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Conservation Innovation Grants Awards
Fiscal Year 2004
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Bruce Knight,
Chief of the NRCS, shares the details of a Conservation Innovation Grant
given to the Arizona Department of Water Resources for more than $500,000.
The event was held at the farm of Jim Henness in Casa Grande, Arizona. |
Chief Bruce
Knight learns about Arizona cotton from farmer Max Koepnick. Earlier,
Knight announced the Conservation Innovation Grant awarded to the Arizona
Department of Water Resources. |
Merlin Bartz,
Regional Assistant Chief from the Central Region announced Minnesota's
first Conservation Innovation Grant recipients in St. Paul, Minnesota. |
News
Release: USDA Helps Fund Conservation Technologies and Approaches
Information about the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) awardees for
fiscal year 2004 is found below. The information includes the State(s) in which
the project will be carried out, the total amount of NRCS funding provided, the
project title, and a project summary.
Awards to Multiple States
American Farmland Trust, Agriculture Conservation
Innovation Center (Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa)
$191,800
Guaranteed Performance of Nutrient and Tillage Best
Management Practices
A significant obstacle to inducing producer adoption of best
management practices is the possibility that, in the short-term, such practices
may reduce production yields. The purpose of this project is to test and
evaluate the performance of an innovative, market-based, performance guarantee
approach that increases producer adoption rates by removing economic risk as a
barrier.
Hunter and Associates (California, North Carolina)
$450,000
Treatment of Hog Manure Utilizing the
Autothermal Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion (ADAT) Technology
Typical hog operations face a multitude of environmental challenges.
Among the most critical concerns include manure containment, odor control, and
disease control. The purpose of this project is to demonstrate the treatment of
hog manure and lagoons, utilizing Autothermal Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion (ATAD)
to improve air, water, and soil environmental quality. Digestion of hog manure
using ATAD will result in a pathogen-free end product for use as an agricultural
amendment, providing an economic benefit to producers.
Exponent, Inc. (Washington, Oklahoma, Missouri)
$80,000
Application of Phoslock® to Control Phosphorus Release
from Aquaculture and Other Agricultural Practices
Aquaculture is a growing agricultural sector; while there has been
considerable focus on ground and surface water contamination from phosphorous
due to terrestrial animal production, excessive phosphorous loadings from
aquaculture also pose a threat to aquatic environments. The purpose of this
project is to adapt a proven general phosphorous control technology to the
specific control of phosphorous releases from waste waters resulting from
aquacultural production operations, as well as aqueous-based animal waste
management systems used in other types of agricultural production.
Wood Lumber Company (Arkansas, Oklahoma)
$523,362
Sawdust / Chicken Litter Boiler and Dry Kiln with
Fertilization Recovery System
Poultry house bedding is necessary to maintain the health of the
chicken flock, and producers currently apply the manure-laden litter to fields
as a natural fertilizer. In some regions, however, excessive application has
created areas of over fertilization where soil nutrients are out of balance. The
purpose of this project is to demonstrate an innovative steam-heated dry kiln
facility that enables the litter to be burned as boiler fuel, produces a
fertilizer from the ash, and provides both economic and environmental benefits.
Alphabetical Listing of Awards by State
Alabama's Mountains Rivers and Valleys RC&D, Inc. (Alabama)
$462,220
On-Farm Demonstrations of Low Cost Alternatives for
Temporary Litter Storage Facilities
Many streams in northern Alabama are on the U. S. Environmental Protection
Agency’s list of impaired streams, due in large part to the number of poultry
operations in the region. Environmental regulations require poultry producers to
provide temporary storage of litter prior to land application. The purpose of
this project is to demonstrate and encourage the adoption of low-cost temporary
storage facilities that comply with environmental regulations, providing options
to assist producers for whom larger, technologically-advanced buildings would be
a financial burden.
The United Christian Community Association, Inc.
(Alabama)
$37,500
Management Intensive Grazing Project for
Limited Resource Farmers
The benefits of management intensive grazing (MIG) have been
established and supported by both research and practical observations, but a
lack of training and resources for small farms has been an obstacle to
implementation. The purpose of this project is to create local demonstration
farms that will provide limited resource farmers with training and technical
assistance in management intensive grazing practices, allowing them to optimize
grazing lands and minimize the negative environmental impacts of over-grazing.
