2021 Nutrient Stewardship Virtual Field Days
- Jefferson & Franklin
- Sangamon
- Richmond & Lawrence
- Clinton
- Macon
- Fulton
- Coles
- Jo Daviess
- Marshall-Putnam
- Wayne
- McHenry
- Warren-Henderson
The Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) continues to set environmental action as an organizational priority, following through by committing significant resources to do the job.
The IFB Nutrient Stewardship Grant Program is one examples of how IFB and county Farm Bureaus (CFBs) partner with other organizations to create lasting impacts in nutrient stewardship. In 2021, IFB committed over $150,000 to the grant program, working with 28 counties on 21 projects throughout the state. Funding these projects allows agriculture to take an innovative approach to improving soil health and water quality.
In 2021, IFB has continued to reach farmer members and other stakeholders across the state through “hybrid” Nutrient Stewardship Field Days. This hybrid approach includes hosting in-person field days that follow any regional COVID restrictions, as well as producing video coverage of each field day program.
Nutrient Stewardship Field Days:
In 2021, 12 field days will be hosted through the grant program, including field days focused on cover crops, nitrogen strip field trial results, woodchip bioreactor research, and many other topics. A full list of field days and dates are provided below, including links to fliers that include addresses, RSVP information, and any other important details which will be added within a month before each event. As videos from each field day become available, you also will be able to click on the links below to learn more about each of these Nutrient Stewardship Field Days.
Jefferson and Franklin County Farm Bureaus: IDNR Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) and Cover Crop Field Day
In the first field day taking place across the state in spring 2021, partners and producers gathered at the Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park to share information about cover crops and farm lease programs offered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) through RCPP funding. Through the Nutrient Stewardship Grant, IFB worked alongside partners from IDNR, Jefferson and Franklin County Farm Bureaus, Illinois Natural Resources Conservation Service, and University of Illinois Extension to host this field day. Find more details in the FarmWeekNow.com article below, then watch the field day videos.
Certified Crop Advisors can receive self-reported Continuing Education Units (CEUs) after watching the videos for each of these virtual field days. For more information, and to find the self-reporting form, visit www.certifiedcropadviser.org and click “Self-Report CEUs.”
- Learn more on FarmWeekNow.com
Watch the full event |
Field Day highlights |
Table of Contents
00:52 Lauren Lurkins, Illinois Farm Bureau, Director of Environmental Policy
07:28 Stacy Zuber, Illinois NRCS, Soil Health Specialist
24:04 Bob Caveny, Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), Farm Programs Manager, Office of Land Management
28:23 Mike Chandler, IDNR, Agriculture/Wildlife & Habitat Lease Management Program Manager
32:44 Ted Liefer, Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park, Site Superintendent
35:43 Mike Kash, Franklin County, Host Farmer
56:44 Talon Becker, University of Illinois Extension, Commercial Agriculture Educator
1:04:52 Field Demonstration Bob Caveny and Mike Kash
Sangamon County Farm Bureau: Lake Springfield Watershed Efforts
In the second Nutrient Stewardship field day of 2021, IFB brought together partners from Sangamon County Farm Bureau, Springfield City Water, Light and Power (CWLP) and Sangamon County Soil and Water Conservation District (SCSWCD) and Illinois Natural Resources Conservation Service gathered to discuss a variety of efforts taking place in the Lake Springfield Watershed. Several topics were covered, including information about IEPA 319 Grant and Regional Conservation Partnership (RCPP) funding opportunities for producers, as well as educational topics about cover crops and soil health. Find more details in the FarmWeekNow.com article below, then watch the field day videos.
Certified Crop Advisors can receive self-reported Continuing Education Units (CEUs) after watching the videos for each of these virtual field days. For more information, and to find the self-reporting form, visit www.certifiedcropadviser.org and click “Self-Report CEUs.”
