The new emphasis on benefits of “locally grown” food is based on increased consumer awareness and interest in agricultural products—meat and produce—certified as organic. More people and food production conglomerates demand organic food options. Just look at the organic food section at your grocery store—it’s getting bigger. The market is here.

For some, diversifying crops and moving away from a monoculture ag environment is not an option. For others, it might be a smart and profitable fit.

Take Dave Bishop, in Logan County with a 300-acre operation. He grows a variety of specialty crops, grazes cattle and raises poultry. Dave defines himself as an unconventional organic entrepreneur. He successfully made the switch to organic and keeps records to document and research what works on his ground and why.

Besides being blessed with a patient temperament, Dave relies heavily on the support of other organic producers and his local conservation team at the USDA Service Center.

“You don’t ‘go organic’ overnight,” Dave explains. “It’s called a transition because it takes time. You’re changing the basic elements in your soil and changing the way you manage nearly every single aspect of your operation—that takes at least five to seven years to do it right.”

Because it’s not something you do solo, he offers some advice on how to tap into the help and guidance that’s out there, such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

EQIP now offers conservation technical help and financial assistance for organic operators. Just like traditional ag operations, smaller venues and organic farms, in particular, face their share of natural resource problems. Often, the solutions needed are more complex and labor-intensive because regular “fixes” are not an option.

Illinois producers who contemplate getting into new organic market trends or those who are already organic who need help with specific erosion or management issues, can now add NRCS and new Organic options of EQIP to their “to do” list.

Illinois NRCS State Conservationist Bill Gradle says NRCS’ specialists and new EQIP options can address the needs of organic growers—control soil erosion, manage nutrients, improve water quality or wildlife. “With NRCS and EQIP, you can ensure your productivity and sustainability and make it work,” Gradle adds.

Another Illinois organic success story is the Glazik family’s 400-acre “Cow Creek Farm” in Ford County, IL. This operation is located near the start of the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River.

As of January 1, 2010, 100% Glazik’s ground is certified organic cropland. The rest is in pasture, natural areas, and other conservation practices, including trees. Glazik’s row crops are in a long and healthy rotation—corn, beans, wheat, oats, and pasture—good for the soil AND the livestock.

Using years of experience, guidance from others, and technical assistance of USDA, NRCS, and a variety of other state and federal conservation programs, Glazik plans to explore even more options through the new Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and EQIP as he pursues a grazing management plan and use of a rotational grazing system.

“We have a special and diverse farm here,” Glazik explains. “It’s dynamic.  It’s always changing. Organic farms are complex because we constantly find new issues that require new and innovative solutions. But, that’s part of the joy behind our organic farm—every single day is different and every day we learn something new.”

While EQIP sign-up is continuous, NRCS reminds producers that deadlines for submitting applications are approaching fast—so don’t put it off too long. Visit http://www.il.nrcs.usda.gov to see the new EQIP Organic Initiative factsheet or stop by your county USDA Service Center and visit with your District Conservationist to get all the details. 

The 2009 NRCS Team of the year members include:

Kent Bohnhoff, NRCS District Conservationist & Team Leader
Randy McCormack, NRCS Soil Conservationist
Matt Bell, NRCS Soil Conservation Technician
Judy Wilson, McLean Co SWCD Administrative Coordinator
Dave Bishop, McLean Co SWCD Resource Conservationist
James Rutherford, McLean Co SWCD Soil Conservationist
Paula Wagner, McLean Co SWCD Education Coordinator
What special acts or great feat did this team achieve in 2009? The list is diverse, but so is the typical list of conservation products and services NRCS and SWCD partners offer customers every day.

As a federal government agency, NRCS has performance measures to track agency activity by county, state, and region. 2009 data show McLean County had a particularly high number of conservation projects and practices planned and applied to the land. Those conservation solutions now protect valuable soil and water resources that benefit every Illinois citizen.

According to IL NRCS State Conservationist Bill Gradle, “That shows me how well my McLean County team works with local producers, visits their farms, diagnoses resource problems they find, and develops technically sound on-the-ground solutions that work. This team is doing a lot of good work and they’re doing it well.”

·      Conservation plans written on 8,811 acres

·      3 Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans applied (1,104 acres)

·      Grazing land conservation systems developed 282 acres

·      Forestry and Grazing conservation practices applied on 282 acres

·      Conservation Security Program (old CSP) contract management/implementation—8 contracts ($318,000)

·      Conservation Stewardship Program (new CSP) 39 new applications; 32 pre-approved and started

·      93 EQIP contracts totaling $2,091,451; 5 WHIP contracts totaling $162,163; CRP on about 1,800 acres

·      73 Grassed waterway projects that cover 129 acres

·      39 acres restored to wildlife habitat

·      4 Stream bank Stabilization projects that cover 5,900 feet of eroding river banks

·      32 local CPP conservation practices totaling $112,000

·      $3,600 cost-share on SWCD tile drain biofilter to reduce nitrates in Lake Bloomington watershed

·      $10,000 towards sediment basin & wetland in Lake Bloomington watershed

·      $68,407 in Streambank Stabilization & Restoration on nearly 4,000 feet of streambanks

·      Education, outreach, and presentations to students, citizens

·      Conservation Day field trip for about 1,300 third-graders

Of special note are this Team’s recent efforts to reach out and include members of a group home for disabled individuals in local county-level agricultural events. Through this team’s efforts to make transportation available, these individuals attended and participated in recent farm shows, including the 2009 Farm Progress Show, local tours and other conservation-oriented events. They have also worked well with The Nature Conservancy on a number of successful, local community projects that benefit local residents and wildlife.

The McLean County Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Directors is especially proud of this Team’s accomplishments. They admire their aggressive pursuit of conservation options for local growers.

SWCD Board Chairman Mike Kelley says “This team really strives to go above and beyond. They’ve really engaged our local farmers and increased interest and involvement in all kinds of state and federal and locally-led projects. Things are really happening here in McLean County and it’s because of their hard work.”

Two team members are relatively new to Illinois NRCS. Their energy levels and dedication feed that of other team members. “When you put that passion and energy together with all the opportunities of a new Farm Bill, you’ve got a recipe for success,” explains Gradle.

“The high workload and growing interest in conservation we’ve seen here lately has required support from other NRCS Field Offices in the region to help manage things,” explains Assistant State Conservationist for the northeast Illinois area, Jon Hubbert. “I’ve had 5 or 6 NRCS employees pitch in to help this team keep up with all the conservation work they’ve generated.  It’s been a good experience for everyone,” Hubbert adds.

With so much of NRCS’ conservation program work now based on electronic data and web-based tools, NRCS and SWCD staff must hone their computer skills and competencies with a number of different software applications.

“Staying on top of all the computer and web-based aspects of conservation used in a modern NRCS Field Office can be a challenge,” explains McCormack, who plays a critical role in managing the data, contracts and records.

Bell has a vibrant passion for the conservation approach to production agriculture. Bell is a quick learner who enjoys finding new ways to get the job done right and meet the farmer’s needs as well.

The Team’s veteran members—Bohnhoff, Bishop, Rutherford, and Wilson—have worked well together for years as a high-performing team. They maintain their work ethic with a proactive and aggressive approach for offering their most helpful programs and one-on-one technical assistance to customers.

“2009 was a tough year—new program options and policies, new web-based agency tools, and some crazy deadlines,” Gradle said. “But the team in Normal, Illinois rose to the challenge. We recognize their efforts. We thank them for all they do.”

As a neighboring District Conservationist located in Tazewell, I can testify to their work ethic.  I have my own landowners/farmers in Tazewell County coming in from the eastern part of the county because they hear of what is being done in across the county line in McLean and want to apply for those programs for their own land.  In the past we have also partnered with them and completed conservation practice implementation in McLean County on farms carried in Tazewell by our farmers using McLean County Conservation Practice Program cost share funds available through the McLean SWCD. 