State of Arizona (Arizona)
$503,092
Arizona Best Management Practices: Agricultural Water
Conservation Program
In 2002, the State of Arizona established an innovative Best
Management Practices program designed to conserve increasingly scarce water
resources while reducing soil erosion, improving soil tilth and productivity,
and reducing nutrient transmissions to surface water and groundwater supplies
and agricultural emissions to the atmosphere. The purpose of this project is to
greatly increase producer enrollment and add sophisticated performance
evaluation, impact analysis, producer outreach and technology transfer
components, based on motivating participation through the use of incentives.
Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission (Arkansas)
$66,000
Reducing Nutrient Runoff and Ammonia Emissions from
Poultry Litter with Pasture Renovation and Litter Incorporation
One of the biggest challenges facing poultry producers today is excessive
phosphorous runoff associated with land application of poultry litter. The
purpose of this project is to evaluate the effectiveness and accelerate the
adoption of pasture renovation and litter incorporation, two best management
practices designed to reduce non-point source water pollution associated with
the land application of poultry litter.
Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association
(California)
$99,000
Erosion Prevention Through Vegetated
Swales for Water Infiltration
Erosion rates in the central coast region of California are among the
highest west of the Mississippi River. The purpose of this project is to develop
a new conservation practice that can help solve chronic soil erosion problems by
encouraging stormwater run-off to infiltrate vegetated swales above cultivated
fields or gullies in the erosion-prone central coast region of California.
California Dairy Campaign (California)
$1,000,000
Dairy Waste Lagoon Irrigation Water Management
Dairy waste management and water availability are significant
concerns in California, as well as in other parts of the nation. The purpose of
this project is to evaluate the environmental, social, and economic effects of
three new technologies in waste lagoon management integrated with irrigation
management. The results will be disseminated to producers throughout the State
to stimulate the adoption of these technologies.
California Sustainable Winegrowers (California)
$475,000
California Code of Sustainable Winegrowing Practices -
Innovations for Air and Water Quality
As California’s population increases and urban areas encroach on traditionally
rural farmland, the State’s winegrowing community is taking a proactive,
precautionary approach to address concerns resulting from public and legislative
perceptions, regulatory pressures, and other growth-related issues. The purpose
of this project is to advance sustainable farming practices by helping to
establish voluntary high standards to be followed and maintained by the entire
winegrowing community.
Sustainable Conservation (California)
$166,426
Conservation Tillage for Reduced Agricultural Air
Emissions in the San Joaquin Valley
California’s San Joaquin Valley faces severe air quality challenges; the region
was recently downgraded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from
“severe” to “extreme” non-attainment. The purpose of this project is to
encourage the widespread adoption of conservation tillage land treatment methods
by western irrigated cotton and dairy forage producers in the San Joaquin
Valley. This will help reduce agricultural air emissions in this non-attainment
area, while maintaining robust production yields and improving farm profits.
Protected Harvest (California)
$999,982
Peach Resource Renewal Project: An Incentive Based
Approach
California’s fruit industry is in need of innovative approaches to
satisfy new environmental standards designed to improve air and water quality.
The purpose of this project is to assist producers in meeting air quality, water
quality, and water conservation requirements using innovative techniques and
approaches. The project will educate growers about sustainable tree-fruit
replanting and growing practices; replace approximately 920 acres of existing
older peach orchards, reducing the use of inputs such as water, fertilizer and
herbicides/pesticides (especially methyl bromide); and benefit producers and
consumers through the availability of new varieties and a certification program.
Cinthia Johnson (Colorado)
$106,370
Site Specific Nitrogen Management in an Intensified
No-Till Dryland Cropping System
Traditional methods of applying nitrogen uniformly to crop fields are
inefficient and can have significant environmental impacts through soil
acidification, toxin accumulation, and ground and surface water contamination.
The purpose of this project is to establish a regional demonstration project for
electrical conductivity (EC) zone-based site-specific nitrogen management,
resulting in improved productivity in an intensified no-till dryland cropping
system.
Uncompahgre/Com, Inc. (Colorado)
$150,000
Native Seed Restoration for Range and
Agricultural Lands
Over the past 120 years, human activities have severely impacted
native ecosystems in the Uncompahgre Plateau of Colorado. Native seed species
are needed to help restore wildlife habitats and improve the quality of range
lands. The purpose of this project is to help sustain long-term agricultural
production on the Uncompahgre Plateau by enhancing crop diversification and
economic sustainability, and rehabilitating and restoring natural ecosystems
through the use of locally-produced native plant seeds.
University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc.
(Georgia)
$501,850
Demonstration of Variable-Rate Irrigation for Water
Conservation and Application Optimization
In rural and farm communities, efficient water use is critical for
sustainable economic development. Optimal irrigation efficiency can lead to
substantial water conservation and increased crop yields. The purpose of this
project is to demonstrate the use, benefits, and effectiveness of an innovative
variable-rate irrigation system designed to improve irrigation management,
enhance water conservation, and attain optimal application efficiency.
