BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Two of Illinois’ premier producer associations are teaming up to research on-farm conservation practices and the financial implications of their adoption. 

The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) announced on Dec. 14 it would link with the Illinois Corn Growers Assoc.’s Precision Conservation Management (PCM) program, initiated in 2015 through funding from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service to the state corn checkoff. It combines precision technology and data management with farm business and financials to help farmers improve on-farm decision making regarding conservation practices. PCM is currently being utilized in a 16-county service area, but stands to expand its scope within the state significantly with the addition of ISA membership support. 

“The PCM project is a great collaboration between the Illinois corn and soybean checkoff programs that brings to the forefront regenerative agricultural practices that farmers are using on a large scale on their farms,” said David Wessel, Illinois Soybean Association at-large director and utilization committee chairman. “Showing the economic, environmental, and social benefits of these practices will allow the sharing of knowledge needed for a sustainable future for all. PCM will show how farmers can be a viable part of the solution in addressing climate change and water quality issues.”

Many of the tenets of the PCM program follow the guidelines set forth in 2015’s Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS), which seeks to reduce the environmental impact of commercial agriculture on waterways and soils. But further, the PCM program also focuses on the economic viability of these practices and their effects on producers’ bottom lines. 

“We’re really excited that the (ISA) is joining us in this effort,” said Randy DeSutter, Illinois Corn president and a farmer from northern Knox County, during a Zoom meeting press conference. “PCM has been a very successful program thus far and I think that with their cooperation it’s going to be even better. I know I have used conservation and no-till on my farm for almost 30 years and I know that these kinds of practices are not only good for the environment, but good for farmers financially as well. We look forward to expanding our efforts throughout the state.”

Laura Gentry, director of water quality science for Illinois Corn is responsible for aggregating the data from the PCM program and producing “data-driven” analysis for participating landowners and farmers. “It’s a data-driven program for a data-driven world,” said Gentry. “Today’s farmers rely on reliable, objective data for making their decisions on their farms. We want more of the state’s farmers adopting conservation practices across their acres, but we don’t want any farmer to become so green that they put themselves out of business.”

Reconciling business decisions with conservation decisions has always been a primary stumbling block for the implementation of cover crops, wood chip bioreactors and such on farmland. Starting up conservation measures amid a financial downturn — exacerbated by a major health pandemic — may not be on the top of many farmers’ lists. But this is precisely when farmers should be considering adding conservation measures, according to Gentry.

“This program allows farmers to make good, meaningful comparisons with what they’re doing on their own farms versus what others are doing in their region and state, and we can drill it down to within their county or watershed all in a way that is very sensitive to farmer information,” she said.

Elliott Uphoff, a PCM farmer-member from Shelbyville in southern Illinois, said the PCM program is very in-depth. “When the field (advisor) sat down with me he wanted to have every available piece of information on what I did in the past, future plans and yields, and I’m looking forward to seeing what they can do with that data,” said Uphoff, who serves as his district’s ISA Board of Directors representative. “There is a big ‘carbon market’ out there. I’m always trying to cut out steps, so if I can look at the PCM data and decide there is a tillage pass I could cut out, that could save me money. That’s the kind of information I am looking for PCM to bring to the table.”

Gentry noted that the new partnership with ISA represents PCM’s greatest expansion opportunity to date and is a natural extension of the core values of the two commodity associations. “This partnership will greatly enhance our ability to reach more farmers, address more natural resource and farm income concerns and continue building the business case for conservation adoption across Illinois and the entire Midwest,” Gentry stated.

For more information about PCM, visit www.precisionconservation.org.