GLASI GLASI Great Lakes Agricultural Stewardship Initiative Priority Subwatershed Project
Wigle Creek Priority Subwatershed Project Essex Region Conservation Authority Up to $75,000 per eligible farm business across all BMPs For more information about this program, please contact: Katie Stammler 519-776-5209 ext 342 kstammler@erca.org Michael Dick 519-776-5209 ext 369 mdick@erca.org Landowners in a subwatershed of Wigle Creek are now eligible for extra funding to implement agricultural Best Management Practices to improve soil health and water quality. Support for this project was provided by the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association through the GLASI Priority Subwatershed Project funded by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs and Agriculture and Agrifood Canada. The program will take place from 2015 2018 and will evaluate the effectiveness of a focused stewardship approach to achieving measurable improvements to soil health and water quality. To be eligible to participate in this program, you must: 1 Have a Farm Business Registration Number or can provide an appropriate religious, cultural or gross farm income exemption. Targeted List of Eligible Best Management Practices The following are Best Management Practices that are eligible for cost-share funding. These BMPs address erosion potential, especially during the non-growing season, nutrient loss, reductions or improvements to nutrient application and improving overall soil health. 2 3 Have a valid Premises Identification Number (PID) Be located in the Wigle Creek Watershed target area, as per the map found on page 6. 1. Cover Crops 2. In-Field Erosion Control Structures 3. Retire Marginal Lands 4. Contour Cropping and Strip Cropping 5. Conservation Tillage 6. Optimize Placement and Timing of Phosphorus Applications 7. Crop Nutrient Plans or Field Nutrient Management Plans 8. Field Windbreaks and Wind Strips 9. Buffer Strips 10. Drainage Water Management 11. Innovative Actions 1. Cover Crops $60/ac up to 500ac for each eligible farm business. Increase use of non-harvested and non-grazed cover crops to provide undisturbed cover over winter months and/or early spring months. Single stands, intercropping, one variety or complex mixes Costs associated with mechanical or chemical termination of the cover crop Equipment modification costs Fertilizer and crop protection costs Crops that will be harvested, grazed or fall terminated 1
2. In-Field Erosion Control Structures 80% cost share up to $5,000 for each eligible farm business. Build or upgrade in-field erosion control structures (e.g. WASCoB, terraces, grassed waterways, contour strips of perennial vegetation). Infrastructure and development costs Costs associated with materials and construction of erosion control structures Costs associated with modification of an existing surface inlet that is part of an existing erosion control structure to reduce loss of sediment/ nutrients Consulting and engineering fees Systematic tile drainage systems that are not an integral part of the erosion control structure Constructing new drainage channels or repair of existing Installation of surface inlets for drainage of ponded surface water (not associated with erosion control structure) Leveling of land/fields Applying cost share to projects initiated through the Drainage Act Ongoing maintenance costs Projects must be properly designed (e.g. engineered design) in accordance with specifications included in the OMAFRA publication 832 titled Agricultural Erosion Control A Design and Construction Manual. 3. Retire Marginal Lands 80% cost share up to $5,000 for each eligible farm business. Taking marginal land out of production. Marginal refers to agricultural lands that have very limited potential for profitable row crop production year after year due to regular and severe water or wind erosion risk, or risk of annual flooding. Projects must include a minimum of 500 native trees or shrubs. Marketing of products for off-farm sales (e.g. hay, nuts, fruit, bioproducts) within the next 15 years Annual payments for land taken out of annual crop production Seeding marginal sites that were annually-cropped within the past two years to permanent vegetative cover Establishment of native trees or shrubs, native grasses or native wildflowers to stabilize sites and enhance pollinator habitat Purchase and planting of permanent native or non-invasive introduced species of trees or shrubs, grasses, legumes or wildflowers to stabilize marginal areas and ideally provide flowering species that bloom in sequence throughout the growing season to provide pollen and nectar for pollinator species Converting land to a constructed wetland or restore natural wetland areas including costs of design, earthwork, ditch plugs, equipment rentals, and vegetative establishment 4. Contour Cropping and Strip Cropping $60/ac up to 250ac for each eligible farm business. Increase adoption of agronomic practices to slow and help filter runoff water. Contour cropping Strip cropping row crops across the slope with cereals or perennial forages 2
5. Conservation Tillage TWO options for cost-share per year: Either 1) $30/ac up to 500ac for the length of the program Or 2) 80% cost-share for equipment upgrades for the length of the program up to $30,000 for each eligible farm business. Crop residue management to ensure at least 30% of soil surface is covered with living or dead residue after planting. Adoption of reduced tillage systems through modification of tillage and/or planting equipment For a field to be eligible for payment of funding assistance, the target residue levels must be confirmed through field evidence (e.g. geotagged and dated photos after planting to confirm the minimum 30% of soil surface coverage was achieved) Only one option may be accessed in a single year, but both options may be accessed to the maximum level over the length of the program. Accessing per acre payments for both BMP 5 and BMP 6 for a single equipment pass Accessing funding for Conservation Tillage more than once a year for the same crop on the same acreage 3 6. Phosphorus Management Optimizing