Growing Green 2021: Investing in Conservation and Local Food Virtual Series
Cosponsored by Tecumseh Land Trust and the Arthur Morgan Institute for Community Solutions, as a part of the Jacoby Partnership, a Regional Conservation Partnership Program through the USDA.
The purpose of this series is for participants to gain an increased sense of practices they could adapt to improve soil and water quality and to make more of their agricultural products, including a better understanding of:
- The diversity of products they could grow and means for marketing them
- The support available to implement conservation practices on local lands.
- The actions to take to implement conservation practices and grow a stronger local food network.
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a cost-share program that provides landowners and farmers financial and technical assistance to implement conservation practices. EQIP is a program of the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). Landowners in the Jacoby Partnership area are eligible for a special pool of EQIP funds. The Jacoby Partnership is our local 5-year Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). Through the Partnership, Central State University provides soil testing and water quality monitoring.
1:00-1:10 Introductions
1:10-1:40 “Tools in the Tool Box: Using the Environmental Quality Incentive Program”
Cheryl Rice and Meghan Moser of NRCS
Background
How to apply for EQIP and other conservation programs?
What are the resources available for new/ beginner farmers and how can they accessed?
Why do we have the RCPP?
Meghan Moser is the District Conservationist for Greene County with the NRCS. Meghan will discuss her work with landowners to plan and implement cost share conservation programs.
Cheryl Rice is a Resource Conservationist for NRCS. She is Ohio’s NRCS coordinator for Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) and Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). Chery will discuss the goals of these programs.
1:40-2:00 “Monitoring the Soil and Water Quality Outcomes of Conservation Practices” - Dr. Sakthi Subburayalu
Dr. Sakthi Subburayalu is a Research Assistant Professor of Soil Science and Agronomy, Research and Development Program in the College of Science and Engineering at Central State University. Dr. Subburayalu will discuss his efforts to monitor the effects of conservation practices on water and soil quality, as a part of the Jacoby Partnership and other local, state and national programs.
2:00-2:30 Questions
2:30 Wrap up