Cleaning drinking water, mitigating flooding, removal of sediment, and installing erosion control structures are some of the activities that receive large amounts of funding to complete. These activities are a result of multiple sources and we aren’t always treating the causes, we’re mitigating their effects. Instead of paying on the back end, pay on the front end and get a better return on investment. There are programs available that provide financial assistance for producers to implement soil health practices which will provide countless off-site benefits. Longer term agreements are excellent methods to providing technical and financial support to start implementing cover crops, reduced tillage, nutrient and pest management. The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides these opportunities through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). Some Soil and Water Conservation Districts also provide programs for producers. These programs reduce risk while making changes on your operation and where we find the biggest bang for the buck.
Check out these programs online or stop in your local conservation office
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/mn/programs/financial/