by Gena Moore, CFSA Organic Research Coordinator | Tuesday, Jul. 12, 2022 —
Beneath late morning summer sun, two men talk while standing outside of a hoop house on a farm. Several summer crops align the hoop house, including summer squash trellised cucumbers.
Jamie Melton, owner of Jaar Farms in Sylva, North Carolina, shows CFSA’s Mark Dempsey, an NRCS Technical Service Provider, around his farm. Credit: CFSA

The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) has supported farmers and landowners in conservation efforts for more than 80 years. Today they continue to serve farmers and landowners through conservation technical and financial assistance programs, including conservation planning, conservation practice implementation, and much more. NRCS has staff covering every county in North Carolina and South Carolina (as well as nationwide) to help meet the needs of landowners and their conservation objectives.

Assistance through NRCS may include going through an in-depth nine-step conservation planning process, applying for cost-share assistance to address resource needs, or simply having a site visit to learn more about your soil and natural resources.

Learn more and apply for CFSA’s help to support organic production and conservation.

Many CFSA farmer members have taken advantage of the NRCS’s Conservation Activity Plan 138 – Transition to Organic program. There are very few folks certified to write those plans in the Southeast. CFSA is lucky to have someone on staff who is certified to offer that technical assistance to members.

Recently, NRCS made some changes to its Conservation Activity Plan (CAP) program. We’re excited for the unique opportunities the changes bring to ALL our farms.

To keep you in the know, we sat down with Lindsay Haines, NRCS National Pest Management & Organic Systems Specialist, to talk about those changes and what farmers and landowners can expect.

 

 

CFSA: Why did NRCS make changes to the CAP program?


Lindsay Haines: NRCS continually seeks feedback on their programs from farmers, Technical Service Providers (TSP), and other stakeholders. Feedback in recent years focused on creating a cohesive conservation plan format. NRCS offers assistance and funding for several CAP, now Conservation Planning Activities (CPA), addressing various topics. Now all the plans are somewhat standardized making the process easier for farmers, TSPs, and NRCS staff. All plans now have the same look and feel.

We also wanted to provide more choices for farmers to address their desired objectives. This comes into play with the new Design Implementation Activities (DIA) and Conservation Evaluation and Monitoring Activities (CEMA).

  • DIA: The DIAs are designed to help farmers implement their identified conservation practices and can choose from a variety of resource concerns.
  • CEMA: If farmers are just interested in monitoring and evaluation, they can choose to pursue a CEMA.

We also streamlined the criteria to become a TSP.

 

CFSA: What should farmers and landowners know about the new CPA and DIA programs?

 

“Many farmers already have an awareness of their land and where they want to go. These new programs help those farmers prioritize activities to fit their personal objectives.”

Lindsay Haines: Everything is much more flexible. The conservation plans are developed by NRCS staff, TSPs, or a collaborative effort. This provides flexibility for the professionals creating the plans. The standardized format allows for [NRCS] staff or TSPs to write multiple plans and better collaborate with each other.

While farmers can certainly choose what CPA fits their operation best, the CPAs, DIAs, and CEMAs are like an a la carte menu, creating flexibility for implementing different activities.

 

CFSA: Why were DIA and CEMA created, and how will those new programs benefit farmers?


Lindsay Haines: DIA was created to focus solely on implementation, and CEMA was created to serve as a monitoring and evaluation tool focusing on data collection.

Separating these programs from the CPA opens up new opportunities for farmers. Many farmers already have an awareness of their land and where they want to go. These new programs help those farmers prioritize activities to fit their personal objectives.

 

CFSA: How can farmers learn more about NRCS and these programs?


Lindsay Haines: Visit the NRCS website for the CPA, DIA, and CEMA activities. This will give more in-depth information and provide all the options available to farmers.

NRCS also hosts a Science and Technology Training Library where farmers can access more information. Finally, farmers should reach out to their Local Service Center and get in touch with NRCS!

 

CFSA: What advice would you give farmers and landowners interested in conservation or organic production?


Lindsay Haines: Call your local NRCS service center and set up a farm visit. Talk with NRCS about your objectives and work to develop a plan for your farm. This may include a conservation plan developed by the local office or a CPA. This is the best way to start your relationship with NRCS and foster conservation practices on your farm. If you’re unable to immediately schedule a farm visit, consider submitting an Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) application. This will get you in NRCS’s system, and you can schedule the farm visit later.

Don’t miss CFSA’s article: Applying for the EQIP-OI

In addition to NRCS, other USDA agencies offer a wide variety of programs and services, including those that help cover certification and education costs for organic and transitioning producers.

 

CFSA: Is there anything else you want farmers and landowners to know?


Lindsay Haines: Terminology and language around conservation, organics, and agriculture, in general, can vary by discipline and even region. Communicating clearly is important, and this can be facilitated much easier through in-person farm visits. Describe the terminology you’re using and help NRCS understand your operations and needs.

You can access the ASK NRCS pamphlet for more information on NRCS-supported practices and terminology. NRCS staff and organic producers have much to learn from each other.

 

Our interview yielded a lot of useful information and clarification on the changes to NRCS Conservation Planning Activities and associated programs.

CFSA is glad to serve as a TSP for you to provide:

  • CPA 138 – Supporting Organic Transition
  • DIA 140- Transition to Organic
  • CPA 116 – Soil Health Management Plan
  • DIA 162 – Soil Health Management.

 

Want more?