Illinois Success Story

EQIP in NW Illinois
Helping Livestock Producers Protect Water Quality

By: Jill Creamean, NRCS Public Affairs Specialist
November 2002

Photo Caption: NRCS State Conservationist Bill Gradle toured feedlots in Jo Daviess County and joined local livestock producers to discuss challenges and potential solutions through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

In fiscal year 2002, Livestock producers in northwest Illinois secured $676,349 through 13 NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) contracts. EQIP funding defrays the cost of development and installation of practices to contain livestock waste and prevent manure runoff from reaching streams and water supplies. Practices help landowners meet regulations, improve conditions on the farm, and improve producer’s bottom line.

In northwest Illinois, NRCS staff are working with a new kind of resource planning group. Northwest Illinois Waters (NIW) is comprised of Carroll, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson and Whiteside County livestock producers and other stakeholders working together to explore alternatives for addressing livestock waste issues, and associated water quality concerns in the prime livestock producing area of the state.

Livestock producers are often challenged to find the high level of conservation planning, engineering design, time, and money required to expeditiously and comprehensively address livestock waste and water quality issues. To help address this need, NRCS technical specialists and staff with the Blackhawk Hills Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) in the six-county area worked closely with NIW to identify objectives, prioritize concerns, develop conservation plans, and select conservation practices designed to fit the area and address local water quality concerns. NRCS provided Conservation Technical Assistance and delivery of USDA conservation programs to help livestock systems meet NRCS and EPA standards.

EQIP is back in the new Farm Bill with more funding to address livestock and other natural resource issues. NRCS will continue to work with Northwestern Illinois Waters to explore projects that provide the innovation, engineering, and assistance needed to help landowners address large-scale livestock waste issues and to protect water quality.

According to NRCS State Conservationist Bill Gradle, "This group has helped identify the top livestock issues affecting Illinois. This will help focus EQIP dollars and EQIP benefits."