Production Risk Management
State Conservation Program Dashboard
The State Conservation Program Dashboard (the “dashboard”) is an interactive database of state-level programs that advance on-farm conservation and expand the implementation of practices that improve soil health. It provides a snapshot of state efforts to help raise awareness about effective approaches, inform state and federal policy action, and encourage more agricultural land conservation.
How to Use the Dashboard
The dashboard includes information about three state approaches – On-Farm Conservation, Technical Assistance Capacity, and Research and Demonstration – that can be accessed using the color-coded buttons.
Each section highlights program mechanics and activities, enabling comparison across states. Individual programs are shown in rows. The tabs along the top of each table describe program features, such as administration, eligibility, inclusion and access, financial assistance, outcomes, and more. Columns within each tab highlight additional program information that can be filtered and sorted. For descriptions of each column heading, refer to the State Conservation Program Dashboard Index.
Finally, clicking on a row in the table generates a secondary table at the bottom of the dashboard that displays more customized details related to that program.
View WebsiteAn Overview of Voluntary Carbon Markets for Illinois Farmers
ISAP compiled “An Overview of Voluntary Carbon Markets for Illinois Farmers” to assist farmers and farm advisors in their evaluation of multiple market opportunities available in Illinois. This update includes additional carbon market opportunities available to Illinois farmers, summaries of 15 different voluntary carbon markets, a glossary of key terms, and a list of relevant resources.
Download DocumentsGuide to Water Quality, Climate, Social and Economic Outcomes Estimation Tools
The guide features multiple approaches, methods, and tools available to quantify environmental, social, and economic outcomes associated with farm conservation practices. All of the tools can be used by farm conservation project managers without the need for complex computer modeling.
Download DocumentsCarbon Reduction Potential Evaluation (CaRPE) Tool
American Farmland Trust expanded the utility of COMET-Planner by integrating cropland and grazing land acreages and data from the 2017 Census of Agriculture.
View WebsiteCOMET-Planner
This online tool provides general estimates of the GHG impacts of certain NRCS conservation practices. Estimates can be supplied in tonnes of CO2e reduction potential per acre per year.
View WebsiteIllinois Farmers and Farmland and Part of the Climate Solution
This 2-page document recaps findings from a report titled “Potential for Conservation Practices to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sequester Carbon on Croplands and Grazing Lands in Illinois” that provides an overview of county-level GHG emission estimates for croplands and grazing lands in Illinois and highlights the significant potential for Illinois cropland to reduce GHG emissions and sequester carbon. The full report and information for additional states are available from the Farmland Information Center.
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