Congratulations!!!!

USDA - NRCS is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

NRCS ~ Helping People Help The Land

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) now allows installation of a pilot practice called a “seasonal high tunnel” through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). The 3-year pilot project will research and establish conservation benefits and issues associated with use of the practice, explains Illinois NRCS State Conservationist Bill Gradle.  Interested producers must submit an EQIP application and follow specific NRCS rules and standards in order to qualify and receive technical and financial assistance.

A seasonal high tunnel is a polyethylene-covered structure, at least six feet in height, which modifies the climate inside to create more favorable growing conditions for vegetable and other specialty crops grown in the natural soil beneath it. The structure is intended to last at least four years. This pilot will test the potential conservation benefits of growing crops under these structures and determine if their use in fact helps—or complicates—the condition of soil, plant, and water resources on the farm.

Under program rules, participating farms can receive funding for one or more seasonal high tunnels.  Financial assistance for high tunnels is limited to 5% of one acre, or 2,178 square feet, approximately equivalent to a 30 by 72 foot structure, for each farming operation.  Participation in the seasonal high tunnel pilot is limited to operations where commodity crops were grown previously, and the same crops will be grown again in the high tunnel structure.

Informational resources with program and practice details are available at local county NRCS offices.  Cooperating producers are expected to take part in developing a conservation plan for their farm.  Recipients must provide annual reports each year to track the performance of the pilot practice.

Illinois NRCS State Conservation Engineer, Ruth Book, confirms that experiences and data from pilot program participants will help develop final operating rules and practice standards here in Illinois and the nation.  “Illinois is one of 38 states participating in this study to verify if high tunnels can effectively reduce pesticide or fertilizer use, keep vital nutrients in the soil, extend the growing season, increase yields, and provide other benefits to growers,” said Book.

Local farmers interested in the high tunnel pilot should call or visit the NRCS office at a local USDA Service Center and submit an application. In Illinois, NRCS will provide financial assistance for the project through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).  To learn more about High Tunnels or other conservation practices to protect natural resources on private lands, contact your local NRCS District Conservationist or visit the Illinois NRCS website at http://www.il.nrcs.usda.gov

Agroforestry is intensive land-use management combining trees and/or shrubs with crops and/or livestock. Agroforestry practices are designed to fit specific niches within the farm to meet specific landowner objectives.  Agroforestry practices help landowners to diversify products, markets, and farm income; improve soil and water quality; and reduce erosion, non-point source pollution and damage due to flooding. The integrated practices of agroforestry enhance land and aquatic habitats for fish and wildlife and improve biodiversity while sustaining land resources for generations to come. 

Learn about the Five Practices of Agroforestry at a workshop on Friday, March 5, 2010.  The workshop will start at 9:30 and conclude by 3:00.  The morning program will be held at St. Anslem’s Hall in Kampsville.  The afternoon program will be held at the McCully Heritage Project, about two miles from St. Anslem’s Hall.  The University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry, one of the world’s leading centers contributing to the science underlying agroforestry, will present this workshop.

“Agroforestry practices can help landowners diversify products, improve farm income, improve soil and water quality, and reduce erosion,” said Mike Gold, associate director at the Center for Agroforestry.  Topics at this workshop will include:  Timber Management, -- -- -- Mushrooms, and Silvopasture/Goats/Controlling Woodland Invasives.  The afternoon program will included a -- -- -- plugging demonstration, a sawmill demonstration (weather permitting) and a timber management walk.  Please dress for the weather if attending the afternoon program. 

The morning program and lunch will be at St. Anselm’s Hall in Kampsville.

9:30 Registration, coffee available

10:00 Intro. To Agroforestry –Mike Gold, MU Center for Agroforestry, Columbia, MO

10:30 Basic Timber Management-Dusty Walter, MU Center for Agroforestry, Columbia, MO

11:00 Incentives for Forest Landowners-Crystal Nance, NRCS District Conservationist, Hardin, IL

11:15 Controlling Woodland Invasives, Goats, Silvopasture-Mark Kennedy, NRCS Grassland Conservationist, Houston, MO

11:45 Lunch

12:15 Lunch speaker on -- -- -- Mushrooms- Johann Bruhn, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO

The afternoon program will be held at McCully Heritage Project, about 3 miles from St. Anslem’s Hall.  Please dress for the weather.

1:00 -- -- -- Plugging Demonstration-Johann Bruhn in the pavilion

1:30 Sawmill demonstration, weather permitting

2:00 Timber Management Walk.  A forester will show basic strategies to improve the quality of your timber. 

3:00 Conclusion

Registration is $20 if received by Feb. 23 and includes lunch, handouts, and door prizes.  Youth (18 and under) may register for $10.  All registrations received after Feb. 23 or at the door will cost $30.  The Calhoun County Farm Bureau is offering a $5 discount for the first 20 members that sign up.  No refunds will be given unless the workshop is cancelled.  We must have 25 participants by Feb. 23 or the workshop will be cancelled.  Send checks to Two Rivers RC&D 217-285-4114 at P.O. Box 87, Pittsfield, IL 62363 to register.  Or you may register online at http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/calhounjersey/ Sponsors include:  Calhoun County Farm Bureau 618-576-2233, Calhoun County SWCD and NRCS 618-576-2328 ext. 3, McCully Heritage Project and University of Illinois Extension 618-653-4687, and the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry http://www.centerforagroforestry.org. 

The Illinois Forage Institute will be held on Tuesday, March 2 at Kankakee Community College, Kankakee Illinois beginning at 9:30 am and concluding at 4:00 pm.  The program will be held at Kankakee Community College which is located south of Kankakee just off of Interstate 57, Exit 308-Route 45/52 N, then east on River Road.  The educational program will focus on managing hayland and pastures.  The program will also include commercial exhibits focusing on the forage industry.  Companies interested in setting up a commercial exhibit or individuals needing additional information can contact Doug Hanson (815) 382-6684.

Topics to be presented in the morning include Hay Tonnage vs Quality and Niche Forages for Double Cropping Systems from Dr. Keith Johnson, Forage Extension Specialist, Purdue University.  Also, Dr. Alan Miller, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois will present Economics of Hay and Forage Production and Buying Hay versus Raising Hay. Afternoon activities include a livestock and hay producer panel and the Illinois Forage & Grassland Council Forage Spokesperson Contest.

Cost for the educational program is $15 per person for IFGC members and $20 per person for non-members and pre-registration is requested by February 24, 2010.  Cost will be $20 and $25 respectively per person after February 24 and at the door on March 2.  Registration covers a noon meal and forage presentation handout material.  Program registration can be made by contacting Illinois Forage & Grassland Council, P.O. Box 233, Greenville, IL 62246.  The program agenda can be accessed at http://www.illinoisforage.org/.  The Forage Institute is sponsored by the Illinois Forage and Grassland Council and supported by USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and University of Illinois Extension.

Agriculture and environment have a history also. Shortly after the United States created the Soil Conservation Service (now Natural Resources Conservation Service) in 1935, a Dr. Lowdermilk studied the record of agriculture in countries where the land had been under cultivation for hundreds, even thousands, of years. With on the ground visits and observations in 1938-1939, his immediate mission was to find out if the experience of these older civilizations could help in solving the serious soil erosion and land use problems in the United States.

“Dr. Lowdermilk discovered that soil erosion, deforestation, overgrazing, neglect, and conflicts between cultivators and herdsman have helped topple empires and wipe out entire civilizations. At the same time, he learned that careful stewardship of the earth’s resources, through terracing, crop rotation, and other soil conservation measures, has enabled other societies to flourish for centuries.” http://www.nrcs.usda.gov.

