Michigan Conservation Districts

1. Michigan Conservation Districts Your Land, Your Water, Your Michigan

2. Michigan Conservation Districts are local, special purpose units of state government that provide natural resource management services to Michigan citizens to encourage private lands management for a cleaner, healthier, economically stronger Michigan.

3. Michigan Conservation Districts • Created by a vote of the people to provide conservation programs assistance to the local community.

4. How Conservation Districts Work • Districts identify county resource issues to guide program focus and deliverables • Utilize state and federal programs to address local resource issues • Provide natural resource technical and educational assistance to farmers and landowners

5. What We Do • Agriculture • Water Quality - Groundwater and Surface Water Programs • Erosion Control and Sedimentation, Environmental Permitting Assistance • Critical Dunes Assurances • Energy and Recycling • Private Lands Management

6. Programs & Financial Assistance Provided by Michigan Conservation Districts Michigan Groundwater Stewardship Program Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Watershed Planning & Implementation DEQ 319 - CMI Conservation Technical Assistance Initiative Critical Dunes Assurances Private Forestlands Assistance Environmental Education Youth and Adult Emerald Ash Borer Program Community Recycling Federal Farm Bill Delivery Bovine TB Program $$ Financial Assistance $$ Programs Operational Funding USDA-NRCS MDA DEQ DEQ DNR County Government

7. Federal Farm Bill Michigan Allocation

8. Farm Bill 2008Conservation Title Programs • Make the most of the Farm Bill opportunity! • Visit your local USDA Service Center, or Conservation District, NRCS, FSA field office • Examine your short- and long-term goals • Develop a conservation plan

9. Continuous CRP • New Opportunities: • Incentives for beginning or socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers to transition Cont. CRP land from a retired or retiring owner to production • New wetland restoration practices • Biomass crop assistance program • Cropping eligibility timeframes • Voluntary three thinning for existing contracts

10. SAFE(State Acres for Wildlife Habitat Enhancement) • Diverse Grasslands Minimum 30-acre blocks or 10-acre linear corridors

11. SAFE(State Acres for Wildlife Habitat Enhancement) • Native Pollinators Minimum of 2 acres and at least 100 feet wide

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

13. CSPConservation Stewardship Program • Five year contract • Must demonstrate stewardship threshold for at least one resource concern. • Must address at least one additional priority resource concern by the end of the contract • Equal access to all farmers, regardless of size, crops or location

14. EQIPEnvironmental Quality Incentive Program • New focus: • organic production • forest management • specialty crop production • air quality • historically underserved farmers • Up to 75% cost chare on all practices implemented

15. EQIP - Organic • Assistance to organic producers and producers transitioning to organic production • Up to $20,000 per year ($80,000 max) to defray costs to install practices organically

16. EQIP – Greenhouse, Fruit and Vegetable • Removal of neglected woody fruit orchards • Updated practices for specialty crop farms including heavy use area, compost facility, etc.

17. EQIP – Forest Management • Eligibility Requirements • Common Practices: • Technical and financial assistance for the development of Forest Management Plans • Critical area planting, fence, harvest trails and landings, forest stand improvement, invasive species control, stream crossings, etc

18. EQIP – Air Quality • Set aside funding to address air quality concerns in Michigan • Common Practices: • Agrichemical handling facility • Conservation cover • Prescribed grazing, residue and tillage management • Windbreak/shelterbelt

19. EQIP - Agricultural Water Enhancement Program • Additional funding to St. Joseph, Black and Kalamazoo River Watersheds to address identified resource issues • $27 million over 5 years

20. WHIPWildlife Habitat Incentive Program • Cost-share to develop habitat including on pivot corners and irregular areas • Priorities: essential plant and animal habitat, grassland habitat, forestland habitat, aquatic buffers • Between 75 – 90% cost share

21. GRPGrassland Reserve Program • Rental agreement or permanent easement • To restore grasslands and protect grazing uses • 10, 15, 20-year rental agreement or permanent easement

22. WRPWetlands Reserve Program • Rental agreement or permanent easement • To restore, enhance and protect wetlands • Up to 100% cost-share for restoring or improving wetland habitat • 10-year, 30-year or permanent easement

23. How Do I Learn More? • Michigan Conservation Districts www.macd.org • Natural Resource Conservation Service www.mi.nrcs.usda.gov • Farm Service Agency www.fsa.usda.gov

24. 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 Your Land, Your Water, Your Michigan