Illinois LICA Membership Benefits
Dedicated To The Professional Conservation of Soil and Water
However you prefer to get your continuing education in many of the land improvement professions operating today, Illinois LICA has an opportunity available for you.
Educational sessions are available during our annual convention; ILICA workshop and certification programs are offered annually as well as our Conservation Expo’s that provide hands on training for the implementation and monitoring of the newest practices in water treatment and conservation processes.
Our Purpose
The purpose of the Illinois Land Improvement Association is to serve as an organization to promote soil, land, natural resources, conservation and rehabilitation and water conservation and to control or prevent soil erosion, depletion or misuse of natural resources, soil and water pollution or contamination. Illinois LICA is dedicated to the professional conservation of soil and water and understands the challenges faced by contractors today. As land improvement contractors, our membership remains dedicated to learning the newest BMP’s being utilized today and to passing that knowledge on to other contractors, landowners and the general public.
Education & ILICA Certification Program
Illinois LICA offers several educational opportunities throughout the year. These sessions cover a variety of subjects from general business issues to drainage and earthmoving, that apply to land improvement contractors all over Illinois. These sessions are open to the public, however ILICA members receive a discount on any fees associated with training.
Our Conservation Expo’s provide hand’s on training alongside the best in the business in several Best Management Practices (BMP’s). Partnerships with U of I, NRCS and SWCD offices keep our contractors on the cutting edge of the latest conservation practices and technologies.
ILICA also has a drainage, earthmoving and erosion control certification program developed with Professor Kent Mitchell from University of Illinois Dept. of Ag Engineering. Any ILICA member is eligible to obtain this certification and sessions offered during conventions and workshops support the continuing education requirements for the program. Illinois is one of the few states that have a certification program, which is being used as a model for other states and national LICA.
Partnerships
Illinois LICA has several long standing partnerships with state and federal agencies such as NRCS, SWCD, and more recently with Illinois EPA. These relationships enhance our educational sessions and keep our contractors current with state and federal regulation changes and in touch with the programs that provide funding for many of the conservation practices they install every year. As businesses of every type are called to run ’lean’, these dollars can make the difference in whether or not a job moves from quote to contract.
Illinois LICA also works very closely with University of Illinois Ag College of Engineering on the latest water treatment technology being tested today. Our Conservation Expos provide the required environmental conditions for theories to be tested and live data gathered on a process that can enhance the water quality for all of rural Illinois.
Fellowship
The networking opportunities are limitless in this organization and most members find every meeting and committee activity to be a learning experience. The knowledge represented by our membership is impressive and their character, dedication and ethical understanding of business in today’s work environment is even more impressive.
The Board of Directors meets bi-monthly and is open to all membership of ILICA.
Legislative Representation
Illinois LICA not only maintains its own relationship with the previously mentioned agencies, ILICA along with other state chapters have a combined voice in Washington DC through national LICA Each year, representation from Illinois LICA travels to Washington DC along with several other chapters, to lobby their congressmen and women regarding legislation that affects land improvement contractors.
ILICA also has a strong partnership with the Ag Drainage Management Coalition who are well known in Washington. The ADMC was recently honored by the White House Council on Environmental Quality as an outstanding public-private partnership at the Presidential Conference on Cooperative Conservation.
Continental Western / LICA Insurance Program
Continental Western Group and LICA have joined together to design a simple and convenient policy for contractors that blends Property, Inland Marine, Crime, General Liability & Business Auto to fit your specific needs. This program offers a series of safety meetings throughout the year and also has a Safety Group Dividend potential. Workers’ Compensation and Employer’s Liability coverage is also available. This coverage is available through any agent that carries Continental Western Group, but Tim Neuhauser at Heiser Insurance in Morton Illinois is very knowledgeable on this program and would be glad to provide additional information.
National LICA Benefits