What is the Farm Bill?  The Farm Bill is the commonly used name for the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008.  The current 2008 Farm Bill provides significant opportunities to address the nation's high priority environmental goals. In Michigan, Farm Bill programs provide assistance to landowners and agricultural producers to better conserve natural resources on private and public land. These programs are delivered at the local level through Michigan Conservation Districts. Serving as the key partner and delivery system, Michigan Conservation Districts are the liaison between landowners and the suite of Farm Bill programs available through the USDA - Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS).

2012 Farm Bill

MACD is proud to be a contributing member on the 2012 Farm Bill Task Force.  Art Pelon, Region 7 Representative to the MACD State Council has been working with others from state associations from throughout the United States to develop core principles to guide NACD's advocacy efforts in advance of the 2012 Farm Bill. 

Click here to view  the 2012 Farm Bill Principles document.

Overview of 2008 Farm Bill Programs

The Michigan Association of Conservation Districts in partnership with the Natural Resource Conservation Service, Farm Service Agency and Michigan Farm Bureau, have developed a 2008 Farm Bill resource booklet to provide landowners with understanding of 2008 Farm Bill's conservation programs. This booklet provides overviews of the program opportunities available under the 2008 Farm Bill. 

Click here: 2008 Farm Bill Booklet

Farm Bill programs provide significant opportunities and it is up to each individual, with assistance from local Conservation District and USDA employees, to determine how these programs can benefit their operation. To find your local Conservation District visit the Local Districts page on this website.

Click on the links to view further program information.

Environmental Improvement Programs

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). The Environmental Quality Incentives Program provides financial assistance to landowners for improving their conservation methods on agricultural lands. The program offers assistance for a wide variety of conservation measures on all types of agricultural land including row crops, orchards, pastures, forage crops and managed forest land. Program payments may be provided for up to three years to encourage producers to carry out management practices they may not otherwise use without the financial assistance.  Learn more

Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) encourages agricultural and forestry producers to maintain existing conservation activities and adopt additional ones on their operations.  Learn more

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP). The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program assists landowners in improving wildlife habitat on their property. WHIP provides financial assistance to landowners to establish or improve wildlife and aquatic habitat through practices such as native grass and tree plantings and wildlife management practices.Learn more

Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program (FRPP). The Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program provides matching funds to help purchase development rights to keep productive farm and ranch land in agricultural uses. FRPP funds go to existing farmland preservation programs that use the matching funds to purchase development rights from landowners. The program’s goal is to preserve farmland that is at risk of being converted to non-agricultural uses. Learn more

Grasslands Reserve Program (GRP). The Grassland Reserve Program is a voluntary program that helps landowners and operators restore and protect grassland, including rangeland, pastureland, shrubland, and certain other lands, while maintaining the areas for grazing. GRP contracts and easements prohibit the production of crops, other than grasses and hay, that require breaking the soil surface except for appropriate land management activities included in a grassland conservation plan.Learn more

Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP).  The Wetlands Reserve Program is a voluntary program that allows landowners to restore former wetlands that were converted to farmland. Through WRP, NRCS will provide financial assistance to a landowner to restore wetlands on their property. Landowners also have the option of enrolling their restored wetlands into a 10-year, 30-year, or permanent-easement. Learn more

State Acres for Wildlife (SAFE).  Owners and operators of certain cropland in designated geographical areas may enroll eligible land in a new Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CR) conservation practice titled State Acres For wildlife Enhancement (SAFE), also known as CP38.  Learn more.

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). NRCS has signed an interagency agreement with EPA for approximately $34 million to fund GLRI conservation work in priority watersheds within Great Lakes states. The purpose of the agreement is to provide funding to NRCS to implement priority programs, projects, and activities to protect, restore and maintain the Great Lakes ecosystem, as identified in the GLRI Action Plan.

 

Stewardship Programs

Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). The Conservation Stewardship Program is a voluntary conservation program that encourages producers to address resource concerns in a comprehensive manner by undertaking additional conservation activities and improving, maintaining, and managing existing conservation activities. CStP payments compensate producers for adopting new conservation measures and improving and maintaining their existing ones. Learn more