SPRINGFIELD, IL- The Illinois Department of Agriculture announced the approval of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy and Conservation Planning Assistance grant agreement. The IDOA/NRCS partnership leverages $3.5 million state NLRS funds with $9.8 million of federal funds from the USDA/NRCS to deliver over $13.3 million in new funding to support conservation planning. The project will allow the addition of up to 40 conservation planners across the state. The conservation planners will increase Conservation Reserve Program technical assistance for planning, implementation, and maintenance.
“This historic funding increases investments in agricultural conservation and nutrient management rest on human capacity,” said Governor J.B. Pritzker.
Through this partnership with the USDA NRCS conservation programs, Illinois producers and landowners will have increased opportunities to improve their nutrient management planning, advance soil health and contribute to the reduction in nutrient losses to Illinois streams, rivers and lakes.