Illinois NLRS Program and Project Narratives

The Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association concluded its 4R Metric Survey – in reference to right source, right rate, right time, and right place nutrient management practices – in the summer of 2022. A questionnaire was sent to agricultural retail members with questions regarding varying nitrogen and phosphorus agricultural practices for fall and spring. Beginning with the fall of 2018 and concluding after the spring of 2022, the survey spanned four growing seasons.  

The Illinois Farm Bureau and GROWMARK partner through the 4R4U program to promote 4R nutrient stewardship—right source, rate, time, and place—across Illinois. Working with County Farm Bureaus and FS Companies, 11 local partnerships use test plots to evaluate practices such as nitrogen rates, split applications, stabilizers, no-till, cover crops, soil sampling, and saturated buffers. The program relies on farmer and retailer collaboration to increase awareness and improve nutrient management at the local level. 

ISAP’s Advanced Soil Health Training was developed to build expertise among farmers, advisers, retailers, and conservation professionals on the science and management of soil health. Topics include soil structure, chemistry, and biology; cover crops; planting and tillage equipment; field demonstrations; and outreach strategies. The 18‑month program combines classroom and in‑field training and encourages graduates to share knowledge through field days and presentations. Cohorts completed training in central Illinois (2019) and the tri‑state region (2020), with a bi‑state cohort beginning in 2020.  

Prairie Rivers Network, in partnership with the Macon County SWCD, implemented the Building Connections with Absentee Farmland Owners of East Central Illinois project to engage off-farm landowners in conservation efforts. Through the Common Ground newsletter, more than 2,500 absentee landowners in 10 counties received information on Illinois nutrient loss reduction efforts, cover crops, soil health, and strategies for working with tenant farmers on conservation practices. The newsletter also promoted participation in AFT’s Conservation Learning Circle project and was distributed through SWCD networks and Cover Crop Champion educators, expanding its reach across the region.

Since 2014, the Calumet Stormwater Collaborative has convened stakeholders to solve flooding and water quality problems in the Little Calumet River and Cal-Sag Channel watersheds. Representatives from more than 40 organizations participate in the collaborative. During monthly meetings, group members exchange information on water quality and flooding needs as well as worthwhile projects and initiatives. The collaborative has developed free, online green infrastructure design templates for communities, a new data-mapping tool for the region, a repository of stormwater management resources, and a logic model for green infrastructure training and maintenance. It developed four watershed plans: the Little Calumet River, Cal-Sag Channel, Des Plaines River in Cook County, and Poplar Creek. These plans were approved by Illinois EPA and recommend best management practices, such as green infrastructure, to reduce nutrient pollution from stormwater.

As of 2023, the Calumet Stormwater Collaborative has completed the first iteration of the green infrastructure baseline inventory, led by the Metropolitan Planning Council, and the urban flooding baseline, led by the Center for Neighborhood Technology. 

More information on the green infrastructure baseline can be found at www.metroplanning.org/work/project/23/ subpage/7. 
The urban flooding baseline tool can be found at ufb.cnt.org. 

The Des Plaines River Watershed Workgroup is a voluntary, dues-paying organization with a mission to bring together a diverse coalition of stakeholders to improve water quality in the Des Plaines River and its tributaries in a cost-effective manner to meet Illinois EPA requirements. The workgroup conducts water quality and bioassessment monitoring and has partnered and sponsored member efforts within the watershed. The workgroup also contracted with Geosyntec Consultants to complete a Nutrient Assessment Reduction Plan. For more information, see go.illinois.edu/NLRS and drww.org. 

The DuPage River Salt Creek Workgroup was formed in 2005 in response to concerns about total maximum daily loads, TMDLs, set for the east and west branches of the DuPage River and Salt Creek, located in portions of Cook, DuPage, and Will counties in northeastern Illinois. The workgroup seeks to implement targeted watershed activities that resolve priority waterway problems efficiently and cost-effectively. In 2015 and 2020, a special condition to the workgroup’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit was added that substantially increased financial commitments to restoration efforts focused on improving aquatic life. The condition includes 10 stream restoration projects, two studies, and the development of a Nutrient Implementation Plan. For more information, see drscw.org. 

The Illinois Corn Growers Association and University of Illinois created a 160-acre field lab in Macon County to study conservation practices. It supports multidisciplinary research on nutrient management, soil health, and sensors, using advanced systems to collect detailed soil and water data, including tile drainage. Researchers evaluate impacts on water quality, crop production, and farm profitability.

