Started in 1998, the MAEAP is a comprehensive, confidential, proactive program designed to reduce farmers' and forest landowners' legal and environmental risks through a three-phase process: (1) education; (2) on-site specific risk assessments and practice implementation; and (3) verification that ensures the farmer or forest landowner has implemented environmentally sound practices. The program covers four systems: Farmstead, Cropping, Livestock, and the Forest, Wetlands, and Habitat System.
After an initial field assessment, your MAEAP technician will develop a plan to address all identified conservation opportunities and resource concerns on your property. Depending on your needs, this plan might include a review of chemical or pesticide storage, manure storage, erosion control, nutrient usage, record keeping, manure storage, and management practices relating to areas on the farm with woodlands, wetlands, and other types of managed habitats.
After becoming MAEAP verified, a farm or forest landowner can display a MAEAP sign signifying that MAEAP partners recognize the farm as environmentally assured. Participation in this program is completely free, voluntary, and confidential.
To get started, visit maeap.org or request a visit with Schoolcraft's MAEAP technician.
After an initial field assessment, your MAEAP technician will develop a plan to address all identified conservation opportunities and resource concerns on your property. Depending on your needs, this plan might include a review of chemical or pesticide storage, manure storage, erosion control, nutrient usage, record keeping, manure storage, and management practices relating to areas on the farm with woodlands, wetlands, and other types of managed habitats.
After becoming MAEAP verified, a farm or forest landowner can display a MAEAP sign signifying that MAEAP partners recognize the farm as environmentally assured. Participation in this program is completely free, voluntary, and confidential.
To get started, visit maeap.org or request a visit with Schoolcraft's MAEAP technician.
Holly Wendrick-Moss, MAEAP Technician
(906) 428-1060 Ext. 122
[email protected]
www.maeap.org
Holly is an MAEAP technician who serves farmers and landowners across the central UP. Based out of the Delta Conservation District office, Holly works with landowners in both Delta and Schoolcraft Counties to assess and develop their resource use and management. As an experienced specialist, she's ready to guide you step by step through the MAEAP verification process.
(906) 428-1060 Ext. 122
[email protected]
www.maeap.org
Holly is an MAEAP technician who serves farmers and landowners across the central UP. Based out of the Delta Conservation District office, Holly works with landowners in both Delta and Schoolcraft Counties to assess and develop their resource use and management. As an experienced specialist, she's ready to guide you step by step through the MAEAP verification process.
First established in response to the Dust Bowl, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), run through the USDA, offers farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural landowners technical and financial assistance. The goal of the NRCS is to help these landowners implement conservation practices that will improve both environmental quality and operations.
Financial assistance is available through the NRCS for the implementation of numerous conservation practices, including reduced contamination from agricultural sources, efficient nutrient management, improved soil health, tree planting, invasive species control, and implementation of climate-smart practices. The service also offers free technical advice to agricultural landowners concerned about resource use, management, and monitoring; and operational efficiency.
Visit nrcs.usda.gov or contact Schoolcraft's district conservationist to learn more.
Financial assistance is available through the NRCS for the implementation of numerous conservation practices, including reduced contamination from agricultural sources, efficient nutrient management, improved soil health, tree planting, invasive species control, and implementation of climate-smart practices. The service also offers free technical advice to agricultural landowners concerned about resource use, management, and monitoring; and operational efficiency.
Visit nrcs.usda.gov or contact Schoolcraft's district conservationist to learn more.
Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)
Mike Van Wyk, District Conservationist
(906) 428-1060 Ext. 3
[email protected]
Mike helps Schoolcraft and Delta County landowners develop conservation plans, and he provides advice on all phases of the Farm Bill’s recommended voluntary conservation practices. As a USDA district conservationist, he works with landowners through conservation planning and technical assistance designed to benefit soil, water, air, plants, and animals that result in productive lands and healthy ecosystems.
Mike Van Wyk, District Conservationist
(906) 428-1060 Ext. 3
[email protected]
Mike helps Schoolcraft and Delta County landowners develop conservation plans, and he provides advice on all phases of the Farm Bill’s recommended voluntary conservation practices. As a USDA district conservationist, he works with landowners through conservation planning and technical assistance designed to benefit soil, water, air, plants, and animals that result in productive lands and healthy ecosystems.
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The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is NRCS’ flagship conservation program that helps farmers, ranchers and forest landowners integrate conservation into working lands.
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EQIP provides technical and financial assistance to agricultural producers and forest landowners to address natural resource concerns, such as:
How It Works
NRCS works one-on-one with producers to develop a conservation plan that outlines conservation practices and activities to help solve on-farm resource issues. Producers implement practices and activities in their conservation plan that can lead to cleaner water and air, healthier soil and better wildlife habitat, all while improving their agricultural operations. EQIP helps producers make conservation work for them. Financial assistance for practices may be available through EQIP. Some producers may also qualify for advance payment.
