NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE
For questions on Federal Conservation Programs, please contact Krecia Leddy, NRCS DC at 320-839-6149 ext. 3
Natural Resources Conservation Service
EQIP Initiative for Seasonal Tunnel System for Crops
The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) is NRCS. It provides technical and cost share assistance to producers for applying practices that benefit wildlife. Tree and shrub plantings, stream habitat projects, grass nesting cover, and woodland improvement are a few examples.
NRCS provides the technical assistance for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). This program sets aside cropland and marginal pasture land from production, pays an annual rental fee while it is retired, and assists with the cost of establishing the land to permanent cover like native grasses and forbs, and trees.
The Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) is available to restore and protect drained wetlands. The State of Minnesota has paired with the Federal Government to stretch its RIM (Reinvest in Minnesota) dollars. Currently, RIM money can be pooled with the Federal Wetland Reserve Program to restore previously drained wetlands. The new WRP/RIM Program can pay landowners a higher payment than the two programs could previously pay on their own. Payments for Big Stone County are around $3,000/acre for land with certified crop history. In addition to restoring wetlands, four acres of upland for every acre of wetland restored is also eligible for the program. This offers landowners an excellent opportunity to restore marginal cropland to its previous wetland condition, provide quality habitat and cover for wildlife, improve water quality and square off the area, making the remainder of the cropland easier to farm. Participating landowners will enter into a 30 year Federal WRP easement, and a perpetual State RIM easement. The WRP easement is in effect for the first 30 years, after which the perpetual RIM easement takes effect. Landowners must have owned the land to be enrolled for seven years prior to applying for the program. If you are interested in the WRP/RIM program and would like further details, call the SWCD/NRCS office.
The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) encourages agricultural and forestry producers to maintain existing conservation activities and adopt additional ones on their operations. CSP is a new voluntary conservation program that provides financial and technical assistance to conserve and enhance soil, water, air, and related natural resources on their land. CSP provides opportunities to both recognize excellent stewards and deliver valuable new conservation.
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides cost share assistance to landowners to install a variety of conservation practices. It also provides incentive payments to producers to apply management practices like conservation tillage and no-till planting, nutrient management, irrigation water management, and prescribed grazing.