Christian County Soil and Water Conservation District
Non-traditional Agriculture Implementation Plan
The project is designed to focus on landowners within the watershed that traditionally receive little or no opportunities to address issues on small acreage parcels of land. The grant will target 3-40 acre landowners where issues such as excessive sedimentation, nutrient loading, and inadequate buffering of streams are problem areas. Education through workshops, field days, educational presentations, county fair participation, web site development, public announcements, newsletters, and news releases will be a major focus. Trying to educate and inform landowners through as many avenues as possible is one way to insure the success of this project.
Another part of the project will be to implement Best Management Practices (BMP’s) on participating landowners to address the issues outlined above using a comprehensive resource management evaluation process.
The BMP’s will be divided into two categories: 1) Riparian Area, Stream Bank Stabilization, Well Decommissioning, Use Exclusion, and Sinkhole Protection and 2) Target Demonstration Areas.
The cost share portion including; riparian establishment or enhancement, stream bank stabilization, and well decommissioning will have a cost share structure of 75% of the established are range cost based on the component cost list for implementing the practice. An out-of-production incentive for riparian buffer and sinkhole protection is established as $500 per acre. A $100 per acre with a $1000 maximum per landowner is on forest land exclusion. The target demonstration areas is a cost-share incentive program that is dependant upon fulfillment criteria outlined in a resource management plan designed for the landowner. If the individual agrees to implement all identified management concerns outlined in a resource evaluation conducted by district personnel, then payment will proceed as outlined below.
The incentive payments are broken down by acreage. See below for breakdown:
The incentives can be used in conjunction with other programs; however the money can not be used to address the same resource concerns already being addressed by other programs, eligibility will be determined by the Christian Co. SWCD personnel at specified evaluation times.
Call Justin Jenkins, 319 Project Manager, @ 417-581-2719 ext 3 for more details or to email click here.