USDA and Agroforestry: Programs, Policies, and Resources

Transcription

1 USDA and Agroforestry: Programs, Policies, and Resources Northeast Agroforestry Advanced Training Biglerville, PA September 7-9, 2016

2 Outline USDA Strategic Framework USDA National Agroforestry Center Support of USDA agencies for agroforestry

3 Why talk about USDA support? Sharing USFS perspective as a partner with other USDA agencies Some landowners want to use USDA programs to get technical or financial assistance for agroforestry. (Some do not). Finding agroforestry in the Farm Bill Next Farm Bill

4 USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework Released June 2011 Developed by interagency team (five USDA agencies, National Associations of State Foresters & Conservation Districts) Input from 90+ stakeholders Tied to USDA Strategic Plan

5 USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework Three Goals: ADOPTION Increase use of agroforestry by landowners and communities SCIENCE Advance the understanding and tools INTEGRATION Incorporate agroforestry into USDA programs

6 USDA Agroforestry Executive Steering Committee and Interagency Agroforestry Team Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Forest Service (FS) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Rural Development (RD)

7 USDA Agroforestry Executive Steering Committee and Interagency Agroforestry Team Key accomplishments: USDA Departmental Regulation on agroforestry /Agroforestry_DR_2013.pdf USDA Agroforestry Executive Steering Committee (guides Strategic Framework implementation) First-ever USDA report on agroforestry that documents FY financial commitments, accomplishments, case studies, next steps

8 USDA Support for Agroforestry

9 USDA Support for Agroforestry $333 million invested in agroforestry < 1 percent of USDA s total obligations 95% ($328 million) supported technical and financial assistance to landowners 99% to riparian buffers and windbreaks 1% to alley cropping, multi-story cropping/forest farming, and silvopasture Primary programs: Conservation Reserve (FSA) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (NRCS)

10 USDA Support for Agroforestry Inside the other 5 percent (~$15 million) Agroforestry Research, Education, Extension: $4 million - ARS (7 labs) $2.8 million Forest Service (7 labs, NAC) $3.9 million NIFA (41 LGUs, 6 others) Technology Transfer, Training/Workshops, Outreach $3.9 million Forest Service Marketing, Rural Development $800,000 AMS, RD

11 USDA National Agroforestry Center (NAC) USFS and NRCS partnership Mission: accelerate the application of agroforestry through a national network of partners USDA National Agroforestry Center Lincoln, Nebraska Origin: 1990 Farm Bill

12 USDA National Agroforestry Center FS R&D and S&PF and NRCS Lincoln, NE Non-Timber Forest Products Blacksburg, VA NAC Director Washington, DC Center Director (FS) Admin: 2 Admin Professionals TT&A: 1 Lead FS Agroforester R&D: 3.75 FT Scientists (FS) 1 Assistant FS Agroforester 1 GIS Specialist 1 Information Assistant 1 Technician

13 Technical Assistance Products Brochures Technical Notes Information Sheets Newsletters Presentations Tools Displays

14 Technical Assistance Activities Demonstration Sites Agroforestry Training Online Training Workshops Projects with Partners

15 Research Scientific understanding of agroforestry Research syntheses Models & tools for effective design

16 Research Topics: Crop and livestock enhancement Water quality Habitat creation and protection Climate change Agroforestry inventory

17 USDA Agroforestry Executive Steering Committee USDA Interagency Agroforestry Team Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Forest Service (FS) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Rural Development (RD)

18 How do these agencies support agroforestry?

19 USDA Support Technical assistance Financial assistance Incentive payments Rental payments Easement payments Stewardship payments Support for other parts of the farm operation Support for other parts of the supply chain

20 Agricultural Marketing Service Specialty Crop Block Grants Organic Cost Share Programs Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Handling Practices (GHP) Audit Verification Program Organic Coffee Agroforestry Network in Puerto Rico: The University of Puerto Rico assisted coffee growers in learning about the national organic standards and best management practices and created a support network of organic coffee producers. (Specialty Crop Block Grant)

21 Farm Services Agency Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) New: CRP for conservation buffers on organic farms Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) Direct and Guaranteed Farm Loans Down payment loans Microloans Conservation loans Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) Provides financial assistance to producers of noninsurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory, or prevented planting occur due to natural disasters.

