top of page

Agriculture

Do unto those downstream as you would have those upstream do unto you.

~Wendell Berry

 

Brief Explanation of Farm Bill Programs

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​

 

The conservation provisions in the 2018 Farm Bill will provide conservation opportunities for farmers and ranchers for years to come. The new provisions build on the conservation gains made by farmers and ranchers through the 1985,1996, 2002, and 2008 Farm Bills. They simplify existing programs and create new programs to address high priority environmental goals.  To find out more visit the Indiana NRCS website by clicking http://www.in.nrcs.usda.gov.

  

NRCS has developed a 2014 Farm Bill brochure, that defines how conservation programs can benefit traditional and non-traditional agriculture producers. CLICK HERE to view this brochure.  

 

​

To highlight some of the programs most participated in throughout St. Joseph County:

 

  • CRP (Conservation Reserve Program): Administered by the Farm Service Agency. Provides rental payments to producers who plant sensitive lands (such as Highly Erodible Land) to long-term cover. Cover options include trees; cool season grasses; and warm season grasses. Cost share for establishing conservation cover is 50%. The Farm Service Agency will announce the general CRP sign-up when it is available. More information will be available at that time.  For more details, CLICK HERE.  

  • ACEP (Agricultural Conservation Easement Program):  Administered by the NRCS, ACEP is a new program that consolidates three former programs:

    • Wetlands Reserve Program

    • Grassland Reserve Program

    • Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program

    • For more information on this program, please CLICK HERE.

  • EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program): Administered by the NRCS, provides financial and technical assistance to implement conservation practices, or activities like conservation planning, that address natural resource concerns on their land. For more details, CLICK HERE.

 

These are just the most common programs used in St. Joseph County, to find out more visit the Indiana NRCS website by clicking http://www.in.nrcs.usda.gov

Broadly speaking, conservation programs under the 2018 Farm Bill are:

        

  • Healthy Forests Reserve Program (HFRP)

  • Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP)

  • Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)   

  • Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) (Administered by the Farm Service Agency)

  • Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA)

  • Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP)

  • Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)

  • Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP)  

  • Technical Service Providers

  • Conservation Innovation Grants

  • Agriculture Conservation Experienced Services Program

  • Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (Administered by the Farm Service Agency)

  • Small Watershed Rehabilitation Program

 

Here are some other helpful links for your use and up-to-date info:

bottom of page