More than 45 research proposals were submitted to the Illinois Soybean Association’s (ISA’s) Soybean Production Committee for fiscal year 2026 funding. After a rigorous review process, ISA’s farmer-led committee selected 20 projects.

These investments are made possible with support from the Illinois Soybean Checkoff Program. Although the Soybean Production Committee ultimately makes the final decision on which projects to fund, that is not the only feedback considered.

To ensure that ISA’s research continues to address the most important production issues, the Agronomy team solicits anonymous farmer feedback from across the state each year in its Soybean Production Concerns Survey.

Input from both the Illinois Soybean Board and the Production Concerns Survey shows one priority remains consistent: conservation.

This priority is reflected in many of the 20 research projects selected for FY26. Those projects will study practices including carbon sequestration, residue management, cover crops, weed management and double cropping. Many of these projects are multiyear, allowing researchers to dig deep into long-term solutions to critical challenges faced by soybean growers.

One such project, Measuring Soil Health, Water Quality and Climate Impact on Illinois Soybeans, is being led by Associate Professor Andrew Margenot, Ph.D., and his research team at the University of Illinois.

This project is studying soil health indicators, nutrient loss through leaching, soil carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions response to different combinations of cover cropping and tillage practices. The research is being conducted in three regions: southern, central and northwestern Illinois. A conventional corn-soybean rotation is in place at all three sites, while a double-crop wheat-soybean-corn rotation is also being studied in southern and central Illinois.

“In FY26 – wrapping up the harvest of the third field season and starting in on the fourth and final season – we will round out the last leg of the two separate two-year rotations,” explained Margenot. “This year will let us provide hard answers to the questions on how long and how much conservation practices provide trade-offs for yields, soil health, carbon credits and nutrient losses – the full package.”

Preliminary results from the project, which started in 2023, show that water-quality improvements might be seen more quickly when implementing conservation practices compared to soil health and carbon improvements.

“As any farmer knows, and hopefully more policymakers realize, farming is messy, and every subregion of a state such as Illinois is different,” said Margenot. “The combination of the counterfactuals and multiple outcomes is difficult or expensive, if not impossible for an individual farmer or company to test, but can provide answers. This is why we intentionally placed three fully replicated sites totaling 300 research plots across northwest, central and southern Illinois. We can give hard answers to farmers and crop consultants on which soil health tests reflect changes after how many years for your region, what a realistic carbon credit may be for which combinations of conservation practices depending on your region, and what nutrient loss outcomes may look like.”

Another project, Refining Cover Crop Recommendations for Corn-Soybean Rotations Based on Species and Timing, is led by Nathan Johanning, an Extension Educator at the University of Illinois.

“Cover crops are a management tool for any farmer to use, and we want to have the information to help farmers pick the best species to complement their cash crop and know what level of performance to expect based on their planting date and seeding rate,” said Johanning. “Seed is a significant expense, and if we can find ways to reduce seeding rates or even know when to drop out or change species based on the planting date, that can save farmers money and make cover crop use more effective.”

This project is located at three sites in southern and western Illinois with the goal of comparing how different cover crop species and mixtures, combined with two termination timings, affect corn and soybean performance in rotation to help refine regional recommendations for farmers and advisers.

“From our previous cover crop research, we have learned that cereal rye planting date has more of an effect of how much spring cover you get than the seeding rate,” said Johanning. “The earlier you plant, the more tillering and growth you get and the less seed you need. Thirty pounds of cereal rye per acre seeded (drilled) by late October can provide good cover, and we have not seen much benefit to seeding more than 60 pounds of cereal rye, regardless of the planting date.”

Although past work has focused on individual species, seeding rates and planting dates, in 2026 this project will expand to species combinations and two termination timings (i.e., two weeks before planting and at planting).

“Additionally, my best recommendation on when to terminate is to look at the weather, given that the cover crop is pulling moisture from the soil, and determine whether that is a good or bad thing based on soil moisture and the long-range forecast. Also, look at your equipment and the amount of residue you feel you can comfortably plant through and still do a good job planting and placing the seed.”

Another study being conducted, Enhancing the Profitability of Wheat-Soybean Double Cropping, is led by Associate Professor Jessica Rutkoski, Ph.D., University of Illinois. Located at four sites throughout Illinois, the project aims to characterize and develop new high-yielding winter wheat varieties with early maturity—an important trait that enables earlier planting of double-crop soybeans to maximize yield potential.

“We expect this will help make soybean double-cropping economically viable for more farmers in Illinois, including in more northern latitudes of the state,” said Rutkoski. “This will, in turn, enhance Illinois soybean production in the near- and long-term.”

At the end of the day, the Illinois Soybean Board prioritizes conservation through supporting research, asking critical questions and engaging with partners.

“Overall, the ISA Soybean Production Committee wants to see conservation-related research continue to be funded so farmers can make the best short- and long-term agronomic, financial and marketing decisions for their operations,” said Heath Houck, Soybean Production Committee Chairman.