| Franklin County Conservation District |
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Helping People Help the Land in partnership with USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service
Contact local NRCS Staff:
Ottawa USDA Service Center 785-242-3260 ext 3
District Conservationist: Samantha (Sam) Adwell
Conservation Technician: VACANT
Supervisory District Conservationist: Jeff Mann (covering Franklin, Douglas, Shawnee, Miami, Johnson and Wyandotte Counties)
Ottawa USDA Service Center 785-242-3260 ext 3
District Conservationist: Samantha (Sam) Adwell
Conservation Technician: VACANT
Supervisory District Conservationist: Jeff Mann (covering Franklin, Douglas, Shawnee, Miami, Johnson and Wyandotte Counties)
Do you want to make improvements to the land that you own or lease?
Natural Resources Conservation Service offers technical and financial assistance to help farmers, ranchers and landowners. Interacting with NRCS begins with a plan identifying resource concerns. Contact the local field office to learn more, or visist USDA-NRCS | Kansas Association of Conservation Districts (kacd.net) for an online overview of the programs.
Is EQIP the right program for you?
EQIP provides Kansas agricultural producers a wide range of opportunities to improve the quality of natural resources on their land,” State Conservationist Karen Woodrich said. EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program) is a voluntary conservation program available for agricultural producers. Through EQIP, NRCS will provide financial and technical assistance to install conservation practices that reduce soil erosion and sedimentation, improve water and air quality, and create wildlife habitat.
NRCS accepts applications for all of its programs on a continuous basis, producers interested in EQIP should submit a signed application to the local NRCS field office. Franklin County residents are encouraged to come in and visit with NRCS about how EQIP might benefit their operation.
EQIP also helps address the unique circumstances of socially disadvantaged, veteran, limited resource, and beginning farmers and ranchers, who have natural resource concerns that need to be addressed on their land," said Banks. Qualifying Kansas producers compete separately and receive higher payment rates. EQIP offers assistance on many resource concerns including, but not limited to:
High Tunnel Systems: NRCS will help producers implement high tunnels that extend growing seasons for high value crops in an environmentally safe manner. This does not require sale of produce, can be solely for on farm/personal use.
Forest Stand Improvement: the process in which land is managed to promote a healthier forest community. This is done though the manipulation of species composition, stand structure, and number of trees by cutting or killing selected trees and understory vegetation.
Soil Health: fighting soil compaction, increasing organic matter, and improving aggregate stability and soil organism habitat by incorporating no- or reduced-tillage, conservation crop rotation, cover crops, and/or livestock integration into your farming operation.
Plant pest removal/monitoring: Restoring woody encroached and herbaceous weed infested areas back to productive grasslands. This initiative targets the removal of woody species (ex. Hedge, Locusts, and Eastern Red Cedars) and treatment of herbaceous weed infestations (ex. Sericea Lespedeza & Johnson Grass) followed by a 3-5 year, NRCS designed Prevention, Avoidance, & Monitoring plan.
Cropland conversion to grass: A one-time planting of cropland to grass for wildlife habitat, pasture, hay land, range, and/or conservation cover to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
A complete listing of EQIP initiatives can be found online at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/eqip-environment www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/eqip-environmental-quality-incentives/kansas/environmental-quality-incentivesal-quality-incentives/kansas/environmental-quality-incentives
For more information visit the Kansas NRCS Web site www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/programs or your local U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Service Center. Follow us on Twitter @NRCS_Kansas. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
NRCS accepts applications for all of its programs on a continuous basis, producers interested in EQIP should submit a signed application to the local NRCS field office. Franklin County residents are encouraged to come in and visit with NRCS about how EQIP might benefit their operation.
EQIP also helps address the unique circumstances of socially disadvantaged, veteran, limited resource, and beginning farmers and ranchers, who have natural resource concerns that need to be addressed on their land," said Banks. Qualifying Kansas producers compete separately and receive higher payment rates. EQIP offers assistance on many resource concerns including, but not limited to:
High Tunnel Systems: NRCS will help producers implement high tunnels that extend growing seasons for high value crops in an environmentally safe manner. This does not require sale of produce, can be solely for on farm/personal use.