Dr. Lowdermilk reported on the ancient lands of the Middle East and the coastal lands of the Mediterranean Sea, their history, and the condition of the land in the 1930s. What follows is an interesting excerpt from the report that he titles ‘Forests of Lebanon’.

About 4,500 years ago, Phoenicians occupied the eastern shore of the Mediterranean. “Here was a land covered with forests and watered by the rains of heaven, a land that held entirely new problems for tillers of soil … As forests were cleared either for domestic use or for commerce, slopes were cultivated … Soils of the slopes eroded under heavy winter rains.  They encountered severe soil erosion and the problem of establishing a permanent agriculture on sloping lands.”

“The mountains of ancient Phoenicia were once covered by the famous forests, the cedars of Lebanon … Today, only 4 small groves of this famous Lebanon cedar forest are left … under the present climate it would extend itself if it were safeguarded against the rapacious goats that graze down every accessible living thing on these mountains.”

Commerce, industry, development, and agriculture have not always been kind to our land. We have been neglectful of our environment. Since the 1930s, we have made remarkable changes in agriculture seeking to preserve our soil and water. Hopefully we will continue to be mindful of the lessons of history.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service reprinted Dr. Lowdermilk’s bulletin without change at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov. Click on ‘about us’; then on ‘NRCS History’; then on ‘publications and writings’; then ‘Conquest of the Land Through 7,000 Years’.  If you need financial or technical assistance with erosion control, contact your local NRCS District Conservationist.  We are taking applications for financial assistance under a wide variety of conservation programs at the present time. 

Adapted from an article written by Della Moen, Earth Team Volunteer,  NRCS/Stephenson Soil and Water Conservation District.

My sweet husband invited me to go hunting with him this year.  I couldn’t believe it..the first time ever!

I never thought he’d be willing to share his ‘guy time’ with me and being the thoughtful man that he is, he even gave me an opening day present.  He calls it ‘The First Timers Lucky Hat’.  I’m so fortunate to be married to him.  I have attached a picture of me in my lucky hat below….

Now thats called a “trophy wife”

Farmers who still have crops in their fields are acting quick to access land and complete harvest operations. However, they must do so in a careful manner and be mindful of their conservation credo according to Illinois State Conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Bill Gradle.

“A wet summer and a wet fall have created serious harvest delays and now you have to get out there even though you know it’s too wet for traffic in the fields,” says Gradle. Because NRCS knows farmers must follow their USDA compliance plan AND get into their fields, NRCS would like to offer a few suggestions on how to successfully approach the sticky situation.

“We know your fields are wet. We know ruts and compaction are—or will be—a real problem out there,” says Gradle. Although tilling the soil may not be allowed in your conservation compliance plan, it may in fact be the only way to re-establish a drive-able landscape that you can plant into next spring. Here are some steps to take to keep you in compliance for your Highly Erodible Land.

  1.  Grab your camera. Take a few photographs to document field conditions you face. If ruts exist or residue has drifted into piles, pictures will confirm that situation. Keep the pictures for later use and evidence just in case your tract comes up for a random spot review or a whistleblower reports it.

  2.  Don’t till up the entire field for just a few bad spots. Use tillage only in truly troubled/problem spots; only perform the amount needed to till in ruts or break up compacted soils. Only till damaged areas that need it—leave other areas alone.

  3.  If you have other critical areas or problems or special circumstances that call for unique or extreme measures, photograph them and be sure to let your NRCS staff know what the situation is. They can advise you on what action will work best and will be familiar with it if your land shows up on a spot review sometime next year. They can make a note of it for later reference, if needed.

Keeping these guidelines in mind should give producers peace of mind as they deal with current conditions and worry what it may mean for next year. If you run soil tests or have other records that document conditions, keep them; have them available if documentation is needed next year.

Remember, when conducting compliance reviews, NRCS always looks at recent AND long-term conservation history. If you must perform management techniques that fall outside of your usual and ordinary activities, NRCS must ensure the tillage or operations performed were indeed necessary and were the best management decision or option available.

According to Gradle, “If you approach the problem sensibly, document actual conditions and the decisions you’ve made and you’ve communicated with NRCS, you can remain in conservation compliance AND get your crops out before Christmas!”  For more information about these special compliance issues, visit with your NRCS staff located at your county USDA Service Center today.

Byron will present a program on the practices for establishing and maintaining native grasses and shrubs as well as enhancing wildlife habitat.

Tim will present an overview of federal government sponsored programs EQIP, (Environmental Quality Incentive Program), CSP, (Conservation Stewardship Program), WHIP Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, and WRP Wetland Reserve Program.

Wednesday December 16, 7- 9PM
Jake Wolf Memorial Fish Hatchery,
25410 North Fish Hatchery Road, Topeka, IL.

To register please call Kay at 309-968-7568

Refreshments will be provided by Illinois River Valley Pheasants Forever.

If you need more information on this meeting targeting Private Conservation minded landowners in Tazewell County, contact the Tazewell County SWCD at 309-346-4462 ext 3

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A new study from the Illinois Department of Agriculture indicates the state’s farmers increasingly are using tillage practices that protect the environment.

According to the 2009 Illinois Soil Erosion and Crop Tillage Transect Survey, nearly half (49.9 percent) of the state’s cropland was farmed with a conservation tillage system this year, the highest percentage since the department began tracking use of crop tillage systems in 1994. 

“Conservation tillage is good for the environment because it prevents soil erosion and improves water quality,” Agriculture Director Tom Jennings said.  “It also is good for farmers because it preserves fertile farmland and ensures our agricultural production is sustainable for generations to come.”  In the 16 years since the first survey, the utilization of conservation tillage practices, or production methods that leave at least 30 percent of the prior year’s crop residue on the ground after planting, has increased from 32 percent to 49 percent of farm fields. During the same span, there has been a corresponding decrease in the use of conventional tillage methods that leave little residue on the soil surface. In addition, 85 percent of farmland was below “T,” which is the amount of soil that be replaced naturally by the decomposition of crop residue. 

No-till farming still is the conservation practice of choice among Illinois farmers, primarily due to the large amount of soybeans planted by no-till.  However, the survey found a significant increase this year in the use of mulch-till systems.  “The number of no-till acres actually declined, probably because this spring was so wet,” Land and Water Resources Specialist Alan Gulso said.  “In an attempt to dry-out their saturated fields and get a crop planted, conservation-minded farmers decided they had to till some of their land and opted to switch to mulch-till, which is a minimal tillage system.”  The period from April through July this year is the ninth wettest on record.  Precipitation, those four months totaled 20.94 inches, or 4.74 inches above average. 

The Soil Erosion and Crop Tillage Transect Survey was completed with assistance from Illinois’ 98 soil and water conservation districts and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.  Data was collected last spring and summer from more than 50,000 fields across the state.  A summary of the results follows:

TILLAGE SYSTEMS—- ALL CROPS
(percentage of fields surveyed with each system)

Tillage Practice 2009 2006 2004 2002 2001 2000 1999
No-till           29.2% 33.1%    29.2% 30.2% 29.3% 29.1% 25.8%
Mulch-till           20.7%    16.4% 17.2% 15% 17.8% 18.7% 15%
Reduced till 20.9% 19.3% 20.1% 19% 21.2% 21.2% 22%
Conventional 29.2% 31.2% 33.5% 35.8% 31.7% 30.4% 36.4%
Unknown 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% .6% .8%

TILLAGE SYSTEMS—- CORN
(percentage of fields surveyed with each system)

Tillage Practice 2009 2006 2004 2002 2001 2000 1999
No-till           13.2% 16.7% 14.9% 16.9% 17.0% 16.4% 13.7%
Mulch-till           19.5% 13.5% 12.0% 10.7% 10.5% 11.5% 8.5%
Reduced till 25% 21.9% 21.9% 19.5% 23.5% 23.2% 21.3%
Conventional 42.3% 47.9% 51.2% 52.9% 49.0% 48.7% 56.2%
Unknown 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% .2% .3%

