Conventional grain and livestock farmers should not be the only ones taking advantage of the money available from the USDA. Organic farmers should, too. Several programs are available that enable organic farmers to offset the costs of the inherent stewardship of the land that their organic operations provide. The three main conservation programs administered by the USDA are the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and the Conservation Security Program (CSP). Under these three programs, the USDA pays farmers money (based on complicated formulas) to incorporate agricultural conservation practices into their farming operation, and will do so for generally 10-15 years depending on the program. Enthusiasts who wish to review the regulations for themselves can peruse them at 7 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 1410, 1466 and 1469 respectively.
展开▼