22 Farm Services Agency Farm storage facility loans including microloans Eligible commodities now include aquaculture; floriculture; fruits (including nuts) and vegetables; corn, grain sorghum, rice, oilseeds, oats, wheat, triticale, spelt, buckwheat, lentils, chickpeas, dry peas, sugar, peanuts, barley, rye, hay, honey, hops, maple sap, unprocessed meat and poultry, eggs, milk, cheese, butter, yogurt and renewable biomass. Build or upgrade: portable storage and handling, cold storage, grain bins, bulk tanks and drying and handling equipment, wash/pack equipment, and more. Changed process to determine storage needs to work better for diversified farms and simplified crop insurance waivers

23 Risk Management Agency Whole Farm Revenue Protection Program Organic Crop Insurance Organic growers Transitioning growers

24 Forest Service Forest Stewardship Program National Agroforestry Center (NAC)

25 National Agricultural Statistics Service Census of Agriculture 2012 Census of Agriculture included the firstever agroforestry practice question 2017 Census of Agriculture will include a revised agroforestry practice question

26 National Institute of Food and Agriculture Assistance to land grant universities Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) Upper Midwest Hazelnut Development Initiative: This initiative aims to support the growth and commercialization of hazelnut. (NIFA Specialty Crop Research Initiative grant to University of Minnesota)

27 National Institute of Food and Agriculture Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education

28 National Institute of Food and Agriculture Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Direct Marketing Non-Traditional Perennial Berry Varieties: Expanding Eater Preferences and Grower Connections: This project addressed marketing challenges for elderberry, currants, honeyberry, and Saskatoon through engaging consumers and understanding processing options, marketing messages, and pricing based on labor and other costs in polyculture systems. (North Central SARE Farmer/Rancher Grant)

29 Rural Development Value-Added Producer Grants (VAPG) Business and Industry Loan Guarantee Program s Local and Regional Food Enterprise Provision Oregon Woodland Cooperative: The Oregon Woodland Cooperative received three Value-Added Producer Grants to research processing and selling local firewood at upscale grocery stores, cultivating edible and medicinal plants and mushrooms native to their forests, and extracting essential oils from Oregon grape.

30 Natural Resources Conservation Service Environmental Quality Incentives Program Conservation Stewardship Program Agricultural Conservation Easement Program Conservation Reserve Program National Agroforestry Center

31 Natural Resources Conservation Service Environmental Quality Incentives Program Conservation Stewardship Program Agricultural Conservation Easement Program Conservation Reserve Program National Agroforestry Center NRCS programs differ by state. NRCS programs address resource concerns.

32 Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Plan Voluntary Site specific Addresses resource concerns Uses proven conservation practices

33 Natural Resources Conservation Service Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) State offers conservation practice standard Ranking process (according to resource concerns and other priorities) EQIP Funding pools Payment schedules

34 Natural Resources Conservation Service NRCS develops Conservation Practice Standards for proven conservation practices relevant to the resource concerns in that state If a state offers a state standard, they provide technical assistance for that practice State standards can be found in the efotg: efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/

35 Natural Resources Conservation Service Section IV Resource Concerns e-field Office Technical Guide (efotg)

36 Natural Resources Conservation Service Agroforestry-related standards: Alley Cropping (311) Multi-Story Cropping (379) Riparian Forest Buffers (391) Silvopasture Establishment (381) Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment (380) Windbreak/Shelterbelt Restoration (650) efotg or nac.unl.edu/practices

37 Natural Resources Conservation Service Alley Cropping Multi-Story Cropping 379 Riparian Forest Buffer Silvopasture Establishment Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment Windbreak/Shelterbelt Renovation - 650

38 Natural Resources Conservation Service Agroforestry-supporting standards: Access Control 472 Brush Management 314 (invasive species) Conservation Cover 327 Critical Area Planting 342 Fence 382 Forest Stand Improvement Herbaceous Weed Control 315 Mulching 484 Prescribed Burning Tree/Shrub Establishment 612 Tree/Shrub Site Preparation 490

39 Natural Resources Conservation Service Resource Concerns National State

40 Natural Resources Conservation Service Ranking Based partially on resource concerns

41 Natural Resources Conservation Service Funding Pools What funding pools are most relevant to the landowner? Nationally, 60% of EQIP funding goes to livestock

42 Natural Resources Conservation Service Payment Schedules

43 Natural Resources Conservation Service Environmental Quality Incentives Program State offers conservation practice standard Ranking process (according to resource concerns and other priorities) EQIP Funding pools Payment schedules

44 Natural Resources Conservation Service Environmental Quality Incentives Program What resource concerns does this landowner face? Does this practice address those resource concerns? Does my state offer this conservation practice? How will the application rank? Are there other practices or resource concerns that might be more effective?

45 Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Stewardship Program Enhancements to existing conservation practices Annual payment Different states have different enhancements Program is being revised this year

46 Natural Resources Conservation Service Using NRCS Technical and Financial Assistance to Establish Elderberries

47 Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Farmers market, food hub, CSA, and on-farm market listings USDA funding of food systems Opportunity for agroforestry

48 Additional Resources Finding Agroforestry in the Farm Bill USDA New Farmers Website: National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition publications: publications/

49 Questions? Publications available at: To receive quarterly updates: To join our (paper) mailing list: Kate MacFarland USDA National Agroforestry Center