|
Several agricultural pilot projects will benefit from $500,000 in funding from the Washington State Legislature this year. The pilots were selected for demonstrating increased profitability to agriculture while providing environmental benefits.
An Oversight Committee will administer the program, while the Washington State Conservation Commission will administer program funding. The Oversight Committee was appointed by Bill Ruckelshaus, Chair of the Ruckelshaus Center
Advisory Board.
Conservation Commission Executive Director Mark Clark
said, "The selected pilots have enormous potential for the State of Washington. This is the type of innovation that embraces economic growth while protecting Washington's precious natural resources. The Conservation Commission is excited to undertake such innovative projects with the partnership of the William D. Ruckelshaus Center."
One of the recipients is a direct seeding project lead by Ty Meyer, Production Ag Manager for the Spokane County Conservation District. The project will increase the adoption of direct seeding methods through the use of a mentoring program, directing seeding demonstrations, and a case study comparing direct seeding with conventional tillage.
A Farming for Wildlife
project will test the novel concept of creating habitat for shorebirds on farmland by implementating habitat-based rotations. Among other things, the project will examine the potential disease and pathogen control benefits associated with habitat rotations and flooded farm fields. This project is being directed by Kevin Morse, Manager of the Nature Conservancy's Skagit Delta Project.
Jim Hazen, Executive Director of the Washington State Horticulture Association, is leading an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) project to help change practices and attitudes of IPM among farmers. Other benefits include maintaining acceptable levels of crop protection, sustaining profitability, and reducing pesticide impacts to farm laborers.
Don Nelson, Washington State University Extension
Beef Specialist, will test the feasibility of converting land coming out of the Conservation Reserve Program into a vertically integrated grass-fed beef production system.
For more information visit the Agricultural Pilots Project website.
|
