Illinois Land Improvement Contractors Association, Inc.
News
What's Your Business Exit Strategy?
Ever since you became a business owner, you’ve focused on growing revenue, managing expenses and leveraging tax advantages. But don’t overlook a critical element of your long-term financial well-being, that is, a business exit strategy. Ideally, your exit strategy will help you meet your retirement and estate planning goals.
Design & Performance of an In Stream Woodchip Denitrifying Bioreactor Treating Agricultural Drainage
Woodchip denitrifying bioreactors (WDBs) are an established edge-of-field practice for mitigating nitrogen losses in agricultural watersheds. WDBs also have potential to remove other aquatic contaminants associated with farming.
Invest in Your Kids' or Grandkids' Future with Help from the Tax Code
If you’re thinking about helping a child or grandchild pay for school, you’re not alone, and you’re not without help. While families have always saved for education, Section 529 plans have made it easier and more tax-efficient.
Conservation Funding Concerns in Illinois
The executive director of the Association of Illinois Soil & Water Conservation Districts says farmers are going to have less access to conservation expertise due to insufficient state funding.
Eliot Clay says for the second straight year, the state’s 97 local SWCD’s will receive only $4.5 million.
“We’re basically where we were at back in the ‘90s.”
Legacy Phosphorus - The Enduring Hidden Driver of Tile Drainage Loss
Lake Erie continues to have algal blooms in the summer because of excess phosphorus. There are various sources of phosphorus (P) entering Lake Erie, but agriculture is a dominant source. Recent research highlights the dominant role of legacy phosphorus (P) and the need for innovative solutions to protect water quality.
Shining a Spotlight on How Conservation Practices and Ag Tile Drainage Can Stop Nutrient Loss
Every quarter, a group of conservation professionals from non-profit groups, government agencies, and the tile drainage industry get together to share news and learn from one another. These 2-hour meetings are hosted by the Wetlands Initiative, but they are led by Wes Lehman. Wes is a sales rep and conservation specialist for Springfield Plastics, Inc.
Choosing the Optimal Accounting Method for Tax Savings
The accounting method your business uses to report income for tax purposes, either cash or accrual, can significantly impact your tax bill. While the cash method can offer tax-saving opportunities, the accrual method may in some cases be more appropriate or even required.
AISWCD: Second Year of Budget Cuts Threatens Future of Conservation Districts
The Association of Illinois Soil & Water Conservation Districts (AISWCD) is sounding the alarm as the FY26 Illinois state budget continues to underfund the state’s 97 Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs). For the second consecutive year, SWCDs will receive only $4.5 million — nearly a 50 percent reduction from FY24 levels and below what was budgeted more than 25 years ago — leaving many districts facing layoffs, service reductions, or even closure.
New Funding Opportunity Announced for Nonpoint Source Edge-of-Field Control Projects
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) Acting Director James Jennings today announced a new grant program, the Gulf Hypoxia Program (GHP) Priority Watershed Implementation, offering up to $788,000 in funding for nonpoint source (NPS) pollution edge-of-field control projects to prevent, eliminate, or reduce nitrate loads to Illinois' surface waters that serve as public water supply sources.
US DOT Agrees DBE Program Implementation Unconstitutional
The US Department of Transportation (US DOT) said in a court filing this week it has agreed to end consideration of race or gender in DOT’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program (DBE) program when awarding billions of dollars in federal highway and transit projects. USDOT agreed with plaintiffs in the suit that the DBE “program’s use of race- and sex-based presumptions in awarding contracts is unconstitutional."
Reconciliation Package Faces Strong Push Back in Senate
The House reconciliation bill, now officially called “One Big Beautiful Bill,” passed by a vote of 215-214 prior to the Memorial Day recess. It is intended to implement President Trump’s domestic agenda by extending expiring tax cuts; removing taxes on tips and overtime pay; increasing funding for border security, including continued construction of a border wall, and enhanced military funding, including a golden dome satellite defense system. In addition, the bill cuts spending on Medicaid, food aid, higher education and clean energy investments to pay for these new initiatives and to reduce overall federal expenditures.