TILLAGE SYSTEMS—- SOYBEANS
(percentage of fields surveyed with each system)

Tillage Practice 2009 2006 2004 2002 2001 2000 1999
No-till           48.8% 51.0% 45.6% 43.9% 42.1% 41.7% 38.3%
Mulch-till           22.1% 18.7% 22.1% 18.9% 24.8% 26.0% 21.9%
Reduced till 15.2% 16.5% 17.9% 18.0% 18.9% 19.8% 23.2%
Conventional 13.9% 13.8% 14.4% 19.2% 14.2% 12.4% 16.4%
Unknown             0% 0% 0% 0% 0% .1% .2%

TILLAGE SYSTEMS—- SMALL GRAINS
(percentage of fields surveyed with each system)

Tillage Practice 2009 2006 2004 2002 2001 2000 1999
No-till           34.5% 35.5% 32.9% 34.0% 32.4% 38.2% 34.9%
Mulch-till           22.5% 25.3% 25.9% 24.3% 27.9% 21.9% 17.5%
Reduced till 26.7% 17.3% 20.5% 25.2% 18.9% 13.2% 16.9%
Conventional 16.3% 21.9% 20.7% 16.5% 20.8% 16.9% 19.2%
Unknown       0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 9.8% 11.5%

TILLAGE SYSTEMS:
• Conventional:  A full width tillage system that leaves 0-15% residue after planting.
• Reduced Till:  A full width tillage system that leaves 16-30% residue after planting.
• Mulch Till:  A full width tillage system that leaves greater than 30% residue after planting.
• No-Till:  Planting or drilling is accomplished in a narrow seedbed or slot created by coulters, row cleaners, or disc openers. 
          Crop residue greater than 30% remains after planting.

If you have not tried no till or strip till or adopted it,  you may be eligible for an Residue Management Incentive payment under the NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program EQIP.  This has a $15.00/ac incentive payment for up to 400 acres each year for up to 3 years.  For more information contact your local USDA NRCS District Conservationist. 

Pre-registration is required by January 19th.

The program, featuring state and nationally recognized speakers, runs from 8:50 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Registration, with refreshments and exhibits, begins at 8:00 am. Co-sponsors include U. of I. Extension, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Natural Resources Conservation Service, AISWCD, IL EPA and the Illinois Department of Agriculture. 

Topics to be presented include:  The New Illinois Statewide Tillage and Erosion Trend Study; Using Cover Crops for Soil Quality and Management; Managing Soil Moisture and Water Quality with Conservation Drainage; Residue and Tillage Management Impact on Weeds; Managing and Measuring Streams and Riparian Areas for Water Quality and Erosion; Tillage and Residue Management on Saturated Soils for Optimum Production and On-site Tillage Management.

As a part of the day’s event, agribusinesses and agencies are invited to participate as exhibitors. Typically, producers, agri-business staff, and agency staff attend the seminar. Exhibits can be displayed for the day. There is a $100.00 exhibit fee, which includes the table space and one complimentary registration to the conference which is a $25.00 value. Those wishing to register for an exhibit space can contact IL Department of Ag representatives Marty McManus 309-787-4946   Marty.McManus @illinois.gov or Elliot.Lagacy 217-353-6603

Pre-registration is necessary and the deadline is January 19th. Seating is limited so registration will be taken on a first-come basis. A $25 per person fee will be charged to cover room rental and noon luncheon. To register by mail, include the following information with your check:  IL Tillage Seminar, name(s) of those attending, address and county of residence, phone number and e-mail if available. Please make your check payable to “University of Illinois Extension” and send to: University of Illinois Extension-Rockford Center, 1601 Parkview Ave., Rockford, IL 61107.
On-line, credit card registrations can be made at http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/rockfordcenter.

  8:00 –  8:45 a.m.  Registration
Meet with Agri-business Exhibitors, Coffee & Rolls

  8:45 – 8:50 a.m.  Opening Remarks and Welcome

  8:50 – 9:20 a.m.  New IL Soil Erosion and Tillage Trends – Joe Bybee, IL Department of Agriculture

  9:20 – 10:15 a.m.  Cover crops, tillage and soil quality – Dr. Joel Gruver, Agronomist, Western IL University

10:15 – 10:30 a.m.  Break

10:30 – 11:20 a.m.  Managing Soil Moisture and Water Quality with Conservation Drainage – Dr. Richard Cooke, U. of IL Ag Engineering

11:20 a.m . – 12:15 p.m. Residue and Tillage Mgt. impact on Weeds – Russ Higgins, IPM Educator, U. of IL

12:15 – 1:00 p.m.  Lunch and Meet with Agri-business Exhibitors

1:00 – 1:50 p.m.  Monitoring Streamflow, Rainfall and Water Quality in IL – Gary Johnson, US Geological Survey, Champaign

1:50 – 2:40 p.m.  Managing Residue and Tillage on Saturated Soils for Optimum Production and Long-term Effects of Tillage on Soils – Dr. Tony Vyn, Agronomist, Purdue University

2:40 – 3:15 p.m.  Managing No-till/Strip-till On-site to Optimize Crop growth and Environmental & Economic Considerations – Matt Hughes and Doug Thompson, IL Corn and Soybean producers

3:15 p.m.  Seminar Adjourns, Meet with Exhibitors and Speakers

(Note to CCA’s:  5.5 SWM CEU’s approved)

REGISTRATION INFORMATION DEADLINE IS JANUARY 19, 2010 - Preregistration with payment is Necessary!

On-line credit card registration can be made at:  http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/rockfordcenter

For more information or if special accommodations are needed to attend, contact John Church, Extension Educator, Natural Resources, Rockford Center, phone 815-395-5710

This past year has brought many transitions and changes to NRCS and the nation. Not only did we prepare for a new farm bill and new programs, but following President Obama’s election in November, we began preparing in earnest for changes of a new Administrations.  In February of 2009, we saw passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This Act handed NRCS an extraordinary opportunity to create jobs and improve the lives of our fellow citizens and the health of the land. NRCS has already obligated about $114 million in ARRA funds nationwide—in Illinois, we secured more than $5.9 million to restore 864 acres of floodplains through the Floodplains Easement Program. Work on these projects will commence as soon as possible.

In September, the Secretary of Agriculture announced the NRCS Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative, which made $320 million available for conservation projects in 12 key states with Illinois being at the core. This initiative will reduce runoff and improve wildlife habitat in the Basin, a resource that provides drinking water for tens of millions of Americans. 

The 2008 Farm Bill takes conservation to a higher level with the new Conservation Stewardship Program. This new, voluntary program is important to conservation and a great opportunity for agriculture. Nationwide, NRCS successfully completed the first sign-up by September 30. Many of our employees went above and beyond to make the recent CSP sign-up a success and I’m deeply appreciative of their efforts.

In October, NRCS announced that nationwide two million acres had been enrolled in the Wetlands Reserve Program since its authorization in 1990. Here in Illinois, we have enrolled more than 77,000 acres. We were able to reach that milestone thanks to ongoing support from Congress, the stewardship
ethic of our cooperating landowners, expert technical and financial assistance provided by federal, state and local governments, and agencies, and the unyielding commitment of a wide range of partners.  So, 2009 turned out to be big year for conservation and we are gearing up for more in the coming year.

Bill Gradle, IL NRCS State Conservationist

WHIP

Program changes in 2009 eliminated WHIP access for public owned land or communities. This new reality resulted in fewer applications statewide. While WHIP formerly allowed communities and public sites access to NRCS cost-share and technical assistance, it now targets only private landowners
and private land with need for wildlife habitat improvements. 19 Contracts were obligated improving 370 acres of wildlife habitat;  FY09 Cost share dollars amounted to $136,311. 

