The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) have announced $67 million in funding through the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) Program, aimed at expanding no-till and strip-till farming practices across the state.
IDOA Director Jerry Costello II said, “No-till and strip-till practices improve soil health, reduce erosion and runoff, and lower long-term input costs. We appreciate the state and federal partnerships that bring grant funding to encourage conservation of Illinois’ fertile farmland.”
Applications open online at 8 a.m. on October 27th and must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on October 31st. A pre-enrollment period begins this Wednesday, allowing users to enter and validate their information on the CPRG Program Application website. Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis by county, with a 3,000-acre cap per application.
To qualify, applicants must commit to implementing no-till or strip-till practices for three consecutive years, beginning in fall 2025. Fields must comply with the USDA-NRCS Conservation Practice Standard 329, which prohibits full-width soil disturbance between crop harvests. Acres already enrolled in programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) or the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) are not eligible.
Selected applicants will collaborate with their local Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) to establish a three-year agreement, complete practice job sheets, map project boundaries, and conduct annual soil health assessments through the Saving Tomorrow’s Agriculture Resources (STAR) Program.
The payment rate is $35 per acre per year for three consecutive years on the same field, with payments issued annually after planting and verification. IDOA and SWCD staff will verify eligibility, assist with documentation, and manage payment processing. Applicants must consent to data sharing for program administration and allow property access for verification.
If funds remain after initial county allocations, a second round of applications will be accepted within each county, again capped at 3,000 acres per application.
Program participation depends on the availability of federal funds. For assistance, applicants may contact their local SWCD office or reach the IDOA Bureau of Land and Water Resources at 217-782-6297 or by email at AGR.CPRG@Illinois.gov
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