Putting conservation to work on-farm often takes a proverbial village. From the farmer making the decision to implement a conservation practice to the trusted adviser and even to the technical or financial partner, many hands are needed before shovels ever hit dirt.
One critical component for many conservation endeavors is a financial partner, especially as farm margins creep inward. Lending institutions and implementers like USDA-NRCS and Ducks Unlimited have financial and technical assistance available, but the programs offered are never one-in-the-same.
This year, Ducks Unlimited hit a record 1 million acres of conservation across the U.S. in one year. Their programs, which span from long-term and permanent projects like conservation restoration and easements to short-term or annual efforts like agricultural cover crop programs, combine the power of incentive partners with the goals of private landowners to put conservation to work.
What should farmers look out for when choosing which incentive partner and programs are right for their ranch or operation?
We asked Billy Gascoigne, director of agriculture and strategic partnerships at Ducks Unlimited to share expertise learned from work across the country.
He offered the following tips for ensuring land stewardship incentives are working for you and the overall future of your land and operation:
- Goal Alignment – “The most important thing is alignment of the program with landowner’s goals,” Gascoigne says. He recommends asking yourself if the program is sufficient to address both your financial and technical barriers to adopting new practices.
- Reporting – Each program will have differing requirements for reporting in both the front and backend. Gascoigne says that, while Ducks Unlimited has staff support that can minimize this burden, some other programs do not. When reviewing the reporting requirements, ask yourself if the administrative hassle will outweigh the net benefit.
- Variety – “Seek out organizations that have a lot of experience delivering a broad set of incentive programs,” Gascoigne says. If you do, he says, you’ll have more options on the table and more opportunities to find a fit that is right for your goals.
- Partnership – “Improving soil health or restoring grazable grasslands doesn’t happen with the flip of a switch,” he says. “Conservation is a longer-term commitment, and having a partner that shares a commitment to your operation’s success is paramount.”
America’s Conservation Ag Movement is a public/private collaborative that meets growers across the country where they are on their conservation journey and empowers their next step with technical assistance from USDA-NRCS and innovation solutions and resources from agriculture’s leading providers. Learn more at www.americasconservationagmovement.com.
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