the placement and timing of the phosphorus TWO options for cost-share per year: Either 1) $30/ac up to 500ac for the length of the program Or 2) 80% cost-share for equipment upgrades for the length of the program up to $30,000 for each eligible farm business. Equipment modifications including those that: Allow banding of P at planting Achieve incorporation of nutrients at time of application, combined with appropriate application rate and volume Permit one-pass liquid manure application with pre-tillage or incorporation Increase accuracy to reduce over-application (i.e., GPS, vertical beaters, upgraded tool bars) Convert new or existing manure application equipment, via specialized components, to allow direct injection, below canopy application, incorporation or pre-tillage methods Allow slurry seeding of cover crops with manure application Allow applying manure into strip tillage bands in fall in preparation for spring corn or for side-dressing manure into standing corn Shifting behaviour to: Prevent winter application of livestock manure (P) and manure applications. Funding is extended to the customization of equipment, not the purchase of the entire unit. For equipment that exists without a basic counterpart, full funding may be available, depending on your subwatershed. Only one option may be accessed in a single year, but both options may be accessed to the maximum level over the length of the program. Accessing per acre payments for both BMP 5 and BMP 6 for a single equipment pass Accessing funding for Phosphorus Management more than once a year for the same crop on the same acreage Equipment to move manure from storage to field (e.g. tankers, box spreaders, drag hoses, pit agitators, hose reels and any other equipment that is not a tool bar or vertical beater) Separate pass cultivation unit or incorporation equipment Transportation costs of exported or imported manure from or to the farm Equipment that facilitates the movement of manure to the spreading unit Restrict manure and fertilizer applications in late fall and early spring when fields are hydrologically active Encourage cultivation immediately prior to liquid manure application to avoid macropore movement of manure Prevent winter application of livestock manure Adjust the frequency of P applications to field based on crop rotation and crop fertility Achieve incorporation of nutrients at time of application
7. Crop Nutrient Plans or Field Nutrient Management Plans 80% up to $8,000 for each eligible farm business. A 5-year written plan prepared by a designated specialist (e.g. Certified Crop Advisor, Agricultural Operations Strategy/ Plan Development Certificate holder, Non-Agricultural Source Material Plan Development Certificate holder) that makes recommendations on nutrient source, application, timing and placement for each applicable field and crop (4R) (e.g. a voluntary nutrient management plan prepared using NMAN software). Soil testing and mapping exercises that are necessary for the plan Expert services provided by an eligible professional/ consultant Planning and design support tools (e.g. computer software related to development of plan) Computer hardware Claims for time invested by the producer in plan preparation Routine crop scouting and pest monitoring 8. Field Windbreaks and Wind Strips 80% up to $5,000 for each eligible farm business. Planting of permanent tree windbreaks or seasonal vegetated wind strips. Projects must include a minimum of 500 native trees or shrubs. Tree species and planting techniques must adhere to practices that would typically be advocated by a professional forester Grass seed costs for windstrips Trees, shrubs or other plantings for landscaping or around buildings Ongoing maintenance costs (including maintenance and renovation of existing tree plantings) Planting invasive or non-native trees Opportunity costs associated with payments for land taken out of production Establishment of trees, shrubs, or other plantings that are intended for harvest for economic benefit within 15 years, such as fruit orchards, Christmas trees, ornamental nursery stock, etc. Tree spaded stock or the transplant of large caliper trees 4
9. Buffer Strips 80% up to $5,000 for each eligible farm business. Establishment of permanently vegetated buffer strips within riparian zones alongside streams, drains, rivers, ponds, wetlands and lakes. Buffer Strips shall be a minimum of 3 metres and a maximum of 60 metres in width. Projects must include a minimum of 500 native trees or shrubs. Seeding field margins within riparian areas that were annually-cropped within the past two years to permanent vegetative cover Purchase and planting of permanent native or non-invasive introduced species of trees or shrubs, grasses, legumes or wildflowers to stabilize riparian zones and ideally provide flowering species that bloom in sequence throughout the growing season to provide pollen and nectar for pollinator species 10. Drainage Water Management 80% up to $15,000 for each eligible farm business. Annual payments for land taken out of annual crop production Create areas in field for temporary holding of runoff water to promote infiltration through installation of controlled drainage infrastructure and increase potential for excess water to leave field via evapotranspiration Construct wetlands for the purposes of filtering and naturally treating runoff waters (including tile drainage waters) leaving cropland. Infrastructure and development costs to install box weirs to facilitate controlled drainage Consulting costs by recognized water management expert (i.e. P.Eng.) to design, develop and calibrate the system Upgrade/modify existing tile inlets or outlets Constructed wetlands including costs of design, earthwork, ditch plugs, equipment rentals, and vegetative establishment Installation of tile drains except to facilitate the proper operation of the proposed controlled drainage or wetland feature 11. Innovative Actions 80% up to $10,000 for each eligible farm business. Other innovative practices that build soil resilience and limit the loss of nutrients from the field. Infrastructure and development costs 5