The loss of nutrients in Illinois lakes, streams, and rivers harms water quality locally and downstream, eventually leading to the Gulf of Mexico. The Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS) was established in 2015 and designed to reduce the nutrient loads in Illinois waterways and its...

In response to the Gulf Hypoxia Task Force and the Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Illinois Department of Agriculture, and the University of Illinois collaborated to develop the Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS) in 2015. This strategy, aimed...

Episode 57 of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy podcast discusses an often-overlooked aspect of maintaining water quality – the impact of fall leaf...

In a recent conversation held at the Farm Progress Show, three farmers spanning the state – Norm Deets, Chad Bell, and...

The North Central Region Water Network is a 12-state Extension-led collaboration focused on ensuring safe and sufficient water supplies not only in the North Central Region, but beyond. The Watershed Management Research and Outreach Undergraduate...

Prairie strips are notably not a very well-known conservation practice, despite their many benefits. Prairie strips are a conservation practice that uses strategically placed native prairie planting in...

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...

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 ...

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

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....

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

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

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...

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...

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...

Did you know that there are other ecosystem markets out there that aren’t carbon markets? With the increasing number of players and frequent changes in ecosystem markets, there is a lot of uncertainty. In the February 2022 episode of the Illinois...

With so many conservation practices focusing on soil health, what impact might those decisions have on your Integrated Pest Management (IPM) decisions? IPM is a science-based decision-making process that combines tools and strategies to identify and manage pests as defined by the USDA. It is a...