News

Illinois farmer disappointed in state’s conservation cuts

A north central Illinois farmer says he’s disappointed in the state’s planned cuts to conservation funding. 

Brian Corkill, who farms in Henry & Stark Counties, says the “Fall Covers for Spring Savings” program, which offers farmers a discount on their crop insurance when they plant fall cover crops, has helped spread the practice of covering cropping across the state.

“In the governor’s budget, he’s proposing to cut it by 31%.”  He says, “That’s a program that sells out within hours of when it opens up.”

He says that proposal follows a $4 million cut to local Soil & Water Conservation Districts last year.

“That is the grassroots in the state of Illinois for conservation programs.”  He says, “They really got hamstrung by that.”

Corkill tells Brownfield farmers need help; especially as federal assistance is being cut.

“Administrations talk about, you know, we need more conservation, need more conservation. We gotta do this. We gotta do that.”  He says, “We gotta have funding to do these things and be able to incentivize producers to get these things rolling to correct some of the problems that we’ve created.”

Corkill says expanding conservation practices brings long-term benefits to the farmer and the environment, which helps sustain the state’s top industry.

AUDIO: Brian Corkill – Illinois farmer