INDIANAPOLIS – Money is available for Hoosier farmers living in the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB) to add such conservation practices as filter strips, structures for water control, habitat planting, and livestock and nutrient management. The application deadline for the current funding cycle is Dec. 8.

The funding will assist farmers in implementing practices designed to keep nutrients on fields and improve their watershed, according to the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Farmers in Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Noble, Steuben and Wells counties are eligible for the funding.

“To see the WLEB and Indiana waterways improve, we need to unite across the basin, public and private organizations and individuals alike,” Jennifer B. Thum, deputy director in the Indiana State Department of Agriculture’s (ISDA) Division of Soil Conservation, told Farm World. “For those landowners that are hesitant to participate, we understand. We do encourage all landowners to reach out to their local NRCS office, which is usually a shared space with their local soil and water conservation districts and Indiana State Department of Agriculture. They would be happy to assist landowners who might have questions about this program or any technical question in general.

“Also, we encourage landowners to explore local cost-share programs to install conservation best management practices as a starting point.”

The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) funding comes from a 2021 USDA agreement totaling $7.8 million, NRCS said. Of that total, about $5.3 million was for financial assistance to farmers, Thum said. Indiana and Michigan each received $1.6 million, and Ohio $2.1 million, she said. The rest of the funds went to projects that directly benefit the WLEB in terms of measuring conservation, environmental monitoring and other projects, Thum added.

“Ohio has the most acreage in the Western Lake Erie Basin, so it received more funding than Indiana and Michigan,” she noted. “As a result, Indiana and Michigan could not hold a sign-up in 2022. This past sign-up, Indiana allocated around $315,000. Those funds went to practices such as pasture and hay plantings, livestock roof runoff structures, wildlife habitat plantings, and nutrient management.”

Thum said most current applicants are a mix of repeat and new clients.

In the WLEB, since the beginning of the RCPP time frame of 2021-2022, there have been 1,962 practices installed with local, state or federal programs, Thum said, resulting in a reduction in sediment of 252,335,515 pounds. Phosphorus was reduced by 152,030 pounds, and nitrogen by 308,660 pounds.

The land use around the WLEB is about three-quarters cultivated cropland, she said. The impact of conservation best management practices on the Great Lakes continues to be discussed, Thum noted.

“The voluntary conservation practices being implemented are improving the overall water quality of the WLEB and our waterways,” she said. “We hope folks understand that there’s a lag between installing these practices on the landscape and positive, statistically significant changes in the water quality of large bodies, such as the Maumee Basin and the WLEB. The positive changes we can see quicker are on the landowner’s edge-of-field level.”

The focus has been on working with urban and rural landowners to add conservation practices to their lands, all through a voluntary approach, Thum said. The water quality of rivers such as the St. Marys, St. Joseph and Upper Maumee has been improving, she said.

“I would encourage farmers in this area to reach out and learn more about the funding and assistance provided through the regional conservation partnership,” Don Lamb, ISDA director, said in a statement. “One of the best parts of this program is that Indiana is a small piece of the puzzle. Michigan and Ohio farmers are also eligible to apply for this funding so we can work together to benefit water quality in the Western Lake Erie Basin watershed.”

Eligible producers and forestland owners who want to implement conservation practices on their land should discuss their options with their local district conservationist, NRCS said. NRCS accepts program applications year-round, and applications received after Dec. 8 will automatically be considered during the next funding cycle, the agency said.

To learn more about the WLEB or the funding, visit www.in.gov/isda/divisions/soil-conservation/western-lake-erie-basin/.