WHOLE FARM CONSERVATION PLANNING
Whole Farm Conservation Planning identifies proven solutions to natural resources problems, issues, and concerns, and applies those solutions to promote environmental sustainability and farm profitability in the production of cranberries.WSCGA entered into a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in 2002 to develop and promote a framework for Whole Farm Conservation Planning. WSCGA has received funding through the federal budget to facilitate this process. These funds are being used to implement conservation practices on Wisconsin cranberry marshes. These efforts have also led to the development and refinement of Wisconsin NRCS Technical Standards, which establish the minimum criteria for the environmentally sound management of cranberry production systems.
Wisconsin NRCS has Technical Standards for commonly used conservation practices, and for more information on those practices, you can reference the electronic Field Office Technical Guide. Specific guidelines for the implementation of conservation practices commonly used in cranberry production systems have been developed through the Whole Farm Conservation Planning efforts. Detailed guidance for the implementation of the "big three" cranberry conservation management practices can be found by following these links:
Process
Participation in Whole Farm Planning is voluntary and after participants go through a decision-making and planning process, they come up with a Whole Farm Conservation Plan for their land. The conservation plan identifies the natural resources problems, issues, and concerns that exist on the planning unit (marsh or portion of a marsh); the potential conservation practices to address those issues; and the practices selected by the land user. Growers then work with the appropriate technical specialists to implement the conservation practices included in their plan. Technical specialists may include NRCS conservationists, technicians, or engineers; private sector crop consultants or engineers; or other qualified Technical Service Providers. The Whole Farm Planning process is meant to be an on-going activity – a conservation plan should be updated and revised at least annually, to reflect changes in management objectives or resource conditions.
Participation
To initiate the Whole Farm Conservation Planning process or to update your conservation plan, contact a certified conservation planner. Conservation planners can be found at your local NRCS office or USDA Service Center. The WSCGA also has a Whole Farm Planning Coordinator Tod Planer on staff, and provides office space to an NRCS Resource Conservationist Michael Stinebrink and Soil Conservationist Julie Ammel. To contact the WSCGA NRCS staff, click here. The conservation planner will need to conduct a resource assessment of your operation with you. Information that you share with an NRCS conservationist is protected under the federal Freedom of Information Act. The sharing of this information with NRCS is necessary to identify resource problems, issues, concerns, and opportunities, and to develop alternative management solutions on your marsh.
Tools
A conservation planning workbook, entitled Conservation on Your Land, has been developed to help you document the benchmark conditions on your marsh. The completion of this workbook is optional, but it will help to give the conservation planner detailed information about your management goals and objectives, resource issues and concerns, and current management activities. To obtain a copy of the workbook, contact WSCGA.
Programs
There are a wide variety of government and non-government conservation programs available to assist you in implementing your Whole Farm Conservation Plan. Among these are the USDA’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Security Program (CSP), and the WSCGA’s Whole Farm Planning Incentive Program. A conservation plan is required for participation in all three of these programs. Your conservation planner will be able to help you identify the programs that may best fit your situation. For a listing of Wisconsin NRCS programs, which includes a link to other federal, state and local conservation programs, click here.
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
The EQIP is administered by NRCS, and is available to Wisconsin cranberry growers. Growers from across the state can apply for these funds, and the funds are distributed based on a ranking system that seeks to direct the available monies to those projects that are likely to have the greatest environmental benefit. For more information, or to apply for EQIP, click here, or contact your local NRCS contacts.
Conservation Security Program (CSP)
The CSP is administered by NRCS, and is available to agricultural producers in selected priority watersheds. To be eligible for CSP, you must meet certain minimum threshold levels of conservation stewardship. These minimum levels can be accomplished through the implementation of a Whole Farm Conservation Plan. For more information on CSP, click here.
WSCGA Whole Farm Planning Incentive Program (WFPIP)
The WFPIP was created by WSCGA in 2006 to provide incentives to WSCGA growers for their use of Whole Farm Planning.
WSCGA offers financial assistance to Wisconsin cranberry growers for conservation efforts made during the annual growing season. Applications are selected for funding according to the expected environmental benefit – those with greater environmental benefit will receive higher priority for funding. Interested growers should apply by contacting WSCGA NRCS staff.
| WFPIP Quick Links WFPIP Information – Details on WFPIP eligibility, funding and contract selection and terms. WFPIP Application Packet – Initiate the conservation planning process by filling out the application and submit it to WSCGA, Whole Farm Planning Incentive Program, PO Box 365, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495. WSCGA Whole Farm Planning Incentive Program Scoring Sheet – See how applications are scored and selected. |