CRP seed in Illinois.
Tallgrass CRP seed for the Prairie State.
Illinois lost more of its original tallgrass prairie than any other state — and CRP is the largest tool for bringing pieces of it back. We match mixes to central mollisols, southern claypans, and the Grand Prairie's dark silt-loam.
~800,000 acres enrolled statewide
Recommended mixes for Illinois
Cleaned, blended, and shipped for Illinois soils and CP contracts. Request a quote and we'll match the mix to your county.
Tallgrass-dominant CP25 blend built to the 30/10 grass-to-forb PLS ratio.
Higher-forb CP25 tallgrass blend at a balanced 20/20 PLS ratio.
High-diversity CP25 mix with 40+ species at a 20/20 grass-to-forb ratio.
70–90 species Leopold-inspired CP42 pollinator mix for maximum bloom diversity.
Shortgrass and forb buffer mix built for bobwhite quail edges.
Native grass filter strip mix for CP21 water-quality buffers.
Milkweed-forward pollinator mix for monarch habitat restoration.
Full-height tallgrass prairie mix for larger backyards and screens.
Primary CP practices in Illinois
Signature native species
- Big bluestem
- Indiangrass
- Prairie dropseed
- Rattlesnake master
- Pale purple coneflower
- Compass plant
- Prairie blazing star
- Round-headed bush clover
Soil moisture zones
Central Illinois is mesic silt-loam prairie mollisol — the best row-crop soil in the country and the best restored-prairie soil, too. Southern Illinois carries claypans and dry-mesic uplands. Bottoms along the Illinois and Mississippi are wet-mesic to hydric.
When to plant in Illinois
Dormant November through early March. Central Illinois' deep prairie soils establish CP25 unusually well when seeded on time.
Program notes
Illinois DNR, Pheasants Forever, and Quail Forever run active CP33 recruitment. Ask about state-added incentives on top of federal CRP payments.
Always confirm current requirements with your local USDA-NRCS and USDA-FSA field offices before ordering.
Pollinator & monarch angle
Central Illinois' rich soils grow CP42 forbs vigorously — bloom density in year three often exceeds the Iowa and Minnesota baseline.
Illinois CRP seed FAQ
›Why does Illinois lean so heavily on CP33?
Illinois is the flagship state for the bobwhite CP33 buffer program. County FSA offices actively promote it, and NRCS has dedicated technical staff.
Quote a Illinois mix for your acres.
Tell us your county, CP practice, acres, and dominant soil type. We'll price a mix built for your specific ground and ship it to your farm.