheet directly related to carbon farming in Illinois, we also engaged over 1,000 individuals through conferences and presentations.
Since its founding in 2017, ISAP has focused on messaging, outreach, training and education for farmers and their trusted advisors to bring together and disseminate new information and lessons learned in plain, practical language.
We are excited to continue growing our current efforts in being a structured, efficient group of partners that can help improve Illinois agriculture and educate farmers, ag retailers, professionals, and producers for years to come.
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As a coordinated and consistent group, the Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership (ISAP) focuses on messaging, outreach, training and education for farmers and their trusted advisors to bring together and disseminate new information and lessons learned in plain, practical language. Members work collaboratively to amplify the programs of each organization, share resources to gain efficiencies and identify synergies in achieving soil health and water quality goals. ISAP’s mission is to create a network to support a systems approach on agriculture lands to improve soil health and reduce nutrient loss. ISAP’s members include: The Nature Conservancy, American Farmland Trust, Precision Conservation Management, Illinois Corn, Illinois Central College, The Wetlands Initiative, The Zea Mays Foundation, Soil Health Partnership, Illinois Land Improvement Contractors Association, Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Illinois Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, University of Illinois Extension, Agriculture Drainage Management Coalition, and Illinois Soybean Association.
