Recent News

Probing Into Soil Health Tests: Dr. Patrick Freeze Recaps the Haney Soil Health Test

To kick off the first call of ICCON's Probing Into Soil Health Tests: Which Test is Best? series, ICCON hosted Dr. Patrick Freeze from Ward Laboratories, Inc. to delve into the intricacies of the Haney Soil Health Test. While soil health testing is a relatively novel concept for many farmers and agricultural professionals, there's a growing interest in understanding its...

ICCON Discusses NLRS Challenges and Feasibility of Achieving Interim Goals

During the January ICCON call, the network had the pleasure of hosting Adrienne Marino, Water Quality Program Manager at the Nature Conservancy in Illinois. Marino shared a comprehensive overview of the 2023 Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS) Biennial Report, shedding light on the state's progress and challenges. The NLRS was initiated in response to the 2008 Gulf Hypoxia Action...

Champaign County Farm Recognized for Dedication to Land Stewardship

The Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership (ISAP) was a proud sponsor of the 2023 Illinois Leopold Conservation Award, an award program sponsored by the Sand County Foundation that recognizes and celebrates extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation by agricultural landowners.  Rademacher Farms was selected as a 2023 Leopold Conservation Award Finalist in Illinois. Frank Rademacher farms about 600 acres with his dad, Eric,...

East Central Illinois Retailer Commits to Conservation Trials and Services

With the recent update of the Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy showing that work still needs to be done in order to reach the goals outlined in the strategy, increasing adoption of conservation practices is as important as ever.  Farmers often turn to their retailer for products, services, and agronomy knowledge. Similarly, given the impact conservation practices can have on the...

Four Decades of No-Till is Paying Off for Vermilion County Farmer Jean Stewart

The Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership was a proud sponsor of the 2023 Illinois Leopold Conservation Award, an award program that recognizes and celebrates extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation by agricultural landowners. The profile of 2023 Award Finalist, Jean Stewart, below was originally published by American Farmland Trust and can be viewed on their website.    https://youtu.be/EWWAdGGK780?si=GI2ZVKvXqq6mdgtd “A good farmer is a...

ICCON Recaps The 2023 National Cover Crop Survey

On December 13, ICCON welcomed Dr. Rob Meyers, the Director for the Center for Regenerative Agriculture at the University of Missouri, for an insightful discussion on the outcomes of the 2023 National Cover Crop Survey. Conducted in March of 2023, the survey provides a comprehensive reflection of cover cropping data from the 2022 agricultural season.  The online survey, comprising 110...