The Nutrient Stewardship Grant Program is one example of how IFB is making lasting impacts in nutrient stewardship. The program is a cornerstone of the wide range of projects that IFB supports, providing farmers with the opportunity to develop grassroots efforts in their local communities. Since 2015, the IFB Board of Directors has committed over $700,000 to this program, funding 100 projects in 70 counties across Illinois.
IFB committed $150,000 to the program in 2019, and once again in 2020. Through this program, IFB takes on an active role to support county Farm Bureaus and local partners to develop projects that address farmer needs for research, education and outreach, and implementation of conservation practices for nutrient loss reduction In 2019, IFB worked with 30 county Farm Bureaus and numerous local partners on 18 unique projects across the state. These projects showed active collaboration and action in all categories of the NLRS (ed-ucation and outreach, research, implementation, and documentation). Through this wide range of unique projects, farmers across Illinois demonstrated that they care about nutrient loss and management.
In 2020, IFB committed over $150,000, with over $88,000 of in-kind matches to the Nutrient Steward-ship Grant Program. Twenty-eight counties worked together on 14 projects throughout the state, to help “move the needle” on NLRS implementation. Projects included planting test plots of cover crops, water testing, watershed planning, and hosting education and outreach activities. Farmers across Illinois have once again shown that they actively care about conservation of both land and water. Details on the proj-ects are included in the appendices of this report.
For more information, visit ilfb.org/ifb-in-action/what-were-working-on/protecting-our-environment/nutrient-stewardship-grant-program/.
