From 10 Acres to Every Acre: Illinois Farmer Jay Whalen's Cover Crop Story


By Tara Desmond • August 20, 2026

On this episode of IL Corn TV, farmer and Illinois farmer host John Klemm sits down with Jay Whalen, a fifth-generation farmer near Streator and recipient of IL Corn’s Randy Stauffer Conservation Award.


Whalen shares how he gradually adopted no-till and cover crops across his 2,000-acre family farm and why starting small, experimenting and finding what works for your operation can make all the difference. He also discusses soil health, fertility, management strategies and the bottom-line benefits he’s seen from conservation practices, including improved ROI and profitability.


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