Programs and Projects Partnered with Illinois STAR
Partners for Conservation (PFC)
The PFC program provides cost-share assistance and financial incentives for the construction or adoption of projects that address the following resource concerns and objectives:
- Conserve soil and protect water quality.
- Reduce soil erosion and improve water quality.
- Enhance soil health and pollinator habitat.
- Meet State of Illinois Green House Gas (GHC) emissions reductions.
- Safely decommission inactive water wells through Water Well Decommissioning Projects (WDP) to reduce the potential for groundwater pollution.
- Pilot innovative practices not included in the statewide docket to address specific local priorities through special projects targeting unique resource concerns.
Siemer-STAR Producer Reward Payment Program
The Siemer Milling Company Producer Rewards Payment Program uses the STAR Rating to compensate farmers for improved or outstanding (5-STAR) STAR Rating, thereby recognizing a range of conservation efforts rather than requiring specific practices. This program will be offered from 2025-2027 with guaranteed backing, for more information visit https://www.starconservation.org/siemer/.
AFT's FLASH Program
American Farmland Trust leads the conservation agriculture movement with a mission to save America’s farms and ranches by protecting agricultural land, promoting sound farming practices, and helping farm families stay on the land. Farmers in Illinois can receive cost-share for cover crops through AFT's Farmer-Led Advances in Soil Health Program (FLASH). Farmers and Landowners in the project use the STAR Tool to demonstrate improvement and connect to additional resources.
Lake Decatur RCPP
This RCPP project is utilizing land management practices and rental payments to reduce sediment, improve water quality and increase wildlife habitat in Lake Decatur and its watershed. Land management practices available to farmers/landowners in the project watershed are Cover Crop, Field Border, Filter Strip, Nutrient Management, Grassed Waterway, etc. Farmers and Landowners in the project use the STAR Tool to demonstrate improvement and connect to additional resources
University of Illinois Extension
University of Illinois Extension
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state’s land grant institution.
Urban Agriculture Project
University of Illinois Extension
Illinois STAR is researching Urban Agriculture across the state. This project is focusing on diversified food systems, urban/ community based agriculture, and specialty crops as all come with unique conservation concerns and best practices.
Contact admin@IllinoisSTAR.org for more information or to get involved!
ISAP Story Map
The Illinois Sustainable Agriculture Partnership (ISAP) includes a variety of different member organizations working to further conservation efforts across the state. Primarily focused on meeting the NLRS goals, ISAP sponsors education, demonstration, and research programs focused on building the capacity of conservation practitioners and agricultural advisors to meet the needs of Illinois farmers and improve production systems along with environmental outcomes. Illinois STAR is proud to now be part of ISAP’s Conservation Story Map, featured under Certifications & Programs! If you would like to add your own pin to the map, please click here.
PCM
Precision Conservation Management (PCM) is the premier conservation program of the Illinois Corn Growers Association. Built by farmers for farmers, this program applies financial analysis to in-field practices to help farmers identify practices that achieve environmental goals without risking their bottom line.
PCM Conservation Specialists provide one-on-one technical support to help the farmers clients to understand the costs and benefits of various choices in tillage, nitrogen application, and cover crops. They also provide recommendations for incentive programs and connect them with federal, state and local cost share programs. PCM serves farmers in Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, and Nebraska.
PCM uses a secure Farmer Portal that ensures the participants data is kept private and only shared with aggregated data. There is no cost to join and no commitment to change farming practices… but the focus is always on profitability rather than yield. That characteristic is consistent with the goals of STAR and the reason PCM and STAR have been supporting each other since 2017.