IL NRCS Announces 2023 RCPP Application Cutoff Date for Precision Conservation Management

State Conservationist Ivan Dozier announced that the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will offer Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) funding for the Precision Conservation Management efforts in several Illinois counties. Illinois NRCS has partnered with the Illinois Corn Growers Association to help producers address sheet and rill erosion on farm ground in project areas.  

Landowners can apply for assistance through RCPP to implement cover crop practices. The project focus is to increase cover crop use and reduce sheet and rill erosion on farm ground in the following 20 Illinois counties: Champaign, Christian, Clinton, DeWitt, Douglas, Edgar, Ford, Livingston, Macon, Macoupin, Madison, McLean, Monroe, Piatt, Sangamon, St. Clair, Tazewell, Vermilion, Washington, and Woodford. 

NRCS financial assistance will be available to Illinois producers with land in the above-mentioned counties. While applications are accepted throughout the year, interested producers should submit by March 3, 2023 a signed application (NRCS-CPA-1200 form) to the local NRCS field office, or through the Farmers.gov website using their account, to ensure their applications are considered for 2023 funding.  

A blank NRCS-CPA-1200 application form may be obtained from the local office or the NRCS website. Producers wishing to use Farmers.gov, can sign in or create an account by clicking on “Sign up” in the upper right portion of the website.

To see if you are eligible to participate in the program, producers should contact their local NRCS field office or visit the Illinois NRCS website.