Water Quality

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a $1.5 billion investment for 92 partner-driven conservation projects, including one in Illinois and Indiana, through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program.

With his eight-year commitment to the Army National Guard, Chuck Hanley was able to juggle his agriculture careers with his service.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin issuing more than $2.14 billion in payments to eligible agricultural producers and landowners — providing much needed support through key conservation and safety net programs.

Farmers and ranchers are leading the way in climate-smart practices that reduce emissions, enrich the soil and protect our water and air, all while producing more food, fiber and renewable fuel than ever before.

Between harvest and preparing for the state corn-husking competition, From the Fields contributor Clay Geyer has a busy October ahead of him.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced up to $7.7 billion in assistance for fiscal year 2025 to help agricultural and forestry producers adopt conservation practices on working lands.

Our farms aren’t just another workplace for us. We raise our families on this land. We can’t be expected to play by the rules, though, when the federal government refuses to let us know what those rules are.

A team of nine people from Huntington University traveled to serve local communities through sustainable agriculture projects to Momostenango, Guatemala.

Most consumers are unfamiliar or only slightly familiar with regenerative agriculture, according to the August 2024 Consumer Food Insights Report.

The Illinois Wheat Association Checkoff Committee is circulating petitions for a wheat checkoff program in the state. The proposal calls for a 1.5 cent checkoff per bushel of wheat sold.

More than 200 Indiana Farm Bureau members gathered to determine the organization’s policy positions for 2025.

Richard Lyons of Harvel is the recipient of the 2024 Illinois Leopold Conservation Award.

Agrivoltaics works and it is going to keep growing in the United States.

A Natural Resources Conservation Service display brought the field to the Illinois State Fair. The tabletop display demonstrated the interaction between water and soils with different characteristics and management practices.

The Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition announced two upcoming grazing schools: Sept. 6-7 in Macomb and Sept. 13-14 in Creal Springs.

Three central Illinois farm families were honored for their conservation agriculture efforts.

American Farmland Trust and ADM are launching the next season of a program that supports Illinois farmers and the environment.

Researchers at Purdue’s Agronomy Center for Research and Education are addressing an important issue to farmers everywhere — drought tolerance.

Eliminating the information gap to help agriculture voluntarily meet the Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy goals has been a top priority for the Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership.

This June, producers can get answers to their questions about installing edge-of-field conservation practices by connecting with farmers who have first-hand knowledge.

The slowest dance on Capitol Hill, the writing of a new farm bill, gained tempo May 1 when both the House and Senate Ag committees released versions of their bills.

The Department of Treasury released guidance on its sustainable aviation fuel credit program that allows corn and soybeans to qualify as feedstocks for SAF with stipulations.

Resiliency is important for farmers to leverage resources and technology to make their operations sustainable for future generations.

If the third time is a charm, Michael Happ might finally make an impression on federal lawmakers and administrators with his fact-filled, 24-page report on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s continued financing of Big Ag’s big manure habit.

Champions of organic farming have long portrayed it as friendlier to humans and the earth. But a new study in a California county found a surprising effect as their acreage grew.

Daily in-person and virtual events packed the Illinois Soil Health Week docket, including two days at the state capitol.

Illinois Central College was awarded $349,397 in grant funding from the National Science Foundation for an Advanced Technological Education program.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that agricultural producers and private landowners can sign up for the general Conservation Reserve Program through March 29.

To make sure farmers’ voices are heard and their ideas are understood, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan announced the creation of an Office of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

For at least the past decade, “a growing number of peer-reviewed medical studies have linked exposure to nitrates in drinking water to elevated incidences of cancer.” As the environmental news service clearly states, this news isn’t exactly news.

The second annual Illinois Ag Retail Survey is underway to collect data on nutrient management practices.

The Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts announced the appointment of Michael Woods as its new CEO.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications for the Continuous Conservation Reserve Program.

Experience, attitude, communication and organizational skills can provide a foundation for farmland owners and farmers when making the move to organic crop production.

Corn Belt Ports, the Heart of Illinois Regional Port District and the Illinois Waterway Ports Commission have a new office in Peoria.

The Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy’s biennial report featured what’s been done and what needs to be done in the non-point source sector.

Point source and urban stormwater sectors have been making progress in meeting the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy goals.

American Farmland Trust recently completed a Section 604B Clean Water Act grant to prepare a nine-element watershed-based plan for the Vermilion Headwaters Watershed.

The 2025 interim goals set by the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy are fast-approaching, but the numbers needed are still not there.

Several hog farms in North Carolina were properly allowed to collect energy from the animals’ waste, a state appeals court said, ruling that their permit applications were scrutinized appropriately before their approval.

Algal blooms pose a significant challenge in both in Illinois and the Gulf of Mexico. One of the leading causes of these algal blooms is excess nutrients — primarily nitrogen and phosphorus.

The word sustainability has been tossed around like a leaf on a windy fall day, but is there proof in the pudding?

An initiative focusing on regenerating health and wealth within communities and region has taken the next step in its commitment.

Like the phoenix in Greek mythology, University of Illinois Extension has found new life by rising from the symbolic ashes of its recent former self.

Tammy Willis, state conservationist, announced the first application cutoff period for fiscal year 2023 Agricultural Conservation Easement Program wetland reserve easements of Dec. 1.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Indiana is investing up to $1.25 million in a Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership project.

The Soil and Water Outcomes Fund announced the addition of 34 Illinois counties to its area of eligible cropland for 2023, making all Illinois farmers now eligible for enrollment in the program.

A coalition of environmental groups is seeking to force the Environmental Protection Agency to strengthen its regulation of large livestock operations that release pollutants into waterways.

Second chances don’t come along every day. But every once in a while, we get a chance to start fresh, learn from our mistakes and do better.

Well, I’ve just returned from the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival and it was entertaining and very informative. On Friday was the Sheep 101 classes and Saturday was the Profit Workshop classes.