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Illinois Land Improvement Contractors Association, Inc.
News
Competent Person: If You Can't Work, You Aren't Competent
Every trench collapse investigation eventually asks the same question: “Who was the Competent Person on this job?” The answer is almost always written on paperwork somewhere, and often known at the jobsite. But perhaps the real question should be: “Did [that person] actually have the authority to stop the work?” If the answer is no, then the title “Competent Person” was never real to begin with.
How Goals, Roles & Tasks Transform Teams
Confusion has a hefty price tag. If people aren’t clear about their roles, project goals and key tasks, frustration and burnout can undo even the strongest crews. Check out these five steps to building clarity, and bring your team’s mission into focus.
Senate Republicans Urge OSHA to Drop Heat Regulation
Senate Health Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-La.), joined by 15 fellow Republican senators, sent a letter urging OSHA not to move forward with the implementation of a proposed heat regulation. OSHA's first-of-its-kind proposed rule, titled “Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings,” was introduced in August 2025, and a final rule is widely expected to be issued in mid-to-late 2026.
Construction Material Price Hikes Reduce Demand
The Producer Price Index (PPI) for materials and services used in nonresidential construction rose 0.1 percent from January and 3.1 percent compared to February 2025, driven by sharp increases in metal prices. An analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) warned that rising costs are making it increasingly difficult for contractors and owners to proceed with planned projects.
Farm Bill Discussions Continue in House & Senate
The Senate Agriculture Committee will take up a farm bill of its own in the coming months. Senate Ag Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) noted that the timing depends in part on how debate on the House version proceeds, as reported by Agri-Pulse.
Farm Aid Urged in Iran Funding Measure
Farm organizations have appealed to the administration to propose a new round of assistance for agricultural producers as part of a defense supplemental request for funding the conflict with Iran. The Pentagon is seeking $200 billion in supplemental funding for the war effort.
Corncobs to the Rescue: Scaling Up Bioreactors for Iowa's Water Quality Goals
The scale of change needed to meet Iowa’s nutrient reduction goal is, well, pretty difficult to comprehend. Different scenarios can be used to estimate the number of conservation practices needed, but in general, we know that at least 100,000 woodchip bioreactors will be required to meet water quality targets (along with wetlands, saturated buffers, cover crops, and other practices).
National LICA Participates in CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026
National LICA participated in CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026 in Las Vegas, marking the seventh consecutive showwhere the association has maintained a presence at the largest construction trade show in North America.
The Iran War & Pipe Prices
Just 11 days into the Iran war, Jamie hosts an in-depth discussion with two experts in the polyethylene resin market. Joining the conversation are Sleiman Bassila, founder and president of BIC Advisory Group, and Tom Hughes, founder, president, and CEO of Quantum Polymers.
Labor Department Proposes New Independent Contractor Rules
On February 26, 2026, the United States Department of Labor (“DOL”) unveiled a highly anticipated proposed rule that could alter how businesses determine whether workers should be classified as employees or independent contractors. The DOL’s proposed rule would rescind and replace the current test (promulgated under the Biden administration) with a slightly modified version of the first Trump administration’s 2021 rule.
Farm Bill Reported from Committee – Conservation Programs Included
The House Agriculture Committee on March 5 approved a new five-year reauthorization of the farm bill that would extend many of the major U.S. Department of Agriculture programs through 2031. The Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026 (HR 7567) passed by a margin of 34 to 17, with all Republicans and seven Democrats voting in favor of the bill.
USDA Launches ‘One Farmer, One File’ Initiative to Better Support Farmers
Today at the Commodity Classic Convention in San Antonio, Texas, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the “One Farmer, One File” modernization, another action putting Farmers First with sweeping technological improvements at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Through “One Farmer, One File,” USDA’s mission is to create a single, streamlined record that follows the farmer — no matter where they go in the USDA system.
Ag Group Heads to Minnesota Capitol to Defend Farm Drainage Systems
Most crops grown in Minnesota don’t do well under excessively wet conditions. That’s especially true with heavy clay soils that don’t drain well.
Many farmers install underground drainage pipes, also called tile, to drain excess water. It allows for earlier planting and can improve plant health.
Study Shows 20 Year Decline in Nitrate Pollution Across Portions of the Mississippi River Basin
A new accounting of nitrogen pollution in the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin (MARB) reveals a significant decline in recent decades, suggesting positive momentum for water quality goals in local watersheds and the Gulf. Surprisingly, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign-led study doesn’t credit the change to reduced fertilizer application, but instead to cleaner air and more efficient nitrogen uptake by modern corn hybrids.
Illinois Scientists Separate Human & Hydrological Drivers of Nitrogen Pollution in the Upper Mississippi River Basin
The advancement, published in Environmental Science and Technology, could lead to more targeted policy and management approaches for nitrate and nitrite—nutrients that degrade drinking water quality and contribute to the oxygen-depleted “dead zones” that form each year in the Gulf of Mexico.
New Water-Treatment System Removes Nitrogen, Phosphorus from Farm Tile Drainage
Scientists have developed a new edge-of-field water-treatment system that reduces the load of excess nutrients washing into waterways from farm drainage systems. Their method combines a woodchip bioreactor with a two-step biochar water-treatment module.
Illinois LICA's 2025 Award Recipients
Every year, Illinois LICA honors the members and partners who go above and beyond for our Association and the land improvement industry. At this year’s ILICA Convention in January, we proudly presented awards to individuals whose leadership, service, and commitment continue to strengthen our industry. Join us in recognizing this year’s outstanding award recipients!
Remembering a Hall of Famer
Dr. Dan Jaynes of passed away on February 19, 2026. Dr. Jaynes made many contributions to the conservation drainage world through his research and development of practical practices like the saturated buffer throughout his career as a Research Soil Scientist at the National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment in Ames, IA.
Provide Your Crew With Meaningful Performance Data to Influence Project Outcomes
No, this is not another shameless reflection on a certain National Championship basketball team. However, if you are a fan, feel free to insert those superstars in this scenario. Consider two major teams in basketball are playing a back-and-forth game. Scoring in this game will quickly escalate to triple digits for both teams.
Fleet Solutions Offer Real-Time Asset Visibility & More
Managing construction and heavy fleet assets is a time-consuming job. While many fleets are still tracking data with pen and paper or on spreadsheets, more and more are turning to digital solutions to help control costs and improve operational efficiencies.