- Learn more on FarmWeekNow.com
Watch the full event |
Field Day highlights |
Table of Contents
00:10 Jim Birge, Manager, Sangamon County Farm Bureau
00:38 Lauren Lurkins, Director of Environmental Policy, Illinois Farm Bureau
08:17 Doug Brown, Chief Utility Engineer, City Water, Light and Power (CWLP)
12:03 Sarah Lindholm, CWLP RCPP Coordinator, CWLP
19:25 Barb Mendenhall, Project Manager, Sangamon County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD)
31:08 Austen Etherton, Host Farmer, Sangamon County
33:00 Rob Woodrow, Farm Manager, Sangamon County
42:37 Stacy Zuber, Soil Health Specialist, Illinois NRCS
Richland & Lawrence County Farm Bureaus: Embarras River Watershed Efforts and Cover Crop Field Day
In the third Nutrient Stewardship field day of 2021, partners on an IEPA 319 grant application in the Embarras River Watershed (ERW) shared progress on updating the ERW Management Plan. Topics covered also included information about the Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy and improving soil health. Four farmers from Richland and Lawrence counties also participated in a panel discussion, sharing their experiences with cover crops. Through the Nutrient Stewardship Grant, IFB worked alongside partners from Richland and Lawrence County Farm Bureaus, University of Illinois Extension, Northwater Consulting, Lawrence and Richland County Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and Illinois Natural Resource Conservation Service. Find more details in the FarmWeekNow.com article below, then watch the field day videos.
Certified Crop Advisors can receive self-reported Continuing Education Units (CEUs) after watching the videos for each of these virtual field days. For more information, and to find the self-reporting form, visit www.certifiedcropadviser.org and click “Self-Report CEUs.”
- Learn more on FarmWeekNow.com
Watch the full event |
Field Day highlights |
Table of Contents
00:10: Kinzie Zwilling, Manager, Richland County Farm Bureau
01:02: Joel Gardner, President, Richland County Farm Bureau
01:38: Glenn Leighty, President, Lawrence County Farm Bureau
05:35: Lauren Lurkins, Director of Environmental Policy, Illinois Farm Bureau
18:56: Jennifer Jones, Extension Watershed Outreach Associate, University of Illinois
25:46: Jeff Boeckler, Principal Water Resource Specialist, Northwater Consulting
35:27: Kristie Cooley, Resource Conservationist, Lawrence County Soil and Water Conservation District
37:39: Stacy Zuber, Illinois NRCS, Soil Health Specialist
59:09: Cover Crop Farmer Panel: Bill Gartner, Jim Legg, Craig Runyon, Mike Berger, Moderator Kacie Haag, Manager, Lawrence County Farm Bureau
Clinton County Farm Bureau: Cover Crop for Forage and Manure Management Research
Now in their sixth year participating in the Nutrient Stewardship Grant Program, Clinton County Farm Bureau (CFB) is continuing to provide numerous education and outreach opportunities, primarily focused on manure management, cover crops, and soil health. In April 2021, they partnered with IFB to share a spring update from the cover crop and forage plot, providing a full scope of the various activities taking place at Clinton CFB member Mark Litteken’s farm and throughout the county. They also hosted an in-person field day on July 27th to further cover various nutrient stewardship practices taking place through their Nutrient Stewardship Grant project.
Certified Crop Advisors can receive self-reported Continuing Education Units (CEUs) after watching the videos for each of these virtual field days. For more information, and to find the self-reporting form, visit www.certifiedcropadviser.org and click “Self-Report CEUs.”
- Learn more on FarmWeekNow.com
Watch the full event |
Field Day highlights |
Macon County Farm Bureau: Lake Decatur Watershed Efforts
For the first of nine Summer Nutrient Stewardship Field Days in 2021, partners in the Lake Decatur Watershed worked together to share updates on watershed management efforts taking place in the watershed. Topics covered also included background information about the watershed and historic management efforts, as well as discussions about various practices that can be used to preserve and improve water quality. Through the Nutrient Stewardship Grant, IFB working alongside Macon County Farm Bureau, the City of Decatur, Northwater Consulting, Macon County Soil and Water Conservation District, Illinois Land Improvement Contractors Association (ILICA), the University of Illinois, and CoverCress Inc. to host a field day in the Lake Decatur Watershed. Find more details in the FarmWeekNow.com article below, then watch the field day videos.
