On-Farm Trials

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today it is awarding $25 million to conservation partners across the country for 18 new projects under the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials program, including the Inland Northwest Farmers Leading Our United Revolution in Soil Health (FLOURISH) Project that will receive $2,182,757 for Washington, Idaho and Oregon.   

   

On-Farm Trials projects support widespread adoption and evaluation of innovative conservation approaches in partnership with agricultural producers. This year’s awarded projects increase the adoption of new approaches and technologies to help agricultural producers mitigate the effects of climate change, increase the resilience of their operations and boost soil health.   

   

“Farmers, ranchers and forest landowners play a crucial role in charting the course towards a climate-smart future,” said Amie Miller, NRCS Acting State Conservationist in Idaho. “On-Farm Trials enable partners to work with producers to test and adopt new climate-smart systems on their operations that support agricultural production and conserve natural resources, while also building climate resilience.”  

   

Awarded Project in Idaho:  

  

Inland Northwest Farmers Leading Our United Revolution In Soil Health (FLOURISH)

Palouse Conservation District

Lead State: Washington

States Involved: Washington, Idaho, Oregon

The Palouse Conservation District will work with crop producers of the inland Pacific Northwest (iPNW) to demonstrate farming practices that build soil health and increase the resilience of dryland cropping systems. The overall goal of this project is to support widespread adoption of soil health management systems (SHMS)−specifically cover cropping, interseeding, and cover crop-livestock integration. This $2,182,757 project will create a formal, farmer-led group dedicated to demonstrating SHMS that incorporate cover crops and livestock integration with cover crops on a regional scale and disseminate findings to peers, agricultural professionals, and the public.

 For details on all the awarded projects, visit the NRCS website.