Led by TNC, this training project addresses the need to increase the number of Illinois farmers, retailers, certified crop advisors, and conservation practitioners who understand the science of soil health and related production management changes. This intensive, classroom and in-field training model creates a cadre of conservation practitioners and farmer advisors as well as resources for implementing soil health systems. The focus is on the technical details of shifting to improved soil health practices, the science behind why they work, and implementation programs as well as messaging, communication, and outreach to farmers on benefits to their farm and the environment. In 2018, 25 trainees in the Upper Sangamon Watershed completed four two-day sessions. The Nature Conservancy also helped launch the program in the tri-state area—a region that encompasses where Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky meet— in partnership with University of Illinois Extension and the Zea Mays Foundation (ilsustainableag.org/ programs/advanced-soil-health-training/).