EQIP

This year, Illinois EQIP cost-share funds totaled more than $11.3 million, which was awarded to EQIP applicants through 1,041 contracts. With strong interest and activity in all three EQIP areas—general conservation, grazing livestock and confined livestock—nearly every Illinois applicant with a resource problem was able to tap into EQIP funds and NRCS technical assistance for solutions. NRCS also focused on developing and implementing 81 Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans, or CNMPs. In 2009, EQIP embraced the natural resource protection needs of organic producers, introducing NRCS and our Conservation Technical Assistance to a new agricultural audience. Visit http://www.il.nrcs.usda.gov to learn more.

Conservationists Weathered the Year Together

Once again, another year of unusual weather patterns. With unseasonable cool temperatures, some places experienced their coolest July on record
since 1924. Heavy rains brought many areas their annual average rainfall by mid-summer. It has been a challenge for any landowner to get planting and harvesting done in a timely manner. Yet, these are the years that show whether landowners are protecting their investment with good conservation practices or if there is a need to consider changing or including other activities. The new Farm Bill offers technical and financial assistance from NRCS to help protect those natural resources.

Floodplain Easement Program (FPE)

USDA-NRCS announced the Floodplain Easement Program sign-up in May 2009 as part of the new Administration’s American Reinvestment and
Recovery Act (ARRA). Nationwide, $145 million was made available - Illinois received more than $5.9 million to restore nearly 864 acres on eight sites.

These permanent conservation easements were offered voluntarily by landowners for purchase by USDA-NRCS. These acres will be restored back to
functioning wetlands to hold floodwaters, protect crops further inland, filter out pollutants, and create quality wildlife habitats. Practices planned include
tree planting and establishing vegetation, debris and tree removal, natural regeneration of plants, and seeding of prairie plants and grasses.

The easements are located in the Embarras/Middle Wabash Watershed; Pecatonica Watershed; Bear Creek, Mississippi Central River Watershed;
Bear/Sny/Lower Illinois/LaMoine Watershed; Lower Fox/Upper Illinois Watershed; and the Saline/Lower Ohio Bay Watershed.

WRP

The new Farm Bill had changes to WRP that will impact the application process. First, the new Geographic Area Rate Caps simplified and speed up WRP project schedules tremendously. While new policy constraints that require land ownership for a 7-year period have impacted program sign-up rates, recent weather patterns make it clear which fields no longer lend themselves to profitable agricultural production.  For FY ‘09, NRCS obligated about $3 million for WRP applicants. Funds to be obligated in 2010 are about $9 million. NRCS expects to see a renewed interest in the Wetlands Reserve Program and will particularly reach out to private landowners with small- to medium-sized wetland projects in 2010.

Soil Survey

Illinois soils mapping data is now 100% available digitally and can be accessed online for use with GPS technology tools. More and more engineers, developers, builders, farmers and community officials make sounds decisions and rely on NRCS soils data to conduct business and manage natural resources.

To experience how the national electronic Web Soil Survey works, visit http://www.websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov.

CSP Continuous Sign-up,

First cut-off 9/30/09 The new Conservation Stewardship Program, like the former CSP, is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical
assistance to promote the conservation and improvement of soil, water, air, energy, plant and animal life, and other conservation purposes on private working
lands. The new CSP has a continuous sign-up with scheduled cut-off times during the year for application selections. The first cut-off ended September 30.
Illinois received more than 300 applications. Applications are scheduled to be ranked by November 27 and field verifications, contract development and funds obligated by December 30, 2009.

In 2009, Illinois NRCS held three public meetings to introduce details of the re-vamped program to private landowners. Staff from the Illinois Stewardship Alliance coordinated and supported the meetings. More interest and plenty of sign-up time are in store for the 2010 calendar.

Mississippi River Basin Initiative

The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture announced the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI), which will provide approximately $320 million over the next four years for voluntary projects in priority watersheds located in 12 key states. This new initiative targets improving water quality and the overall health of the Mississippi River. Participation in this initiative, managed by USDA NRCS, will be made available through a competitive process for potential partners at the local, State and national levels. Illinois NRCS and partners will select participating watersheds and begin taking action and monitoring results.

Through NRCS, MRBI will use other federal, state, and partner funding to target $80 million annually over the next four years through Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative, Conservation Innovation Grants, and the Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program.

Focuses on 8-digit or smaller watersheds States participating in the MRBI include Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota,
Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, Wisconsin. All work in the region will positively impact water quality issues in the Gulf.

NRCS specialists have been busy meeting the demands of Illinois’ conservation-minded landowners. Here’s a snapshot of a few accomplishments…

CNMPs written 27 plans
CNMPs applied 71 plans
Conservation Plans written 379,074 acres
Conservation Crop Rotation 243,263 acres
Contour Farming 1,918 acres
Dikes 2,275 feet
Drainage Water Management 171 acres
Early Successional Habitat Dev. 1,344 acres
Fence planned and established 478,278 feet
Field Borders established 3,912 feet
Firebreaks established 75,705 feet
Forest Stand Improvement 6,164 acres
Grassed Waterways 1,278 acres
Hedgerows planted 3,400 feet
Irrigation Water Mgt. 1,036 acres
Manure Transfer systems 26 systems
Mulch-Till Residue Management 101,218 acres
No-till or Strip Till Systems 80,770 acres
Nutrient Management 38,922 acres
Pasture & Hay Plantings 4,254 acres
Pest Management 1,789 acres
Prescribed Burning 772 acres
Prescribed Grazing 6,912 acres
Riparian Forest Buffers 1,204 acres
Streambanks protected 31,945 feet
Stream Crossings 20 crossings
Terraces 327,068 feet
Trees & Shrub Establishment 2,056 acres
Upland Habitat Mgt. 38,508 acres
WASCOBs 1,740 basins
Waste utilization 13,844 acres
Watershed Plans developed 12 plans
Wetlands created 191 acres
Wetlands enhanced 2,810 acres
Wetlands restored 2,961 acres
Windbreaks established 48,211 feet

FRPP

Kane County saved more valuable sections of land from development through the Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP). With this conservation
easement program, these highly productive agricultural acres will remain as such. More counties in Illinois still seek revenue sources to mirror Kane
County’s success. Visit http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs for more facts, FRPP goals and requirements.

4 Farms enrolled into FRPP covering 487 acres of cropland with cost share $1.58 Million dollars in 2009.

Bookmark NRCS on your computer—its the best place for good advice, good data, and good news!  http://www.il.nrcs.usda.gov

According to Bob McLeese, NRCS State FRPP Program Manager, “Applications must come from eligible entities with eligible farm and ranch land.  Eligible entities include State, Tribal, or local governments as well as non-government organizations that meet specific requirements.”  Entities must have:

      1. An established farm and ranch land protection program,
      2. Authority to hold and manage easements,
      3. Capacity to acquire, manage, and enforce the easements, and
      4. Funds to match the Federal contribution.

Because the FRPP can provide up to half of the appraised fair market value of the farm’s easement, there are numerous criteria for determining the value, productivity, and historical importance of the land. To learn more and determine if both the land and the sponsoring entity meet all criteria, review the application and ranking information contact McLeese at the IL NRCS State Office.

At least 50% of the easement’s appraised fair market value must be provided by the applicant.  Landowners may accept less than the appraised fair market value of the easement; the difference between the appraised value and the purchase price the landowners are willing to accept is considered a landowner donation. 

Eligible entities must provide at least 25% of the purchase price in cash and they must secure the appraisal, survey, and title search, prepare the conservation easement deed, and pay for closing costs. Gradle explains that land proposed for FRPP funding must meet one of three eligibility categories. It must contain:

      • at least 50% prime and unique farmland soils and soils of Statewide and local importance;
      • historic or archeological resources; or
      • land that supports farm and ranch land protection policies of state or local programs.

