You make your living from the land.  

 

You have been raised in the country, you’ve worked with Mother Nature all your life, and you understand that if you want the same sort of life for your children, you must preserve and conserve what is in your care.

 

Best management practices are the techniques and methods farmers use to take the best care of the soil, water, air, plants, and animals around them. IL Corn wants to partner with you to help you understand the best science, the best techniques, the best opportunities to care for your natural resources. 

We have programming that will help you test your water for nutrient levels, try out cover crops for the first time, and apply nitrogen in the most responsible way.  Our programming in this area continues to grow!  Please stay plugged in with us to keep learning and growing as a conservationist.

 

Making Nitrogen Decisions

In Illinois, researchers have been testing different amounts of nitrogen in corn fields for years. They collected the data from these tests and created an online tool. This tool considers the current prices of corn and nitrogen fertilizer to figure out the best amount of nitrogen to use for maximum profit per acre. It's called the "Maximum Return to Nitrogen" rate (MRTN). Farmers can use this tool to make sure they're getting the most economic benefit from their nitrogen program and feel sure about their decisions.

nitrogen calculator

Gain Access to Illinois' Premier Conservation Program

 

In 2016, IL Corn launched a farmer service program, Precision Conservation Management (PCM), in response to the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. Today PCM is funded still by IL Corn and other organizations.
 

PCM works with farmers to help them understand the costs & benefits of adopting new conservation practices. They provide one-on-one support to qualifying farmers to help them understand the costs & benefits of adopting new conservation practices.

They provide FREE access to the Farmer Portal to any farmer who wants to contribute their farm data, and access recommendations based on other farmer participant’s aggregated, anonymized data.

 

LEARN MORE ABOUT PCM PROGRAM

Conservation Practice Adoption a Focus During Rep Budzinski Visit to Illinois Farm

Lindsay Mitchell

April 25th, 2024  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  ICMB |  Conservation |  Legislation & Regulation |  Farm Policy

Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski visited the Bob and Mark Bunselmeyer Farm in Maroa, IL this week to learn more from Illinois farmers about conservation practice adoption. The visit featured an...

More

Put the BRAKES on HB1634

February 22nd, 2024  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Ethanol |  Legislation & Regulation |  Farm Policy

This week, Illinois state lawmakers tried hitting the gas to incorporate California’s extreme vehicle emissions standards into the Midwest. HB1634 allows California to govern Illinois Vehicle...

More

Corn to Capitol: Bunting Serves Second Year as State Rep.

Haley Bickelhaupt

January 23rd, 2024  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Conservation |  Legislation & Regulation |  Farm Policy

An unconventional pathway to Springfield did not falter Jason Bunting’s steadfast support for agriculture as a freshman member of Illinois’s General Assembly. Former IL Corn Grower...

More

Unified Front: Illinois Agricultural Leaders Pursue Common Policy Goals in 2024

Haley Bickelhaupt

January 12th, 2024  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Legislation & Regulation |  Farm Policy

The IL Corn Growers Association met today with leaders from agricultural organizations throughout the state to discuss policy goals for 2024.     The Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable...

More

Like the Year Before It, 2024 Will Be Filled with Challenges and Opportunities as We Advocate for Corn Grower Priorities

Brooke S. Appleton - National Corn Growers Association

January 11th, 2024  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Legislation & Regulation |  Farm Policy

The new year offers many opportunities on the policy front, and my staff and I will spend the year building on the successes of corn grower advocates from 2023.   Last year, we successfully...

More

ICGA 2024 State and Federal Priorities

December 28th, 2023  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Legislation & Regulation |  Farm Policy

The IL Corn Growers Association (ICGA) prides itself in representing it's membership's priorites at the highest levels in Springfield and Washington, D.C. As a new year approaches, ICGA will focus...

More

ICGA Pleased with Acceptance of GREET; Looks to Monitor Changes

December 15th, 2023  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Ethanol |  Legislation & Regulation |  Farm Policy

The U.S. Department of Treasury announced today that it will allow a modified version of the GREET model as a measurement for determining reductions in greenhouse gas emissions as the agency...

