This article was originally published in the November 2025 issue of Illinois Field & Bean magazine. 

Over the past six months, I’ve been working on a project with the Council of Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology (CPDA) in Washington to learn how familiar farmers and their retail salespeople are with opportunities for federal funding through USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Specifically, I looked at two programs: the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). This project was driven by new regulations on pesticide labels tied to the Endangered Species Act. Compliance with those new labels is critical, and these conservation programs can help.

What I Found

My findings showed a gap: there isn’t enough information or education reaching farmers about CSP and EQIP. Many don’t know how these programs work or that their trusted certified crop advisers (CCAs) can play a role.

Through the American Society of Agronomy and USDA, CCAs can become technical service providers (TSPs). That means once a contract is funded, your local office handles the setup, and your CCA/TSP manages the paperwork and follow-through over the five-year span of the agreement.

Why This Matters

I grew up in ag retail, and many of my friends and colleagues work in retail or consulting. They wear a lot of hats, including seed, fertilizer and chemical sales. Here’s the common thread: they know their customers’ operations well.

Especially in today’s tough economic climate, it’s worth remembering that funding exists for practices farmers are already using on their farm or would like to add. Farmers are, and always have been, protectors of our land and have practiced sustainability for many generations. My goal is to help spread the word that funding is available through five-year farm bills, extensions of farm bills or through reconciliation, as we saw in the recent One Big Beautiful Bill.

Practices That Qualify

Here are four practices in Illinois corn and soybean systems that NRCS programs can help support:

• Conservation tillage (NRCS 329 and 345): No-till or reduced-till practices that conserve soil and water.
• Cover crops (NRCS 340): Providing soil health benefits while also suppressing weeds such as my arch-nemesis, waterhemp.
• Nutrient management (NRCS 590): Practices such as grid sampling and variable-rate application to apply more nutrients more precisely.
• Pest management (NRCS 595): An area I’ve followed since graduate school. Although adoption peaked years ago, new tools such as drift-control adjuvants, AIM Command and ExactApply sprayer systems, and See & Spray technology are making it possible to reduce pesticide use and target weeds more effectively.

How to Apply

You already visit the Farm Service Agency office for several tasks. While there, seek out NRCS in the same building and have a conversation with your local conservationist. You are eligible if you can answer yes to four questions:

• Do you own or rent and actively manage the acres you want to enroll?
• Is your land in compliance with wetland and highly erodible land requirements?
• Is your annual adjusted gross income (AGI) less than $900,000?
• Are your records with the FSA up to date?

From there, NRCS will review your entire farm and identify resource concerns. Additional concerns specific to your area might also be eligible for funding. An application form (NRCSCPA-1200) will be filled out, which you can complete before your visit if you prefer.

Expect additional conversations with the NRCS staff or your TSP to create a plan that suits your operation. Do what makes sense to you. Please keep in mind that only a certain amount of financial assistance applications will be funded, and it can be a competitive process. Priority for funding typically goes to plans that address the greatest number of resource concerns. Applications are accepted year-round, but NRCS deadlines vary by geography, so be sure to check locally.

If your conservation plan is selected, you’ll work with the NRCS office or your local TSP. Follow the guidelines provided. You will pay expenses up front but will receive the financial assistance payments after completion each year. Payment rates vary by state for each practice.

Payments can be as high as $40,000 per year or up to $200,000 over a five-year contract, depending on the size of the operation and the practices selected. NRCS has identified 17 primary resource concerns, and by law each state must focus on at least five of these each year.

Moving Forward

Still, funding alone isn’t enough to guarantee adoption. That’s why Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) recently partnered with the Illinois NRCS to improve farmers’ awareness, understanding and perceptions of NRCS programs and the conservation practices they promote. The partnership aims to close two critical knowledge gaps: limited awareness of federal financial and technical assistance, and a lack of practical guidance on how to successfully implement conservation practices. By working together, ISA and NRCS share a common goal of providing farmers with the information and resources needed to support the long-term productivity and resilience of Illinois agriculture. ISA will focus on encouraging adoption of conservation practices across the state’s primary land use: farmland.

ISA provides agricultural insights, supports knowledge advancement and extends research and education to more than 43,000 soybean farmers in Illinois through events, field days and platforms such as Field Advisor. This network positions ISA to connect directly with farmers, promote sustainable management and raise awareness of NRCS programs as a valuable resource. Financial assistance is often essential when farmers consider management changes that could impact productivity, and NRCS programs such as CSP and EQIP help offset the costs of adopting new practices, making conservation more feasible and less risky for farmers. As an organization, ISA supports any resource that benefits farmers, and NRCS programs fall within that category.

Although it’s a step in the right direction, simply promoting available practices or funding is not enough. Reduced tillage and cover crops require careful planning and proper management to maintain or improve crop productivity. For programs such as EQIP and CSP to achieve their purpose of helping farmers conserve natural resources while keeping agriculture productive and sustainable, farmers must have access to the tools and knowledge needed to permanently integrate these practices into their systems. ISA’s role in this partnership is to equip farmers with that practical support and serve as a resource where knowledge gaps or limited information exist.

To advance this effort, ISA is developing educational materials, conducting surveys and expanding outreach at farmer-focused events. The association is also collaborating with university researchers and farmers through its On-Farm Trial Network to generate practical, unbiased data on conservation practices. These results, along with expert insights, will be shared on ISA platforms and highlighted at ISA-hosted events. As a reflection of these efforts, ISA recently partnered with Nathan Johanning, Commercial Agriculture Educator at University of Illinois Extension, to host a field day on improving cover crop management. More events will be hosted across various regions of the state over the next few years, with the next scheduled for this winter focusing on soil fertility and nutrient management. Farmers and NRCS employees are encouraged to attend and take advantage of these valuable opportunities to share knowledge, improve practices and advance sustainable agriculture.

Through these combined efforts, ISA will help farmers adopt conservation practices with confidence while strengthening engagement with NRCS programs as tools for long-term success. If you’re interested in learning more about ISA’s upcoming events in collaboration with NRCS, please email agronomy-team@ilsoy.org.