Conservation Program Assistance
- Soil and Water Conservation Program Assistance
- H2Ohio Program– Ohio Department of Ag program that provides payments to producers that implement conservation on their farms. The H2Ohio program works closely with producers to enhance conservation efforts on their farms through incentive payments for nutrient management, cover crops, small grain and forage plantings and manure management. https://h2.ohio.gov
- ODNR NW Ohio Windbreak Program – Windbreak planting program through a partnership with Ohio Div. of Forestry. This is a “turn-key” program that provides the trees, equipment and labor to plant field windbreaks in Northwest Ohio.
Application Operating Procedures Program Flyer
- Ohio Ag Pollution Abatement Program – Ohio Department of Ag program providing state cost share funds to install practices that solve existing pollution problems from animal waste and sediment. https://agri.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/oda/divisions/soil-and-water-conservation/agricultural-pollution-abatement
- USDA Conservation Program Cost Share Assistance-USDA/FSA program is the largest conservation program in the nation. The program has several options. https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/conservation-programs/conservation-reserve-program/
- General Conservation Reserve Program – USDA/FSA voluntary program that provides annual incentives to agricultural producers so that environmentally sensitive agricultural land is not farmed or ranched, but instead devoted to conservation benefits. Contracts are generally 10-15 years in length. This is a competitive program only offered during specified sign up periods.
conservation-reserve_program-fact_sheet_2022.pdf (usda.gov)
- Continuous CRP program – USDA/FSA voluntary program that provides annual incentives to agricultural producers so that environmentally sensitive agricultural land is not farmed or ranched, but instead devoted to specfic eligible conservation practices. Contracts are generally 10-15 years in length. This program is NOT competitive and offered all year long.
crp-continuous-enrollment-period-factsheet.pdf (usda.gov)
- Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) – Program that provides additional incentives to the USDA CRP for select practices in the Western Lake Erie and Scioto River Watersheds in Ohio. Increases annual CRP soil rental rates and provides additional sign-up bonuses. Eligible practices include grass filter strips, streamside tree plantings, wetland developments, and tree windbreaks. https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/conservation-programs/conservation-reserve-enhancement/index State
- State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) – A continuous CRP program aimed at restoring habitat vital to meet state wildlife conservation needs. SAFE provides landowners increased incentive payments for planting grasses and pollinator friendly plants. like other continuous programs, sing up is on-going.
- Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) – USDA/NRCS conservation incentive program provides cost share for eligible practices including: manure storage facilities; compost facilities; high tunnel houses for specialty crop production; cover crops; nutrient management; forestry management-grapevine & other invasive species control, tree planting; pasture management-fence & waterlines. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/financial/eqip/
- Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) – USDA/NRCS program that provides annual payments for developing a conservation plan that includes implementing new conservation practices on your land and operating and maintaining existing conservation efforts. Plan practices can include cropland, grazing land, wildlife and woodland practices. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/csp-conservation-stewardship-program
- Wetland Reserve Easement – USDA incentive program for landowners who wish to establish or enhance existing wetlands on their property. Landowners receive cost share incentive payments to establish or restore wetlands and an additional payment for placing the conservation easement on the wetland enrolled.