Court Finds Swampbuster Rules Constitutional
Agri Pulse reports that a federal judge on Thursday upheld the constitutionality of the farm bill’s Swampbuster provision, which puts producers at risk of losing access to farm program benefits if caught destroying protected wetlands.
DOGE Spending Cuts to be Formalized in Future Legislation
This week President Trump indicted that the administration will send legislation to the Hill to formalize spending cuts made by the Elon Musk headed Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE. Those cuts would have to be done in subsequent rescissions and appropriations legislation, because of rules excluding changes to discretionary spending in the current budget reconciliation package.
Advanced Drainage Systems Announces Acquisition of River Valley Pipe
Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc., a leading provider of innovative water management solutions in the stormwater and onsite septic wastewater industries announced today the acquisition of River Valley Pipe LLC, a privately-owned pipe manufacturing company located in the Midwest region of the United States.
Illinois State Police Announces Results of Commercial Motor Vehicle Detail
Illinois State Police (ISP) conducted a Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance detail on May 13-16, 2025. This commercial motor vehicle enforcement campaign occurred at fixed and portable scale locations in Cook, Will, Madison, Montgomery, and St. Clair Counties. Officers successfully enforced state and federal motor carrier safety regulations by conducting North American Standard Inspections and educated drivers on the importance of safe driving, seat belt use, and safe equipment.
Mentorship in Construction: Building Skills & Relationships on the Job Site
Contractors should strongly consider implementing a mentorship program within their companies, to not only build valuable skills but also to foster strong relationships that can benefit the entire organization.
Buffers & Bioreactors: What's the ROI?
A team at Iowa State University has been hard at work researching ways to make practices like saturated buffers and bioreactors cheaper and easier for landowners to install.
Researchers Study Conservation Practices
Research continues to increase the effectiveness of best management practices for improving water quality, while seeking to make practices cheaper and easier for landowners to install, say researchers at Iowa State University.
Mapping Tile Lines Can Help with Future Maintenance
A ag educator says farmers can benefit from knowing more about drain tile, and the location of older systems installed on their farms.
Kevin Erb with the University of Wisconsin Extension tells Brownfield well-drained soil helps improve crop yields, but there are a lot of old drainage tile systems that might not be working well anymore, and finding them can be challenging.
A Thanks & Farewell from Outgoing LICA President Tony Cain
Serving as president has been an honor. I have learned a lot these past few years about leadership and have met many good people. I could not have done it without good, active members, associates and staff – and my beautiful wife Michelle. Thanks to everyone for helping me grow into a better person.
Rare Chicago Dust Storm Reignites Debates Over the Role of Agriculture, Experts Say
A tall, imposing plume of agricultural sediment blew from central Illinois and over dry farmland to envelop Chicago, dropping visibility to near zero last week during a type of dust storm mostly seen in arid climates in the Middle East, North Africa and the southwestern U.S. “It’s pretty rare to have dust storms in Illinois,” said Trent Ford, the Illinois state climatologist. “It’s not unprecedented, but it’s uncommon. And for a dust storm to affect Chicago is even more uncommon.”
ADMC Corner with Keegan Kult
Another check-in with Keegan Kult, Executive Director for ADMC, yielded some exciting updates for the drainage water management industry.
Rigging Safety For Trench & Shoring Operations
Rigging safety in trenching and shoring operations is essential to prevent incidents involving heavy equipment, loads, or structural collapse. Below are some key safety practices and guidelines to ensure safe rigging during trenching and shoring work.
Characterizing the Fine Scale Spatial Distribution of Soil P for Efficient P Management in an Illinois Tile Drained Field
Closed depressions in post-glacial landscapes can accumulate phosphorus (P) due to repeated flooding and become hotspots for P loss when underlain by subsurface (tile) drainage. Soil P mapping is routinely based on the interpolation of samples from a 1-ha grid, which may miss closed depressions and underestimate soil P levels leading to overfertilization and nutrient loss.
Control, Automated
Controlled drainage offers multiple benefits to farmers including the ability to control the flow of water and trap nutrients in their fields, yet adoption rates in North America continue to lag. A new pilot project being conducted by researchers at The Ohio State University is looking to change that.