University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc.
(Georgia)
$60,000
Using Cropping Alternatives to Improve Water Quality in
High-Nutrient Status Farms
In the Southern Piedmont region of Georgia, many farm fields have high soil test
phosphorous levels which may result in increased risk of phosphorous
contamination to surface water bodies. The purpose of this project is to
demonstrate the effectiveness of three different cropping systems in reducing
nutrient flow into streams, thereby improving water quality and profitability
for landowners and increasing the probability of adoption.
The Nature Conservancy (Illinois)
$127,050
Quantitative Comparison of the Effects of Controlled
Drainage vs. Constructed Wetlands on Water Quality at a Watershed-Scale
Tile drainage, a common practice used to drain water quickly from agricultural
land, contributes substantially to altered hydrology and increased nutrient
concentrations in adjacent watersheds. The purpose of this project is to
evaluate the effectiveness of two practices — controlled drainage and
constructed tile wetlands — in reducing nutrient and sediment concentrations and
improving water quality in watersheds replete with tile drainage. Project
results are expected to support the expanded use of one or both of these
conservation practices.
Purdue University (Indiana)
$496,701
An Information and Assessment Project for Improving
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Performance
The United States Department of Agriculture’s Environmental Quality Incentives
Program (EQIP) promotes the dual objectives of profitable agricultural
production and environmental protection by providing cost-share funds and
incentive payments to producers who are willing to apply approved conservation
practices. The purpose of this project is to improve how EQIP is implemented,
not just in Indiana, but across the country. A combination of analysis,
modeling, and producer testing will be employed to improve the ability of
producers to make choices while making EQIP more transparent to the public.
Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (Iowa)
$415,000
Non-Basin Technologies for Open Feedlot Runoff:
Demonstration, Implementation, and Modeling
Federal and state agencies are increasingly concerned with the potential
environmental risks to water bodies from runoff that is generated from beef
cattle feedlots. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s revised Concentrated
Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) regulations allow for the use of alternative
performance standards to control discharge from larger open feedlots. The
purpose of this project is to design, install and evaluate the environmental
performance and cost effectiveness of non-basin technologies for the treatment
of open feedlot runoff, and encourage their adoption where appropriate.
Iowa Soybean Association (Iowa)
$1,000,000
Outcomes-Based Nitrogen Efficiency Project for Corn
Production
Nutrient enrichment in the Gulf of Mexico and nitrate contamination
in drinking water and rural wells have focused attention and regulatory concern
on losses of nitrogen from agricultural soils to tributary rivers. These water
quality issues can be addressed through more efficient application of nitrogen,
which can provide agricultural producers with both environmental and economic
benefits. The purpose of this project is to demonstrate the effectiveness of
producer-directed learning, aided by new technologies to improve environmental
management.
Iowa State University (Iowa)
$90,600
Recycling Digested Manure Solids from Dairies
A number of different anaerobic digester technologies are currently
in use on farms in the United States. The purpose of this project is to test the
viability of an innovative method for handling digested solids: coupling a solid
separator with a digester, and then recycling the separated solids for use as
stall bedding for dairy cows. This would help producers reduce the amount of
phosphorous applied to the landscape.
KLA Environmental Services, Inc. (Kansas)
$190,500
Protecting Groundwater Quality from Nutrients and Pathogens in
Lagoons by Utilizing a Water Balance Method of Testing Lagoon Structural
Integrity
Nutrient and pathogen leaching into groundwater from livestock waste lagoons is
a growing concern for animal agriculture producers. The purpose of this project
is to demonstrate and refine a new method for testing the structural integrity
of livestock waste lagoons to reduce the potential for groundwater contamination
by nutrients and pathogens.
University of Kentucky Research Foundation
(Kentucky)
$354,572
Demonstration of Enhanced Technologies
for Land Application of Animal Nutrient Sources in Sensitive Watersheds.
Land application of animal manure has been implicated as a leading
cause of water body impairment in the United States, and is often carried out
without adequate knowledge of its nutrient content or consideration of efficient
methods of application. The purpose of this project is to encourage the adoption
of advanced animal nutrient management strategies for animal producers in
Kentucky, and evaluate the environmental benefits, cost of implementation, and
producer acceptance of these strategies.
Lenawee Soil Conservation District (Michigan)
$84,500
Design and Implementation of a Closed
Recycling Water Management System to Provide an Alternative Use for Milkhouse
Wastewater, Storm Water Runoff and Silage Leachate.
