Helping the Great Lakes States' agricultural and forest producers protect natural resources as one of the nation's most diverse agricultural economies
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Upcoming Program Deadlines
Funding Available! A historical amount of funding is available through the Conservation Stewardship Program this year to plant trees, cover crops and/or pollinator habitat with funds from the Inflation Reduction Act. Landowners with non industrial, private forest land and/or cropland are eligible to enroll. The deadline to apply is March 31. The first step in the process is to contact USDA-NRCS District Conservationist Kelly Bishop in our office to verify eligibility. Land must be registered at the Farm Service Agency in Fremont by the application deadline which is a simple process. We want Muskegon and Newaygo County forest and farm owners to take advantage of this great opportunity! Call (231) 924 2060 or email kelly.bishop@usda.gov for more information or to enroll. |
Programs & Services
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
This program provides technical and financial assistance to producers to address natural resource concerns and deliver environmental benefits such as:
Through EQIP, NRCS provides agricultural producers with one-on-one help and financial assistance to plan and implement improvements, or what NRCS calls conservation practices. Together, NRCS and producers invest in solutions that conserve natural resources for the future while improving agricultural operations. Who is Eligible? Farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who own or rent agricultural land are eligible. EQIP assistance can be used on all types of agricultural operations, including:
AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION EASEMENT PROGRAM (ACEP)
ACEP helps landowners, land trusts, and other entities protect, restore, and enhance wetlands or protect working farms and ranches through conservation easements. Under the Agricultural Land Easements component, NRCS helps American Indian tribes, state and local governments, and nongovernmental organizations protect working agricultural lands and limit nonagricultural uses of the land. Under the Wetland Reserve Easements component, NRCS helps to restore, protect, and enhance enrolled wetlands. Benefits
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Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) This program offers technical and financial assistance to help agricultural and forest producers take their conservation efforts to the next level. The program is designed to compensate agricultural and forest producers who agree to increase their level of conservation by adopting additional conservation activities and maintaining their baseline level of conservation. CSP is for producers who are passionate about conservation and environmental stewardship. Benefits CSP may provide many benefits, including increased crop productivity, decreased inputs, wildlife habitat improvements and increased resilience to weather extremes. CSP also encourages adoption of new technologies and management techniques. For example, CSP can help you:
REGIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM (RCPP)
A partner-driven approach to conservation that funds solutions to natural resource challenges on agricultural land.
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How to Get Assistance
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For more information on specific programs and to get started, contact Kelly, or visit the office at 940 Rex St., Fremont, MI 49412. |
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