Helping the Great Lakes States' agricultural and forest producers protect natural resources as one of the nation's most diverse agricultural economies
Kelly Bishop
District conservationist
kelly.bishop@usda.gov
​231-924-2060 Ext. 3
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:
  • improved water and air quality
  • conserved ground and surface water
  • increased soil health and reduced soil erosion and sedimentation
  • improved or created wildlife habitat
  • mitigation against drought and increasing weather volatility. 
Benefits
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: 
  • Conventional and organic
  • Specialty crops and commodity crops
  • Forestry and wildlife
  • Historically underserved farmers* (​*Increased and advance payments available for historically underserved producers (beginning, limited resource, socially disadvantaged, and military veterans.)
  • Livestock operations
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
  • Keeps agricultural land in family hands
  • Provides a means to remove marginal cropland from production
  • Provides income
  • Protects our nation’s best agricultural soils or grasslands
  • Preserves wildlife habitat and protects biodiversity, including for threatened and endangered species
  • Protects and restores wetlands and improves water quality
  • Sequesters carbon and helps reduce greenhouse gases. 

​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:
  • Schedule timely planting and management of cover crops
  • Develop a grazing plan that will improve your forage base
  • Implement no-till to reduce erosion
  • Manage forested areas in a way that benefits wildlife habitat 
If you are already taking steps to improve the condition of the land, chances are CSP can help you find new ways to meet your goals.
​REGIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM (RCPP)
A partner-driven approach to conservation that funds solutions to natural resource challenges on agricultural land. 
  • RCPP Classic: projects are implemented using NRCS contracts and easements with producers, landowners and communities, in collaboration with project partners
  • RCPP Grants: the lead partner must work directly with agricultural producers to support the development of new conservation structures and approaches that would not otherwise be available under RCPP Classic
RCPP Conservation Activities can include: 
  • ​Land management/land improvement/restoration practices
  • Land rentals
  • Entity-held easements
  • United States-held easements
  • Public works/watersheds​​
How to Get Assistance
  1. Make a Plan
  2. Start an Application
  3. Check your eligibility
  4. Rank your application
  5. Implement your plan
For more information on specific programs and to get started,  contact Kelly, or visit the office at 940 Rex St., Fremont, MI 49412.
Newaygo Conservation District (NCD) is an independent unit of state government which has a philosophy and commitment to the stewardship and conservation of the environment.  The NCD consults with landowners to educate them in the planning and use of their land.  All programs and services are available without regard to race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, family status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, because of all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program.
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