The dairy industry faces many environmental challenges, including milkhouse
waste water, silage leachate, and stormwater runoff. The purpose of this project
is to design and implement a closed recycling system applicable to individual
dairy farms throughout Michigan and the dairy industry nationally to reduce or
eliminate wastewater as a pollutant.
State of Minnesota (Minnesota)
$316,000
Conservation Drainage Demonstrations: Improving Impaired
Watershed
Agricultural drainage systems in Minnesota are aging and much of the
infrastructure will be repaired or replaced in the next 10-20 years, providing a
unique opportunity to incorporate innovative drainage designs and practices into
the existing infrastructure. The purpose of this project is to speed the
development and adoption of conservation drainage practices in the State of
Minnesota. Widespread adoption of innovative drainage systems by producers would
likely have a significant positive impact on improving impaired waters.
Minnesota Board of Soil and Water Resources
(Minnesota)
$93,750
Invasive Species Management for Restored Wetlands and
Native Prairie Uplands
Recent monitoring of restored and natural wetlands in Minnesota has
shown a deterioration of the quality and biological diversity of both restored
and natural wetlands. One of the causes of this degradation is the establishment
of invasive species populations in many of the wetlands and adjacent upland
buffers. The purpose of this project is to develop, implement, and evaluate
effective strategies for the management of critical invasive species in degraded
and restored wetlands and prairie uplands.
The Curators of the University of Missouri
(Missouri)
$355,983
Demonstration of Innovative Technology for Optimizing
Nitrogen Application of Corn
Excess nitrogen application on corn fields results in increased
potential for nitrogen loss to ground or surface waters, while reducing the
amount of nitrogen applied creates a risk of diminished productivity and lower
yields. The purpose of this project is to demonstrate and stimulate the adoption
of innovative crop canopy reflectance sensor technology for optimizing nitrogen
application on corn.
Montana State University (Montana)
$143,676
Adaptation of Existing Agricultural Product Machine to
Manufacture Encapsulated Grass Seeds for Use in Rehabilitation of Wildfires on
Tribal and Non-Tribal Lands
Tribal and non-tribal ranchers in Montana and neighboring states face escalating
costs from efforts to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and rehabilitate
areas that have been burned. The purpose of this agreement is to design and
field test a machine for the production of pelleted grass seed, develop
guidelines, and establish recommendations for manufacturing pelleted and primed
seed to improve the success of rehabilitation projects on burned-over tribal and
reservation lands.
University of Nebraska (Nebraska)
$119,700
Limited Irrigation Cropping Systems for Conserving Water
in the Pumpkin Creek Watershed
Declining groundwater levels in irrigated areas of the Great Plains have
required producers to shift to limited irrigation or return to dryland crop
production. To meet this challenge of environmental and economic benefits,
no-till water-conserving cropping systems that help sustain neighboring
wetlands, creeks, or streams are needed. The purpose of this project is to
demonstrate limited irrigation no-till cropping systems that maximize economic
returns as well as irrigation efficiency while sustaining and enhancing
groundwater levels.
Eric Biderman (New Mexico)
$34,289
Implementing Solar Energy Technologies on Farms
Modern production farms consume large quantities of fossil fuels for
a variety of on-farm uses. Solar energy provides users with a number of
advantages over fossil fuels, yet little has been done to transfer solar
technologies on a small scale to farms and rural areas. The purpose of this
project is to design, install, demonstrate and evaluate two innovative
technologies used to capture solar energy for conversion to electricity and heat
on a small farm scale, and disseminate information on this technology to other
producers in New Mexico and Colorado.
Cornell University (New York)
$182,991
Transferring Innovative Manure Management Technology in
the Northeast
Animal agriculture in the northeastern United States is struggling to
remain profitable while reducing environmental impacts. Currently, there are a
number of innovative on-farm manure projects in the region that demonstrate
solutions to these challenges. The purpose of this project is to improve the
productivity, profitability, and environmental performance of manure management
for northeastern animal agriculture through an innovative partnership that will
compile results from existing projects and disseminate information to producers
to help them meet their environmental challenges.
Wy’East Resource Conservation and Development
Council, Inc. (Oregon)
$303,118
Oregon Water and Economics Optimization Project
Productive agriculture in the arid West depends on the availability
and reliability of water supplies. Intensive irrigation can, however,
significantly reduce and degrade water bodies and groundwater supplies. The
purpose of this project is to demonstrate, through the use of innovative
irrigation scheduling technology and the transfer of conserved irrigation water
to in-stream use through market-based incentives, that economically viable
agriculture and a quality environment are not mutually exclusive.
