Michigan Michigan Conservation DistrictsConservation Districts

Your Land, Your Water, Your Michigan

Michigan Michigan Conservation Districts Conservation Districts

are local, special are local, special purpose units of state purpose units of state

government that government that provide natural provide natural

resource resource management services management services to Michigan citizens to Michigan citizens to encourage private to encourage private lands management lands management

for a cleaner, for a cleaner, healthier, healthier,

economically stronger economically stronger Michigan.Michigan.

Michigan Conservation Michigan Conservation Districts Districts

Created by a Created by a vote of the vote of the people to people to provide provide conservation conservation programs programs assistance to assistance to the local the local community. community.

Districts identify county Districts identify county resource issues to guide resource issues to guide program focus and program focus and deliverablesdeliverables

Utilize state and federal Utilize state and federal programs to address programs to address local resource issues local resource issues

Provide natural resource Provide natural resource technical and educational technical and educational assistance to farmers and assistance to farmers and landownerslandowners

How Conservation How Conservation Districts WorkDistricts Work

What We DoWhat We Do Agriculture Agriculture Water Quality - Groundwater and Water Quality - Groundwater and

Surface Water Programs Surface Water Programs Erosion Control and Sedimentation, Erosion Control and Sedimentation,

Environmental Permitting AssistanceEnvironmental Permitting Assistance Critical Dunes AssurancesCritical Dunes Assurances Energy and RecyclingEnergy and Recycling Private Lands ManagementPrivate Lands Management

Programs & Financial Assistance Programs & Financial Assistance Provided by Michigan Conservation DistrictsProvided by Michigan Conservation Districts

ConservationTechnical

AssistanceInitiative

Michigan Groundwater Stewardship

Program

Michigan Agriculture

Environmental Assurance Program

Soil Erosion and Sedimentation

Control

Critical Dunes Assurances

Private Forestlands Assistance

Community Recycling

Watershed Planning &

ImplementationDEQ 319 - CMI

Environmental Education

Youth and Adult

Emerald Ash Borer Program

$$ Financial Assistance $$Programs

Operational Funding

USDA-NRCS MDADEQ

Bovine TB Program

DEQ DNRCounty

Government

Federal Farm BillDelivery

Federal Farm Bill Federal Farm Bill Michigan AllocationMichigan Allocation

$1

2,7

72

,51

3

$8

,64

9,2

33

$2

6,7

90

,98

5

$4

0,0

99

,57

7

$4

4,7

71

,72

2

$4

6,3

37

,01

4

$5

4,7

47

,81

2

$5

3,4

72

,82

4

$5

3,7

30

,21

9

$55,

881,

724

$0.00

$10,000,000.00

$20,000,000.00

$30,000,000.00

$40,000,000.00

$50,000,000.00

$60,000,000.00

$397,253,623

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ALL PROGRAMS1999 - 2008

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Farm Bill 2008Farm Bill 2008Conservation Title ProgramsConservation Title Programs

Make the most of the Farm Bill Make the most of the Farm Bill opportunity!opportunity! Visit your local USDA Service Center, or Visit your local USDA Service Center, or

Conservation District, NRCS, FSA field Conservation District, NRCS, FSA field office office

Examine your short- and long-term Examine your short- and long-term goalsgoals

Develop a conservation planDevelop a conservation plan

Continuous CRPContinuous CRP New Opportunities:New Opportunities:

Incentives for beginning or socially Incentives for beginning or socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers to disadvantaged farmers or ranchers to transition Cont. CRP land from a retired or transition Cont. CRP land from a retired or retiring owner to productionretiring owner to production

New wetland restoration practicesNew wetland restoration practices Biomass crop assistance programBiomass crop assistance program Cropping eligibility timeframesCropping eligibility timeframes Voluntary three thinning for existing Voluntary three thinning for existing

contractscontracts

SAFESAFE(State Acres for Wildlife Habitat (State Acres for Wildlife Habitat

Enhancement)Enhancement) Diverse GrasslandsDiverse Grasslands

Minimum 30-acre Minimum 30-acre blocks or 10-acre blocks or 10-acre linear corridorslinear corridors

SAFESAFE(State Acres for Wildlife Habitat (State Acres for Wildlife Habitat

Enhancement)Enhancement) Native Native

PollinatorsPollinators

Minimum of 2 Minimum of 2 acres and at acres and at least 100 feet least 100 feet widewide

CREPCREPConservation Reserve Enhancement Conservation Reserve Enhancement

ProgramProgram

Program to reduce Program to reduce sediment, sediment, phosphorus and phosphorus and nitrogen in surface nitrogen in surface waters, enhance waters, enhance habitat for fish and habitat for fish and wildlife and enhance wildlife and enhance nesting for upland nesting for upland birds, mammals and birds, mammals and waterfowl.waterfowl.