Benefits include:
- Improved water and air quality;
- Conserved ground and surface water;
- Increased soil health ;
- Reduced soil erosion and sedimentation;
- Improved or created wildlife habitat; and
- Mitigation against drought and increasing weather volatility.
How It Works
NRCS works one-on-one with producers to develop a conservation plan that outlines conservation practices and activities to help solve on-farm resource issues. Producers implement practices and activities in their conservation plan that can lead to cleaner water and air, healthier soil and better wildlife habitat, all while improving their agricultural operations. EQIP helps producers make conservation work for them. Financial assistance for practices may be available through EQIP. Some producers may also qualify for advance payment.
Benefits include:
- Reduced contamination from agricultural sources, such as animal feeding operations.
- Efficient use of nutrients, reducing input costs and reduction in nonpoint source pollution.
- Improved soil health, which mitigates against increasing weather volatility, improves drought resiliency.
- Implementation of practices that improve carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while building resilient landscapes.
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The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) helps you build on your existing conservation efforts while strengthening your operation.
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Whether you are looking to improve grazing conditions, increase crop resiliency, or develop wildlife habitat, we can custom design a CSP plan to help you meet those goals. We can help you identify natural resource problems in your operation and provide technical and financial assistance to solve those problems or attain higher stewardship levels in an environmentally beneficial and cost-effective manner.
How It Works
If you are already taking steps to improve the condition of the land, chances are, CSP can help you find new ways to meet your goals. NRCS works one-on-one with producers to develop a conservation plan that outlines and enhances existing efforts, using new conservation practices or activities, based on management objectives for your operation. Producers implement practices and activities in their conservation plan that expands on the benefits of cleaner water and air, healthier soil and better wildlife habitat, all while improving their agricultural operations.
For example, if you have been planting a cover crop, you may decide to try an enhancement for a multi-species cover crop or implement a deep-rooted cover crop to break up soil compaction and further improve the health of your soil.
CSP offers annual payments for implementing these practices on your land and operating and maintaining existing conservation efforts. Want to take it a step further? CSP also offers bundles where you can select a suite of enhancements and receive a higher payment rate.
Benefits
CSP is for working lands and is the largest conservation program in the United States. Thousands of people voluntarily enroll in the program because it helps them enhance natural resources and improve their business operation. CSP participants are seeing real results. Some of these benefits include:
CSP Contracts
The program represents a genuine commitment to conservation – CSP contracts are for five years, with the opportunity to compete for a contract renewal if you successfully fulfill the initial contract and agree to achieve additional conservation objectives. An NRCS conservation planner will work closely with you, throughout the entire contract process.
Contract payments are based on two components:
CSP Renewals
Existing CSP participants may be eligible to renew their contract for an additional 5-year term during the fifth year of their initial contract. Participants who have met the terms of their initial contract and who agree to implement more conservation activities can compete for a renewal contract. To meet the renewal stewardship threshold, the participant must agree to meet or exceed two additional priority resource concerns or agree to adopt or improve conservation activities to achieve higher levels of conservation for two existing priority resource concerns.
How It Works
If you are already taking steps to improve the condition of the land, chances are, CSP can help you find new ways to meet your goals. NRCS works one-on-one with producers to develop a conservation plan that outlines and enhances existing efforts, using new conservation practices or activities, based on management objectives for your operation. Producers implement practices and activities in their conservation plan that expands on the benefits of cleaner water and air, healthier soil and better wildlife habitat, all while improving their agricultural operations.
For example, if you have been planting a cover crop, you may decide to try an enhancement for a multi-species cover crop or implement a deep-rooted cover crop to break up soil compaction and further improve the health of your soil.
CSP offers annual payments for implementing these practices on your land and operating and maintaining existing conservation efforts. Want to take it a step further? CSP also offers bundles where you can select a suite of enhancements and receive a higher payment rate.
Benefits
CSP is for working lands and is the largest conservation program in the United States. Thousands of people voluntarily enroll in the program because it helps them enhance natural resources and improve their business operation. CSP participants are seeing real results. Some of these benefits include:
- Enhanced resiliency to weather and market volatility
- Decreased need for agricultural inputs
- Improved wildlife habitat conditions
CSP Contracts
The program represents a genuine commitment to conservation – CSP contracts are for five years, with the opportunity to compete for a contract renewal if you successfully fulfill the initial contract and agree to achieve additional conservation objectives. An NRCS conservation planner will work closely with you, throughout the entire contract process.
Contract payments are based on two components:
- Payments to maintain the existing level of conservation, based on the land uses included in the contract and an NRCS assessment of existing stewardship at the time of enrollment, and
- Payments to implement additional conservation activities.
CSP Renewals
Existing CSP participants may be eligible to renew their contract for an additional 5-year term during the fifth year of their initial contract. Participants who have met the terms of their initial contract and who agree to implement more conservation activities can compete for a renewal contract. To meet the renewal stewardship threshold, the participant must agree to meet or exceed two additional priority resource concerns or agree to adopt or improve conservation activities to achieve higher levels of conservation for two existing priority resource concerns.