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 221 - 230 of 1760 projects
The Conservation Fund
|
NC, SC, WV
|
2019
The Conservation Fund, in partnership with McIntosh Sustainable Environment and Economic Development (McIntosh SEED) and the South Carolina Association for Community Economic Development (SCACED), will provide historically underserved producers innovative and individualized training and tools to overcome key challenges to adopting conservation practices (including EQIP practices) and thrive in sustainable agricultural operations. These challenges include: limited connection to and knowledge of their land’s natural resources, barriers to generating sustainable income, and historic limited access to USDA programs and other conservation tools. Through the proposed project, partners will: Provide 320+ producers and landowners with the tools and training to assess their land assets; Promote conservation practices among 320+ socially disadvantaged producers and landowners; Provide targeted technical assistance to 160 landowners and producers to become eligible for USDA EQIP and/or increase overall landowner sustainability through conservation practices and improved agricultural and forestry enterprises: To overcome systemic barriers in accessing USDA and other resources, project partners will provide dedicated individualized assistance to landowners and producers to support landowner-driven, data-informed priorities.
University of Maryland
|
MD
|
2019
This project integrates on-farm field trials with behavioral and experimental economics field research to inform the design of cost-effective programs to increase adoption of in-season nitrogen (N) decision support tools for corn production in Delaware (DE), Maryland (MD), and Pennsylvania (PA). The overall goal of this project is to increase adoption of in-season N decision support tools by grain farmers to improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and reduce N losses to the environment. The environmental benefits and economic feasibility of adoption of proven in-season N decision support tools (i.e., dynamic N models and spectral imaging) is evaluated in replicated on-farm small plot and strip trials (years 1 and 2); we will also identify social, economic, and regulatory barriers limiting widespread adoption of these tools.
University of Rhode Island
|
RI
|
2019
Through a partnership including the University of Rhode Island, the University of Connecticut, and commercial farmers, this project will monitor soil temperature, moisture, and mineralization of nitrogen and phosphorus from organic matter in established high tunnels on six farms in southern New England. Tunnels will be used for commercial tomato production, with growers following their normal practices. Samples will be collected from the crop root zone year‐round for two years. We will also monitor lateral movement of soil pore water and nutrients across the tunnel perimeter using suction lysimeters and resin capsules at the level of the plow pan. Data will be used to revise soil mineralization models and create a Nutrient Prediction Tool to assist farmers in monitoring inputs, predicting plant available nitrogen and phosphorus, and optimizing inputs to meet production goals while minimizing costs.
University of Kentucky
|
KY
|
2019
This project builds off of a previous Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) initiative and will monitor the ecological and economic effects of resource conservation on equine operations that participated in that program, therefore quantifying the impact of the practices from the RCPP project and then determining the transferability of these practices. The project’s objectives are to: 1) Assess the ecological impacts of resource conservation on horse farms, including improved soil and pasture health, control of noxious species, improved nutrient distribution and enhanced grazing management. 2) Quantify the potential monetary savings when improved pasture management is implemented on horse farms, such as allowing farms to spend less on stored feeds and synthetic fertilizers. 3) Determine other benefits of conservation practices: a. Reduced operating costs. b. Improved horse health. c. Improved soil health. 4) Describe these benefits in online and print educational materials that encourage horse farm owners to adopt conservation practices. 5) Conduct field days on project farms to demonstrate to horse farm owners the practicality and value of improved management practices.
Oklahoma State University
|
OK
|
2019
Despite technological advances, flood irrigation systems are still in use in many parts of the U.S. According to the Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey, flood irrigation accounts for 33% of all irrigated lands and 43% of total irrigation water applications in the U.S. However, only 10% of federal financial assistance for irrigation best management practices has been dedicated to flood irrigation. The goal of this project is to evaluate, demonstrate, and transfer innovative technologies that can result in water conservation in flood systems by conducting coordinated extension activities among partners from southern to western U.S. The perception of producers and the sociocultural factors that influence their acceptance of conservation technologies will also be evaluated to increase the likelihood of adoption. The project has four specific objectives: i) to evaluate the social dimensions of adopting conservation technologies; and, to evaluate and transfer effective and affordable conservation technologies and management practices related to ii) water delivery (e.g. canal automation); iii) water use (e.g. sensor-based irrigation scheduling) and iv) water removal (e.g., tailwater recovery and reuse) components of flood systems.
Pennsylvania State University
|
PA
|
2019
Greenhouse and high tunnel operations are a large and significant part of U.S. agriculture and also consume lots of Energy. Plastic films and various additives have been adopted in covering greenhouse and high tunnel structures for a long time. However, these technologies are mostly not able to efficiently and effectively modulate solar near-infrared Energy (utilize it for winter and block it in summer), independent of visible light for photosynthesis. In recent years, many studies on the optical and thermal properties of nanoparticles (NPs) have found a few plasmonic NPs can exhibit strong absorption and highly efficient light-to-heat conversion in the near-infrared region with no or few effects on the other spectral regions. This project is to develop, implement, and examine a new class of plastic films which are with dispersed prescribed plasmonic NPs.
Flint River Fresh
|
GA
|
2019
The goal of this project is to increase the success rate of urban farmers in Southwest Georgia by offering education on useful and scale-appropriate technology that reduces energy and resource costs in their operations. As such, Flint River Fresh will provide no fewer than 80 new and beginning urban farmers in Albany, Georgia with demonstrations of effective and affordable small-scale farming and post-harvest handling technology to improve water use, soil health, and post-harvest water efficiency on their operations and to assist them in overcoming the high capital costs of installing production and post-harvest infrastructure. Of these, 40 producers will receive direct training about food safety requirements under FSMA and learn simple steps to conserve water and prevent biological contamination of raw produce from pre- and post-harvest surface water applications. It is expected that no fewer than 50 percent of workshop trainees will be socially disadvantaged or limited-resource producers. An estimated 3000 producers interested in small-scale production will observe demonstrations of urban farming and post-harvest technology at the small-scale farming exhibit at the 2019 Sunbelt Ag Expo.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
|
VA
|
2019
Virginia Tech has partnered with the University of Tennessee and Smithsonian’s Virginia Working Landscapes to develop bee- friendly beef production technologies through a series of demonstration sites and on-farm trials. Specifically, the work addresses the following objectives: 1) document the establishment and persistence of wildflowers in grazing systems; 2) assess the benefits of wildflower-enhanced grazing systems for cattle; 3) assess the benefits of wildflower-enhanced grazing systems for pollinators; 4) calculate the economic profitability of wildflower-enhanced grazing systems; and 5) create educational materials and provide outreach about wildflower-enhanced grazing systems. The project team will measure wildflower establishment success and persistence, forage productivity and quality, cattle weight gain, pollinator attractiveness, and changes in costs and revenue compared to traditional grazing systems.
EcoTrust
|
OR
|
2019
This project includes the design and implementation of a free and open-source web app enabling users across Oregon to auto-generate stewardship planning materials. The app will automate preparation of maps, tables, and supporting information for Oregon's FMP template.
Oregon State University
|
OR
|
2019
This project’s objective is to remove the barriers to the adoption of existing NRCS pollinator-friendly conservation practices in the PNW by a) measuring economic benefits of practices associated with pollinator Habitat; b) identifying forb, shrub and tree species that attract the widest spectrum of native bees and other beneficial insects; c) improving implementation of existing conservation practices using selective herbicides, fire and grazing that promote the establishment of target plant species and reduce the growth of weeds and d) using conservation practices to preserve beneficial insects during periods of intensive pesticide use.