NEWS
News to Use: Cost-share
Becky Daugherty
Delaware County SWCD2017 Clean Water Indiana Grant
2019 was the final year for this three year grant. We have been extremely successful assisting producers with cost share - even with 2019 being the year it was.
For Delaware county, seven producers planted 963 acres to cover crops through this grant. Using the Region 5 Model, these acres represent estimated reductions of: 1,215 tons of sediment, 1,634 pounds of phosphorus, and 3,270 pounds of nitrogen. Cost share paid to Delaware Co. producers totaled $19,253. Since this grant also included Blackford and Randolph counties, we can report five producers planted 490 acres and two producers planted 199 acres of cover crops respectively.
Blackford's estimated reductions are: 656 tons of sediment, 879 pounds of phosphorus, and 1,758 pounds of nitrogen. Randolph's estimated reductions are: 246 tons of sediment, 327 pounds of phosphorus, and 653 pounds of nitrogen. Cost share paid to Blackford and Randolph producers totaled $9,395 and $3,978 respectively.
2019 Clean Water Indiana Grant
Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District is partners with Grant County SWCD on this three year grant. As with the 2017 Clean Water grant, we were able to cost share with producers wanting to establish conservation practices. Through this grant, three Delaware county producers planted 240 acres to cover crops, with estimated reductions of sediment being 346 tons, phosphorus 465 pounds, and nitrogen 930 pounds. Cost share paid under this grant was $4,808. (Grant co. results are not known at this time.) This grant continues through 2021 to provide cost share on various conservation practices, however funding is limited.
Ball Brothers Foundation Prevented Plant Grant
District applied for a Rapid Grant to assist producers with planting cover crops specifically on acres that were either prevented from being planted or were flooded out from the exceptional rainfalls during the spring of 2019. We received applications for 849 acres, however with this grant we could only assist with 250, providing five producers with $5,000 in cost share assistance. As with the grants listed above, we track the estimated reductions these acres represent. Sediment was 308 tons, 414 pounds of phosphorus, and 828 pounds of nitrogen.
Upper Mississinewa River Watershed Cost Share - IDEM 319 - Grant
This grant provided cost shares for 2019 to fourteen producers, who will receive approx. $55,000 in total. Producers participating in this grant for 2019 were located in Blackford, Delaware, and Jay.
These producers have planted 1,750 acres of cover crops and 65 acres of forage and biomass. These practices have resulted in soil and nutrient conservation estimated at 1,500 tons of sediment, 2,000 pounds of phosphorus, and 4,000 pounds of nitrogen. This program continues until May 2021. Producers in Blackford, Delaware, Grant, Jay, Randolph, and Darke (OH) counties are eligible to apply. Applications are available at all of the listed Soil and Water Conservation District offices. The cost-share rate for most practices is 75%, with a cap for vegetative practices set at $5,000. The cap on structural practices has been raised to $15,000.
There are approximately 40 eligible practices. These include structural practices such as grassed waterways and grade stabilization structures, and vegetative practices such as cover crops and tree and shrub establishment. If you have questions about the program, please contact Becky at 765-747-5531 ext. 3 or delcoswcd@gmail.com. The application deadline is February 29, 2020.
Conservation Practices Cost Share Applications Now Available
Photo by Jason Lilley
It's time for landowners and producers to apply for Conservation Practices Cost Share for 2019. We have funds available through three grants - Clean Water Indiana (CWI) and Upper Mississinewa River Watershed Project 319. Cost Share dollars may be used for a variety of best management conservation practices, such as: cover crops, grassed waterways, invasives control, heavy use pads, filter strips, etc. - - - or a combination of practices!!! Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District is partners with Blackford, Grant, and Randolph County SWCDs in a 2017 Clean Water Indiana grant. We are also partners with Grant Co. SWCD in a 2019 Clean Water Indiana grant. Clean Water Indiana grants are awarded by the Indiana State Soil Conservation Board (SSCB), through the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA). The 2017 grant has an approx. balance of $35,000 and the 2019 grant has $34,000 available. The Upper Mississinewa River Watershed Project 319 grant was awarded by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) with funds from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Delaware Co. SWCD is partnered with Grant, Blackford, Jay, Randolph, and Darke (OH) Co. SWCDs for this grant. The $150,000 cost share for this grant will be distributed starting in the Tier I Critical area, based on a ranking system. Landowners/producers from any of the above mentioned counties may apply for cost share of conservation practices through these grants by completing a single application form. Application forms and/or more information are available at any of the mentioned SWCD offices and completed forms may be returned to any office mentioned. Don't miss out on this opportunity to receive technical and financial assistance for YOUR conservation practice(s)!!
Contact us at 765-747-5531 ext. 3 or at delcoswcd@gmail.com for your application and more information!!!
Cost Share Update 2018
Our conservation cost share programs for 2018 were very successful. Combining our three active grants: 2017 Clean Water Indiana, 2017 Lake and River Enhancement (LARE), through the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), and Ball Brothers Foundation Prairie Creek Reservoir Conservation Project, we assisted producers with planting over 2,300 acres in cover crops. Several of these producers planted additional acres on their own, at full expense.
Additionally we assisted one produce install a grassed waterway. Using the nationally recognized measuring tool, Region 5 Model, these efforts are estimated to have reduced sediment loss by 2,514 tons and retained 1.7 tons of phosphorus and 3.4 tons of nitrogen in the soil ---- helping to keep our water cleaner and safer!!
Cost Share Update for 2019
Thirty nine producers have submitted applications for the 2019 cost share opportunities available through our Upper Mississinewa River Watershed IDEM 319, 2017 Clean Water Indiana, and 2019 Clean Water Indiana grants. These applications are for a variety of conservation practices to be implemented in Blackford, Grant, Jay, Delaware, Randolph and Darke (OH) counties. These applications represent over 7,200 acres agricultural producers are interested in protecting, improving and/or enhancing, and will contribute to improved water quality!!
The problem with this great response to the opportunities is, requests for assistance exceed funds available within respective grant parameters. Acres in the 319 grant Tier 1 critical area will be ranked based on various conditions, with the highest ranking acres receiving funds first, medium ranking next, with the lower rankings being last, till funds are exhausted. Acres in the Clean Water Indiana grants areas will be funded based on review by the respective counties Soil and Water Conservation Districts Board of Supervisors.
All practices must be implemented according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service Field Office Technical Guide in order to receive payment of cost share funds.
Cost Share Dollars for Delaware County Producers
Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District is now accepting applications for two different cost share grants. One of the grants is through the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife, Lake and River Enhancement (LARE) Program. The other is through the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, State Soil Conservation Board, Clean Water Indiana (CWI). These grants have been developed from the study on the Upper Mississinewa River watershed. The grants focus mainly on cover crops, however other land treatment options are possible. Cost share for cover crops is $20.00 per acre, with a limit of 300 acres per application.
The LARE grant focuses on the Pike Creek-Mississinewa River subwatershed which includes a major portion of northern and northeastern Delaware County.
In general the boundries are: the eastern third of Washington township, most of Union, Niles, and Delaware townships, smaller portions of Hamilton and Liberty townships and the northeast tip of Harrison township.
The CWI grant covers all acres within Delaware County. Producers and landowners may apply for more than one program, depending on where their acreage is located.