Water Funding Comes Into Focus
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a hearing April 30 for water and wastewater experts to report on the impacts of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) in addressing major infrastructure repairs and upgrades much needed by state and local agencies. The experts called repeatedly for Congress to fully appropriate funding at authorized levels for fiscal 2026.
Senate Looks at NRCS Cutbacks
At a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing on conservation programs this week, a panel of conservation leaders told senators that cutbacks in staffing as the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), would impact producer access to technical assistance necessary to ensure that farmers continue trying out practices that reduce soil erosion and prevent nutrient runoff.
Reconciliation Legislation Moves Along In House
House Republicans moved closer to completing action this week on a reconciliation plan to implement President Trump’s “one, big, beautiful” agenda bill. The final three committees completed action on their portion of the package to renew the 2017 tax cut legislation with some additional tax cuts and to cut roughly $1.5 trillion in spending over the next decade to pay for the tax provisions and reduce overall federal spending.
DOT Approves $607 Million Infrastructure Grants
The U.S. Department of Transportation recently approved 180 infrastructure grants worth $3.2 billion from more than 3,200 projects that were awarded by the previous administration without project agreements. USDOT announced that it has approved 329 grants so far this year.
Those approved grants include a wide range of modal administration programs, from airport improvement grants to rail, port, and highway infrastructure initiatives.
No Plans to Close Any FSA Offices, Ag Sec Rollins Says
Reuters’ Leah Douglas reported that “U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins at a Senate hearing on Tuesday defended downsizing the USDA and potential cuts to international food aid programs, but said the agency does not plan to close any of its 4,500 offices that serve farmers.”
Refer a Landowner, Earn Cash!
Illinois LICA has partnered with the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), select Illinois SWCDs, and Ecosystems Exchange Service (ESE) in mutual support of a pilot project to demonstrate the ability to scale-up conservation drainage practices in the Illinois River Basin to improve water quality, enhance wildlife habitat, and realize crop production benefits that help to support viable and sustainable agriculture.
Your Return Is Filed! 3 Things to Keep in Mind Post-Filing
Most people feel some relief after filing their income tax returns each year. But even if you've successfully filed your 2024 return, you may still have questions. Here are three common ones.
Traveling With Your Spouse on Business? Know What's Deductible
If you own a company and travel for business, you may wonder whether you can deduct all the costs of having your spouse accompany you on trips. It’s possible, but the rules are restrictive.
Navigating the Orange Zone
You're pouring footers next to a live lane of traffic. Your crew’s navigating rebar, forms and truck deliveries. And somewhere behind it all, there’s a driver scrolling social media at 45 mph. This is why traffic control isn’t just a check-the-box item—it’s a matter of security for your people, your schedule and your bottom line.
Ransomware Is Crippling the Construction Industry
The construction industry finds itself in the crosshairs of ransomware attacks. What makes construction so alluring to cybercriminals? It’s not just the industry’s digital transformation — it’s the mechanics of project delivery.
LICA Participates in Family Business Coalition Supporting Continuation of Tax Relief
The Family Business Coalition (FBC) is a diverse collection of organizations and industry groups united for the common purpose of protecting America's family businesses across the country. The group meets monthly to connect top decision makers from Capitol Hill with family business coalition partners, family business owners, and state-based allies.
Administration Tells Agencies to Use Technology to Speed Project Reviews
The Trump administration has placed a major emphasis on overhauling the environmental review and permitting process that significantly slow down the delivery of a variety of infrastructure, energy and other projects. April 15 the President issued a memorandum directing federal agencies to integrate technology into their review workflows in order to accelerate the processing time for infrastructure projects.
Design & Construction of Phosphorus Removal Structures
This series of training modules, funded by the NRCS and produced in conjunction with ASA and ASABE, first seeks to thoroughly introduce, describe the practice, and explain where it is applicable. Next, training Module 2, separated into two sections, explains what information needs to be gathered from the field for conducting a site-specific design, along with various calculations for obtaining necessary inputs.