In addition, owners of the parcels must have an adjusted gross income of less than one million dollars and be in compliance with USDA’s highly erodible land and wetland compliance requirements.  Send applications for review and evaluation to the Illinois NRCS State Office, 2118 W. Park Court, Champaign, IL 61821. All applicant entities and landowners will be evaluated to confirm eligibility.  Individual parcels will be evaluated for eligibility and quality; the highest quality parcels for which the NRCS State Office has funding will be selected and funded.  Ranking and selection of parcels will take place immediately after the February 6, 2010 deadline.

NRCS will obligate funding for selected parcels in a cooperative agreement with eligible entities submitting the selected parcel.  Since 2001, Illinois’ FRPP has accessed $13.2 million to protect 31 farms, covering more than 4,500 acres in Northeast Illinois.

For more information and a .pdf copy of the FFRP application for 2010, contact Bob McLeese, NRCS State FRPP Program Manager, at (217) 353-6643 or bob.mcleese@il.usda.gov or visit http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/frpp.

              USDA – NRCS is an equal opportunity employer and provider

              NRCS ~ Helping People Help the Land

The Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI) will provide approximately $320 million in USDA financial assistance over the next four years for voluntary projects in priority watersheds in Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee and Wisconsin.  MRBI will help producers implement conservation and management practices that prevent, control and trap nutrient runoff from agricultural land.

“Illinois is positioned at the heart of the Mississippi River Basin. The watersheds selected as priority areas for Illinois under this new venture are key to the success of our conservation effort,” says Gradle.  Small sections of three additional Illinois watersheds are connected to those selected as priorities in Wisconsin, including the Sugar, Upper Rock and Pecatonica Watersheds.  MRBI conservation solutions in these watersheds will be coordinated by NRCS staff in Wisconsin.

Illinois Priority MRBI Watersheds
Lower Illinois-Senachwine Lake
Upper Illinois
Vermillion (Upper Mississippi River sub-basin)
Vermillion (Upper Ohio River sub-basin)

These Illinois watersheds—and the smaller sub-watershed regions or focus areas within them—are identified as having significant water quality issues and substantial, scientific data records available. According to Gradle, “Having good baseline data on the condition of local natural resources helps us better measure the improvements and future impacts our conservation efforts will have on the land.” 

Nationwide selections for MRBI were based on the potential for managing nitrogen and phosphorus—nutrients associated with water quality problems in the Basin. “Our goal is to improve water quality while maintaining agricultural productivity and benefiting wildlife in the region,” Gradle explains.

The next step of the MRBI process will pick smaller watershed projects through a competitive process under NRCS’ Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) using the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), and the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP), or through the Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) program or the Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program (WREP). 

NRCS assistance will leverage a wide array of contributions from a variety of technical partners, expanding the goal of improving water quality throughout the Basin.  Gradle encourages Illinois partners interested in pursuing specific conservation projects within these focus areas to respond to the official Request For Proposal (RFP), which will be announced in the next few weeks.

“Submit your proposal ideas, outline specific information and outcomes needed and NRCS will determine which ideas and partners the new program will financially support,” says Gradle.

For information about the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative in Illinois and nationwide, please visit the MRBI web page at MRBI Programs webpage.  To learn more about this project or any NRCS conservation assistance, contact your IL NRCS District Conservationist at your County USDA Service Center today or visit http://www.il.nrcs.usda.gov.

October 30, 2009

Subject:  NWTF Operation Oak Private Landowner Program 2009-10

Dear Landowner and NWTF Member:

The National Wild Turkey Federation is very proud to announce the continued expansion of its Operation Oak Program.  A partnership between the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the Southwest Illinois Rural Conservation and Development Office, and the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Illinois State Chapter has made select oak seedlings available FREE to private landowners in Illinois.  These native seedlings are grown locally at the state nurseries of the IL Department of Natural Resources, resulting in a more adaptive seedling with a higher survival rate along with higher growth potential.

Private landowners interested in participating in the FREE program must complete the attached application form with required fields:  County/Parish, Township, Range, Section (information can be obtained in a County Platt Book available at most Soil and Water Conservation District Offices), Landowner Name, Landowner Address, Phone, Number of Seedlings Requested.  This information is collected for the purpose of Illinois Habitat Fund grant reporting and is required for participation.  NWTF staff will review all applications and provide seedlings to as many interested landowners as possible on a first-come/first-serve basis.  Some species may be substituted if your requested species are no longer available.  These seedlings should NOT be used for tree plantings that are already receiving cost share through CRP or other programs.  However, they may be used to fill-in existing CRP tree plantings.

Seedlings are expected to be available in late March or early April.  Participants will be informed of specific pick-up locations and dates when all orders have been compiled.

We hope you will be able to participate in our tree-planting program this year and provide long-term habitat for wild turkeys and other wildlife.  If you are interested in receiving FREE seedlings, you must complete the attached application form and mail, e-mail, or fax it back to the attention of:

    Jean S. Plunkett
    Operation Oak
    PO Box 530
    Edgefield, SC 29824
   
    Fax:  (803) 637-9180

APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED IN EDGEFIELD ON, OR BEFORE, FEB. 1, 2010.

If you have any questions about the program, please call Jean Plunkett at 803-637-7528, or 800-637-3106 Ext. 7528. If you are not already a member of NWTF, please consider joining at NWTF.org, or by calling 1-800-THE-NWTF, and help support our habitat conservation efforts!
 
          Best regards,

          Kent Adams
          Regional Wildlife Biologist
          National Wild Turkey Federation

          14560 N. Amber Lane
          Effingham, IL 62401
          Office Phone: 217-690-4950
          Mobile Phone: 717-319-5575
         

          NWTF.org

They learned something of the history of the property, the many years of flood damaged crops, and reports of an Indian settlement located there. In 1904 they began restoring the hardwood forest that had originally been located on the flood plain by planting 5,000 seedlings along the river. Such a planting, a riparian buffer, would be effective at reducing non-point pollution of the river.  In addition to providing valuable wildlife habitat.

Rains and flooding came two weeks after the 5,000 tree seedlings were planted. The floodwaters stayed in the field of new trees for two weeks. The Jewells were certain they had lost all of the seedlings. After they had surveyed the apparent loss, they called Jim Ritterbusch, Stephenson County NRCS District Conservationist, who had helped them place these eighteen acres in the Riparian Buffer option of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).

When he walked the area, he saw that all was not lost. Not only did most of the seedlings survive the flooding but he pointed out another 60,000 trees. The timing of the flood and seeds dropping from area trees produced seedlings naturally.  This is a process called natural regeneration. 

The Illinois Buffer Partnership cosponsored the riparian buffer planting initiated by the Jewells with coordination from Trees Forever. This non-profit organization that now has headquarters in Iowa was founded in 1989 by two volunteers. Trees Forever has planted 2.5 million trees in communities, on farms, along roads, streams, and rivers in Illinois and Iowa. Trees Forever is taking applications for conservation buffer sites. Find out more at http://www.treesforever.org.

The Jewells also planted some hardwoods with stock from Forrest Keeling Nursery in Elsberry, Missouri known as RPM trees. A patented natural process, Root Production Method, is used by the Nursery to grow trees to maturity faster creating a root biomass as much as 18 times greater than trees grown using traditional methods. http://www.fknursery.com

If the trees are to continue to be effective as buffers, they must be managed and maintained. A recent woodland tour of the newly forested acres shows that the Jewells are truly caring for their crop of trees. Management includes weed control, replanting and reseeding, pruning and thinning. And picking up the trash carried downstream by the river and left on their property – less this year, but still 8 large bags full, two tires, and one wheel.

Pheasants Forever partnered with the Jewells in restoring a natural area by helping them with establishment of native prairie grasses.

