Blog | Nutrient Loss Reduction | Illinois Extension

At Illinois Extension, we’re working to improve water quality at home and downstream. Every month, our Watershed Outreach Associates explore stories highlighting agricultural conservation practices, current research projects and results, and from the field farmer interviews. The Nutrient Loss Reduction blog covers conservation practices recommended by the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, timely updates, farm safety, and new decision tools to help farmers and producers reduce the nutrients leaving their field.

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Nutrient Loss Reduction Blog

Navigating extreme weather impacts on Illinois agriculture

August 3, 2023

As the climate continues to change, we are seeing more frequent, extreme weather events. With these weather events occurring more often, considerations on how those events impact agriculture need to be addressed. Trent Ford, State...

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Updated Embarras River Watershed Management Plan

July 17, 2023

A watershed plan is a stakeholder-supported tool used to protect water resources and improve water quality. A watershed plan can also be used to leverage state and federal dollars for conservation practice adoption. The updated Embarras River Watershed (ERW) Management Plan, approved by the ...

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Are these tools in your toolbox: Bioreactors

July 13, 2023

Bioreactors, an emerging edge-of-field practice, are becoming more prominent in agricultural settings. Dr. Reid Christianson,...

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Unlocking the potential: Exploring camelina as a cover crop

June 30, 2023

As the use of cover crops continues to grow across Illinois and the country, non-traditional crops are being researched and explored as potential cover crops including camelina....

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Make managing cover crops easier using the Cover Crop Decision Support Tool

June 28, 2023

Interested in adopting cover crops but unsure what it will mean for your field? In the December 2021 NLRS Podcast episode, we go into depth on an update to the Cover Crop Decision Support Tool with Dr....

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USDA’s FPAC conservation mission

May 26, 2023

Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation, Robert Bonnie, met with National Association of Farm Broadcasting members in Washington D.C....

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Illinois Farm Bureau Nutrient Stewardship Grant Program

April 5, 2023

The Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) Nutrient Stewardship Grant (NSG) Program was developed in 2015 to support the...

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The down and dirty on soil carbon and carbon markets

March 22, 2023

Interested in joining a carbon (C) market, but not sure what it will mean for your field? With a large, diverse number of companies attempting to purchase C credits from farmers, what do farmers need to consider before selling? It is important to understand the details behind C credits and what can...

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Farmers standing in harvested corn field

Sustaining our future: A farm family story spotlight

March 15, 2023

To celebrate our 50th podcast episode, we get behind-the-scenes information about the creation and production of the new Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) Documentary - Sustaining our...

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Inflation Reduction Act: What that means for agricultural conservation

March 2, 2023

The Bipartisan Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was signed into law in August 2022. Within the IRA, $18 billion was allocated for agricultural conservation funding over the next 10 years for existing USDA programs. Ivan...

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