Mechanistic Study on the Role of Design & Management Factors in Regulating Nitrogen Treatment Performance in Constructed Wetlands
Surface flow constructed wetlands (SFCWs) are increasingly recognized as an effective solution for nitrogen in agricultural drainage, with their performance influenced by design and management. However, the mechanisms by which these factors regulate nitrogen removal remain unclear.
ADMC and USDA-NRCS Formalize Partnership to Advance Conservation Drainage Practices
The Agricultural Drainage Management Coalition (ADMC) and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) have formally renewed their strategic relationship through a newly signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), solidifying a shared commitment to improving agronomic efficiency, water quality, and environmental performance across America’s drained agricultural landscapes.
Constructed Wetlands: A Solution for Water Quality in Bureau & Marshall Counties
Farmers in Bureau and Marshall Counties are turning to an innovative conservation practice that’s not only helping the environment — but also potentially boosting their bottom line. Constructed wetlands, designed to treat water from subsurface tile drainage, are gaining traction as a way to improve water quality, support wildlife, and make farmland more profitable.
Agricultural Tile Drainage in the US Corn Belt: Past, Present, and Future
Agricultural subsurface drainage systems, or tile drainage, consists of networks of perforated pipes installed beneath croplands to remove excess water. The primary benefits of drainage systems are twofold: (a) they protect soil and crop health; and, (b) they enable earlier planting (Pavelis 1987). By alleviating waterlogging and enhancing soil aeration, subsurface drainage systems promote stronger root growth and improve nutrient uptake (Castellano et al. 2019), leading to increased crop yields, increased nitrogen use efficiency, and reduced nitrous oxide emissions.
DWM Studies Confirm Large & Consistent N Loss Reduction
We synthesized results of drainage water management (controlled drainage) studies from all available studies that met criteria from 1979 to 2022, and determined the following average effects:
Spring & Summer Drainage Water Management for Grain Crops
As I write this article on the last day of March 2025, about 3 to 4 inches of precipitation is expected across the state of Ohio by April 7. The 30-year normal monthly precipitation for April is about 4 inches. This means, you may have received an entire month’s worth of rain in just one week! The National Weather Service (NWS) recently issued the 2025 U.S. Spring Outlook, covering precipitation, temperature, flooding, and droughts. You can find more details on the Climate Prediction Center website.
From Farm to Filtration: Conservation in Action
On April 3rd, Illinois farmers, agriculture professionals, water treatment experts, and the newly elected Mayor of Bloomington came together bright and early at Davis Lodge in Hudson, IL, for a day-long event entitled “From Farm to Filtration: A Tour of Conservation in Action.” The event was hosted by Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership (ISAP), Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council (NREC), and the McLean Soil and Water Conservation District.
ISAP's 2024 Annual Report
ISAP has published the 2024 Annual Report recapping the exciting achievements and strides made by the partnership over the past year!
ISAP’s 2024 highlight reel includes celebrating another Illinois Soil Health Week, selecting a new Soil Health Leadership Program cohort, launching the Financial INcentives Database Tool, convening Alphabet Soup Network at the Illinois State Fair, hosting the 2024 Risk Management Conference, welcoming new members, and more!
Tax Season Cleanup: Which Records Can You Toss?
If you’ve filed your 2024 tax return, you may be eager to do some spring cleaning, starting with tax-related paper and digital clutter. The documentation needed to support a tax return may include receipts, bank and investment account statements, K-1s, W-2s, and 1099s. How long must you save these records? Three years is the general rule. But don’t be hasty: Failure to keep a paper trail for the information reported on a tax return could lead to problems if the IRS audits it.
Payroll Fraud Threats Inside and Outside Your Company
Payroll fraud schemes can be costly. According to a 2024 Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) study, the median loss generated by payroll fraud incidents is $50,000. It’s essential to know the payroll schemes making the rounds and how to prevent them or at least catch them before they go on very long.
Enhancing Equipment, Safety, and Payroll: What’s New in BusyBusy!
At BusyBusy, we’re committed to making time tracking and workforce management as seamless as possible. Our latest updates introduce powerful new features that put more control into your hands. Here’s what’s new with our 2025.1 release:
Are Nutrient Management Plans Working? Here’s What the Latest Water Quality Data Shows
As a sixth-generation farmer, Jeff O’Connor has seen his family farm change through the generations. The one common thread is a love of taking care of the land.
