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Farm Programs & Local Resources
Last Updated: March 2026 | Always verify with your local USDA office. Report an error
About Cook County
Cook County sits within the Northern Illinois and Indiana Heavy Till Plain (MLRA 110) region. Elevation averages about 589 feet.
Temperatures in Cook County range from a January mean low of 17°F to a July mean high near 84°F. Annual precipitation averages 38.4 inches. Expect about 275 frost-free days.
Cook County ran 154 farms, 10,281 acres of farmland, and 117 head of cattle in the 2022 Census of Agriculture. Top commodities: equine, equine, and honey.
Quick Facts
| Region | Northeast Illinois |
| Top Commodities | Floriculture, Vegetables, Horses, Honey, Fruit & tree nuts, Cattle & calves |
Current Conditions
Drought status: None (None).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor · Updated 2026-09-08
Your Local USDA Offices
Your nearest USDA Service Center houses both NRCS (conservation programs like EQIP and CSP) and FSA (loans, disaster assistance, farm numbers). Here are the offices serving Cook County.
NRCS Office (EQIP, CSP, conservation)
685 Larry Power Rd, Bourbonnais, IL 60914
FSA Office (loans, disaster, farm numbers)
1201 Gougar Rd, New Lenox, IL 60451
This county also has 3 additional NRCS offices. View all offices
Office info is from USDA’s published directory. Call ahead to confirm hours before visiting.
What to do when you call: Ask to schedule a meeting with a conservation planner (for EQIP/CSP) or a loan officer (for FSA programs). Mention the type of operation you run and what improvements you're considering.
Forage and Grazing in Cook County
Pasture and rangeland make up roughly 4% of farmland in Cook County, about 414 acres. On a 2021–2025 satellite average, green-up typically begins around May and forage peaks in July. FSA sets the county’s normal grazing period separately; ask your office to confirm it, because LFP counts only the drought weeks that fall inside it.
Farm Structure in Cook County
Farms in Cook County average 67 acres, and about 76% are small operations. Roughly 17% of producers are 65 or older, which is where succession and transfer planning tends to come up. About 161 acres are irrigated.
What Tends to Fit in Cook County
Given the operation mix in Cook County, the practices that most often come up are prescribed grazing, livestock water development, and cross-fencing for grazing operations; cover crops, residue management, and ARC/PLC election for row-crop ground; and high tunnels, irrigation efficiency, and NAP coverage for specialty-crop acres. Whether any of them scores well depends on your county's Local Working Group priorities, which NRCS can walk you through before you apply.
Programs for Cook County Operations
Based on Cook County's agricultural profile, these programs are most relevant:
Urban agriculture and beginning farmer programs support small-scale local food production systems. Conservation practices focus on water quality protection and soil health in urban interface areas.
Not sure which programs fit? Run our free eligibility screener. Two minutes, personalized action packet.
Local Conservation Priorities
Each county's NRCS Local Working Group sets the conservation practices that score highest for EQIP funding. Knowing your county's priorities before you apply can significantly improve your ranking.
How to find your county's priorities:
- Call your local NRCS office and ask: "What practices is the Local Working Group prioritizing this year?"
- Ask which EQIP ranking pool your operation fits (there may be separate pools for livestock, cropland, forestry, etc.)
- Check your state NRCS website for published ranking criteria
Bordering Counties
If your operation extends into or you compare conditions against adjacent counties, see DuPage County, Illinois, Kane County, Illinois, Lake County, Illinois, McHenry County, Illinois, Will County, Illinois, and Lake County, Indiana. Ranking criteria and cost-share rates can vary county by county even within the same state.
Your Next Steps in Cook County
- Run the eligibility screener: Free Screener
- Find your USDA Service Center: Service Center Locator
- Read the Illinois guide: Illinois Farm Programs Guide
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