Farm, Ranch & Garden see more »

Landowners and operators have spent generations becoming range stewards and leaving their piece of Earth better than how it was received. Ranching in the Hill Country is a passion for most and a hobby for a few. With the help of the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) producers across the region can obtain assistance and cost-share in implementing conservation practices.

The 2008 Farm Bill authorized some key programs for technical and financial assistance.

The first step in optimizing and utilizing NRCS services is technical assistance and conservation planning. Local NRCS district conservationist offer one-on-one professional assistance and can explain the agencies voluntary programs.

A conservation plan is a written record of your management decisions and practices and systems you plan to use and maintain on your operation. Carrying out your plan will achieve the goals of protecting the environment on and off your farm or ranch, as well as meeting your individual management objectives. Producers provide a wealth of environmental and social benefits to all. These include clean water and air, healthy wildlife habitat, open space, food and fiber, and sustainable rural and urban communities. Conservation planning is a road map for your efforts in managing your land.

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) offers technical and financial assistance in order to install and/or implement structural, vegetative, and management practices that can benefit the soil, water, air, plants, animals and humans. Each county in the state receives annual funds to offset implementation cost of these practices.

Approved practices under the EQIP program include: brush management, cross fencing, livestock water development, grass planting, gully shaping, terraces, waterways, buffers, nutrient management, residue management, prescribed grazing, and prescribed burning.

For those that have an avid interest in wildlife, the NRCS offers the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP). The purpose of the program is to help participants develop fish and wildlife habitat on private agricultural land, nonindustrial private forest land, and Indian land.

The Grassland Reserve Program (GRP), a $4.2 million program in Texas has been made available to designated extreme or exceptional drought counties. The state has 78 counties eligible by the U.S. Drought Monitor. Landowners in these counties can sign-up for GRP to be compensated to defer cattle grazing until grassland conditions improve. GRP is a continuous sign-up program, but landowners are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to be eligible for the 2009 funding cycle, which ends in September.

Another valuable program offered by the NRCS is the Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CCRP). This program allows producers to separate highly environmentally sensitive lands from production and receive signup and practice incentive payments. Riparian buffers, field borders, filter and wind strips are all included in this program.

All of these services are provided through NRCS conservation planning assistance. NRCS specialists combine the knowledge of you and your land with the science-based technology and education. For more information about getting started with your personalized conservation plan, technical or financial assistance contact your local USDA-NRCS office or visit them on the web at http://www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov.