EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS WATER STAKEHOLDERS CONFERENCE August 25, 2023 Parkland College – Tony Noel Center In Person-$35.00/Virtual $20.00 Register: www.Mahometaquiferconsortium.org 8:30 am – Registration 9:00am – Welcome: Susan Adams President of the Mahomet Aquifer Consortium 9:05 am – Illinois State Water Plan/Questions – Wes Cattoor, IDNR 9:30am – HTEM of the Mahomet Aquifer – Jason Thomason, Illinois State Geological Survey 9:45am – Illinois Water Survey and IDNR Scientific Studies – Defining Sustainability And Sustainable Water Use/ IDNR Tier 1, 2 and Tier 3 – Future Update of Water Use Study, “Sustainability and Supply and Demand Assessment” - Daniel Abrams Illinois State Water Survey 10:15am – Principals Behind Irrigation Nationally and in Illinois – George Roadcap Mahomet Aquifer Consortium, Steve Wilson, ISWS 10:45am – Irrigation Panel: Jeff Smith-Panel Narrator: Scott Budke – Crop X, Soil Moisture Probes and Apps, Randy Fornoff – Mason County, Opey Rowel – Mason County, John Breedlove – Variable Rate Irrigation, Mark Pflugmacher – Champaign County 11:45am – Lunch Provided – Hickory River Barbeque 12:15pm – Breakout Sessions “Stakeholders Defining Sustainability” – Virtual and On Site Sessions. What Sustainability Means to Stakeholders and Sustainable Water Use. 1:15pm – Break 1:30pm – Results of Breakout Sessions – Defining Sustainability and Water Use and Comments 2:30pm – Adjournment

June 3, 2022 By Cassidy Dellorto-Blackwell FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Cassidy Dellorto-Blackwell, The Land Connection Phone: 217-840-2128 Email: cassidy@thelandconnection.org Explore regenerative grazing through hands-on learning JOIN US FOR REGENERATIVE GRAZING FIELD DAYS IN JUNE! Champaign, IL, June 3, 2022 – Are you an agricultural professional or technical advisor seeking answers for your farmer and landowner clients about regenerative livestock integration into a farming operation? Do you wish you had more hands-on field experience with regenerative grazing practices? The Embarras Grazing Partnership is excited to offer two summer field days at the Burnt Hill Cattle Co., LLC in Hamilton County, Illinois, focused on teaching and demonstrating the principles behind regeneratively grazing livestock. The field days will include discussion around grazing cattle, sheep, pigs, and chickens. Join us on Monday, June 27, for two half-day sessions at the Burnt Hill Cattle Co., LLC from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. CT. The morning session, presented by grazing consultant, Ed Ballard, will focus on assessing forage health and diversity. Lunch will be provided to attendees. In the afternoon, Matt Bunger, State Grazing Lands Specialist with NRCS in Illinois, and Grant Bauman of Bauman Family Farms, will lead a session on the design of permanent fencing and water structures. On Tuesday, June 28, two more half-day sessions will take place at the Burnt Hill Cattle Co., LLC from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. CT, following a similar format to the first day. In the morning, we’ll learn from Trevor Toland, owner and operator of Toland’s River Oak Ranch, about designing and setting up a paddock. Following lunch, the host farmer, Logan Karcher of Burnt Hill, will lead a session on multi-species grazing and how they manage cattle, sheep, and pigs on their own operation utilizing regenerative grazing techniques. Registration for the field days is available now at: https://thelandconnection.org/event/rgfd/. Registration is $25 per day or $40 for both days. Scholarships are available if the registration fee presents a barrier to you attending the field days. Certified Crop Adviser CEU’s have been applied for each session. Please contact Cassidy Dellorto-Blackwell at cassidy@thelandconnection.org or 217-840-2128 if you have questions about scholarships, the registration process, or accessibility needs. Upon registration, you will receive the field day address and driving directions in advance of the event. This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, through the North Central Region SARE program under project number ENC21-202. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. About the Embarras Grazing Partnership: The Embarras Grazing Partnership (EGP) is focused on increasing regenerative grazing in the Embarras River watershed to improve soil health and water quality. It is a collaborative effort of Champaign County Soil & Water Conservation District, Illinois Soybean Association, Pasture Project, The Land Connection, and University of Illinois Extension. ###

March 21, 2022 By Cassidy Dellorto-Blackwell FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 21, 2022 Contact: Cassidy Dellorto-Blackwell, The Land Connection Phone: 217-840-2128 Email: cassidy@thelandconnection.org Explore regenerative grazing value chain, marketing, and profitability JOIN US FOR TWO VIRTUAL, LIVE SESSIONS IN APRIL! (Champaign, IL) Are you an agricultural professional seeking answers for your farmer and landowner clients about raising livestock regeneratively for profit? Do you have questions about where and how to sell animal products, or how to understand the value chain and get plugged in on a local level? What about marketing? The Embarras Grazing Partnership is excited to offer a two-part, live virtual series on producer value chains and the profitability potential of pasture-based livestock so you will be better prepared to answer producer questions. Join us on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CDT for the first session discussing value chains. Jodee Smith , Assistant Director of the Indiana University Food Institute , will discuss how producers can develop or join a market based food system that best serves their community. We will also hear from Joseph Fischer of Fischer Farms who will discuss his family’s operation and how they found their place in the value chain. The second session will take place on Thursday, April 21, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CDT , with a discussion centered on marketing and profitability of pasture-based livestock. Jim Munsch, certified organic beef grazing farmer, will discuss a variety of marketing strategies for selling direct to consumers as well as options for moving beyond the direct to consumer market. We will be joined again by Joseph Fischer of Fischer Farms who will share how his family has made their grass-fed operation profitable and some of their successful marketing strategies. Registration for the two-part series is available now at https://thelandconnection.regfox.com/2022-regenerative-grazing-online-series . Registration is $25 per session or $40 for both sessions. You will receive a confirmation email containing the Zoom links upon completing registration. Please contact Cassidy Dellorto-Blackwell at cassidy@thelandconnection.org or 217-840-2128 if you have questions about the registration process or accessibility needs. ### This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, through the North Central Region SARE program under project number ENC21-202. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The CCSWCD 2022 General Election has been rescheduled for Tuesday, February 22, 2022. Stop by the office any time from 7:00 am - 5:00 pm to cast your vote! Please remain in your vehicle when you arrive. Just give us a call at (217) 352-3536 ext. 3 and we will bring the ballot out to you.

Don't forget to complete your field evaluations for Crop Year 2021! Submit via the STAR Web App or with a Field Form. Click here to launch the quick and easy STAR Web App , or click here to find the Field Form .

Join us virtually for the Conservation Cropping Seminar! February 3rd, 2022 9:00 am -12:00 pm CST This is a FREE virtual event that will cover tactics and concepts to improve your farm. Hear from farmers (and other smart people!) with a passion for conservation. Don't miss your chance to learn about soil health and conservation techniques that SAVE MONEY and BUILD SOIL . REGISTER NOW: https://illinois.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pdOisqjkoGtd_Bv36Xs_77EdO3vP5AqBJ

We hope you are having a good time fishing your pond! Now is the the time to think about spring restocking. The Champaign County SCWD holds two fish sales every year and our Spring sale has started! A few things to remember are: All orders need to be in by Friday, March 11th 2022. Grass Carp require a special permit (we will get the permit), but orders need to be submitted by Friday, March 4th 2022. The fish pickup date is Thursday, March 24th from 12:00-1:30 p.m., at 2110 W. Park Ct. Champaign (One block west of Country Fair Drive, west of Schnucks and Texas Roadhouse) We will send out reminder cards and schedule pickup times that are spread out so we can minimize your waiting time. Click here to be taken to our fish sale page to place your order now! Thank you and happy fishing!

In 1998, the Barnhart Family had a dream of creating a high quality prairie for future generations to experience. By early 2000, this became a reality when 80 acres were placed in a conservation easement held by the Champaign County SWCD. The overall project gained Nature Preserve status in fall of 2005. Since then, the prairie has thrived, but there have been challenges managing the property that have led to the introduction of this program. In an attempt to manage years of vandalism and trespassing, we are introducing a membership program. Click here for complete rules and membership form.

Exciting things are happening with the Saving Tomorrow’s Agriculture Resources Initiative – two positions are open for applications! The Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts is hiring an Illinois STAR Coordinator. The Champaign County Soil and Water Conservation District is hiring a STAR Operations Manager. CCSWCD Hiring STAR Operations Manager To meet state and national agricultural and conservation goals and sustainably feed a growing world population, agricultural conservation practices need to work at the field level. Communicating how conservation solves real issues farmers face, while also providing environmental benefits, will be key to long term adoption. The STAR Operations Manager will work closely with partners to implement and grow STAR. This will be accomplished by leading administrative and operational tasks, successfully seeking funding, and communicating the value of the STAR tool. The successful candidate will work with and provide support to conservation partners administering STAR to enhance initiative effectiveness. The STAR Operations Manager position is funded via a two-year grant, with the possibility for extension. This position is optionally remote, with occasional travel to the CCSWCD office, committee meetings, farmer/Licensee/Affiliate check-ins, etc. The anticipated start date will occur in January 2022. See the position announcement for more information. Please send a cover letter, resume, professional references, and desired salary to Erin Gundy, erin.bush@il.nacdnet.net, with the subject matter “STAR OM Position”. For full consideration, apply by December 14, 2021. Contact Erin for additional questions.

The 2021 Green Infrastructure & Erosion Control Conference was a success. The Champaign County Stormwater Partnership would like to thank the U of I Extension for helping with all the technical aspects of this virtual conference and we are also grateful to the speakers for sharing their expertise. The presentations can been found on the CC Stormwater Partnership website. Click the button below to watch a video recording of the conference.

Are you a grazier looking for more forage to graze? Do you have cover crops but are interested in finding someone to graze them? Are you a landowner looking for a renter to graze your land? The Midwest Grazing Exchange is the site for you! This free matchmaking site connects graziers and landowners in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin. The website lets users: • search listings, including through an interactive map with filters for criteria like season, land or livestock type • create listings of what land or livestock they have to offer • create a free account to save listings of interest, add new listings, see contact details and message other users • browse a curated list of grazing resources, including examples of grazing lease agreements and contracts • explore the benefits regenerative grazing for both landowners and livestock owners The Midwest Grazing Exchange is a shared effort between the Midwest Perennial Forage Working Group of Green Lands Blue Waters, Practical Farmers of Iowa, Pasture Project, and a coalition of state hosts. We can't wait for you to join!