Resource Stewardship Evaluation. 3/8/17 Aaron Lauster, National Sustainable Agriculture Lead

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1 Resource Stewardship Evaluation 3/8/17 Aaron Lauster, National Sustainable Agriculture Lead

2 Resource Stewardship Evaluation (RSE) What is it? The Resource Stewardship Evaluation (RSE) is a voluntary service provided to producers. RSE pairs key stewardship indicators and evaluation methods for a defined subset of nationally important resource concerns. All information is protected as part of the clients individual conservation plan.

3 RSE and Conservation Planning RSE is designed to support and enhance the conservation planning process. RSE aligns with many goals of the: National Conservation Planning Partnership (NCPP) Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) Conservation Delivery System Improvement (CDSI) Natural Resources Conservation Service 3

4 Cropland Stewardship Achievement

5 Crop Key Indicators & Threshold Soil Management Water Quality Key Indicator Erosion Management (Water) Erosion Management (Wind) Soil Organic Matter Management Nutrient Management (Total Phosphorus) Nutrient Management (Soluble Phosphorus) Nutrient Management (Nitrogen to Surface Water) Nutrient Management (Nitrogen to Ground Water) Threshold Tolerable Soil Loss (T) Tolerable Soil Loss (T) Maintaining or Improving Soil Organic Matter P loss less than or equal to 3 lbs./acre P loss less than or equal to 1 lbs./acre N loss less than or equal to 15 lbs./acre N loss less than or equal to 25 lbs./acre Sediment Management Sediment loss Less than or equal to 2 tons/acre Pesticide Management Low Risk Water Quantity Irrigation Management Irrigation System Score of 60 or greater Air Quality Carbon Sequestration Maintaining or Increasing soil carbon Nitrogen Loss to Air N loss to air minimized Habitat Health Terrestrial Habitat 50% of habitat potential achieved Aquatic Habitat 50% of habitat potential achieved Natural Resources Conservation Service 5

6 Finding the Sweet Spot Site Characterization Data Collection Effort Screening Questions Planning and Evaluation Tools Assessment, Design, and Practice Implementation Tools RS Guiding Principle Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler. - Albert Einstein Natural Resources Conservation Service 6

7 Resource Stewardship Tool Natural Resources Conservation Service 7

8 RSE Benefits Improving Communication Recognizing Stewardship Empowering Producers Maximizing Conservation Investments Encouraging Conservation Improvements Encouraging Comprehensive Planning Natural Resources Conservation Service 8

9 Conservation Planning with RSE

10 Recognizing Stewardship Maryland Farm pumpkin, corn, soybeans, wheat Existing no-till operation, with cover crops on highly erodible soils achieved all stewardship thresholds If you re going to be in farming today, you re going to have to pay attention to detail. And I believe NRCS and soil conservation can really help, I really do. Maryland farmer Natural Resources Conservation Service 10

11 Empowering Producers New Jersey Farm corn, soybeans conversion to hay Cropland Stewardship Achievement Tenant farmer used RS to address landowners resource concerns and stay farming Erosion Management (Water) Erosion Management (Wind) Soil Organic Matter Management NM: Phosphorus to Surface Water NM: Nitrogen to Surface Water NM: Nitrogen to Groundwater Sediment Management Pesticide Management Irrigation Management Nitrogen Loss to Air Soil Carbon Terrestrial Habitats Aquatic Habitats Benchmark Planned Using planning knowledge and the RS tool NRCS staff helped the producer evaluate alternative options that would meet the landowners DRCC easement restrictions but still allow agricultural production. Plan achieved the soil erosion, water quality, and habitat improvements the DRCC wanted while allowing the farmer to keep land vital to his business in production. District Conservationist Natural Resources Conservation Service 11

12 Conservation Improvements Evaluating the Benefits of adding hay into the rotation.

13 Resource Stewardship Evaluation Pilot Effects - Iowa 250, ,000 Iowa RSE Pilot Results 60% Reduction 12,000 10,000 Iowa RSE Pilot Results 40% Reduction 150, ,000 50,000 40% Reduction 8,000 6,000 4,000 70% Reduction 0-50, ,000 Total Nitrogen (lbs) Soil Carbon Loss (lbs) 2,000 0 Sediment (tons) Total Phosphorus (lbs) Benchmark Planned RS Threshold Benchmark Planned RS Threshold Change in Key Environmental Indicators The referenced numbers reflect all RS evaluations which have completed a benchmark and planned alternative. Values are estimated from CEAP analysis of the effects of meeting thresholds and the RSE results of individual fields. Fields Acres Sediment (tons) Total Nitrogen (lbs) Total Phosphorus (lbs) Soil Carbon (lbs) ,900 28,400 4, ,700

14 Stewardship Recognition

15 Questions?