Conservation Cropping Seminars
Listen, learn and talk to people who know conservation. The time to wait is over. It's time to take action! Join us - join the movement. Bring your soil back to life!
Don't miss information about ways farmers like yourself can improve soil health, learn about cover crops, remain profitable—and even more marketable—by using sustainable techniques that build up natural resilience to weather extremes, pests, and weeds. Learn from educators, researchers, experts, and local Illinois farmers!
2026 CCS - January 27th or 28th
9:00 am - 3:00 pm CST
For 2026, the annual Illinois Conservation Cropping Seminar will be an in person event in either Sycamore, IL on January 27th, or in Mt. Vernon, IL on January 28th. You can register by clicking the link below, then click one-time payment to enter your contact information and choose between the two Conservation Cropping Seminar Registrations.
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Conservation partners will offer helpful information, data, and farmer testimonials at this conference. The registration cost is $25.
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Agenda to follow as we finalize the meeting details!
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Past Conservation Cropping Seminars
February 2025
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For 2025, the annual Illinois Conservation Cropping Seminars was a fully virtual event.
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Here's a recap of the agenda. We will not be able to offer a recording of this year's event.
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​Agenda:
9:00 AM - Welcome Remarks
9:10 AM - Agronomy and Psychology of Cover Crop Adoption
John Pike, Pike Ag LLC
10:00 AM - Break
10:05 AM - Principles to practices in NW Illinois
Greg Thoren, Farmer - Stockton, IL
10:55 AM - Break
11:00 AM - Adaptive/Regenerative Ag Practices & Water Quality Improvements
Eric Fuchs, Understanding Ag
11:55 AM - Closing Remarks
12:00 PM - Adjourn
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Past Conservation Cropping Seminars
January 2023
For 2023, the annual Illinois Conservation Cropping Seminars was a hybrid event, held in person at the Illinois Department of Agriculture Atrium in Springfield, Illinois, and virtually for those who are unable to attend in person. Conservation partners offered helpful information, data, and farmer testimonials.
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Here's a recap of the agenda. We will not be able to offer a recording of this year's event.
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Agenda:
9:00 am - Welcome - Jerry Costello, IL Ag Director
9:15 am - Corn Yield Gap Reduction Strategies for Cover Crop Systems- Dr. Shalamar Armstrong, Purdue University
10:05 am - Break & Refreshments
10:20 am - Making Money with Soil Health- Mitchell Hora, Continuum Ag
11:10 am - Using Stewardship Practices in Indiana to Improve On-Farm Sustainability - One Retailer's Experience- Betsy Bower - Agronomist, Ceres Solutions Cooperative
12:00 pm - Lunch in the IL Dept. of Ag Building
12:45 pm - Stacy Zuber, State Soil Health Specialist, USDA NRCS
1:35 pm - Break & Refreshments
1:50 pm - Farmer Panel Discussion - Illinois farmers discuss their operations, lessons learned; Q&A
2:35 - 3:00 pm - Illinois Climate Smart Initiative - Dr. Michael Woods, Manager, Division of Natural Resources, IL. Dept. of Ag
Past Conservation Cropping Seminars
February 2022
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Thank you to everyone who attended these virtual events. Click below to watch the seminars.
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For 2022, the annual Illinois Conservation Cropping Seminars will again be virtual. Conservation partners will offer helpful information, data, and farmer testimonials in a 3-hour online virtual conference.
While it’s not like our normal full-day, in-person get together at three different Illinois locations, it’s still critical that we keep the conservation conversation going - COVID-19 or not! The planning committee has gathered a GREAT keynote speaker, helpful information, and a powerful IL Farmer Panel to tell their story and offer advice and ideas other Illinois farmers can use on their farms. We can’t feed you lunch virtually, so for 2022, your participation at the event is FREE—and lunch is “on your own”!
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Agenda:
9:00-9:05 am Welcome - Ivan Dozier, IL State Conservationist, USDA NRCS
9:05-9:55 am Keynote - Russell Hedrick, First Generation Farmer, North Carolina
9:55-10:20 am Opportunities on the Horizon, Carbon Markets - Jean Brokish and Dr. Emily Bruner, American Farmland Trust
10:20-10:45 am Opportunities on the Horizon, Commercial Scale Agroforestry - Kaitie Adams, Savanna Institute
10:45-10:55 am Break
10:55-11:45 am Farmer Panel & Discussion
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Cade Bushnell, Ogle County, IL Farmer
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Jerry Seidel, Jefferson County, IL Farmer
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Rick Kaesebier, Logan County, IL Farmer
11:45-12:00 pm Partner Offerings for the Farmer - Collaborating Organizations for CCS
Conservation Cropping Seminars
Coordinated by:
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Illinois Department of Agriculture
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
USDA NRCS
Champaign County SWCD