Trench Rescue & What to Expect from Your Local Fire Department
It is important to understand that for your local fire department or rescue squad, trench rescue is a low frequency/high risk event. Fire departments across the country can have rescuers trained to an awareness level, operations level, or technician level.
Legacy Phosphorus Sources Dominate P Losses from Tile Drains
Tile drainage is an important pathway for agricultural P losses in Ohio and Indiana, but little is known about the relative importance of newly applied P fertilizers and old soil P (aka legacy P) to tile drainage losses. Understanding these sources could help direct efforts to reduce P loss, for instance 4R fertilizer management practices will primarily reduce new P losses, while old P losses may require edge-of-field practices and/or drawdown of soil P.
Seriously, Call Before You Dig
National Safe Digging Month serves as a reminder that digging without locating utility lines results in injuries, loss of life and property damage every year.
Secretary Rollins Names NRCS Chief
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the appointment of Audrey Bettencourt to lead the department’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Bettencourt is a third-generation California farmer and most recently served as the Global Director of Government Relations and External Affairs at Netafim, an international company specializing in irrigation technology.
7 Data Sources That Cut Project Costs and Time
Every project, no matter how big or small, is a race against time. The longer it takes, the less profitable it is. And while shortcuts can save time, they can also lead to accidents. Striking the right balance between efficiency, productivity, profitability and ensuring worker safety is always the goal but recent data shows construction projects are exceeding budgets.
OSHA's Focus Four Training Program
The four most common causes of worker fatalitiesin the construction industry are falls, being caught in or between machinery or equipment, being struck by objects, and electrocution. That is why we created a set of training resources to teach workers how to stay safe from these hazards.
Truck Driver Pinned, Crushed Between Backing Dozer and Truck
He was standing near the back of the truck when the dozer was being backed up. The dozer operator did not see the truck or driver. The truck driver was crushed between the dozer and the truck and pronounced dead at the scene, according to the patrol.
Are Nutrient Management Plans Working? Here’s What the Latest Water Quality Data Shows
Bringing science to actionable and practical insights to reduce nutrient runoff has been the task of a multi-state effort, developed in response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2008 Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan.
Personal Reflections for World Water Day
Water shapes lives, communities, and the world we share. For World Water Day, hear directly from our team members about what water means to them and why protecting it matters. Watch the video to see their perspectives and let their words remind us that water management is essential, today and every day.
Constructed Wetlands for Water Quality: Insights and farmer perspectives
In agriculture, wetlands can be a powerful tool used to intercept tile drainage, reducing nutrient loss for water quality improvement. An edge-of-field practice included in the Illinois Nutrient Loss Strategy (NLRS) suite of agricultural conservation practices. Wetlands, constructed or restored, have benefits for water quality and wildlife.
Describing Drainage Intensity and Drainage Coefficient
Learn about Drainage Intensity and Drainage Coefficient with a simple example. Learn how the main pipe should be sized for best drainage performance.
Transformingdrainage.org Conservation Drainage Tools
The TRANSFORMINGDRAINAGE.org project has developed a suite of tools aimed at improving water management in agricultural landscapes.
NACD Report Highlights Impacts of Funding Cuts
The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) has released a report about the impacts of recent Executive Orders and funding freezes on America’s locally led conservation delivery system, including conservation districts and the producers and communities they serve. The report was informed by a survey the association distributed to conservation districts last month, which received over 350 responses from across 45 states and territories.
Data Shows 70% Decline in Trench-Related Worker Fatalities
Common Ground Alliance (CGA) applauded the recent decline in trench-related fatalities highlighted by OSHA's preliminary data. This steep 70% decrease since 2022 shows the effectiveness of focused safety partnerships, including CGA's participation in OSHA's Safe Trenching and Excavation Operations Alliance, which emphasizes outreach, education and training.
Administration Initiates WOTUS Definition Reform
The seemingly never ending battle to bring reasonable rules to the definition of “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) took a positive turn when EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that the agency had worked with the Army Corps of Engineers on new guidance clarifying the WOTUS definition to comport with the U.S. Supreme Court’s Sackett decision.