Forest Stand Improvement: the process in which land is managed to promote a healthier forest community. This is done though the manipulation of species composition, stand structure, and number of trees by cutting or killing selected trees and understory vegetation.
Soil Health: fighting soil compaction, increasing organic matter, and improving aggregate stability and soil organism habitat by incorporating no- or reduced-tillage, conservation crop rotation, cover crops, and/or livestock integration into your farming operation.
Plant pest removal/monitoring: Restoring woody encroached and herbaceous weed infested areas back to productive grasslands. This initiative targets the removal of woody species (ex. Hedge, Locusts, and Eastern Red Cedars) and treatment of herbaceous weed infestations (ex. Sericea Lespedeza & Johnson Grass) followed by a 3-5 year, NRCS designed Prevention, Avoidance, & Monitoring plan.
Cropland conversion to grass: A one-time planting of cropland to grass for wildlife habitat, pasture, hay land, range, and/or conservation cover to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
A complete listing of EQIP initiatives can be found online at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/eqip-environment www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/eqip-environmental-quality-incentives/kansas/environmental-quality-incentivesal-quality-incentives/kansas/environmental-quality-incentives
For more information visit the Kansas NRCS Web site www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/programs or your local U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Service Center. Follow us on Twitter @NRCS_Kansas. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Keep your records up to date with USDA
Anytime you have a change to your farm operation please take the time to notify Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service at the USDA office.
Examples of changes USDA needs to know about include:
> Land ownership- did you buy or sell land?
> Tenant/operator change- is someone new operating your land, or are you operating for someone new? Did shares change?
> Ownership Name- did you create a trust, did a member of a trust pass away, have you formed an LLC or Inc.?
> Did you open a new bank account for the farm/operation?
> Did you move, get a new phone number, drop your land line, or change your email address?
> Did you, or do you, plan to add acres to your operation? An HEL determination is needed, before planting a commodity crop in order to remain eligible for Farm Bill Programs, on any "newly created" tillable acres.
It is always better to notify the office of a change as soon as it happens instead of after a problem with payment or program sign up occurs because records were not updated. If you have questions, or if you need to report a change, call the office at 242-3260 Ext 2 for FSA, Ext 3 for NRCS/Conservation District.
Examples of changes USDA needs to know about include:
> Land ownership- did you buy or sell land?
> Tenant/operator change- is someone new operating your land, or are you operating for someone new? Did shares change?
> Ownership Name- did you create a trust, did a member of a trust pass away, have you formed an LLC or Inc.?
> Did you open a new bank account for the farm/operation?
> Did you move, get a new phone number, drop your land line, or change your email address?
> Did you, or do you, plan to add acres to your operation? An HEL determination is needed, before planting a commodity crop in order to remain eligible for Farm Bill Programs, on any "newly created" tillable acres.
It is always better to notify the office of a change as soon as it happens instead of after a problem with payment or program sign up occurs because records were not updated. If you have questions, or if you need to report a change, call the office at 242-3260 Ext 2 for FSA, Ext 3 for NRCS/Conservation District.
USDA’s online resource dashboard Farmers.gov is built around the needs of the people who grow our food, fuel, and fiber. Farmers.gov provides farmers, ranchers, private foresters and agricultural producers with online self-service applications, educational materials, engagement opportunities and business tools to increase efficiency and productivity while preserving and fostering long-held traditional relationships between local USDA offices and producers.
Customers can now access Soil Survey information online. Local USDA - NRCS offices no longer have the old printed soil survey books available since soils inventory is on the Web Soil Survey Site. Click on the Web Soil Survey image above to connect to the page to begin your soil survey research. There is also a soilweb app available!
Soil is a living ecosystem. Healthy soil gives us clean air and water, bountiful crops and forests, productive grazing lands, diverse wildlife, and beautiful landscapes. Learn more about new soil health and soil quality programs by visiting the USDA NRCS website http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/soils/health/
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.)