INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — For White County landowner Garry Cosgray, just looking at wildflowers and grasses and the wildlife they attract is reward enough for returning his land to conservation practices.
He’s turned 210 acres of poorly performing cropland into filter strips, wetland reserves and wildlife habitat. Miles of tile that attempted to drain the land have been torn out to make way for wildflowers, cattails and alfalfa, which provide nesting ground for quail. "We see deer, turkey, rabbits, meadowlarks, quail and pheasant. We like the wildlife, building them houses and helping neighbors who farm by taking our corn out of production and helping the environment and soil," Cosgray said.
But he’s also getting cost-share and rental fees for the land set aside for wetlands and wildlife habitat through USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). "Our ground was marginal. It was either sandy or wet. We make the same amount of money we made in farming it," he said.
His steady stream of income was not affected by the excess rain plaguing farmers nearby, he said. But the financial reward is not as much as he’d get for cash rent most years. He said he is getting a range of income from $150-$217 per acre. Dollar amounts vary per land plot, based on soil type, usage and other factors. "The almighty dollar is not everything," he said.
Now Hoosier producers have the option of enrolling more acres in USDA’s wildlife conservation program. Indiana can add up to 20,150 agricultural acres through State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE). "SAFE is popular in areas of the state where you can’t get big equipment in to plant or harvest crops. It’s a great way to bring wildlife to the state and incentivize producers for doing that," said Julia Wickard, state director of Indiana’s USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), which administers the program.
Indiana already has 32,800 acres dedicated to wildlife preservation through the SAFE program. Producers are given rental payments and cost-share monies to build a wildlife habitat that would attract endangered or declining species, such as the Indiana Bat, Northern Bobwhite Quail, Sedge Wren/Grasshopper Sparrow, Henslow’s Sparrow, Ring-necked Pheasant and American Woodcock.
Wickard said cost-share funds range from $52-$250 per acre, depending on the practice(s) farmers choose and other factors. "Practice" refers to the type of conservation effort in which the land is enrolled – in Indiana there are 30 different practices from which to choose.
Depending on the intended practice, landowners may plant particular grasses, shrubs or trees or build shelters that would attract certain wildlife on the property enrolled in SAFE. Participants are selected on a first come, first served basis, Wickard said. Contracts are usually for 10-15 years. "Those who participate are landowners who see the value in the program," she said. "As we plant grasses on the land to attract endangered species, we are also protecting the soil from erosion and reducing nitrogen and phosphorous runoff. Producers will not need to use as much synthetic chemicals."
SAFE is part of CRP, now in its 30th year. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack said CRP is the most successful voluntary private conservation effort in the history of the country. "For 30 years the Conservation Reserve Program has supported farmers and ranchers as they continue to be good stewards of the land and water. This initiative has helped farmers and ranchers prevent more than 8 billion tons of soil from erosion, reduced nitrogen and phosphorus runoff relative to cropland by 95 and 85 percent respectively and even sequestered 43 million tons of greenhouse gases annually, which is equivalent to taking 8 million cars off the road," he said.
Vilsack also said CRP programs spur economic development such as hunting and fishing, outdoor recreation and tourism in rural America. He announced last spring the USDA will enroll 800,000 additional acres for wetland and wildlife conservation, of which Indiana received allowance for 20,150 acres.
Following is listed additional conservation acreage granted to other states in the region: Illinois, 3,000; Michigan, 3,500; and Ohio, 15,000. Indiana’s new SAFE acres are divided as follows: Indiana Bat, 1,500; American Woodcock, 150; Henslow’s Sparrow, 5,000; Indiana Northern Bobwhite, 6,000; Indiana Ring-necked Pheasant, 4,000; and Indiana Sedge Wren, 3,500.
CRP was reauthorized by the 2014 farm bill. USDA channels SAFE conservation dollars through local FSA offices. FSA agents are trained to make sure farmers have the correct documents to get enrolled, Wickard said. The Natural Resources Conservation Service will conduct spot checks and provide technical assistance for producers who are accepted into the program. "The guidelines are basic for each program. We can tweak it to meet our needs," Cosgray said.
Wickard said the amount of producer interest in conservation depends on outreach by county FSA offices – as well as the market price of corn and soybeans.
"Farmers are the first and true conservationists of the land. We know this program works and intertwines with their row crops. This conservation program can be used in conjunction with traditional farming, such as buffer or filter strips to prevent runoff," she noted.
Interested producers should start the process now by contacting their local FSA office. Official application dates are Dec. 1, 2015-Feb. 26, 2016. To find their local FSA office, producers can view www.offices.usda.gov or, to find out more about CRP, see www.fsa.usda.gov/conservation
Cosgray and his wife, Paula, already entertain passersby who stop to enjoy their fields, but they want to offer field trips to schoolchildren. "This is the best thing for our ground. It’s so pretty, and we can watch wildlife," he said.
