FARMERS IMPROVED WATERSHED HEALTH, STUDY SHOWS

A long-running experiment to improve water quality in and around Livingston County has yielded encouraging results. New analysis of water samples collected from the Indian Creek Watershed indicates best management practices are reducing nutrient runoff during storm events. Read more here. 

MCCORMICK SHARES HIS STRATEGIES

Jack McCormick uses a wide variety of practices to manage nutrients on his Randolph County farm. Now McCormick’s story is shared, along with many others, on the Conservation Story Map. Released in March, the Conservation Story Map has become a central resource to learn the best management practices used by farmers like McCormick.

Read McCormick’s full story here.

AG RETAILER IN ACTION: FRED BUTT

Crescent City-based sales agronomist Fred Butt is seeing an increased focus on the 4Rs and water quality in Illinois agriculture. Producers and farmers alike are taking proactive steps to manage their nitrogen investment, Fred says. Click here to read more.

TRIALS FIND THE RIGHT RATE

IFCA’s Keep it 4R Crop Program is helping farmers establish N rate trials. These trials provide farmers with a science-based approach to their nitrogen application decisions, ensuring a safe return on their investment. 

DON’T MISS THIS COVER CROP WEBINAR

On June 14, NREC invites you to join a webinar featuring the latest research in the agronomic, environmental, and economic impacts of using cover crops. What benefits can you get out of using cover crops on your farm? Now’s your chance to find out!

TEST YOUR WATER FOR NITRATE RUNOFF

Now available in 20 counties. 

Hancock County Farm Bureau kicked off its water testing program on May 17 at its office in Carthage, IL. Through a Nutrient Stewardship Grant from the Illinois Farm Bureau, Hancock County and partners purchased a nitrate sensor to test water samples for nitrate concentrations. Farmers can take in water samples from tile outlets or farm ditches and have them tested for free, and confidentially. Read more here. 

Find water testing near you.

UPCOMING FIELD DAYS

A series of field days and cover crop training sessions are right around the corner, running between late June and early September. Want to learn about nitrogen management and cover crops? Interested in the latest soil health and water conservation projects? Check our website for a workshop near you!

NREC RELEASES ANNUAL REPORT

Each year, the Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council (NREC) releases an annual report, highlighting nutrient efficiency research projects it funded during the previous crop year. The full report is available at illinoisnrec.org.

Read the full report here.

This is a reprint of the Illinois Council on Best Management Practices Quarterly Newsletter. To learn more about the Illinois Council on Best Management Practices, visit their website.