American Farmland Trust, AFT, is leading a coalition of diverse partners to launch farmer-to-farmer networks in Illinois. The Farmer-Led Advances in Soil Health, Illinois FLASH, program will pair farmer groups with local conservation professionals to identify and prioritize conservation needs and to provide guidance for successful implementation of conservation practices. Local professionals will also facilitate leadership training and support for farmers willing to serve as FLASH leaders and conduct outreach to other farmers.
AFT has partnered with the Sand County Foundation to secure approximately $4 million in financial assistance from the Regional Conservation Planning Partnership, RCPP, program of USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Funding will be used to increase use of conservation practices that improve soil health and retention of nutrients on farmland. The resulting improvements in water quality will help meet goals identified in the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, NLRS. Applied practices will also lower greenhouse gas emissions, sequester carbon in the soil, and build farms’ resilience to the impacts of climate change.
The coalition has identified potential FLASH groups and is engaging with farmers willing to serve as leaders for local farmer networks. Initial geographic targets, shown on the map, align with priorities identified in the Illinois NLRS, with plans to expand to other watersheds in future years.
The first conservation practices will be installed in 2025, with a total goal of 24,000 acres installed by 2029.
For more information, see farmland.org/flash.
