Soil Health Journey
An Introduction to Soil Health Practices
ISAP’s Introduction to Soil Health Practices identifies and explains the cause of several conditions that often lead to common resource or agronomic concerns for farmers, including erosion, compaction, weed pressure, and nutrient loss. Featuring the experiences of six Illinois farmers and referencing scientific research throughout, ISAP offers practical solutions that will address these common concerns while building soil health and supporting more resilient farming systems in Illinois.
ISAP’s Introduction to Soil Health Practices highlights practical benefits that can be achieved by the adoption of conservation practices, focusing on practices that have potential for statewide application. The development of this guidebook was supported and funded by the Illinois Soybean Association.
Meet a Featured Farmer
Improving soil health is a journey, requiring commitment, patience, and perseverance. Some benefits can take place immediately, while others will require several years, as biological activity heightens and organic matter increases. All the farmers featured below have found success over time by starting small, identifying what worked best for their farm, and integrating conservation practices into their overall system.
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…
Digging Deeper - Resources for Your Soil Health Journey
The resources listed below are featured in the Introduction to Soil Health guidebook. Explore the following resources to learn more about the topics included in the guidebook.
Cover Crop and Soil Health Resources
- Midwest Cover Crop Council
- Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
- Center for Regenerative Agriculture at the University of Missouri
- Practical Farmers of Iowa
- American Farmland Trust’s Soil Health Case Studies
Weed and Pest Management Resources
- Getting Rid of Weeds through Integrated Weed Management Network
- Pesticide Resistance Management Network
- Searchable Product Label Database
Nutrient Management Resources
- Illinois NREC www.illinoisnrec.org
- 4R Nutrient Management www.nutrientstewardship.org
- Split Fertilizer Application
- Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy
- Maximum Return To Nitrogen Calculator
- Saving Tomorrow’s Agriculture Resources