NRCS-Michigan recently announced the first application deadline for Environmental Quality Incentives Program funding in fiscal year 2025. With the continued addition of Inflation Reduction Act funds to our general Farm Bill funding and Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding, this is a great opportunity for Michigan farmers and forest owners to implement new conservation practices.

EQIP includes a variety of funding pools and initiatives. A new initiative this year is a soil health funding pool which is an expansion of the cover crop initiative from previous years. The soil health funding pool gives producers the option of implementing cover crops, residue and tillage management, conservation crop rotation, or choosing any two or all three practices. While all of these practices improve soil health and reduce soil erosion, research shows that implementing a combination of these practices is most beneficial for soil health.

A new EQIP practice for Michigan producers this year is financial assistance for replacing diesel tractors with new low-emitting or electric equipment. Producers utilizing this practice must document the destruction or disposal of their existing equipment.

For urban producers, Michigan is offering the water source initiative that was first offered as a pilot in fiscal year 2024. This initiative provides funding for water harvesting catchments, irrigation efficiency improvements, and other related practices. Urban producers in six Southeast Michigan counties, Genesee County, and Kent County are eligible.

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The recent announcement of new Regional Conservation Partnership Program projects includes the Southeast Michigan Conservation Coalition, a project to increase permanent land protection and equity of access to conservation tools. The project’s goal is to permanently protect 4,000 acres of agricultural land and adjoining natural areas from development. The project will utilize partnerships and public outreach so that benefits are distributed equitably. The project is led by the Legacy Land Conservancy.

Todd Robinson’s cattle operation is all about the grass, he found a niche market selling grass fed and finished beef. He raises about 15-25 head, including feeder calves and five brood cows, on 20 acres of pasture utilizing a prescribed grazing plan he developed with assistance from NRCS.

“I couldn’t have done it without their (NRCS) assistance,” Robinson said. “Red clay is tough, my first years with cattle were miserable.”

After a 30-year career in the U.S. Navy, Robinson returned to his hometown of Hillman and became a farmer. He moved back to Michigan in 2015 and started raising beef cattle the following year.

The prescribed grazing plan he adopted, with financial assistance from the USDA Environmental Quality Incentives Program, enabled him to manage his herd a lot better, and is better for the environment, Robinson said. He moves his cattle between six paddocks, this allows him to move the cattle before the forage is eaten too low to the ground, usually about every 3 or 4 days. Rotating the cattle between paddocks leaves the forage and the soil in better condition.

“With good management it’s surprising how well you can do with that,” said Robinson.

Adopting a prescribed grazing plan allowed Robinson to utilize EQIP financial assistance for additional conservation practices. These included a well, pumping plant, livestock pipeline, and watering facilities so his cattle had access to water on each paddock. The heavy use area protection practice, and trails and walkways, provided a hard surface for his cattle in the spring and fall when the clay soils create a slog for his cattle. A dry stack waste storage facility provides manure storage for when his cattle are off pasture.

Many producers who graze cattle choose to finish them on grain, this allows their cattle to put on weight quickly before sale. The Hereford and Angus cattle Robinson raises take longer to finish without grain, about 18 to 22 months, and are about 100 pounds lighter. However, he has found a dedicated customer base for his grain free beef with loyal clients returning ever since his first year.

This year, many of his clients are ordering whole beefs rather than quarters as in past years, said Robinson. He believes he could have sold an additional 20 head, but his operation is as big as he wants it to be at 20 acres of pasture.

His diving days are mostly behind him, but Robinson has plenty to keep him busy in addition to his beef operation. He kept honeybees in Florida and continues that hobby in Michigan, harvesting 1,000 pounds of honey this year. He also takes visitors to a nearby resort on wagon rides driving the resort’s teams of draft horses.

Robinson’s conservation efforts are ongoing. He is enrolled in the USDA Conservation Stewardship program which provides annual payments for maintaining his conservation practices as well as payments for new conservation enhancements. So far, he has planted trees and shrubs and clipped his pasture to improve forage quality. His efforts have not gone unnoticed. Some long-time farmers in the area adopted practices he is using, said Robinson. NRCS assistance helps make adopting new conservation practices possible for farmers with tight profit margins.

“Farmers sometimes can’t afford to do the right thing.”

The metal structure resembling a shipping container that arrived in Traverse City in June, is intended to make city residents consider where their food waste goes.

The “City Blue” painted Earth Flow food composter was purchased by the city through a grant provided by NRCS Urban Agriculture and Innovation Production. The project’s purpose is to demonstrate how food waste can be repurposed as compost instead of adding to landfills. The composting unit won’t come close to disposing all of the city’s food waste. A single grocery store could utilize the full capacity of the composter, said Sarna Salzman, executive director of SEEDS Ecology & Education Centers. 

SEEDS is a nonprofit that will oversee operation of the composter and is a partner with the city, helping it develop its climate plan. A third, and very important partner in the food composting project, is Carter’s Compost. Carter’s, an established local business, was selected by the city after putting out a request for proposals for entities to collect food waste in the city.

“The hauler is as important as the composting,” said Salzman. “We can’t count on another big truck rolling down the street to pick up food waste.”

Carter’s collects food waste from households and businesses. Businesses are provided with a cart, household food waste is collected either individually, with a provided bucket, or in collective drop-off sites.

Once the food composting program is in full swing, the composter will be emptied every 21 days. The food waste is mixed with wood chips provided by the city. The material leaving the composter is “uncured,” and will need an additional one to two months of curing before it can be used as compost. Initially the compost will be used at city-owned community garden locations.

All types of food waste including meat scraps can be composted at the facility. Food waste contributors need to do things like removing the sticker labels from produce because they do not compost. Educating businesses and households about how to recycle food waste is a big part of the work, said Salzman. Local waste haulers are happy to have food waste out of the system. Food waste is messy and contaminates other materials that may have otherwise been recycled.

Alissa Polz - Soil Conservation Technician, Big Rapids

Last Position: Soil Conservation Technician, Champaign, Ill.
Hometown: Rochelle, Ill.
Education: B.S Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Family: Fiancé Bart, a dog named Bear, and 4 cats Yoda, Whisper, Oliver, and Neville. Also have a few reptiles(bearded dragon-Karma, ball python-Severus Snake, Crested Gecko- Slim Jim) and rats (Tina, Louise, and Linda)
Hobbies & Interests: Hiking, swimming, camping, and attending live music concerts

November

6 - Farm Labor and Michigan Agriculture, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., MSU University Club - Lansing, for more information go to canr.msu.edu/events

18&19 - Renewable Roots Convention, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Timber Wolf Lake Camp - Lake City, for more information go to www.missaukeecd.org

23 - Van Buren Conservation District Forestry Field Day, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Hamilton Township Hall - Decatur, for more information and to register, visit VanBurenCD.org or call 269-657-4030 x5.

25 - Detroit Urban Farmer Feedback Session, 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Detroit Partnership for Food Learning and Innovation -16745 Lamphere, Detroit, for more information go to canr.msu.edu/events

December

8 - Fungi Frenzy 101: How to Grow Gourmet Mushrooms at Home, 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Big Rapids Charter Township Hall - Big Rapids, for more information go to mecostacd.org

10-12 - Great Lakes Fruit Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO, DeVos Place - Grand Rapids, for more information go to glexpo.com

11 - Thumb Ag Day, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., 2409 E Atwater Rd. - Ubly, for more information and to register go to canr.msu.edu/events