News release from USDA NRCS Applications for Conservation Stewardship Program due Jan. 17 Popular Farm Bill conservation program seeks producer participation WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 2013 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is opening the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) for new enrollments for federal fiscal year 2014. Starting today through Jan. […]
In high summer, fields of wildflowers bloom at Tony Thompson’s Minnesota farm: gray-headed coneflowers, phlox and white prairie clover. Those plants are designed to do more than just beautify. They prevent water runoff and block nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, from spilling into and polluting the Mississippi River. It’s just the kind of farming […]
The 2013 cover crop demonstration plot got some rain last night, looking forward to seeing the plant jump out of the ground. Join the whole ACD crew and special guests for our September 12 open house. Koops Family Farm, Holland, MI 3677 60th St. Holland, MI (AKA Graafschap Rd, South of Blue Star Highway) […]
We have all heard about the Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico, but many farmers and citizens want to know what we can do to prevent more of them and cure the ones we already have. This article under “Ask Farm Aid” on the Farm Aid website explains in simple terms what dead zones […]
Written by Mark Ludwig Of the many topics in agriculture today, tillage of the soil is both a source of controversy and confusion for farmers and other citizens. Tillage is the disturbance of the soil in an effort to achieve certain goals. These include burying crop residues like corn stalks, smoothing soil to make planting […]
In days of high commodity prices buffers along waterways often get forgotten, tilled up, or never installed. In an effort to make the most of high crops prices, it is easy to think the farm benefits from a few more rows of corn or beans. The question we must ask: Is it worth the loss […]
High water and flooding is a fact of life for most landowners along waterways. As we have increased the area of land that is managed for people, we have changed the affects of precipitation on the land. There are ways to minimize the erosion that often accompanies the events, but it takes the collective work […]
The Rabbit River Watershed Steering Committee Meeting was held on April 12th at the Salem Township Hall. Focus of the meeting was to discuss future funding, increasing community involvement, and progress on currently funded activity. For future funding the Rabbit River Watershed Project is focused on two grant proposals. The grant proposals include a grant […]
Farmers and resource managers met at the Salem Township Hall on February 12th to discuss farming practices and programs. A variety of speakers were present to share information and discuss Farm Bill cost-share programs, Michigan Agricultural Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP), Farm Service Agency programs, Cover Crops, Soil Organic Matter, Managing Crop Residue, and the future […]
On February 16th Tom Vilsack of the USDA announced a general sign-up for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to run from May 20th to June 14th, 2013. According to the USDA, “Producers that are accepted in the sign-up can receive cost-share assistance to plant long-term, resource-conserving covers and receive an annual rental payment for the […]
