Midwest Perennial Bioenergy Crop Diversification Project
State: Illinois
Illinois Perennial Bioenergy Crop Diversification Project
In a collaboration between American Farmland Trust and Argonne National Laboratory, this project aims to help farmers transition marginal or unproductive areas of their land to grow perennial bioenergy crops. This effort seeks to repurpose marginal lands using perennial crops to provide additional economic opportunities while boosting farm resiliency.
Illinois Cover Crop Initiative
The Illinois Cover Crop Initiative is a new program available for farmers who intend to plant cover crops following their 2022 cash crop. Farmers can receive $10 per acre for cover crops planted by December 1, 2022, even if they have planted cover crops before!
Fall Covers for Spring Savings: Cover Crop Premium Discount Program by Illinois Dept. of Ag
Cover crops are a tremendously important practice for improving soil health and reducing nitrogen and phosphorus pollution to waterways. Illinois has taken an important step toward meeting its nutrient loss reduction goals by funding the Fall Covers for Spring Savings Program in the Illinois budget.
Midwest Policy Priorities
AFT is dedicated to working with partners to find solutions to agricultural problems in a comprehensive and holistic manner in Midwest state policy.
Kathy Kaesebier: Farming for Longevity
AFT trainings have inspired the Kaesebiers to increase their cover crop conservation practice to about two-thirds of their land.
Vermilion Headwaters Watershed Partnership
The Vermilion Headwaters Watershed Partnership is an AFT-led coalition to tackle water quality and nitrogen loss in the Vermilion Headwaters Watershed.
Upper Macoupin Creek Watershed Partnership
The Upper Macoupin Creek Watershed Partnership is an AFT-led coalition to tackle water quality and phosphorus loss in the Macoupin Creek Watershed.
Advancing Conservation Cropping Systems in Illinois
By replenishing life in the soil, farmers can improve the profitability of their operations while reducing their environmental footprint.
Quantifying Economic and Environmental Benefits of Soil Health
To provide the economic evidence that soil health practices work, AFT is interviewing “soil health successful” farmers who have adopted one or more soil health practices on their operation.
Women for the Land
AFT helps women farmers and landowners protect their land and embrace conservation.