Certified Crop Advisors can receive self-reported Continuing Education Units (CEUs) after watching the videos for each of these field days. For more information and to find the self-reporting form, visit www.certifiedcropadvisor.org and click “Self-Report CEUs.”
- Learn more on FarmWeekNow.com
Watch the full event |
Field Day highlights |
Table of Contents
00:10 Lauren Lurkins, Director of Environmental Policy, Illinois Farm Bureau
11:22 Keith Alexander, Water Production Manager, City of Decatur
18:28 Jeff Boeckler, Principal Water Resource Specialist, Northwater Consulting
28:13 Angela Daily, Macon County Soil and Water Conservation District
29:18 Andrew Walker, Watershed Technician, Macon County Soil and Water Conservation District
31:58 Gentry Davidson, Watershed Specialist, Macon County Soil and Water Conservation District
33:57 Mike DeCamp, CEO, CoverCress Inc.
39:42 Chris Aulbach, Lead Agronomist, CoverCress Inc
Fulton County Farm Bureau: MWRD Research Partnership
As part of an ongoing collaboration with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD), partners gathered at the MWRD Fulton County research site for the fifth of twelve 2021 Nutrient Stewardship Field Days. In addition to MWRD and IFB, other partners included Fulton and Cook County Farm Bureaus (CFB), University of Illinois, and Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council (NREC). Researchers from U of I and MWRD presented information about several of the research projects taking place at the site, including crop inter-seeding, woodchip bioreactors, grass buffers, and drainage water management research. The event concluded with a multi-stop tour of the Fulton County research site.
Certified Crop Advisors can receive self-reported Continuing Education Units (CEUs) after watching the videos for each of these field days. For more information and to find the self-reporting form, visit www.certifiedcropadvisor.org and click “Self-Report CEUs.”
- Learn more on FarmWeekNow.com
Watch the full event |
Field Day highlights |
Table of Contents
00:10 Dr. Albert Cox, Environmental Monitoring and Research Manager, MWRD
03:26 Justin Hadsall, Agricultural Technician, MWRD
07:27 Lauren Lurkins, Director of Environmental Policy, Illinois Farm Bureau
14:52 Julie Hewitt, Executive Director, NREC
18:54 Dr. Wei Zheng, Principal Research Scientist, Illinois Sustainable Technology Center
21:39 Dr. Olawale Oladeji, Senior Ebvironmental Soil Scientist, MWRD
24:41 Dr. Essam El-Naggar, Environmental Soil Scientist, MWRD
Coles County Farm Bureau: Continued Embarras River Watershed Efforts and Conservation Practices
As part of continued support of a IEPA 319 Grant in the Embarras River Watershed (ERW), Coles County Farm Bureau (CFB) partnered with Coles Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), University of Illinois Extension, Northwater Consulting, and Donahue & Associates, Inc. to host a Nutrient Stewardship Field Day. Topics covered included a focus on supporting education and outreach in the ERW, discussing the history of the watershed, IEPA 319 Grant and Watershed Management Plan updates, and local urban water use. The program concluded with a panel of farmers who shared their experiences with various conservation practices in the watershed.
Certified Crop Advisors can receive self-reported Continuing Education Units (CEUs) after watching the videos for each of these field days. For more information and to find the self-reporting form, visit www.certifiedcropadvisor.org and click “Self-Report CEUs.”
- Learn more on FarmWeekNow.com
Watch the full event |
Field Day highlights |
Jo Daviess County Farm Bureau: Cover Crop Research Trials
For the eighth of 12 summer field days, Jo Daviess County Farm Bureau (CFB) and their collaborators met to educate attendees about several on-farm research trials taking place on Greg Thoren’s farm. Topics covered included various aspects of nitrogen management, cover crops, and soil health, as well as rainfall simulator demonstrations. Partners included Illinois Farm Bureau, Stephenson Service Company, Agnetic LLC, and University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
Certified Crop Advisors can receive self-reported Continuing Education Units (CEUs) after watching the videos for each of these field days. For more information and to find the self-reporting form, visit www.certifiedcropadvisor.org and click “Self-Report CEUs.”