Adapted from an article by Della Moen, Earth Team Volunteer, NRCS/Stephenson Soil and Water Conservation District

$320 Million Available for Conservation Projects in Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a new initiative to improve water quality and the overall health of the Mississippi River Basin in taped remarks to the Gulf Hypoxia Task Force Meeting in Des Moines, Iowa.  The Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI) will provide approximately $320 million over the next four years for voluntary projects in priority watersheds located in Illinois and 11 other key states. Participation in this initiative, which will be managed by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), will be made available through a competitive process for potential partners at the local, State and national levels. 

“The Obama Administration is committed to taking bold steps with our State and local partners to clean up the entire Mississippi River Basin, a critical natural resource that provides drinking water for tens of millions of Americans,” said Vilsack.  “Industrial, municipal, residential, and agricultural sources have all contributed pollutants to the waters of the Mississippi River Basin, and the MRBI will provide resources that will help us come together to address this issue.”

Secretary Vilsack’s announcement can be viewed online at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Rwi5rJ3eNE

The natural capacity of the Mississippi River Basin to remove nutrients has been diminished by a range of human activities over the years, including modification of floodplains for agricultural and urban land.  MRBI will help agricultural producers implement conservation and management practices that avoid, control, and trap nutrient runoff.  The initiative is performance oriented, which means that measurable conservation results are required in order to participate. By focusing on priority watersheds in these 12 states in the basin, USDA, its partner organizations, State and local agencies, and agricultural producers will coordinate their resources in areas requiring the most immediate attention and offer the best return on the funds invested. 

“USDA is going to partner with farmers to implement a range of land stewardship practices, including conservation tillage, nutrient management, and other innovative practices,” said Dave White, Chief of NRCS.  “We all live downstream of other water users and this initiative will help make the Mississippi River Basin and the Mississippi River and its tributaries healthier for everyone.”

In addition to other federal, State, and partner funding, NRCS is targeting $80 million annually over the next four years through Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative, Conservation Innovation Grants, and the Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program.  This is in addition to other NRCS program funding and assistance such as Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, and the Conservation Stewardship Program.  These funds will be available for projects in Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

“NRCS in Illinois is very excited about this new initiative,” said Illinois’ State Conservationist Bill Gradle. “MRBI will improve conservation of natural resources in Illinois and we believe it will also help us expand our conservation partnerships so together we can make even more progress on conservation issues moving forward.” 

MRBI will focus on 8-digit or smaller hydrologic units (watersheds) that contribute high loads of nutrients in the Mississippi River Basin. Priority watersheds for the initiative will be identified by NRCS in consultation with conservation partner organizations and State Technical Committees.  Watersheds will be selected using an evaluation process that will include information from the Conservation Effects Assessment Project, the USGS Spatially Referenced Regression on Watersheds Attributes, state-level nutrient reduction strategies and priorities, and available monitoring and modeling of nitrogen and phosphorus levels in the Basin.  Using this watershed evaluation process will ensure water quality and nutrient issues are improving as part of MRBI.

The Mississippi River Basin is a critical ecosystem to the United States.  Its entire land mass, totaling 41 percent of the contiguous United States and 15 percent of North America, drains into the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico.

The Mississippi River runs 2,350 miles from its headwaters at Lake Itasca, Minnesota, to the mouth of the Gulf of Mexico and carries an average of 436,000 tons of sediment each day.  It takes about 90 days for water to travel from the headwaters in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico where water is discharged at an average rate of 600,000 cubic feet per second. 

Assessment of the progress in implementing MRBI will be critical, as will evaluation of outcomes at the field scale/edge-of-field and on the watershed basis.  Successful measures of the initiative will include a reduced nutrient footprint and environmental impact through more efficient use of nutrients for crop production in the priority watersheds. 

For information about the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative, including eligibility requirements, please visit http://www.nrcs.usda.gov or your USDA Service Center.

Natural Resources and Your Development Task Force invites you to attend a day long tour of different green technology applications for site management and
building design in the Chicago area. The tour should be of special interest to engineers, land use planners, public works professionals, architects, local government officials, landscape architects, conservationists and anyone interested in techniques that are economically feasible,  protect the environment and preserve natural resources. Each stop will have a personal guide familiar with the site to answer questions. The following stops are planned for the tour:

Green Roof at Aquascape

Headquarters in St. Charles - See the worlds largest sloping green roof at 240,000 square feet. The building is LEED silver certified. The roof has
been called “a virtual prairie meadow in the sky.”

Settler’s Ridge in Sugar Grove - The last stop of the day, as we head back towards Peoria, will be an award-winning, conservation development of a residential subdivision that incorporates smaller lots, clustered together with alley access. The cluster density is offset by large open spaces planted in native prairie.

Chicago Center for Green Technology - Visit a former brownfield site that has been renovated to LEED certified status with green technologies on display including a green roof, solar panels, daylight harvesting, smart lighting, safe reused and recycled building materials, water conservation and much more. The building grounds include rain cisterns, bioswales, pervious surfaces, a retention pond and native landscaping.

Morton Arboretum in Lisle - A sandwich and salad lunch buffet will be provided at the Arboretum. Lunch will be followed by a tour of the facility’s permeable paved parking lot with bioswales, porous concrete pavement and recycled glass pavement.

The cost of the trip will be $40.00 per person. This includes transportation (via fully equipped charter bus), snacks on board the bus while traveling, salad/sandwich lunch buffet at Morton Arboretum, an information packet on the sites toured and similar sites in the vicinity, and a certificate for 3 Professional Development Hours (PDH) for attendees who need them.

Attendees will check in at 6:45 am in the Wal-Mart Parking lot at 401 River Road, East Peoria, IL. The bus will leave promptly at 7:00 am. Anticipated return to East Peoria is 7:30 pm. Advanced Registration is required. To register, please complete the form below and send a check by September 23, 2009.
For more information, call Kim St. John at 309-364-3979, or Nick Hayward at 309-673-9796 x 227 Reservations must be made by Wednesday, September 23, 2009 (no refunds available after this date)

Please complete this form and return with payment enclosed to:
Prairie Rivers RC&D, 509 Front Street, Suite 5, Henry, IL 61537

Name:
Address:
City, State, Zip:
Phone : Email:
Total # of Reservations:_______@ $40.00 each; Check enclosed for $______________________________________________

“The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.”

The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is a new voluntary conservation program that provides opportunities to both recognize excellent stewards and deliver valuable new conservation. The program provides equitable access to all producers, regardless of operation size, crops produced, or geographic location.  Eligible lands include cropland, pastureland, and nonindustrial private forestland. Applicants must be the operator of record in the USDA farm records management system for the eligible land they wish to enroll.  They must have control of the land for the length of the five year contract. 

CSP provides participants with two possible types of payments. An annual payment is available for installing new conservation activities and maintaining existing activities. A supplemental payment may be earned by participants already receiving an annual payment who also adopt a resource-conserving crop rotation.

This is the stewardship program that’s going to reward for existing conservation that’s on the ground and it’s going to encourage new conservation enhancements.  It is not a land retirement program.  It will be a continual sign up.  The first batching will be conducted based off of applications submitted by September 30, 2009.  To make an application one must provide an AD-1026a for their farming operation, and aerial maps of the farms that they are signing an application for along with estimated acres. 

This information and more about CSP can be found at ww.nrcs.usda.gov/new_csp.  I challenge you to go to this site and go through the Self-Screening Checklist and see if you are eligible for the program.  If you are not let us know and we will see if there is another USDA conservation program that can help you get your farming operation ready for the next CSP batching period.  We are looking for those early innovators and early adopters to lead the way for this conservation program.  Estimated payments at this time for cropland ranges from $12-$22 per acre, submitting an application does not bind you to a contract.  It gets you into the room for consideration and if you find out that the payment is not what you want, you can walk out without signing a contract. 