For 20 years, the Fox River Study Group has worked to improve the health of the Fox River for the benefit of the nearly 1 million citizens in the Fox River Valley and the over 300,000 people whose drinking water comes from the river. In 2022, the group updated its 2015 Fox River Implementation Plan and successfully advocated for a relaunch of a multi-dam removal feasibility study. To reduce algae and improve oxygen conditions in the river, the 2022 Fox River Implementation Plan recommends combining further phosphorus reductions from wastewater inputs with dam removals. For more information, see foxriverstudygroup.org.

The ICGA water testing program encourages farmers to monitor nutrient loss by providing nitrate test strips and educational resources. Farmers submit anonymous results and support local FFA chapters through donations. Samples from tile drains, runoff, or nearby waterways help estimate nutrient levels and losses, though results vary by conditions. Combined with flow data, results help farmers assess impacts, economic loss, and explore conservation practices to reduce nitrogen runoff. 

The Hickory Creek Watershed Planning Group disbanded and was absorbed into the Lower Des Plaines Watershed Group.  

Illinois Corn Growers Association believes in recognizing early adopters and finding ways to support growth of cover crop acres across the state. They partner with various organizations and companies to provide financial support to growers in the form of direct cost-share dollars and incentives. For more information, see Ilcorn.org/covercrops. 

Since the development of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS), the Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) has expanded outreach, farmer-led innovation, and best management practice (BMP) demonstrations to improve water quality. In 2016, IFB invested $100,000 in its Nutrient Stewardship Mini-Grant Program, supporting 15 projects involving 30 county farm bureaus and 73 partners. These efforts created field days, BMP videos, water-testing programs, and conservation structures while educating farmers on cover crops and 4R nutrient stewardship. Due to its success, IFB funded 18 additional projects across 22 counties in 2017, strengthening local partnerships and advancing nutrient stewardship through farmer-driven solutions.

Since 2012, the Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council has been Illinois agriculture’s primary investment into nutrient research. The Council is created by state statute and works closely with a variety of stakeholders across Illinois. It supports the Illinois NLRS through targeted research requests for proposals and investments as well as education and outreach. Focus areas include: applying and understanding the 4Rs, capturing excess nutrients in the field, mitigating loss of nutrients to water supplies, and studying other nutrient management issues. For more information see www.illinoisnrec.org. 

The Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association (IFCA) is expanding its successful watershed partnership model from Lake Springfield to the Lake Vermilion watershed. Working with the Vermilion County Farm Bureau, Vermilion County SWCD, and Aqua Illinois, the project aims to improve nitrogen management through N-WATCH™ monitoring and on-farm nitrogen rate trials. These efforts will help farmers make informed in-season fertilizer decisions and develop a Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) recommendation tailored to the Lake Vermilion watershed, supporting both farm profitability and water quality improvement.

Leadership for Midwestern Watersheds (LMW), led by AFT and partners, is a forum that brings together professionals working to reduce agricultural runoff in the Upper Mississippi River Basin. Since 2011, it has held 12 meetings to promote collaboration, share knowledge, and improve water quality outcomes. Annual meetings focus on farmer engagement, conservation practices, and measuring results. LMW also supports ongoing learning through surveys, digital platforms, and networking, helping watershed leaders exchange tools, ideas, and strategies across the Midwest. 

The Nitrogen Rate Trials program is coordinated and managed by the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association in partnership with University of Illinois and the Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council. Since 2014, ongoing trials have helped to provide nitrogen recommendations through the Maximum Return To Nitrogen Calculator. An expanded partnership with Precision Conservation Management, retailers, and producers throughout Illinois will implement new trial protocols and approaches to integrating weather, soil, and yield data with hopes of improving the MRTN approach to nitrogen management. For more information, see ifca.com/4R/Trials. 

The Precision Conservation Management program is an agricultural service program created to assist farmers with identifying the best management practices for their individual farming operations, conservation interests, and business goals. It is jointly managed by the Illinois Corn Growers Association and the Illinois Soybean Association. For more information, see www.precisionconservation.org. 

American Farmland Trust provided leadership for the Upper Macoupin Creek Watershed Partnership, comprised of 15 federal, state, and local government partners, agricultural trade associations, environmental groups, agricultural retailers, and a local university. The goal of the partnership is to increase the use of conservation practices that reduce soil erosion and phosphorus loss in the watershed.