USDA allocates funds for land conservation

Sep 02, 2024
By Farms.com

New opportunities in farmland and wetland preservation

The USDA has announced available funding for its Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, which provides financial support for the preservation of farmlands and the restoration of wetlands. This effort is part of a strategic move to maintain agricultural productivity while enhancing environmental conditions.

Interested parties, including local governments and American Indian tribes, can apply for Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) to secure land for agricultural purposes permanently.

Additionally, Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE) are available to restore and protect former wetlands, offering benefits like improved water quality and wildlife habitat.

Applications must be submitted by October 4, 2024, for funding consideration this year. The program underscores the USDA’s commitment to sustainable land use and environmental stewardship, backed by the Inflation Reduction Act.

Through these easements, landowners can ensure their lands contribute to ecological health while maintaining their rights to manage and enjoy their property.

Video: Learning to Wrench From Dad the Hard Way

Harvest is a week out and the farm picked this week to fall apart. The truck needs a battery, the barn curtain's got a problem, and the corn and beans are telling us we're out of time to get it all fixed.

So it's a full day of wrenching. Tork supervises while I get the truck back running, then we're out at the hog barn where one rusted up part has the whole curtain system hung up. Ladder work, cable work, and a little dad-and-son disagreement about the right way to do it. We close it out walking the fields, shelling beans and checking corn, because whether everything's fixed or not, harvest starts when harvest starts.

Chapters: 00:00 Everything breaks the week before harvest 01:00 Tork supervises while I fix the truck 12:30 Out to the barn to find the curtain problem 14:30 One rusty part hung up the whole curtain 20:00 Running the curtain cable from the ladder 24:00 Walking the beans and corn before harvest 26:30 Wrapping up

We're a 6th generation family farm in southeast Iowa showing the real ups and downs of pig farming and row crop farming. No script, just the work. Subscribe and follow along.

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