Feather Prairie Farm: Conservation for Wildlife & Ag Resilience
Previously, ISAP offered a training on how conservation drainage practices –saturated buffers, bioreactors, controlled drainage, and constructed wetlands– can reduce pollution. We reached out to some of those trainees to learn how this training has been a benefit to them. One student was Wes Lehman, a conservation specialist and sales representative for Springfield Plastics, Inc. Wes his wife, Andie, also operate Feather Prairie Farm near Dwight, IL.
Springfield Plastics Welcomes Agri-Tile Inc. into Trusted Tiling Partner Program
Awarded to companies celebrating their business anniversary, this program highlights the quality and dedication to the work done in the agricultural tiling industry.
“We have been working with Agri-Tile since 2010 and are excited to make this company a member of our Trusted Tiling Partner program,” said Jennifer Furkin, Vice President of Springfield Plastics. “Springfield Plastics’ success is thanks in part to our customers and the pride that they take in delivering the best tile drainage systems in the country. We are excited to recognize Agri-Tile and Joel Sandeno and appreciate our strong, long-term business relationship.”
How Dashcams Are Enhancing Safety and Protecting Fleets From Fraud
Let's face it — we live in a world where everything is prone to going viral. A recent epidemic that has taken the Internet and social media platforms by storm is auto insurance fraud attempts, thanks to the rapid adoption of dashcams. Dashcams have become essential for businesses reliant on vehicles and heavy equipment. They offer protection against a nefarious trend—staged accidents that exploit commercial fleets for financial gain.
Legacy Phosphorus: The Enduring Hidden Driver of Tile Drainage Loss
Lake Erie continues to have algal blooms in the summer because of excess phosphorus. There are various sources of phosphorus (P) entering Lake Erie, but agriculture is a dominant source. Recent research highlights the dominant role of legacy phosphorus (P) and the need for innovative solutions to protect water quality.
Get Educated on 4 Key OSHA Updates
Staying updated on the latest OSHA guidelines is crucial for maintaining safety on your job sites.
Recent developments have introduced new standards and proposals aimed at enhancing worker protection. Here’s an overview of four key updates and their implications:
Spring is Coming. How Do Controlled Drainage Systems Stack Up?
With springtime coming, that means things will likely be wet – whether that’s from snow melting, some April showers or both. As such, Vinayak Shedekar, assistant professor in agricultural water management at The Ohio State University – and an educator whose work in the field of controlled drainage has helped influence understanding and adoption – has created references on how to manage controlled drainage systems in the fall and spring.
Henry County Farmer Installs Woodchip Bioreactors to Maximize Conservation
“Conservation has always been a part of what my family’s done, so that’s kind of always been part of my DNA,” shares Brian Corkill who grows corn and soybeans on 1,000 acres near Galva, Illinois.
Brian’s family moved away from the moldboard plow in the late 1970s and began no-tilling in the early eighties. “So now I’m trying to take it to the next level as I take over the farm and am the primary decision maker for the farming operation.”
NACD Applauds Confirmation of Brooke Rollins as Secretary of Agriculture
The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) applauds Brooke Rollins’ confirmation to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Secretary Rollins will lead USDA’s broad mandate to support American producers, communities, food safety and security, working lands conservation, and more.
Last month, NACD joined hundreds of agriculture and conservation organizations in sending a letter to the leaders of the Senate Agriculture Committee supporting Brooke Rollins’ nomination. The Committee advanced her nomination by a unanimous vote and the full Senate approved her confirmation by vote of 72-28.
This Illinois High School Won’t Give Up on its Heavy-Equipment Education
“One part of me was so happy to see so much of the equipment that was there when I was there,” he says. “And another part of me was so sad and heartbroken that that same equipment was still there.”
That sent Schmid on a mission, which has resulted in capturing hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment and helped breathe new life into a program that now has a waiting list of students.
ISAP Partners Install Automated Water Control Structure in Tazewell County
In July 2024, David Spengler and Kent Bohnhoff installed an automated water control structure on S&G Farms in Tazewell County with support from the Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership, Fishers & Farmers Partnership*, and the One Good Idea Grant.
