By the Merriam-Webster definition, conservation is “planned management of a natural resource.” The word plan is “a detailed formulation of a program of action.”
Together a conservation plan basically means writing down how to use a farm’s natural resources in as detailed a fashion as you can.
Start Small, Then Add
“The most important factor of a conservation plan is it has to be either the farmer or the landowner’s plan,” says Mark Berkland, a
conservation consultant, NRCS-certified Technical Service Provider and former NRCS agent. “If the decision-maker isn’t involved in the plan, it’s just a piece of paper that will never get implemented.”
If decision-makers are involved and the plan is executed, the results should be improvements in the environment and farm economics.
It’s typically best to start small, Berkland advises. “We’d love it if the whole farm eventually had a comprehensive plan, but this is something where you jump in and start somewhere, and that’s usually on a problem spot,” he adds.
To take that first step, download the Resource Stewardship Planning guide at AgWeb.com/ACAM . Everything in the guide is focused on providing a path to address a problem or helping you make progress on a goal — whether that involves cropland, associated agricultural land, pasture or livestock facilities.