- Learn more on FarmWeekNow.com
Watch the full event |
Field Day highlights |
Marshall-Putnam County Farm Bureau: Cover Crop Field Day
As part of the fifth of 12 Nutrient Stewardship Field Days in 2021, Marshall-Putnam Farm Bureau partnered with several collaborators to begin a multi-year cover crop project along the Illinois River, including planting cover crop plots and conducting soil testing. Speakers at the July 2021 field day included Marshall-Putnam Farm Bureau and Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) leadership, as well as researchers from the University of Illinois (U of I) and Illinois NRCS. The program concluded with a walking tour of the Marshall County cover crop plot.
Certified Crop Advisors can receive self-reported Continuing Education Units (CEUs) after watching the videos for each of these field days. For more information and to find the self-reporting form, visit www.certifiedcropadvisor.org and click “Self-Report CEUs.”
- Learn more on FarmWeekNow.com
Watch the full event |
Field Day highlights |
Table of Contents
00:10 Jonathan Downey, President, Marshall-Putnam Farm Bureau
01:22 Lauren Lurkins, Director of Environmental Policy, Illinois Farm Bureau
11:30 Dr. Stacy Zuber, Soil Health Specialist, Illinois NRCS
28:19 Dr. Andrew Margenot, Assistant Professor, Department of Crop Science, University of Illinois
59:40 Shay Foulk, Farm and Ag Business Consultant, Monier Seed and Service, Dr. Austin Omer, Associate Director of Natural Resource Policy, IFB
Wayne County Farm Bureau: NLID Plot Field Day
As part of their sixth year of participating in the Nutrient Stewardship Grant Program, Wayne County Farm Bureau (CFB) is continuing to help answer some of their members’ questions about nitrogen management by sponsoring a Nutrient Loss Inhibitor Demonstration (NLID) Plot on host farmer, Fred Blessing’s farm. Partners for the field day including Wabash Valley Service Company, Pike Ag, LLC, and GROWMARK. A data booklet of results was also produced for the field day and will be updated after harvest. To see harvest and post-harvest updates, visit www.waynecfb.com/nlid.
Certified Crop Advisors can receive self-reported Continuing Education Units (CEUs) after watching the videos for each of these field days. For more information and to find the self-reporting form, visit www.certifiedcropadvisor.org and click “Self-Report CEUs.”
- Learn more on FarmWeekNow.com
Watch the full event |
Field Day highlights |
McHenry County Farm Bureau: Woodchip Bioreactor Field Day
As part of a partnership with the McHenry County Conservation District (MCCD), McHenry County Farm Bureau (CFB) at the site of a woodchip bioreactor installed on MCCD property in 2020. Starting in Spring 2021, volunteers from MCCD have taken regular water samples at the inlet and outlet structures of the bioreactor, working with McHenry CFB to then deliver the samples to research partners at the University of Illinois (U of I). To share updates after 2020’s installation, as well as preliminary results from the sampling, these partners gathered for a Nutrient Stewardship Field Day at the installation site. A panel of farmers also presented on their experiences with woodchip bioreactors on their farms.
Certified Crop Advisors can receive self-reported Continuing Education Units (CEUs) after watching the videos for each of these field days. For more information and to find the self-reporting form, visit www.certifiedcropadvisor.org and click “Self-Report CEUs.”
- Learn more on FarmWeekNow.com
Watch the full event |
Field Day highlights |
Warren-Henderson County Farm Bureau: Nitrogen Management Field Day
As part of the last Nutrient Stewardship Field Day in 2021, Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau partnered with several collaborators to share information about an on-going nitrogen management study taking place near Kirkwood, Illinois. Host farmer Jacob Baker plays a key role in implementing the plot every year and collaborators from IFB and the University of Illinois (U of I) Extension assist with analyzing the data and producing the data booklet. The booklet covers several components of the study, including agronomic timeline and treatments, yields, net profits, and Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) results. Presenters from U of I Crop Sciences and Illinois NRCS also participated in the field day.
Certified Crop Advisors can receive self-reported Continuing Education Units (CEUs) after watching the videos for each of these field days. For more information and to find the self-reporting form, visit www.certifiedcropadvisor.org and click “Self-Report CEUs.”
- Learn more on FarmWeekNow.com
Watch the full event |
Field Day highlights |