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May 2007
Storms Bring Conservation Efforts to Light
Dear Friends,
After a stormy weekend, wrought with heavy rain, wind and tornadoes in our neck of the woods, it is easy to see why USDA focuses so much attention on conservation efforts on private land. Big weather events like those we experienced recently, highlight, in a big way, the value of protecting the soil from erosion.
Experts say that the greatest effect, in the near-term, of global warming is not necessarily drought, as one might think. The effects we will see more readily will be more active weather patterns and greater swings in weather conditions, like extreme snow melt in the spring, periods of hot and dusty drought, and periods of more violent weather patterns, all within a few months of each other.
That kind of fall-out from climate change would make conservation a very big deal to farmers. I was reviewing a publication printed by USDA Economic Research Service and found a number of useful conservation programs available, some of which I hadn’t heard much about.
Most folks know about Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which , as of January of this year, covers 36.7 million acres under contract. Another land retirement program, the Wetland Reserve Program (WRP), is less known, covering about 1.85 million acres, providing cost sharing or long-term and even permanent easements for restoration of wetlands on farm ground.
Conservation programs effecting working lands include the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), which is a broad-based program providing technical assistance and cost-sharing for a variety of conservation projects like watering and fencing systems for rotational grazing and shelterbelt renovations. But it also covers programs to cost share for nutrient management on CAFOs and to help fund other livestock operation-related issues, promoting clean water and proper handling of manure.
The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) provides cost sharing to improve wildlife habitat. This program is funded at about $9 million per year. The Conservation Security Program (CSP) focuses on good stewardship and provides financial incentives to promote additional conservation practices on a whole-farm basis. Many believe this program provides a framework for a new kind of conservation program that rewards the good stewards and encourages others to follow suit. The problem facing CSP is that it has been on the budgetary chopping block since its inception and it is enrolled according to watershed, and not nationwide like the other programs.
There are other programs like the Grassland Reserve Program (GRP), designed to improve and protect native grass grazing lands through long-term rental agreements and easements.
All in all, there are hundreds of ways we can gain federal assistance in improving the conservation practices on our farms and farmland. This is just a very brief summary of programs. I would encourage you to contact your local FSA or NRCS office for information on these and other programs that can help protect our farms and conserve our resources for generations to come.
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
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