TMF Biogas, LLC (Oregon)
$1,000,000
Thermophilic Anaerobic Digestion Process
There are a number of environmental challenges inherent in the
operation of a large dairy concern. These challenges include air pollution
(including greenhouse gas emissions), odor emissions, and groundwater
contamination due to nutrient leaching. The purpose of this project is to
mitigate these issues and promote sustainable farming practices on a large dairy
operation through the testing and evaluation of an innovative anaerobic digester
system that will produce renewable energy, return concentrated nutrients back to
the farm, and substantially reduce the environmental impacts of concentrated
animal agriculture operations.
The Rodale Institute (Pennsylvania)
$541,050
No-Till Plus: A One-Pass Cover Crop Roller/Planter
System that can Reduce or Eliminate Herbicide and Chemical Fertilizer Use on
Most No-Till Acres
No-till farming is fast becoming one of the most widely-practiced conservation
strategies of 21st-century agriculture; however, its overall environmental
impact is mixed. The purpose of this project is to make it possible for farmers
to reduce or eliminate the use of herbicides and chemical fertilizers in their
no-till systems, with the potential to dramatically decrease surface and
groundwater contamination, by testing and demonstrating an innovative crimper/roller
tool designed to convert a standing cover crop into weed-suppressing,
soil-building mulch.
Pennsylvania Environmental Council (Pennsylvania)
$939,734
Designing, Evaluating, and Implementing a Market-Based
System for Delivery of Conservation Practice Funding
Meeting water quality goals in watersheds negatively impacted by
nutrients will require significant reductions in nitrogen and phosphorous
loading. Market-based systems have demonstrated the ability to reduce the costs
associated with meeting environmental and conservation goals. The purpose of
this project is to address nutrient-loading reductions in the Conestoga River
watershed through the design, testing, and evaluation of a “reverse auction”
market-based approach for trading nutrient reduction credits.
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (South
Dakota)
$183,819
Marketing Carbon Sequestration Credits from Reduced
Grazing and Soil Conservation
The ability to reliably package and market emissions offset credits for carbon
sequestration resulting from improved crop and range land management will
provide incentives for agricultural producers to participate in conservation
programs. The purpose of this project is to demonstrate the benefits of a
site-specific, verifiable, model-based quantification system for the generation
of high-quality carbon sequestration credits. Successful demonstration and
adoption may result in expanded implementation of management activities for
carbon sequestration through market-based mechanisms.
Utah State University (Utah)
$369,000
Cost-Effective and Reliable Anaerobic Digestion for
Animal Feeding Operations
Research has provided much information about converting manure into
an energy source, with several different types of anaerobic digesters evolving
for on-farm use; however, there has been a significant abandonment rate of these
types of digesters. The purpose of this project is to further develop and
demonstrate an economically-viable way to treat manure on a Concentrated Animal
Feeding Operation (CAFO), in order to reduce odor, kill pathogens, avoid soil or
water pollution, and produce energy by using innovative anaerobic induced
blanket reactor (IBR) technology.
Terrance Magnan (Vermont)
$198,572
Innovative Conservation of Compost for Nutrient
Management and Production of Energy
Nutrient management is a significant challenge for animal agriculture
operations. The purpose of this project is to provide cost-effective manure
management options for animal agriculture operations through generation and
recovery of heat energy from compost and the conservation of nutrients
(particularly nitrogen) to benefit soil and water resources.
Colonial Soil and Water Conservation District
(Virginia)
$237,969
Innovative Cropping Systems Environmental Credit Program
The Innovative Cropping Systems Incentive Program (ICS) has operated
in the Chesapeake Bay region of Virginia for a number of years. The purpose of
this project is to quantify the benefits provided by the ICS relative to
conventionally-managed systems, establish the information needed to support the
valuation of water quality credits, and begin developing a market/trading
approach to advance efforts that will help reduce water quality degradation
within the Lower James River, Chesapeake Bay, and beyond.
Washington State University (Washington)
$683,920
High Quality Fiber and Fertilizer as
Co-Products from Anaerobic Digestion
Anaerobic digesters have yet to be adopted on a significant scale by
animal agriculture producers, largely because they are capital-intensive, low
cost-return structures. To make digesters more attractive, additional revenue
streams are needed to improve the feasibility of the technology and
complementary processes are required to meet excess nutrient related
environmental challenges. The goal of this project is to improve feasibility of
anaerobic digestion by producing two by-products: high quality fiber (to be sold
as a substitute for peat moss) and struvite (which can be used as a slow-release
fertilizer).
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