Flowing along Illinois’ borders and through its interior are more than 87,000 miles of rivers and streams. Many, if not most, of these waterways exist within or adjacent to agricultural land. This is not surprising as agricultural land covers 76.3 percent of Illinois’ surface area, with slightly more than 60 percent planted in soybeans and corn.
What do these statistics mean for watershed groups working to protect, conserve and restore their local/watershed and water resources? In addition to working with citizens, small parcel landowners and local government, watershed groups need to engage more “non-traditional” groups to achieve long term watershed improvement. In Illinois, farmers and ranchers are essential partners to include in watershed collaborative efforts.
In reaching out to the agricultural community, educational tools and incentive programs are as close as your area United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Under the USDA, the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) administers a variety of voluntary programs designed to conserve and protect soil and water quality, restore and improve wetlands, grasslands and wildlife habitat primarily on agricultural lands. In addition to a wealth of written program information, NRCS staff are invaluable technical partners in developing outreach efforts to farmers and ranchers.
Unfortunately, even with financial and technical assistance NRCS offers, only a small amount (635,000 acres) of Illinois’ agricultural lands are now being managed under Conservation Reserve Program plans which will protect, maintain and restore the quality of agricultural lands and their connected water systems. Collaboration with farmers and ranchers presents a win-win solution to lessoning the adverse impacts agricultural activities have on riparian and other water-dependent ecosystems. Farmers receive financial incentives and technical expertise on improved practices that will preserve the natural resources they depend upon; these practices will then improve the quality of riparian ecosystems and waters for the benefit of the people, fish and wildlife in the watershed.
With all the benefits to be gained by enrolling in NRCS programs offer, there is little awareness of them among agricultural producers. Watershed groups can play an instrumental role in education and ultimately participation by farmers and ranchers in these programs.
Help collaborate with land owners to protect and restore streams and wildlife habitat. Learn more…
To visit the Illinois Natural Resources Conservation Service website go to: www.il.nrcs.usda.gov/
History of the NRCS and Program Summaries
Federal and State Farmland Conservation Programs
In 1935, the federal Soil Conservation Act (SCA) was passed to provide assistance to farmers suffering from extreme soil erosion on their farmlands. The SWA authorized what is now called the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Included in the NRCS mission goals are achieving productive, high-quality soils, improving and maintaining water quality and quantity, and providing healthy communities for humans and animals. To achieve these goals, NRCS offers several programs that provide technical and financial assistance to farmers to enable them to conserve their farmlands. (A full list of the NCRS mission goals is stated in a Fact Sheet.)
Like the NRCS, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) originated from programs developed under the SWA, and is one branch of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). One of the resource conservation programs offered by the FSA is the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), which is jointly administered by the FSA and the state of Illinois. The CREP program covers the Illinois River Watershed and seeks to protect both that watershed’s water resources and environmentally sensitive habitat.
Below is a partial listing of NCRS and FSA programs available, and their websites:
The Conservation Security Program (CSP)
The CSP, unlike other NRCS programs, does not require putting new conservation measures into place. Instead, CSP 1) provides rewards to farmers who already have included stewardship practices into farmland management, and 2) offers incentives to those farmers who wish to exceed the minimum levels CSP recognizes for resource protection and enhancement. The program’s particular focus is on maintaining soil and water quality.
Benefits to farmers/participants: reduced soil erosion and nutrient runoff, improved soil and water quality, enhanced wildlife habitat.
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp/
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
The CRP program is under the authority of the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA). The CRP is designed to first, prevent erosion, and second, to improve water quality and enhance wildlife habitat by conserving “environmentally sensitive” land. Farmers who enroll in the CRP agree to plant “resource-conserving vegetative covers” on a portion of their land. The CRP differs from the CSP as it seeks participants who will establish new areas of protected land, as opposed to CSP enrollees, who already have land stewardship practices in place.
Benefits to farmers: improved soil and water quality, protection of groundwater, streambank stabilization, reduced soil erosion and nutrient runoff, enhanced wildlife habitat.
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/crp/
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
The EQIP program focuses on achieving environmental benefits that have been deemed “National priorities.” National priorities include: 1) reducing soil erosion and sedimentation from unacceptable levels on agricultural land; 2) conserving ground and surface water resources; 3) reducing groundwater contamination; and 4) reducing non-point source pollution. (From NRCS Fact Sheet “Farm Bill 2002: Environmental Quality Incentives Program,” on website at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/eqip/) EQIP provides financial and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers to implement a variety of conservation practices that improve both agricultural production and environmental quality on the affected land.
Benefits to farmers: Depending on the farmer’s conservation plan, benefits can range from improved soil and water quality to reduced flood and wind damage to farmsteads and fields.
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/eqip/
Grassland Reserve Program (GRP)
The goal of the GRP program is to protect and conserve grassland, pastureland and shrubland in order to maintain working grazing operations and enhance the plant and animal diversity of these lands. Landowners may either grant an easement or agree to rent sections of their property in exchange for limiting activities and developing restoration plans for the selected property.
Benefits to farmers: improved forage quality, reduction in invasive species, economic and environmental benefits such as improved water quality from enhanced wildlife habitat.
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/grp/
Illinois Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)
The particular objectives of CREP are to protect environmentally sensitive land and to restore and enhance wildlife habitat. CREP is a state-level program, administered by the FSA, offering private landowners in the Illinois River Watershed financial incentives and technical assistance for enhancing wildlife habitat through retiring land from agricultural production. Areas eligible for CREP include all or part of 53 counties in Illinois.
Benefits to farmers/participants: protection of groundwater, improved water quality from reduced erosion and nutrient runoff, increased aesthetic and economic value of land from enhanced wildlife habitat.
The Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP)
Wetlands provide a variety of environmental benefits, including flood protection, improved water quality, recharge of groundwater and habitat for wetland-dependant wildlife. The goal of the WRP is to purchase farmlands that have the greatest potential for successful wetland restoration; once purchased, an easement is created for the land but does not affect the landowner’s title or control of access on the land. In fact, the landowner may use the restored area for recreational hunting, fishing, or nature-based tourist activities.
Benefits to farmers: flood control, payment for land that is marginally productive for agricultural purposes, enhanced wildlife habitat, improved water quality resulting from wetland’s filtering of nutrients, chemicals and sediment, groundwater recharge, increased aesthetic and economic value of the land.
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/wrp/
Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)
The WHIP program offers financial and technical assistance to private landowners for the specific purpose of developing and improving wildlife habitat on their land.
Benefits to farmers: while improved agricultural production is not an objective of the WHIP program, establishing wildlife habitat adjacent to agricultural land and drainage waterways could help reduce field nutrient and sediment runoff, and damage to banks and channels.
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/whip/
A printabl chart (pdf format) is available about individual program requirements and incentives.
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Photo credits: Bob Nichols, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service