Drainage Water Management, Woodchip Bioreactor, & Saturated Riparian Buffer as Stacked Conservation Practices
Stacking edge-of-field practices may improve nutrient removal from crops. To examine the effects of stacking edge-of-field conservation practices, a woodchip bioreactor (WBR) and saturated riparian buffer (SRB) were installed in series by intercepting tile flow from a field having a drainage water management system.
ESFI Finds 150 Annual Electrical Deaths in the Workplace
Daniel Majano, ESFI’s program director, said: “Over 74% of the workplace electrical fatalities that occurred between 2011 and 2023 were in nonelectrical occupations that may have not received electrical safety training.”
Updated Guide to Robust Depreciation Write-offs for Your Business
Tax-saving benefits are generally available when your business puts newly acquired qualifying assets into service. Under Section 179 of the tax code, companies can take substantial depreciation deductions, subject to various limits adjusted annually for inflation.
AFT’s Soil Health Training is Creating a Network of Conservation Leaders
American Farmland Trust's Advanced Soil Health Training (ASHT) is empowering and educating farmers and agricultural advisors using practical knowledge and hands-on experience in soil health practices.
The training combines classroom presentations and on-site field visits where participants explore topics such as soil health indicators, intentional land management, advanced cover crop strategies, and effective communication strategies within their networks.
LICA Update: Managing Water in Clay Soils
This past August, LICO partnered with Haldimand Soil & Crop Improvement Association to host a Drainage Day for Haldimand County farmers near Fisherville, ON. The event drew more than 100 famers to Aaron McQueen’s AA Crop Company’s shop and they rotated in groups to hear about precision soil mapping from Dan Breckon (Woodrill’s GroundWork) and regulations from LICO’s Sid VanderVeen, get in the soil pit with OMAFA’s Jim Warren and LICO’s Peter Johnson, and see several erosion control berms and swales with host Aaron McQueen and OMAFA’s Kevin McKague.
Springfield Plastics Donates over $1 Million to Illinois & Iowa Cancer Centers since 2014
“Each October our team members, customers, and communities truly come together to support the life-changing work performed at Simmons Cancer Institute and John Stoddard Cancer Center through Drain for the Cure,” said Steve Baker, Springfield Plastics President. “We have this fundraiser every year in honor of our family, friends, employees, and partners who are fighting their own battles with cancer as well as those we have lost to this terrible disease.”
Advanced Drainage Systems Hosts Groundbreaking for $30 Million World-Class Recycling Facility Expansion in Georgia
Advanced Drainage Systems, a leading provider of innovative water management solutions in the stormwater and onsite septic wastewater industries, announced the groundbreaking of a significant expansion to its recycling facility in Cordele, Georgia. This investment will enhance ADS’ ability to provide high quality recycled material to our factories in the Southeast.
Strategies for Preventing Utility Damage
Preventing utility damage can be challenging, especially if you don’t have a comprehensive file showing what you are doing. In today’s utility damage prevention landscape, capturing and documenting best practices is crucial for all stakeholders. Here’s a detailed guide to ensure you have all the necessary documentation to prevent damage and associated claims effectively.
Constructed Wetlands for Water Quality: Perceptions in Today's Society
Wetlands are some of the most vital yet understood ecosystems, often portrayed in films as eerie, dangerous places rather than the biodiverse habitats they are. Why is that? The University of Illinois is working on understanding wetland perceptions, their ecological importance, and efforts to improve public understanding while also providing educational opportunities.
OSHA Revises PPE Standard for Construction Industry
On Dec. 11, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced that OSHA finalized a revision to the personal protective equipment (PPE) standard for construction. The final rule explicitly requires the PPE to properly fit any construction worker who needs it to improve protection from hazardous conditions.
More an Art than a Science
Terraced drainage (terraces) has long been recognized as an effective way to reduce runoff and soil erosion. Terraces block the downward flow at key intervals, which reduces surface water velocity and, thus, erosion. In its purest form, it has been used in Asia for as long as 2,300 years.
