The USDA has announced it is awarding $25 million to conversation partners across the country for 18 new projects under the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials program.
Among this year?s awarded projects is an effort in Iowa and Minnesota called ?Reimagining Modern Crop Fields? where Pheasants Forever will explore a financial assistance model that promotes the adoption of precision agriculture and precision conservation strategies and tools on a farm-wide scale to identify opportunities for conservation and inform decision-making. The USDA is awarding Pheasants Forever $750,000 for the project.
On-Farm Trials projects support widespread adoption and evaluation of innovative conservation approaches in partnership with agricultural producers. This year?s awarded projects increase the adoption of new approaches and technologies to help agricultural producers mitigate the effects of climate change, increase the resilience of their operations and boost soil health.
Terry Cosby, Chief of USDA?s Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS), discusses some of the other projects outside of Iowa that were awarded by USDA.
?They are all over the country,? said Cosby. ?One in California is called Climate-Smart Irrigation for Drought, Fertility, and Structural Resilience in Almond Systems. Almond growers are looking at how they adopt deep root irrigation, look at pressure, and surface drip irrigation. Another one is the Regional LoRa Networks to Improve High Elevation Flood Irrigation Water Management out in Colorado. We?re working with Trout Unlimited on that one.?
On-Farm Trials projects feature collaboration between NRCS and partners to implement on-the-ground conservation activities and then evaluate their impact. Incentive payments are provided to producers to offset the risk of implementing innovative approaches.
For more information about the Conservation Innovation Grants program, visit the NRCS website.
