Illinois, Midwest saw large reduction in conservation staff in 2025, study shows

Illinois producers wanting to pursue conservation projects have fewer resources this year with almost half of Illinois counties having lost federal conservation staff in 2025.

Data published in June by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition shows Illinois had 77 fewer Natural Resources Conservation Service staff in January 2026 compared to January 2025’s staffing levels.

The NSAC is a group of grassroots organizations that advocate for sustainable agriculture, food systems, natural resources and rural communities.

The counties with the most personnel losses were Champaign, Williamson, Macon, Shelby and Whiteside. Pulaski, Cook, Warren and Monroe counties fared worse, losing all NRCS staff.

The cuts to NRCS staff — and other direct, producer support staff — are a result of department reorganizations and workforce cuts at the U.S. Department of Agriculture under President Trump.

NRCS staff work closely with state-level conservation employees at Soil and Water Conservation Districts to teach farmers about conservation practices, offer information and sign landowners up for federal programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, or EQIP, and the Conservation Stewardship Program, or CSP.

Both conservation programs are popular and provide technical assistance for producers and landowners, working with them to develop conservation plans. Some include financial assistance — which make them more appealing to landowners.

Having local staff who work directly with farmers is helpful because they’re able to develop relationships and build trust with landowners, the NSAC noted. With fewer staff, the remaining employees are stretched thinner.

The Midwest experienced most of the overall loss throughout the U.S., with seven states occupying the top 10 list. But major agricultural states in the West — Texas, Colorado and California — also lost a significant number.

According to the analysis by the NSAC, the top positions lost within NRCS offices were soil conservation, soil conservation technicians, soil science, agronomy and rangeland management.

Additionally, the number of contracts awarded by EQIP and CSP decreased between 2024 and 2025 by 38% and 21% respectively, meaning landowners have less access to conservation resources, according to a study by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, an international nonprofit research and advocacy organization.

“An NRCS contract may be the only time some farmers implement conservation on their farm, or it could be the first step in a lifelong conservation journey,” wrote report author Michael Happ, Program Associate for Climate and Rural Communities.

Illinois government accountability reporter Nikoel Hytrek is taking a closer look at the impact of soil water district funding losses on Illinois producers.

Stay tuned for her upcoming story by signing up for our weekly newsletter.

Data Harvest (formerly Graphic of the Week) is Investigate Midwest’s way of making complex agricultural data easy to understand. Through engaging graphics, charts, and maps, we break down key trends to help readers quickly grasp the forces shaping farming, food systems, and rural communities. Want us to explore other data trends? Let us know here.