Illinois EQIP 2025 Application Deadline Established
Illinois agricultural and forestry producers who want to address or improve natural resources are encouraged to sign up for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program or EQIP. Tammy Willis, Illinois Natural Resources Conservation Service State Conservationist, announces that Feb. 28, 2025, will be the EQIP application deadline.
What's A Bioreactor? New Video Reveals Underground Flow of Water
The Iowa Ag Water Alliance and several partners are releasing a new animated video that shows how bioreactors and saturated buffers clean tile drainage. It will be a critical tool in helping agronomists and water quality professionals promote these practices on farms.
Research: How Effective are Riparian Buffers in Cold Climate Conditions?
Subsurface farm drainage has been under scrutiny for its role in the transport of phosphorus (P) into freshwater bodies, causing water quality issues in bodies such as Lake Erie and the Gulf of Mexico. One of the common edge-of-field practices which often accompany subsurface or surface drainage is the use of riparian zones between agricultural land and waterways, which are designed to trap and treat pollutants before they enter waterways using a unique quality of local topography and quasi-natural vegetation.
The Legacy of Corn Nitrogen Fertilizer: Study Shows Lengthy Impact in Tile Drained Systems
Midwestern soils are among the most productive in the world, thanks in part to extensive tile drainage systems that remove excess water from crop fields. But water isn't the only thing flowing through tile drains.
Illinois EQIP Funding with “Act Now”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service Illinois State Conservationist, Tammy Willis, announces a funding opportunity for Environmental Quality Incentives Program Landscape Conservation Initiatives and Urban Ag using “Act Now” authority.
Caterpillar Kicks Off its Next 100 Years of Innovation & Industry Leadership
Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) today marked its 100th anniversary with celebrations throughout the U.S. that commemorate a monumental moment in the company’s history. The iconic manufacturing company officially turns 100 on April 15, marking a century of customer-centric innovation and industry-leading transformation.
Identifying a Proposed Excavation Site: White Lining Versus Requesting an Onsite Meeting
Clear communication and planning are integral to any excavation. Efficiently and effectively identifying and communicating the location of the proposed excavation site is one segment of the larger excavation process. Two common methods for identifying the worksite location are white lining and requesting an onsite excavation meeting. Both methods aim to enhance project safety and efficiency.
LICA's View: Giving Back to this Beautiful Business
This morning (Sept. 26), Michelle and I left sunny Indiana to drive into the path of Helena. We’ve had plans for some time to meet with two of our sons and their respective families at a cabin in the Smoky Mountains. We were right in the path of heavy rain and wins.
Land Values Signal Seller's Market; Drainage can Effect Buyer Interest
According to the latest report by Farmers National Company (FNC), a Nebraska-based management and professional solutions provider for U.S. farms, despite various pressures on farms – lower net farm income, declining commodity markets, higher interest rates and increased input costs – land values have remained stable across the Midewest.
The New 2025 Law is Now Effective
The new 2025 Illinois Underground Utility Facilities Damage Prevention Act (JULIE law) is now in effect. Significant changes to the law impact when you should submit a locate request, required pre-marking of the job site and more.
As you begin excavation in the new year, we have resources available to assist you in adhering to the new regulations.
What You Need to Know for the Year Ahead
OSHA has been busy this last year issuing several significant updates and new rules regarding workplace safety. Employers must stay ahead of these changes to ensure compliance and foster a safer, healthier work environment for their employees. Here’s a rundown of the key updates for 2024 and beyond!
FleetWatcher Tames 'Data Overload' to Better Manage Construction Equipment
An overabundance of data from construction site equipment can hurt rather than help companies, but FleetWatcher's advanced telematics platform allows users to manage multiple apps with a single platform.
Schlatter's, Inc 2025 GPS School Registration is Open
Once again Schlatter’s Inc. will host our annual GPS School for Water Management. This event will cover nearly everything to do with PTx Trimble GPS, Technology, and Water Management. This is a 2 day event that will be offered on 2 different dates in February of 2025. Registration is at 7:30 am EST and Seminar will begin at 8:30 am EST, Meals and Snacks will be provided as well as Training Materials. Special Discounts are available to customers who have purchased GPS systems from Schlatter’s Inc.
Registration will close 7 days prior to the individual session.