CSPCSPConservation Stewardship ProgramConservation Stewardship Program

Five year contractFive year contract Must demonstrate stewardship threshold Must demonstrate stewardship threshold

for at least one resource concern.for at least one resource concern. Must address at least one additional Must address at least one additional

priority resource concern by the end of priority resource concern by the end of the contractthe contract

Equal access to all farmers, regardless Equal access to all farmers, regardless of size, crops or locationof size, crops or location

EQIPEQIPEnvironmental Quality Incentive ProgramEnvironmental Quality Incentive Program

New focus:New focus: organic productionorganic production forest managementforest management specialty crop productionspecialty crop production air quality air quality historically underserved historically underserved

farmersfarmers Up to 75% cost chare on Up to 75% cost chare on

all practices all practices implementedimplemented

EQIP - EQIP - OrganicOrganic

Assistance to organic producers and Assistance to organic producers and producers transitioning to organic producers transitioning to organic productionproduction

Up to $20,000 per year ($80,000 Up to $20,000 per year ($80,000 max) to defray costs to install max) to defray costs to install practices organicallypractices organically

EQIP – EQIP – Greenhouse, Fruit and Greenhouse, Fruit and VegetableVegetable

Removal of neglected woody fruit Removal of neglected woody fruit orchards orchards

Updated practices for specialty crop Updated practices for specialty crop farms including heavy use area, farms including heavy use area, compost facility, etc.compost facility, etc.

EQIP – EQIP – Forest ManagementForest Management

Eligibility RequirementsEligibility Requirements Common Practices:Common Practices:

Technical and financial assistance for the Technical and financial assistance for the development of Forest Management development of Forest Management PlansPlans

Critical area planting, fence, harvest trails Critical area planting, fence, harvest trails and landings, forest stand improvement, and landings, forest stand improvement, invasive species control, stream invasive species control, stream crossings, etccrossings, etc

EQIP – EQIP – Air QualityAir Quality

Set aside funding to address air Set aside funding to address air quality concerns in Michiganquality concerns in Michigan

Common Practices:Common Practices: Agrichemical handling facilityAgrichemical handling facility Conservation coverConservation cover Prescribed grazing, residue and tillage Prescribed grazing, residue and tillage

managementmanagement Windbreak/shelterbeltWindbreak/shelterbelt

EQIP - EQIP - Agricultural Water Agricultural Water Enhancement ProgramEnhancement Program

Additional funding Additional funding to St. Joseph, to St. Joseph, Black and Black and Kalamazoo River Kalamazoo River Watersheds to Watersheds to address identified address identified resource issues resource issues

$27 million over 5 $27 million over 5 yearsyears

WHIPWHIPWildlife Habitat Incentive ProgramWildlife Habitat Incentive Program

Cost-share to develop Cost-share to develop habitat including on pivot habitat including on pivot corners and irregular areascorners and irregular areas

Priorities: essential plant Priorities: essential plant and animal habitat, and animal habitat, grassland habitat, grassland habitat, forestland habitat, aquatic forestland habitat, aquatic buffersbuffers

Between 75 – 90% cost Between 75 – 90% cost shareshare

GRPGRPGrassland Reserve ProgramGrassland Reserve Program

Rental agreement or Rental agreement or permanent easementpermanent easement

To restore grasslands To restore grasslands and protect grazing and protect grazing uses uses

10, 15, 20-year rental 10, 15, 20-year rental agreement or agreement or permanent easementpermanent easement

WRPWRPWetlands Reserve ProgramWetlands Reserve Program

Rental agreement or Rental agreement or permanent easementpermanent easement

To restore, enhance To restore, enhance and protect wetlandsand protect wetlands

Up to 100% cost-share Up to 100% cost-share for restoring or for restoring or improving wetland improving wetland habitathabitat

10-year, 30-year or 10-year, 30-year or permanent easementpermanent easement

How Do I Learn More?

Michigan Conservation Districts Michigan Conservation Districts www.macd.org

Natural Resource Conservation Natural Resource Conservation Service Service www.mi.nrcs.usda.gov

Farm Service Agency Farm Service Agency www.fsa.usda.gov

Your Land, Your Water, Your Michigan

Michigan Association of Conservation

Districts 3001 Coolidge Road, Suite 250 East Lansing, MI 48823

phone) 517-324-4421

fax) 517-324-4435 www.macd.org