%20(1)_edited.png)
Illinois Land Improvement Contractors Association, Inc.
News
Weather, Water Quality and Farmer-Led Solutions
Iowa State University's Mike Castellano discusses the factors driving nitrate levels in 2025 and how farmers are collaborating to improve outcomes.
2025 Pipeline Awareness Newsletter Released
The 2025 Pipeline Awareness Newsletter has been mailed to approximately 40,000 Public Officials. Download your pdf copy today!
Did You Know? NACD Staff are Available to Support Your Work
Did you know that every NACD region is staffed by an NACD Region Representative who can connect you to NACD resources, help provide learning and networking opportunities, and ensure your state or territory’s priorities are heard and represented in NACD’s advocacy efforts?
While all of NACD’s staff members are available to answer questions at any time, our seven NACD Region Representatives are a great first contact point in our organization.
Extending the Lifespan of Edge-of-Field Practices
Edge-of-field (EOF) practices are becoming increasingly common in Iowa's agricultural landscapes. Installed for a variety of conservation benefits, including improved water quality, habitat enhancement and flood mitigation, these practices play a critical role in sustainable land management.
Senate Ag Committee Examines USDA Reorganization Proposal
The Senate Agriculture Committee held a quickly scheduled hearing last week to examine the Trump Administration’s proposal to reorganize the Department of Agriculture (USDA). The plan calls for USDA to relocate thousands of staff from Washington, D.C., to five regional hubs: Raleigh, Kansas City, Indianapolis, Fort Collins, and Salt Lake City.
Agriculture & Transportation FY 2026 Funding Bills Move Forward - Government Shutdown Possible
Congress will return from its summer recess and attempt to complete action on the FY 2026 federal budget having thus far taken limited action on the 12 annual appropriations bills. Although some appropriations bills have advanced earlier than in recent years significant differences in funding levels threatens the possibility of a government shutdown.
Improved Water Quality & Crop Yields Through Managed Tile Drainage Systems
Find the practice that matches your goals.
Gulf of America 'Dead Zone' Below Average, Scientists Find
NOAA-supported scientists announced today that this year’s Gulf of America “dead zone” — an area of low to no oxygen that can kill fish and marine life — is approximately 4,402 square miles, 21% smaller than estimates from early June and the 15th smallest measurement on record. This equates to roughly 2.8 million acres of habitat potentially unavailable to fish and bottom-dwelling species, a reduction of 30% from the previous year.
Fratco’s Focus Remains Strong Amidst Proposed NRCS Cutbacks
A recent budget proposal from the White House has sparked uncertainty throughout the ag community, especially around the future of USDA field offices and conservation programs. The plan includes potential staffing reductions and restructuring at key agencies like the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
Paired-Field Evaluation of a Saturated Buffer Reveals Significant Water-Quality Benefits
Past studies evaluating the conservation drainage practice of saturated buffers (SB) have used the water flowing over the upstream weir as a control, assuming that upstream weir management does not reduce flow and nitrate load. The objectives are to (1) investigate whether the upstream weir functions as controlled drainage (CD) to provide water-quality benefits beyond those from the buffer flow (BF, defined as water diverted into the buffer), and (2) evaluate the performance of the SB system under high (shallow) and low (deep) weir management levels.
Enforcing Accountability: Defending Utility Damage Claims When the Excavator Is Not at Fault
In today’s excavation landscape, defending against utility damage claims hinges not just on good intentions or common practices, but on enforceable documentation—collected before any damage occurs. Without a comprehensive, well-documented file demonstrating the excavator acted responsibly and adhered to best practices, claims defense becomes an uphill battle.
House & Senate Continue Hearings on Highway Bill Reauthorization
With the expiration date for the current surface transportation legislation just over a year away, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee conducted the latest in a series of hearings to identify issues that need to be addressed when drafting the reauthorization proposal. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the Administration will be submitting a formal proposal of its policy recommendations but broadly outlined the Trump administration plans for freight connectivity improvements, highway safety projects and regulatory changes to speed up project delivery.
Trump Administration Unveils USDA Reorganization Focused on Streamlining & Decentralization
On July 24, 2025, Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins announced a sweeping reorganization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as part of the broader Trump “government efficiency” agenda. The plan would relocate over 2,600 of the roughly 4,600 Washington, D.C.–area employees to five new regional hubs—Raleigh, Kansas City, Indianapolis, Fort Collins, and Salt Lake City—while retaining only about 2,000 staff in the capital.
Agencies Move to Implement NEPA Reform to Accelerate Infrastructure Delivery
In early 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order rescinding all National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementing regulations and instructed federal agencies to issue new procedures prioritizing “efficiency and certainty” in environmental reviews. The NEPA process has long been a procedural burden significantly slowing down the delivery of vital infrastructure improvements.
A Contractor's Guide to Inspecting Used Equipment
It doesn’t take long to evaluate a used car or truck, but inspecting a piece of used equipment – whether it’s a beater or nearly new – requires several hours to a half a day. Anything you miss and have to repair or replace later will cost thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars.
To aid in this process, Equipment World has compiled the following printable used equipment checklist and an accompanying guide on performing key checks.
Quantitative Synthesis of the Denitrifying Bioreactor Hydraulic Retention Time
Denitrifying woodchip bioreactors consistently exhibit a strong positive relationship between hydraulic retention time (HRT) and nitrate (N) removal efficiency (NRE), expressed as a percent. This robust HRT-NRE linear regression provides an empirical tool for simply estimating bioreactor performance, but regression parameters (slope, y-intercept) vary across studies.
Clean Water Starts Upstream
A watershed is all the land that drains into a common body of water — like a river, lake, or stream. When it rains or snows, water flows downhill. In forests or grasslands, most of that water soaks into the ground. But in cities or on farm fields, water moves quickly across pavement or soil, picking up pollution as it goes.
6 Tips to Build a Culture of Safety
In construction, safety isn’t something you check off a list during orientation. It’s a constant, evolving part of the job — no matter how long you’ve been in the industry or what role you play. Whether someone’s just getting started or has been on sites for decades, there’s always more to learn and reinforce.
From keeping things simple to encouraging mentorship and celebrating the wins, here’s how to build a culture where safety sticks.
USDA Cuts Hit RCPP Grant Projects
USDA last month cut more than $1 billion in expected grant funding to 69 Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) projects nationally.
Few groups publicly criticized the funding loss.
In October 2024, the Biden administration announced USDA would invest $1.5 billion in 92 projects through RCPP, the largest funding ever for the program. The list of grant awards relied heavily on funding USDA had received from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).