Partnership Strengthens NRCS Outreach in Illinois, Boosting Farmer Access to Conservation Funding

[November 14, 2024]    BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Illinois soybean farmers will now have additional education opportunities, agronomic guidance, and assistance with evaluating field data to better implement conservation practices that benefit the environment.

The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) has entered into a matching $750,000 contribution agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) for a total of $1.5 million to fund increased education and adoption of climate-smart practices that will help increase carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gases. ISA will use part of the funding to hire additional staff, including agronomists, to help manage the efforts. The ISA Agronomy Team is responsible for cross-functional agronomic research and education that creates opportunities for Illinois soybean farmers to increase on-farm profitability and manage crop production risks. Partnering with NRCS will help to increase conservation education for farmers alongside additional agronomic support from trusted ISA advisors.

”We are excited to enter into this formal partnership agreement with the Illinois Soybean Association,” said Tammy Willis, Illinois NRCS State Conservationist. “By utilizing special funding through the Inflation Reduction Act, we will be able to enhance our partnership with ISA to bring more conservation opportunities to the farmers in Illinois.”

“This new funding will create a unique opportunity for us to help Illinois farmers connect to their available NRCS programs while also strengthening NRCS outreach resources,” said Abigail Peterson, CCA and ISA Director of Agronomy. “We want to complement the tools and information growers need to implement conservation practices with an agronomic focus.”

Climate-smart practices are on-farm actions that contribute to environmental benefits such as improving soil health, reducing soil erosion, suppressing excessive weed pressure, improving nutrient uptake efficiency and optimizing water management. These practices include¹:

- Reducing tillage
- Planting cover crops
- Applying precision ag technology
- Establishing wildlife habitats
- Enhancing grassed waterways

“Illinois soybean growers can look forward to more educational materials, workshops and assistance from new staff agronomists in the coming months,” Peterson added. “We’re here to ensure growers take advantage of every opportunity they have to enroll in applicable NRCS programs. We understand it can be complicated, but there is a value to navigating these funding processes for the success of both Illinois farmers and Illinois conservation.”

Find more information about upcoming partnership activities or contact us at www.fieldadvisor.org.

1: Farmers.gov. Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry (CSAF) Mitigation Activities List for FY2024 Fact Sheet, Washington D.C. United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service, November 2023.

The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) checkoff and membership programs represent more than 43,000 soybean farmers in Illinois. The checkoff funds market development, soybean production and government relations efforts, while the membership program, Illinois Soybean Growers (ISG) and the Illinois Soybean Growers PAC actively advocates for positive and impactful legislation for farmers at local, state and national levels. ISA upholds the interests of Illinois soybean farmers through promotion, advocacy, research and education with the vision of becoming a trusted partner of Illinois soybean farmers to ensure their profitability now and for future generations. For more information, visit the website www.ilsoy.org and www.ilsoygrowers.com.

[Michael Whitmer 
Illinois Soybean Association]