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

Lock and Dam Modernization Receives $120 Million Allocation

March 21st, 2024  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  ICMB |  Locks and Dams

This week, lock and dam modernization projects on the Mississippi and Illinois rivers saw a $120 million allocation thanks to a bipartisan group of Illinois representatives and senators....

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Illinois' Inland Waterways: A Crucial Economic Engine

March 12th, 2024  |  Today's News |  ICMB |  Locks and Dams

Illinois proudly hosts 1,100 miles of navigable inland waterways, facilitating the movement of over 70 million tons of freight valued at $17.9 billion annually. The pivotal commodities transported...

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Maize Matters: Wins for Corn this Spring

August 7th, 2023  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Locks and Dams |  Ethanol

This story is a feature article in ICGA's PAC Newsletter: Maize Matters   State Boost for Ethanol The Illinois General Assembly’s spring session wassuccessful for ICGA as the state legislature...

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IL Reps. Support Funding for Waterways

Haley Bickelhaupt

June 28th, 2023  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Locks and Dams

IL Corn celebrates Illinois’s bipartisan effort as three of the organization’s four targeted districts requested that funding for river infrastructure be included in the FY2024 House Energy and...

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Weinzierl Wins Award

Tara Desmond

June 15th, 2023  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  ICMB |  Locks and Dams |  Exports |  Public Outreach

The 2023 Rail & Maritime Summit, a prominent event that unites distinguished professionals from the rail and maritime sectors, has proudly presented the esteemed Diolkos Award to Rod Weinzierl,...

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IL Corn Celebrates Lock 25 Groundbreaking

Lindsay Mitchell

May 18th, 2023  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Locks and Dams

After decades of advocacy, education, diligence and tenacity, the IL Corn Growers Association celebrates the groundbreaking of a brand-new 1,200-foot Lock 25 near Winfield, MO today, May 18,...

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WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT (WRDA) 2022 PASSES IN SENATE INLAND WATERWAYS 65%/35% COST-SHARE NOW PERMANENT

Waterways Council, Inc.

December 16th, 2022  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Locks and Dams

Washington, DC -- Last night, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022 passed in the Senate by a vote of 83-11. It was included as part of the FY23 National Defense Authorization Act...

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HOUSE PASSES FISCAL YEAR 2023 MINIBUS APPROPRIATIONS BILL ENERGY & WATER DEVELOPMENT BILL INCLUDED

Waterways Council, Inc.

July 21st, 2022  |  Today's News |  ICMB |  Locks and Dams

Today, the House passed a Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 minibus appropriations package by a vote of 220 yeas to 207 nays. The package included six appropriations bills: Agriculture,...

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Illinois Senators Champion Cost-Share Change Enabling Lock Modernization

Lindsay Mitchell

May 5th, 2022  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  ICMB |  Locks and Dams |  Legislation & Regulation

Yesterday, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee unanimously passed its Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022. The bill includes a cost-share shift offered by Senators Tammy...

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Inland Waterways, Critical to Illinois and the Nation, Get Their Due

Rodney Weinzierl

May 3rd, 2022  |  Today's News |  ICMB |  Locks and Dams |  Exports

If you drive over LaSalle’s Abraham Lincoln Memorial Bridge that spans the Illinois Waterway, you may look down to see barges being pushed by towboats, but probably don’t know exactly what is...

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IL Corn Celebrates the Passage of FY 22 Omnibus Appropriations Bill with Funding for Locks and Dams

Lindsay Mitchell

March 10th, 2022  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  ICMB |  Locks and Dams

  Late in the evening on March 9, the House passed the Fiscal Year 2022 omnibus appropriations bill. The funding for the Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works – the line item from which lock and...

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LOCK 25 ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER RECEIVES DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION FUNDS

Lindsay Mitchell

January 19th, 2022  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  ICMB |  Locks and Dams

Funding to complete design and construction for Lock 25 near Winfield, MO on the Mississippi River is included in the Army Corps of Engineers budget presented to Congress today to allocate the...

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RSVP for next week listening sessions

Tara Desmond

December 8th, 2021  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Locks and Dams |  Ethanol |  Exports |  Public Outreach |  Conservation |  Legislation & Regulation |  Farm Policy |  Precision Conservation Management

  The Illinois Corn Growers Association will hold in-person listening sessions throughout the state to help prepare for the 2023 Farm Bill.  As a grassroots organization, we value farmer input...

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ICGA Statement on the November 5 Passage of Infrastructure Bill

Lindsay Mitchell

November 8th, 2021  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Locks and Dams

Illinois Corn Growers Association President Randy DeSutter, a farmer from Woodhull, made the following statement while reflecting on Friday’s passage of an infrastructure bill:   “After several...

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Waterways Campaign Highlights Environmental & Economic Impacts

Lindsay Mitchell

October 26th, 2021  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  ICMB |  Locks and Dams |  Public Outreach

The Illinois Corn Marketing Board is proud to partner with the Waterways Council Inc, Illinois Soybean Association, and others to help audiences understand the importance of inland waterways and...

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Bipartisan Senate Infrastructure Bill Includes Funding for Upgraded Locks and Dams

Lindsay Mitchell

August 10th, 2021  |  Today's News |  Locks and Dams |  Legislation & Regulation

Today’s Senate passage of a bipartisan infrastructure package included $2.5 billion of full federal funding to upgrade and modernize the inland waterways system, with specific projects to be...

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Lock and Dam Upgrades Receive $22.5 Million

Lindsay Mitchell

August 2nd, 2021  |  Today's News |  Locks and Dams

Lock and Dam Upgrades Receive $22.5 Million   The locks and dams on the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers are one step closer to the renovation and rebuilding that they desperately need after the...

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Waterways Included in the American Jobs Plan

Katie Smith

March 31st, 2021  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Locks and Dams

Waterways Included in The American Jobs Plan   President Biden announced The American Jobs Plan to rebuild the economy and invest in rural communities. One of the aspects of this plan that ICGA...

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ICGA Urges the Importance of NESP

Dan Obert

January 13th, 2021  |  Today's News |  ICGA |  Locks and Dams |  Legislation & Regulation

ICGA Urges the Start of NESP   New construction on locks and dams on the inland waterways system is critical to agriculture and other industries throughout the state, Midwest and...

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ICGA Statement on Water Resources Development Act 2020 Passage

Lindsay Mitchell

December 22nd, 2020  |  Today's News |  Locks and Dams

ICGA Statement on Water Resources Development Act 2020 Passage   Following the House and Senate passage of the Water Resources Development Act of 2020, Illinois Corn Growers Association President...

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