TDA AG RESOURCES FUND
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture Agricultural Resources Conservation Fund provides cost-share assistance to Tennessee landowners to install Best Management Practices (BMPs) that eliminate agricultural non-point source pollution. This assistance is provided through Soil Conservation Districts, Resource Conservation and Development Districts, Watershed Districts, universities, and other groups. In addition, a part of the TDA-ARCF is used to fund educational projects statewide, with a focus on landowners, producers, and managers of farms and forests.
EVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a continuous sign-up program that allows landowners or operators to apply for financial and technical assistance for the application of specific conservation practices. Some of the most used practices in EQIP in Marshall County are water facilities, fencing, stream bank stabilization, and animal waste systems. This is a diverse program that can meet a lot of needs and it is our most popular federal program. Cost share for EQIP is 50 %.
WILDLIFE HABITIAT INCENTIVES PROGRAM
The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) is a continuous sign-up program that provides financial and technical assistance to landowners and operators to develop or enhance permanent wildlife habitat. Most commonly native warm season grasses and trees are planted for habitat. We focus a lot on quail in Marshall County due to their declining habitat. Plans are developed based on the wildlife species the landowner desires to protect. Exclusion fencing can also be funded to exclude livestock from these wildlife areas. Cost share for WHIP is 75%.
CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a voluntary program for agricultural landowners. Through CRP, you can receive annual rental payments and cost-share assistance to establish permanent native warm season grasses or trees on land that has been cropped. Crop fields that have been cropped 4 out of 6 years from 1996 to 2001 are eligible for CRP. Also, new policy states that pasture or hayland that has been reseeded, interseeded, or worked up during 1 of the years from 1996 through 1998 will qualify. Payments vary based on soil type, etc.
A few other programs are sometimes offered in Tennessee. For more information on other NRCS programs go to http://www.tn.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/index.html or call the Lewisburg USDA/ NRCS office at 931-359-6268 ext 3.
