By 1812Blockhouse
Richland Soil and Water Conservation District (Richland SWCD) is partnering with the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District on a grant program for producers who plant cover crops.
In 2019, the grant program assisted in getting cover crops on over 206.23 acres of Richland County farmland and resulted in 87 tons of soil from eroding into our streams. It also kept 139 pounds of phosphorous on the land and 255 pounds of nitrogen out of waterways.
The 2020 cost-share rate is $12.00 per acre. Interested applicants may apply through Richland SWCD. Producers in the Rocky Fork, Black Fork, and Clear Fork watersheds are eligible.
Applications will go through a scoring process to see which fields are the most eligible. The goal is to get winter cover on fields with low residue, such as corn silage and soybeans. Therefore, low residue fields will score higher.
Some of the benefits of planting cover crops include reducing soil erosion and runoff, increasing rainfall and snow melt infiltration into the soil and increasing soil quality.
The 2021 application can be accessed here, while the cover crop agreement is here. The application deadline is June 18.
Additional information may be obtained by contacting Matt Wallace at 419-747-8687 or at [email protected].
The Richland Soil and Water Conservation District develops, implements and assists landowners, government agencies and our partners with a wide range of natural resource conservation programs. Programs and assistance of the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District are available without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, disability or veteran status.
Source: Richland SWCD Press Release; Photos: Richland SWCD
