year

New Form Required for Some NRCS Customers

Dan Conservation, Environment, USDA-FSA, USDA-NRCS

If you are a producer or landowner who participates in USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) conservation programs, you may receive information in the mail from the Farm Service Agency (FSA) about a form you’ll need to fill out. Starting this year, all producers and landowners participating or applying to participate in certain NRCS conservation programs must complete form CCC-902, Farm Operating Plan. …

nrcs

ACEP and Public-Private Partnership

Dan Conservation, Environment, USDA-NRCS

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the final rule for its Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). The program enables agricultural producers and private landowners to protect farmlands, grasslands, and wetlands with conservation easements. Jimmy Bramblett, with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), discusses the relationship between landowners and the federal government under ACEP. ACEP’s agricultural land easements (ALE) component assists state and local …

wildflowers

Wildflowers to Consider Planting in Your Garden for Pollinators

Dan Nursery Crops, Pollinators, This Land of Ours

What you need to know about planting wildflowers in your garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The standard definition for “wildflower” is a type of flowering plant that grows without human intervention. Wildflowers such as daisies, poppies, marigolds, and cornflowers (aka bachelor’s buttons) are considered “common.” These flowers have been around for about 49 million years. As …

esap

ESAP Applications are Due March 12

Dan Cattle, Conservation, Environment

It was just a little over a year ago, at the 2020 Cattle Industry Convention, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) announced that Blackbeard’s Ranch in Myakka, Florida was the winner of the 2019 Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP). They were the Southeast, NCBA Region 2, representative in the award recognition program that year. For those interested in being a part of this …

soil surveys

Why Probiotics Should Be Added to the Garden Soil

Dan Soil, This Land of Ours

How and why probiotics should be added to your garden soil. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. We’ve all heard how using probiotics can help improve our overall gut health.  But you may not know that probiotic gardening can improve your plant’s health! Probiotic gardening is all about nurturing your soil to encourage the highest quality minerals, nutrients, …

desantis

Florida Forever Funding Defended by Environmental Chief

Dan Conservation, Environment, Florida, Industry News Release, USDA-NRCS

(NSF) — State Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Noah Valenstein on Wednesday defended Gov. Ron DeSantis for not asking to issue bonds for the Florida Forever Land Conservation Program, as the financing method has been proposed to cover Everglade’s work and a new program to fight rising sea levels. Valenstein told members of the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations …

applicants

Florida NRCS to Hold State Technical Committee Meeting

Dan Conservation, Education, Environment, Florida, USDA-NRCS

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida will conduct a State Technical Committee meeting on March 3 by web conference. Chair of the event, Florida State Conservationist Juan Hernandez, says the meeting will have two distinctive portions. The committee is composed of individuals and groups from a variety of agricultural and natural resource interests, as well as farmers. And while the …

nrcs

Describing the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program

Dan Conservation, Environment, USDA-NRCS

Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the final rule for its Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). The program enables ag producers and private landowners to protect farmlands, grasslands, and wetlands with conservation easements. Jimmy Bramblett, with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), explains the intent of, and components within ACEP. NRCS accepts ACEP applications year-round, but applications are ranked and funded during enrollment periods …

conservation

USDA Extends General Conservation Reserve Program Signup

Dan Conservation, Environment, USDA-FSA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced they are extending the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) General Signup period. The previous deadline was Feb. 12, 2021. Acting Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Steve Peterson told Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman, USDA will continue to accept offers as it takes this opportunity for the incoming Administration to evaluate ways to increase enrollment. The CRP program provides annual rental …

wetlands

USDA Updates to Conservation Easements Strengthens Protection

Dan Conservation, Environment, USDA-NRCS

Thursday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the final rule for its Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). The program enables agricultural producers and private landowners to protect farmlands, grasslands, and wetlands with conservation easements. The rule updates ACEP as directed by the 2018 Farm Bill and incorporates public comments made on an interim rule. NRCS received more than 570 comments on the ACEP interim rule, which …