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 841 - 850 of 1802 projects
Kansas State University
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KS
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2012
This project seeks to change behavior and growing practices related to medium- and large-scale production of vegetables (pumpkin, snap bean, and sweet corn) in the Great Plains. The goal of this project is to demonstrate the use of no-till systems for pumpkin, sweet corn, and snap bean in the Great Plains, and provide this knowledge to growers. The specific objectives of this project are:
• To demonstrate the effectiveness of no-till production systems for pumpkin, sweet corn, and snap bean through a series of demonstration sites at University and NRCS locations.
• To provide vegetable growers with “hands-on” experience growing no-till crops by initiating a mini-grant incentive program for vegetable growers to conduct demonstration trials in Kansas and Missouri.
• To assess the impact of different cover crop species and no-till systems on soil health, yield and profitability of pumpkin, sweet corn, and snap bean.
• To engage growers and others in university/extension with current knowledge of minimum tillage systems and disseminate the results of this project through established and novel extension networks and outlets.
• To demonstrate the effectiveness of no-till production systems for pumpkin, sweet corn, and snap bean through a series of demonstration sites at University and NRCS locations.
• To provide vegetable growers with “hands-on” experience growing no-till crops by initiating a mini-grant incentive program for vegetable growers to conduct demonstration trials in Kansas and Missouri.
• To assess the impact of different cover crop species and no-till systems on soil health, yield and profitability of pumpkin, sweet corn, and snap bean.
• To engage growers and others in university/extension with current knowledge of minimum tillage systems and disseminate the results of this project through established and novel extension networks and outlets.
Kosciusko County Soil and Water Conservation District
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IN
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2012
Kosciusko County Soil and Water Conservation District propose to implement Cover Crops across 50% of a sub-watershed in a tile-drained agricultural landscape in order to quantify and seek additional funding to implement another 25% of the watershed as well 1) the effect of cover crop planting on tile drain nutrient and sediment export, and how that is reflected in 2) stream nutrient and sediment export; 3) whether there is improved efficacy of an in-stream management practice (Two-Stage Ditch) when combined with a landscape management practice; and finally 4) to provide a regional demonstration area for farmers that highlights the benefits of combining multiple BMPs at the watershed scale.
Illinois River Watershed Partnership
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AR
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2012
This project proposes to construct a phosphorus removal structure on a poultry farm located in the Illinois River watershed, which will be strategically placed to intercept runoff occurring immediately around a poultry production house Awardee will also monitor the effectiveness of the structure by sampling inflow and treated water through the use of automatic samplers and flow meters, tracking the reduction of phosphorous load. The goal is to remove 50 percent of the phosphorous load. More specifically, this project aims to: • Construct a phosphorus removal structure on a poultry farm located in the Illinois River watershed (impaired watershed as indicated by the EPA 303(d) list), which will be strategically placed to intercept runoff occurring immediately around a poultry production house.
• Monitor the effectiveness of the structure by sampling inflow and treated water through the use of automatic samplers and flow meters, thereby allowing one to determine the phosphorus load reduction. Our goal is to remove 50% of the P load.
• After the PSM has been saturated with P in the structure, remove the spent material and test its ability to serve as P fertilizer or mulch in low P soils.
• Present the structure to agricultural producers, policy makers, and stakeholders (i.e. water quality advocate groups) in the area via field tours and web. Our goal is to reach 1000 people through site tours and presentations. Another goal is for this new BMP to be added to the NRCS EQIP program.
• Estimate the cost of implementation of this new BMP in poultry dense watersheds of Eastern Oklahoma and the potential phosphorus load reductions.
• Monitor the effectiveness of the structure by sampling inflow and treated water through the use of automatic samplers and flow meters, thereby allowing one to determine the phosphorus load reduction. Our goal is to remove 50% of the P load.
• After the PSM has been saturated with P in the structure, remove the spent material and test its ability to serve as P fertilizer or mulch in low P soils.
• Present the structure to agricultural producers, policy makers, and stakeholders (i.e. water quality advocate groups) in the area via field tours and web. Our goal is to reach 1000 people through site tours and presentations. Another goal is for this new BMP to be added to the NRCS EQIP program.
• Estimate the cost of implementation of this new BMP in poultry dense watersheds of Eastern Oklahoma and the potential phosphorus load reductions.
Maryland Department of Agriculture
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MD
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2012
This project aims to provide and promote additional opportunities for pont and non-point sources to utilize Marylands water quality trading market as a cost-effective, innovative option for meeting and maintaining water quality in the Chesapeake Bay an ensuring consistency with the Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), Maryland Phase II Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) strategy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)s requirements for a comprehensive growth offset program for future development.
Maryland Department of Agriculture
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MD
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2012
This project proposes to increase producer and landowner adoption of conservation practices by creating a Certainty Program that rewards operators that have exceeded water quality goals and that utilizes the on-farm Nutrient Assessment Tool consistent with the total maximum daily load goals and to provide fanners with a clear understanding of the benefits of conservation to nutrient reductions.
