Conservation Districts are locally organized self-governing bodies chartered by the State. Through voluntary action and cooperation of landowners (and other stake holders), the District works to conserve land, water, forest, wildlife and other related resources for the benefit of all.
Bonus Payment Highlight
of 2019 Lake Erie CREP Program Sign-Up
Producers can earn $200
per acre for certain practices
Crawford County will be participating in the
2019 United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Lake Erie
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) offers producers
cash for conservation.
Do you have a ditch or stream running through
your farm that needs a filter strip? How about that one area that’s
hard to farm because it’s always wet?
The Crawford Soil and Water Conservation District is ready to
help you evaluate how your bottom line and Lake Erie’s water quality
can benefit by signing up for this program.
CREP is a federal conservation partnership with
the state of Ohio designed to address agriculture-related
environmental concerns. Participants receive financial incentives
from USDA and the state of Ohio to voluntarily enroll
environmentally sensitive cropland or pastureland in contracts for a
period of 15 years. In
return for annual rental payments and financial incentives,
participants convert the land to native grasses, trees and other
conservation vegetation.
New for 2019 is the $200 bonus offered by the
state of Ohio for all newly-enrolled filter strip and riparian area
practices. For current
CREP participants with expiring contracts, re-enrolling and
expanding the width of filter strips or riparian areas will earn you
the bonus dollars on those new added acres all the while expanding
the environmental protection of these practices.
The Lake Erie CREP is available in 27 Ohio
counties including; Allen, Ashland, Auglaize, Crawford, Defiance,
Erie, Fulton, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Huron, Lucas, Lorain, Marion,
Medina, Mercer, Ottawa, Paulding, Putnam, Richland, Sandusky,
Seneca, Shelby, Van Wert, Williams, Wood and Wyandot Counties.
Ohio NRCS Announces Disaster Recovery Funding to
Plant Cover Crops on Flooded Cropland Acreage
COLUMBUS,
June 28, 2019 –
Extreme weather conditions like the recent excessive rains and
tornados have negatively impacted Ohio farmers.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation
Service will invest $4 million to help Ohio
agricultural producers recover.
Technical and financial assistance is now
available to producers who were unable to plant their crops, or who
have experienced crop loss due to flooded or wet fields.
This
sign-up is an opportunity for farmers to plant a cover crop.
“NRCS can be a valuable partner to help Ohio landowners with their
agricultural recovery effort,” said State Conservationist Terry
Cosby for NRCS in Ohio. “This
special sign-up encourages farmers to plant cover crops to improve
water quality and soil health, prevent soil erosion, and suppress
weeds on areas not planted to crops.”
NRCS will utilize the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
for this special disaster recovery sign-up.
EQIP
is a voluntary conservation program that helps agricultural
producers protect the environment while promoting agricultural
production.
Cover crops provide an alternative to fields
going fallow and remaining uncovered.
Cover crops also improve soil vitality by adding nutrients
and organic matter. Many fields that are saturated for a long period
of time face a loss of soil organisms. Cover crop roots reestablish
soil health and create pathways for air and water to move through
the soil, which is key to restoring it.
There are
significant changes with cover crops and we want producers to be
successful in their 2020 planting year.
Educational cover crop workshops and field days are readily
available throughout Ohio to learn more.
Additional information is also available on the
NRCS website and
farmers.gov/prevented-planting.
Landowners should coordinate with other USDA
farm agencies when participating in related programs.
It is a producer’s responsibility to work directly with their
insurance agent and RMA to ensure they understand their policy.
To apply for this special EQIP opportunity, visit your
local USDA Service Center.
Applications will be accepted beginning July 1, 2019 until funding
is exhausted.