More

Q&A: Farmers thoughts on CCS

November 29th, 2023  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Ethanol |  Legislation & Regulation |  Farm Policy

This fall, IL Corn teamed up with Illinois ethanol plants to host informational sessions highlighting the connection between carbon and corn production.    Lauren Lurkins, an environmental law...

More

2018 Farm Bill Extension Good, Permanent Bill in 2024 Desired

Lindsay Mitchell

November 16th, 2023  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Farm Policy

The IL Corn Growers Association sent a letter this week to Illinois’s five members on the House Agriculture Committee urging lawmakers to pass a one-year extension to the farm bill. The House and...

More

Paving a Path for Policy 

Haley Bickelhaupt

October 11th, 2023  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Public Outreach |  Farm Policy

A selfie in front of the White House during her internship with the IL Corn Growers Association solidified a career path in Kylie Bohman’s mind.    Bohman’s trip with the organization in 2017...

More

A Government Shutdown Could Impact Farmers

Haley Bickelhaupt

September 18th, 2023  |  Today's News |  Legislation & Regulation |  Farm Policy

The days are ticking as Congress approaches the reality of a government shutdown.   Although political debates in Washington D.C. may feel far from the midwest, the agriculture industry would be...

More

A Bustling Washington Takes on Issues Important to Farmers as Fall Arrives and Deadlines Loom

Brooke S. Appleton

September 15th, 2023  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Farm Policy

Fall is quickly arriving in the nation’s capital and with it comes the sense that Congress has much to accomplish in a very short period with potential roadblocks along the way. Perhaps the most...

More

Ethanol and Biofuels Drive Conversation at Farm Progress Show

Haley Bickelhaupt

September 7th, 2023  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Ethanol |  Legislation & Regulation |  Farm Policy

During the Farm Progress Show, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (D-13) stood alongside farmers and biofuels experts to confirm ethanol’s role in lowering carbon and supporting rural economies....

More

Supreme Court Ruling Impacts Grain and Livestock Industries

Haley Bickelhaupt

August 17th, 2023  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Livestock |  Legislation & Regulation |  Farm Policy

This spring, Illinois pork producer Chad Leman received a grim announcement from the Supreme Court on his fiftieth birthday.   On May 11, 2023, the Supreme Court upheld California’s Proposition...

More

Members of Congress Head Home to Hear from Constituents During August Recess

Brooke Appleton

August 10th, 2023  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Legislation & Regulation |  Farm Policy

I still remember arriving in Washington, D.C., as a young congressional intern and quickly figuring out my favorite and not so favorite aspects of the city. The hot, sticky summers here were one...

More

Maize Matters: Blue Jackets on the Hill

Haley Bickelhaupt

August 7th, 2023  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Legislation & Regulation |  Farm Policy

This story is a feature article in ICGA's PAC Newsletter: Maize Matters   Blue corduroy jackets were hot and heavy in Washington D.C during July, but Illinois FFA members said they were honored...

More

Illinois Farmers Council looks ahead at the future of agriculture

Haley Bickelhaupt

August 3rd, 2023  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Ethanol |  Livestock |  Exports |  Farm Policy

Yesterday, the IL Corn Growers Association teamed up with agricultural organizations throughout the state to discuss emerging markets and legislation impacting the industry.     The 2023...

More

ICGA and FFA grows roots in DC

Haley Bickelhaupt

July 26th, 2023  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Ethanol |  Legislation & Regulation |  Farm Policy

IL Corn farmer leaders and Illinois FFA were seen throughout the United States’ Capitol last week advocating for membership priorities and attending the National Corn Growers Association’s Corn...

More

History, Current Challenges, Highlight Need for a Robust Farm Bill

Brooke Appleton

July 18th, 2023  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Legislation & Regulation |  Farm Policy

Imagine for a moment that it’s 1933, and you’re in a quaint, white farmhouse somewhere in the middle of America. Fascism is on the rise and the country is heading for a second world war while...

More

Illinois Farmers Council meets with Durbin and Jackson

July 13th, 2023  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Legislation & Regulation |  Farm Policy

The Illinois Farmers Council joined U.S. Senator Richard Durbin and U.S. Representative Johnathan Jackson (IL-1) to discuss the 2023 Farm Bill, last week in Bloomington, Illinois.     Senator...

More