USDA to Reward Farmers Who Practice Conservation

Tennessee farmers could soon be getting paid to leave behind some husks, stalks and roots from the previous harvest when they plant new crops.

It’s part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Stewardship Program, which looks to incentivize good practices.

The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service wants to reward farmers who look out for nearby wildlife and water quality.

Regional Conservationist Leonard Jordan says that means methods like conservation tilling – where farmers use crop residue to boost soil nutrition and fight erosion. Another example he gives is filter stripping – planting a patch of grass along the edge of a crop near a stream, to control fertilizer runoff.

Jordan says the program applies both to farmers who are planning to start such practices, and those who already use them. He says it benefits everyone, not just the farmers.

“Not only the producers that are owners of those properties, but it’s worth something to all of society, so here is an opportunity for which we will reward those good behaviors.”

Jordan says Tennessee has over 150 thousand eligible acres. The NRCS expects to pay farmers an average of 18 dollars an acre, up to 40 thousand dollars a year.

The deadline for applications is the end of this month.