News

Enrollment Open for Emergency Watershed Protection Program – Floodplain Easements (EWPP-FPE)

This program provides an opportunity for landowners whose property has been impacted by severe or repeated flooding to voluntarily enroll land into floodplain easements. Through EWPP-FPE, NRCS works with landowners to restore natural floodplain functions, reduce future flood risks, and improve environmental quality, while removing their property from production.

USDA Invests $65 Mil for Projects that Help Farmers Improve Operations & Conserve Natural Resources

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the availability of $65 million in funding this year for new tools, approaches, practices and technologies to further natural resource conservation on private lands through the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program.

CIG is supported by the Working Families Tax Cuts Act (WFTCA), which increased funding for farm bill conservation programs, like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), which funds CIG.

Deere Faces New Law Suit Over Right-to-Repair

After reaching a settlement over a right-to-repair lawsuit with farmers in April, Deere & Co. is facing a new class action suit that alleges it also unfairly restricted repairs for its construction, lawn, and turf equipment. The case was brought by Christy Webber & Co., a landscaping operation in Chicago that services city landmarks like Soldier Field, Millennium Park and Navy Pier.

NRCS Chief Resigns

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Aubrey Bettencourt has resigned from the agency, according to a letter sent to staff as reported by Agri-Pulse. Colton Buckley, NRCS associate chief, will assume the role of chief.

Well-Positioned: How a Company Blossomed through GPS Integration

There can never be too many Cooks in the drainage “kitchen.” For Mike Cook, helping farmers plot and tile their fields for better water management has been not only a lifelong interest, but a family affair.

LICA's View: Strength in People

Greeting from Illinois! I am Steve Anderson the new president of LICA for 2026. It is a return for me as I served here in 2015. I have been a LICA member for close to 40 years now. Words don’t really express the value it has brought me: from simple knowledge to relationships that cross borders. LICA is quite the association for the drainage contractor, as well as the earthmovers involved in the moving of dirt.

The Edge of Disaster: Why Surface Protection is the First Line of Defense

A worker standing just 18 inches from the edge of a trench feels like they are on solid ground. To the naked eye, the dirt is unmoving. However, to a soil engineer, that worker is standing directly on a “failing wedge”— a segment of soil that has already lost its structural integrity and is simply waiting for a trigger to slide.

Honoring Jason Brown

It’s one of those announcements you never expect to see, and it left me stunned. On Monday, May 18th, Mid America Trenchers announced the passing of its president, Jason Brown.

Jason is gone far too soon, but the impact he had on his family, friends, customers, and the industry was greater than most people ever achieve.

Leaders in Soil Health Multiply Statewide Outreach Efforts

The Soil Health Leadership Program helps farmers, retailers, crop advisors, and conservation professionals improve their understanding of soil health principles and the production management changes needed to maximize on-farm benefits of soil health systems.

Wetland Restoration Initiative is Restoring Shallow Wetlands as Stopover Habitats

The availability of stopover habitats – shallow wetlands and flooded agricultural fields – is critical for building up energy reserves necessary for successful reproduction. In short, the more wetland habitat we can provide in the spring, the healthier ducks will return to the breeding grounds, and the more young ducks we should see in the fall.

Optimizing Through Modelling

Drainage contractors are skilled from the outset in creating and executing drainage plans for individual fields, and they also grow in experience every year. They’re also, like professionals in any other sector, keen to use new science and new technology to make minor – or major – improvements to the services they offer.

Farm Bill Passes House - Senate Consideration Expected Soon

On April 30 the House finally passed a farm bill by a 224-200 vote. The Farm, Food, and National Security Act, includes several key provisions for conservation aimed at supporting private land stewardship and enhancing wildlife habitat. Attention now focuses on the Senate, where Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman, R-Ark., is targeting the end of May or early June for a bill markup.

Research Highlights Saturated Buffer Success

New research from Michigan State University (MSU) reveals that saturated buffers improve water quality more than originally anticipated, significantly reducing nitrate load by 66% compared to standard tile drainage systems.

Ehsan Ghane, MSU associate professor and Extension specialist, shared insights gained from real-world installations of saturated buffers during an Iowa Learning Farms webinar last week.

To Tile or Not to Tile: Mitigating Damage in Lake Champaign

With nearly half of phosphorus load that runs into Lake Champlain coming from agricultural production, farmers, researchers and industry alike are banding together to help create a more long-term solution, while continuing to foster a productive agricultural industry.

Before You Shred: Know Which Tax Records to Keep

Tax documents can accumulate quickly. While clearing out old files can feel productive, it’s important not to discard anything until you’ve reviewed some record-retention guidelines.

Electrical Safety on Construction Sites

Electrocution is one of the leading causes of workplace fatalities — and construction consistently ranks among the most hazardous industries. With crews working near overhead power lines, buried utilities, and temporary electrical systems, electrical risk is a daily reality on job sites.

A 'Smart' Way to Manage Water: Automated Controlled Drainage

Managing water and the timing of water has become one of the biggest challenges in crop production, especially in recent years marked by wet springs followed by dry summers. Controlled drainage systems are an option for helping farmers better manage subsurface water.

NRCS Announces Second Application Sign-ups for Agricultural Land Easements

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is establishing a second national deadline for agricultural producers and landowners to apply for fiscal year 2026 assistance in the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The new deadline for entities to apply is May 29, 2026.

NACD Applauds House Farm Bill Passage

The Act supports key programs, under Title II, that conservation districts help deliver each day, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).

Illinois Scientists Sound the Alarm on Field Inundation, Work with Farmers to Find Solutions

Larry Dallas’ farm in Central Illinois’ Douglas County is as flat as it gets. That’s a good thing for planting straight rows and maneuvering farm equipment in the field, but there’s a major downside, too. “Heavier rain is hard for us to deal with because of the poorly drained soils and the lack of any roll to the ground. It's hard for the water to get away when the rain starts,” Dallas said. “We have installed a lot of drainage tile trying to mitigate that.”