Funded by the Illinois Soybean Checkoff “Currently, there is no shortage of funding sources available to growers to assist with the implementation of conservation practices on their farm. However, wading through all those opportunities and understanding which funding sources are best to help you reach your conservation goals can be overwhelming. The most important thing a grower can do when starting their transition into conservation agriculture is to understand the goals they have for their farm and which practices will help them accomplish their goals. Each farm is different, and so is each funding source, so make sure you find one that will work best for you in the long run.” - Megan Miller, ISA Agronomy Manager PRECISION CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT Precision Conservation Management (PCM) is a farmer service program developed to help farmers adopt conservation practices in a financially-responsible way, as a response to the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy and pending future national level Climate Change Policy. Since partnering with IL Corn in 2020, ISA helped to expand PCM into new regions, growing from 15 counties to 31, in addition to offering outreach and field day support. In FY21, the PCM program had 425 farmers and more than 400,000 acres enrolled. There are over 1 million acres in the entire dataset (from 2015-2021). The same year, three additional PCM Specialists were hired: Lou Liva, covering Rock Island, Mercer, Henry, and Knox counties; Alexa Rutherford, covering Ogle, Lee, DeKalb, Boone, and Winnebago counties; and Andrea Kohring, covering Monroe, St. Clair, Madison, Clinton, and Washington counties. More than 30,000 acres were enrolled in the PCM program in these regions in 2021. ISA and TNC partnered on a cost-share program that helped PCM farmers plant cover crops on 3,550 in fall of 2021. Through collaboration with local Soil and Water Conservation Districts, participating farmers can utilize one-on-one technical assistance to guide them through conservation decisions and to aid in the evaluation of their farm, relative to others in the program. In total, PCM has more than 30 partners supporting its efforts to help farmers understand and manage the risks associated with adopting new conservation practices. COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION OF PHOSPHORUS BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES Dr. Andrew Margenot, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is working diligently to update the 4Rs (right rate, right time, right source, right place) for phosphorus application in northern, central, and southern Illinois. Because the most commonly applied phosphorus fertilizers (MAP/DAP) also contain nitrogen, Dr. Margenot has field trials across the state to evaluate nitrogen-free fertilizer options. He is measuring yield, phosphorus use efficiency, economics, and water quality benefits of these nitrogen-free fertilizers. PARTNERING FOR A BETTER TOMORROW ISA is a proud member of the Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership (ISAP) along with several other organizations who work toward meeting the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy goals. This collaborative group seeks to increase the technical capacity of agriculture professionals and to utilize data and consistent messaging to encourage the adoption of in-field and edge-of- field practices to reduce nutrient loss, while minimizing risk and increasing profits of the farmer. Learn more about ISAP at ilsustainableag.org. ISA partners annually with the Illinois Wheat Association to co- host the Double Crop Forum in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. The increased profitability and the presence of living roots in the soil all year makes double-cropping a no-brainer for Illinois soybean farmers, especially in Illinois.
