Blog

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
Combine harvesting corn

The agronomics of N, P, & K

As harvest wraps up, many farmers are turning their attention to fall fertilizer applications. Managing nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) levels is crucial, especially with variable weather and input costs. In...
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Stream flowing through a wooded area

Phosphorus and streambanks: a battle for cleaner waterways

Streams are an integral part of our ecosystem. They provide a source of drinking water and an important habitat for aquatic life, but they also drain our agricultural lands to allow better crop production. In Episode 65 of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Podcast, we take a deeper look at the...
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Corn plants in front of grain silos

Data Intensive Farm Management

With thin profit margins and the high cost of inputs, there is a need to make farming more efficient and profitable. One way researchers and farmers are working together to do this is through data-intensive farm management (DIFM).What is DIFM? DIFM...
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Clover plants in a field

Uncovering the power of clover cover

Interested in diversifying your cover crop mix or exploring the power of clover cover? Episode 61 of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction podcast looks into utilizing clover as a cover crop with Adam Dahmer, farmer from Williamson County in southern Illinois, and...
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Rain falling on agricultural fields

When it rains, it pours

In the last few years, we have experienced several extreme weather events associated with climate change from droughts to intense rain events and flooding. Episode 59 of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Podcast explores the relationship between extreme precipitation events and nutrient loss in...
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