ABOUT STAR

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Saving Tomorrow’s Agriculture Resources (STAR) is a FREE tool to assist farm operators and landowners in evaluating their nutrient and soil loss management practices on individual fields. STAR encourages farmers and landowners to use management practices and make decisions that will reduce the nutrient and soil losses on their fields, and in return, they are provided a field sign recognizing their level of commitment to conservation. Ultimately, this program will help reduce the nutrient and soil losses from farmland over larger areas, and specifically the various water sheds, while engaging key stakeholders from all corners of the agriculture sector - retail, commodity, agency, and farmers. In addition, the practices encouraged by STAR will also result in improved soil health.

Illinois STAR was developed in 2017 by two local farmers who teamed up with the Champaign County Soil and Water Conservation District (CCSWCD) to formally establish STAR across Illinois and eventually inspire a national expansion. Illinois STAR has benefited from the expertise and guidance of representatives from key state organizations including The Nature Conservancy (TNC), American Farmland Trust (AFT), Illinois Soybean Association (ISA), Illinois Corn Growers Association, Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts (AISWCD), and many other conservation focused partners. Recognized conservation advocates, researchers and experts throughout the Illinois academic, consulting, and farming communities have been instrumental in the success of the initiative through participation on the Illinois STAR Steering Committee. Along with continued CCSWCD support, Illinois STAR is supported by a new Affiliate partner, Illinois Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Land and Water Resources (IDOA), as part of the soil health goals set forth by the Illinois General Assembly Public Act 103-0490. IDOA and STAR share a common vision to enhance agricultural conservation practices and raise awareness regarding nutrient and soil loss mitigation. Together, they work on education and training opportunities to promote conservation and the Illinois STAR Initiative. The Illinois STAR Initiative is efficiently administered through Licensed Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), ensuring accessibility and coverage across the state. 

The STAR evaluation system assigns points for management activities on an annual basis. Participants answer a series of simple questions about their crop rotation, tillage, nutrient applications, and use of conservation practices to generate their overall field score. STAR relies on the expertise of a local science committee, made up of university researchers, conservation professionals, and farmers, to assign the highest point values to practices identified to address local resource concerns. Scores are converted to a STAR rating of 1 to 5 STARs, with 5 STARs indicating commitment to a suite of practices proven to improve soil health and water quality.

The potential benefits to participating landowners and farm operators are numerous, and include; 

• Decreased nutrient loss
• Promote a positive image of farmers and agriculture in your community
• Support the work of soil and water conservation districts across the nation
• Inspire other farmers and landowners to take action in helping to meet nutrient and sediment loss reduction goals 
• Promote producers for new farmland leases
• Assist producers in securing local conservation cost share
• Assist producers in obtaining future market incentives for crops grown using conservation cropping practices.
• Assist producers in obtaining documentation in support of water quality issues