Farm Bill Provisions Ease Organic Transition Process

Des Moines, IA, March 3, 2009 — Iowa farmers who transition to organic agriculture can receive special assistance for meeting their conservation goals under new provisions in the 2008 Farm Bill.

Farmers may apply for financial assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for transitioning to organic agriculture. They can receive up to $20,000 per year or $80,000 over six years. The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), which administers EQIP, is setting aside a separate pool of EQIP money to help Iowa farmers to transition to organic production.

Larry Beeler, assistant state conservationist for programs in Iowa, says EQIP applicants will need to include their organic system plan (OSP) when applying for financial assistance to transition to organic agriculture. He says applicants with a conservation plan will be given higher priority when applying for EQIP contracts. “Farmers with an OSP have typically accomplished much or all of the work needed to develop an NRCS conservation plan,” says Beeler.

A number of conservation practices may be funded through the EQIP Organic Transition, including cover crops, crop rotations, fencing and watering for rotational grazing, pest management and field borders. All conservation practices available under the Organic Transition EQIP are also available under the “general” EQIP. “Dedicating EQIP funds to organic transition will hopefully result in more organic crop acres across the state,” says Beeler.

Iowa NRCS is offering producers $50 per acre for using conservation crop rotations during the three-year organic transitioning process when land must be farmed organically prior to certification. Crop rotations reduce soil erosion and improve soil quality. Iowa producers can also receive $6-$15 per acre for implementing a pest management plan during the organic transition process. 

NRCS will only provide Organic Transition EQIP payments for transition work yet to be completed in the three-year organic transition.

Producers already certified with comprehensive conservation systems on their farm should be well-positioned to participate in the Conservation Stewardship Program (CStP). This new program provides technical and financial assistance to producers who have already applied the basic conservation practices and are willing to implement a higher level of conservation on their operations. Producers participating in CStP receive incentive payments for the specified higher levels of conservation treatment.

Visit your local NRCS office for more details about conservation planning and programs to help you protect your farm.

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Contact:
Larry Beeler, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs
Phone: (515) 284-4355

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