Project Search
Since its inception in 2004, CIG has funded hundreds of projects, boosting natural resource conservation while helping producers improve the health of their operations for the future. Use this tool to search for CIG projects based on any of the criteria listed below.
CIG projects from 2004-2009 may be missing information in the following categories: Resource Concern (specific), Conservation Practice, Production/Use.
Showing 21 - 30 of 1802 projects
REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
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MN
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2023
The University of Minnesota will implement an integrated conservation strategy at a watershed scale in Minnesota to reduce tile-drainage nitrate-nitrogen losses from corn-soybean cropping. The agronomic, economic and environmental benefits will be evaluated in comparison with a paired watershed with farmers using their traditional management practices. The integrated strategy will include: an innovative and practical satellite remote sensing-based, in-season, site-specific precision nitrogen management technology to optimize corn nitrogen management; cover crops to take up residual nitrogen in the soil after harvest; and a denitrifying bed woodchip bioreactor to further remove nitrate-nitrogen from tile drainage effluent.
NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY INC
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IA, MN, WI
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2023
Audubon will customize and expand its successful 2017-CIG-supported Conservation Ranching program to beef and dairy producers to benefit grassland health, producers’ bottom lines, and grassland bird species currently in decline. This project will provide producers with enhanced financial and technical assistance for the swift uptake and deployment of these NRCS-prioritized conservation practices across 2,000 acres: 512 Pasture and Range Planting, 338 Prescribed Burning, 314 Brush Management, 382 Fence, and 516 Livestock Pipeline. Additional project elements include: (1) payment to producers for each year that Audubon’s regional priority bird species are identified on-site through avian monitoring; (2) a social evaluation study to probe what motivates and/or deters producers from joining this program to increase its uptake, and (3) soil analysis and modeling to determine the practices’ climate smart viability.
CORNELL UNIVERSITY
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NY
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2023
Recent advancements in the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) model version 7 have given Cornell University the ability to formulate diets which meet ruminal requirements for nitrogen with much more precision and allow for formulation for all essential amino acids for milk yield and milk components in high producing lactating cows. This project will incentivize adoption of feed management practices on high producing dairy herds in central NY with financial and technical assistance, while evaluating the production, environmental, economic, and social impacts of this practice. We will also share case studies and lessons learned with other dairy nutritionists, producers, and industry professionals to help foster broader adoption across the industry.
Kentucky Agriculture Development Advocacy (TONYA SMITH )
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KY
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2023
This project seeks to enhance Kentucky's agricultural sustainability, focusing on historically underserved and diverse farming communities. Through affordable innovative biochar production, applications, and collaborative on-farm trials, Kentucky Agriculture Development Advocacy aims to improve soil health, increase crop productivity, re-use waste and provide inclusion within agriculture sectors. The initiative is poised to open doors for workshops and training, deliver improved soil conditions, enriched crop yields, and bolster broader conservation and sustainability objectives in Kentucky’s agricultural landscapes.
World Wildlife Fund
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IA, OK
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2023
The innovation advanced in this project is the testing of a novel market mechanism called the beef emissions tracing and allocation (BETA) framework for producing beef products with verified quantitative carbon outcomes. The Framework will cover the full lifecycle footprint from pasture to feed yards to processors and by-products, which creates greater opportunity for producer recognition of and reward for sustainability improvements that benefit climate and nature. The Framework will be anchored in actual farm-level measurement and validated through targeted implementation culminating in a project report and publicly available methodology.
South Dakota State University
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SD
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2023
This project involves tracking changes in wildlife and insect populations with the conversion of 141 acres of land from a tilled, corn/soybean rotation to a no-till system using a diverse stacked rotation with grazing livestock included in the system. The goal is to provide a better habitat for wildlife and beneficial insects and be economically viable. The corn/soybean system covers millions of acres, so this work could contribute to a large beneficial impact for wildlife and beneficial insects here.
Wild Farm Alliance
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CA, MN, NY
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2023
A new online Habitat Assessment Technical Bird Resource Tool will be
created for NRCS conservation planners and farmers across the country that increases onfarm habitat and assists with supporting birds in decline. The Tool will prioritize conservation practices and identify native plant species that are preferred by beneficial birds who provide pest control. User research, dataset development, field testing and monitoring will be conducted; field days will be hosted and webinars given; and a promotional educational video and case studies will be developed.
created for NRCS conservation planners and farmers across the country that increases onfarm habitat and assists with supporting birds in decline. The Tool will prioritize conservation practices and identify native plant species that are preferred by beneficial birds who provide pest control. User research, dataset development, field testing and monitoring will be conducted; field days will be hosted and webinars given; and a promotional educational video and case studies will be developed.
University of Nebraska
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NE
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2023
1. Development of an alley cropping system/model based on inputs from indigenous
groups/communities, agricultural producers, and landowners within the US Midwest.
2. Testing the resilience of our innovation (a regionally specific alley cropping system)
to climate change events (e.g., drought and wildfires)
3. Investigating alley cropping enabling policies and tax programs in the US Midwest
and using strategic information dissemination technology/innovation transfer to
promote innovation (alley cropping) adoption.
groups/communities, agricultural producers, and landowners within the US Midwest.
2. Testing the resilience of our innovation (a regionally specific alley cropping system)
to climate change events (e.g., drought and wildfires)
3. Investigating alley cropping enabling policies and tax programs in the US Midwest
and using strategic information dissemination technology/innovation transfer to
promote innovation (alley cropping) adoption.
University of North Dakota
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ND
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2023
The project will develop a decision-supporting tool to guide land manager seed mix choices based on the observed ecological efficacy and estimated economic performance to promote pollinator conservation planting adoption. Working with three Tribal colleges, the interactive web-based seed mix planning tool will incorporate indigenous knowledge of native plant species and management practices for supporting pollinators on Tribal lands and lands enrolling in conservation programs in North Dakota.
Purdue University
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IN
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2023
The 2021 Davidson Prize winner, LeafSpec, is the first touch-based high resolution hyperspectral leaf scanner of its type. Instead of measuring the leaf’s averaged spectrum, this project will explore a new algorithm to utilize both spatial and spectral information in the hyperspectral leaf image for more accurate nitrogen assessment. A fully automated robot system will also be further developed to operate this touch-based leaf scanner in the field.