  The field day will be held at Greene Tree Farm, located 6 miles north of Eldred, Illinois, or 5 miles south of Hillview, Illinois, and east ¼ mile on Township Road 1800 North. Watch for signs.

  This event is sponsored by the Illinois Walnut Council and the Greene County Soil and Water Conservation District. The public is invited and the event is free. Dan Schmoker and Terry Walters will serve as instructors. For more information and to pre-register, call the Greene County Soil and Water Conservation District at 217/942/5464 Ext.3 or Dan Schmoker at 217/416/1587.
 

  For more information:
  Terry Walters- 217/942/5464 Ext.3
  Dan Schmoker- 217/416/1587

The workshop will include a morning program at 9:00 am, followed by a field tour to observe wildlife habitat practices and concludes with a free lunch provided by Quail Unlimited.

The event, the sixteenth annual, is jointly sponsored by Illinois Quail Unlimited, the West Central Chapter of Quail Unlimited, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and Farm Service Agency, Southern Illinois University (SIU), Greene County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

The workshop will focus on improving quail habitat and accessing state, federal, and private programs to implement various wildlife management practices.  Resource agency speakers will discuss various Farm Bill conservation programs, including CP-33(Habitat Buffers for Upland Birds) and CRP’s newest practice-SAFE.  CRP management practices (strip disking, legume inter-seeding and strip spraying) that improve bobwhite food and cover conditions will also be covered.  A special tree saw demonstration will take place, showing a skid steer mounted tree saw doing woodland edge-feathering and fencerow/hedgerow thinning to create brush piles and improve low-growing brushy habitat.  Weather permitting; a prescribed burn will also occur.

    Please register in advance for this free workshop by calling the Greene County Soil and Water Conservation District at (217-942-5464 Ex.3) with your name and number attending.  All are welcome, but only those who pre-register and attend the workshop will have their names entered in a drawing for a shotgun donated by Quail Unlimited.

For more information:          David Howell—812/536-2272  

“The floodplain easements made possible through the Recovery Act generated tremendous interest and response from across Illinois, which underscores the need to restore flood-prone areas to their natural state,” said Bill Gradle, State Conservationist, NRCS. “We are working to ensure the most effective use of the funds by enrolling land with the greatest benefit to protect against future floods, improve water quality, enhance wildlife habitat and reduce the need for future disaster assistance.”

The Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program’s floodplain easement component allows NRCS to acquire permanent easements on private land, or certain land owned by units of state and local governments, that have been damaged by flooding at least once in the last 12 months or twice in the past 10 years. Once easements are established, NRCS will fund conservation work necessary to restore the land to its natural state.

Restoring floodplains to a natural state ensures they function properly – conserving and improving fish and wildlife habitat, water quality, flood water retention, ground water recharge, and open space; reducing long-term federal disaster assistance; and safeguarding lives and property from floods, drought, and erosion. Landowners retain several rights to the property, including quiet enjoyment, control of public access, and undeveloped recreational use such as hunting and fishing.

“With so many similar restoration projects planned and set into motion right now, the benefits and positive impacts to our natural resource base—here in Illinois and across our nation—will be tremendous,” adds Gradle.

Easement applications funded in Illinois include the following (Lawrence and Pope County funds for easements only, landowners will perform restoration work):

County   Acres     Easement and Restoration Funding

Adams     175     $616,101

Clark     268     $951.974

Kendall     27     $86,455

Lawrence     336     $940,000 (easement only)

Pope     58     $212,552 (easement only)

Total     864     $2,716,883

Funding provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is part of the Obama Administration’s plans to modernize the nation’s infrastructure, jumpstart the economy, and create jobs. To learn more about your eligibility for USDA-NRCS projects underway through the Recovery Act, visit http://www.nrcs.usda.gov.

To learn more about the land and damages sustained in Illinois and in other locations across the country, visit the ARRA website at http://www.Recovery.gov. Learn what different conservation solutions private landowners use to effectively protect their land and create healthy, sustainable environments. To learn more about conservation accomplishments in Illinois, visit http://www.il.nrcs.usda.gov

Please distribute the following News Release describing the program and this public meeting in Decatur, so that farmers can take advantage of these federal funds.

DRAFT Agenda

10:00-10:15   Introduction by Devin Brown, Conservation Policy Advocate for the Illinois Stewardship Alliance

                -Presentation on CSP, discussing background and history

10:15-10:30 NRCS Presentation of CSP (Troy Daniell/Ivan Dozier/Paula Hingson)

                -Overview of the program, discussion of continuous enrollment, eligibility issues, the Conservation Measurement Tool, and ranking criteria

10:30-10:45 Conservation Farmers Presentation/Discussion (various farmers/Dave Bishop in Decatur/various farmers)

                -Exemplify some conservation activities rewarded under CSP and their applications and benefits

10:45-11:00 Presentation by Area/state Agronomist or DCs discussing how conservation practices enhance the long-term productivity of farming systems

11:00-11:15 FSA Presentation-farm operator registration process (local FSA reps)

                Break for Lunch until 12:00

12:00-1:00 CSP Q & A

                -With FSA, NRCS, and other represented groups

1:00 - ??      CSP Wrap-up with Devin Brown, Conservation Policy Advocate for the Illinois Stewardship Alliance

Devin Brown
Conservation Policy Advocate
Illinois Stewardship Alliance
618.771.0237
http://www.ilstewards.org

Radio PSA #1

Programs and details of the new Farm Bill are out and on the books.  All programs with the Natural Resources Conservation Service are back, along with a few new ones. Like the new Conservation Stewardship Program, or “CSP.”  The new CSP is a nationwide program. It rewards you for all the good conservation you’ve put on your land and helps you do even MORE. And it PAYS.

Visit nrcs.usda.gov.  See if it fits your operation.

NRCS: Helping People Help The Land.

Attend Informational Meetings in Southern, Central, and Northern IL to learn more.

The Illinois Stewardship Alliance (ISA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will hold three public meetings to inform producers about the new Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). The public informational meetings will be held in:

Marion - Tuesday, Sept. 8, 10 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., Williamson Co. Pavilion, w/ lunch provided

Decatur - Thursday, Sept. 10, 10 a.m .- 1:00 p.m., Richland Community College- Schilling Education Center w/ lunch provided

Sycamore – Friday, Sept. 11, 10 a.m. – 12:00 noon, DeKalb Co Farm Bureau Auditorium, w/ coffee & muffins

The 2008 Farm Bill authorized the Conservation Stewardship Program for and agricultural and forestry producers.  The Conservation Stewardship Program is now available statewide through continuous enrollment with announced cut-off application dates for ranking periods.  This program was announced August 10 by USDA officials. This is the first nationwide sign-up for this program. Farm and ranch operators will have until September 30 to apply for this first program enrollment at local NRCS offices.

According to Devin Brown, Conservation Policy Advocate for ISA, “Applying for CSP takes some prep work. These public meetings will help educate private landowners about what CSP requires, helping to streamline the application process.”  According to NRCS Assistant State Conservationist for Programs, Ivan Dozier, these public meetings will inform producers about the program and help them determine if CSP suits their operation.

NRCS administers CSP, a voluntary conservation program designed to encourage agricultural and forestry producers to adopt additional conservation practices and improve, maintain and manage existing ones.  Eligible lands include cropland, grassland, prairie, improved pastureland, rangeland, non-industrial private forestland - a new land use for the program - and agricultural land. Producers interested in applying for CSP may learn more about the program by viewing online information at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/new_csp or by visiting their local NRCS county office staff.

Illinois Stewardship Alliance is a statewide membership that promotes ecologically sustainable, economically viable, socially just local food systems through policy development, advocacy and education

http://www.ilstewards.org                http://www.il.nrcs.usda.gov

USDA NRCS is an equal opportunity provider and employer.