St. Joseph County Agriculture
	NRCS Staff Debbie Knepp, District Conservationist (deb.knepp@in.usda.gov) Amanda Kautz, Soil Conservationist (amanda.kautz@in.usda.gov) Stationed in South Bend – 574.291.7444 x 3    SWCD Staff Andrew Fox, County Conservationist (andrew.fox@in.nacdnet.net) Stationed in South Bend – 574.291.7444 x 3
	NRCS Mission Statement The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides leadership in a partnership effort to help conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment.
	The Role of NRCS in St. Joseph County Helping people held the land.  Our main goal and responsibility is to provide conservation planning and funding to landowners and farmers through technical assistance and financial assistance.
	Brief Explanation of Farm Bill Programs The conservation provisions in the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 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 and 2002 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 2008 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.
	EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program): Administered by the NRCS. Provides total resource management system planning on the whole farm. A wide variety of conservation practices are available for cost share, including: rotational grazing systems; waste management systems; alternative watering; heavy use areas; waterways; livestock exclusionary fencing; and pasture planting. Most cost share rates are 50% for installation of practices, but some practices are cost shared up to 100%. A 90% cost share rates is also available for Limited Resource Farmers and New Farmers. Contract periods are from one to 10 years. There is a continuous sign-up period for EQIP; applications are ranked and funded periodically as funds are available.  For more details, CLICK HERE.
	WHIP (Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program): Administered by the NRCS. Uses five to 15 year cost share agreements to protect and restore wetland and wildlife habitats. Emphasis is placed on warm-season grassland habitat and wetland habitat creation. To be eligible the area to be treated must be at least 5 acres in size. There is a continuous sign-up period for WHIP; applications are ranked and funded periodically as funds are available.  For more details, CLICK HERE.
	WRP (Wetlands Reserve Program):  Administered by the NRCS. The Nation’s premier wetlands restoration program.  It is a voluntary program that offers landowners the means and the opportunity to protect, restore, and enhance wetlands on their property.  The emphasis of the WRP program is to protect, restore and enhance the functions and values of wetland ecosystems to attain: 1) first and foremost, habitat for migratory birds and wetland dependent wildlife, including threatened and endangered species;  2) protection and improvement of water quality; 3) lessen water flows due to flooding; 4) recharge of ground water; 5) protection and enhancement of open space and aesthetic quality; 6) protection of native flora and fauna contributing to the Nation’s natural heritage; and 7) contribute to educational and scholarship.  To offer a conservation easement for the WRP program, the landowner must have owned the land for at least 7 years prior to enrolling the land in the program unless the land was inherited or the landowner can prove the land was not obtained for the purpose of enrolling it in the program. To participate in a restoration cost-share agreement, the landowner must show evidence of ownership.  There is a continuous sign-up period for WRP; applications are ranked and funded periodically as funds are available.  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 2008 Farm Bill are:    Community Assistance Programs and Activities Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D)    Easement Programs        Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) Floodplain Easement Program (FEP) Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) Healthy Forests Reserve Program (HFRP) Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP)    Emergency Programs        Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP)    Technical Assistance Programs Conservation of Private Grazing Lands (CPGL) Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA)    Conservation Planning Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) (Administered by the Farm Service Agency) Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP)    Working Lands Programs Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) -- NEW PROGRAM under the 2008 Farm Bill Conservation Security Program (CSP) -- Old Program Under the 2002 Farm Bill Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP) Organic Initiative
	Here are some other helpful links for your use and up-to-date info: Farm Service Agency: www.fsa.usda.gov     Natural Resources Conservation Service: www.nrcs.usda.gov    National Association of Conservation Districts: www.nacdnet.org     St. Joseph County SWCD's Web Page of Soil / Water Map & Data Information: CLICK HERE    NRCS Publications for Small-Scale Farming Solutions; CLICK HERE      Environmental Health Safety's List of Freeware for Soil & Agriculture Information: http://www.ehsfreeware.com/soilinfo.htm    Indiana NRCS Soil Health Resources: CLICK HERE