The University of Vermont and State Agricultural College
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VT
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2012
The project is designed to assess and demonstrate Energy utilization in both environmental and economic terms in order to help farmers adopt appropriate grazing practices to reduce reliance on Energy inputs. It will measure and analyze Energy inputs from 200 farms using a range of grazing management practices of which a minimum of 20 will include farms using the holistic planned grazing approach. Included in the analysis will be Energy savings from feed or forage production, manure management and use of soil building techniques as compared to synthetic fertilizers.
University of Arkansas
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AR
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2012
The overall goal of the project is to develop a national database of existing plot- and watershed-scale sites with more than three years of water quality measurement (flow and phosphorous concentration) and sufficient land management information to populate phosphorous indices and predictive models approved under the 590 Standard. This project will compare Phosphorous Index risk assessments with water quality data and validated predictive models for the combined field and watershed sites. It will also synthesize, summarize and describe the science-based information and lessons learned from the three regional Phosphorous Index assessment projects (i.e., Chesapeake Bay Watershed, the Heartland Region, and Southern States) and build a harmonized framework that yields consistent P-based risk assessment across the U.S.
The Pennsylvania State University
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PA
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2012
This regional project will coordinate the testing and revision of phosphorous management tools within the states encompassing the Chesapeake Bay watershed, with general objectives to harmonize site assessment and nutrient management recommendations with the NRCS 590 standard and to promote consistency within each of the Bays four major physiographic provinces. This regional project is one of four (three regional, one national) proposed under coordination of SERA-17, with goals to support the refinement of state Phosphorous Indices and to demonstrate their accuracy in identifying the magnitude and extent of phosphorous loss risk and their utility to improve water quality. The proposed project will promote innovations in phosphorous management at state (harmonizing Phosphorous Indices) and local (changes in behavior of farmers and/or technical service providers developing and implementing Phosphorous Indices) levels to enhance the health of the Chesapeake Bay. The project involves six objectives designed to ensure that refinement of Phosphorous Indices is grounded in the best available science, reflects local conditions and concerns and anticipates impacts to water quality and farm management.
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service
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AR
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2012
The objective of the project is to reduce these barriers so that EOF monitoring can be implemented on a more wide-spread basis through: 1) field demonstration of lower-cost automated sampling equipment through comparison with already-established automated sampling stations on Arkansas Discovery Farms and other MRBI monitoring locations and 2) help build the capacity of technical service providers, NRCS field personnel, County Agents, and crop consultants, to provide EOF through the development of a training and outreach program that can be utilized throughout the MRBI region.
The Ohio State University
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OH
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2012
The objective of this project is to increase the utility and implementation of the Ohio P Index beyond a tool used to assess risk of P transport, into a tool, producers can also use to make management decisions to reduce their risk of P transport.
Specific objectives of this project are: 1) Evaluate and as necessary revise and update the current Ohio P Risk Index, using field-scale, edge-of-field monitoring data. 2) Quantitatively, integrate additional best management practice (BMPs) options into the Ohio P Index 3) Develop a web-based, easy to use, interactive GIS tool (web-based tool) that allows producers to easily calculate their Ohio P Index scores, and to choose from a suite of additional BMP options to aid with management decisions to reduce their risk of P transport (Ohio P Index scores). This web-based tool will also be used for education purposes and to actively promote increased implementation of the revised/enhanced Ohio P Index. 4) Significant statistical analyses will be required to evaluate/revise the Ohio P Index, integrate additional BMP options and to develop the on-line web-based interface. Statistical analyses will be conducted in the following three phases: a. Evaluate the current Ohio P Index parameters and modifiers. Determine which independent variables (parameters), or combinations of independent variables, best quantify risk of P transport. b. Quantitatively integrate additional BMP options into the Ohio P Index. This will allow producers to choose BMPs to reduce their risk of P transport (P Index score). c. Adapt the developed models to work within the web-based tool (on-line interface)
Specific objectives of this project are: 1) Evaluate and as necessary revise and update the current Ohio P Risk Index, using field-scale, edge-of-field monitoring data. 2) Quantitatively, integrate additional best management practice (BMPs) options into the Ohio P Index 3) Develop a web-based, easy to use, interactive GIS tool (web-based tool) that allows producers to easily calculate their Ohio P Index scores, and to choose from a suite of additional BMP options to aid with management decisions to reduce their risk of P transport (Ohio P Index scores). This web-based tool will also be used for education purposes and to actively promote increased implementation of the revised/enhanced Ohio P Index. 4) Significant statistical analyses will be required to evaluate/revise the Ohio P Index, integrate additional BMP options and to develop the on-line web-based interface. Statistical analyses will be conducted in the following three phases: a. Evaluate the current Ohio P Index parameters and modifiers. Determine which independent variables (parameters), or combinations of independent variables, best quantify risk of P transport. b. Quantitatively integrate additional BMP options into the Ohio P Index. This will allow producers to choose BMPs to reduce their risk of P transport (P Index score). c. Adapt the developed models to work within the web-based tool (on-line interface)