Initiatives for energy, organics and high tunnels offered

Posted 9/30/09

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Initiatives for energy, organics and high tunnels offered

A seasonal high tunnel is a production system used to extend the growing season of crops planted in the natural soil within the covered area. The practice utilizes a plastic covered structure that is at least six feet in height and relies primarily on passive ventilation. By extending the growing season to increase consumption of locally grown food, using high tunnels can reduce dependency on non-renewable energy sources, reduce air emissions by decreasing the distance to transport food from producers to consumers, improve water quality by reducing nutrient and pesticide transport and improve plant and soil quality. The high tunnel structure covers several crop rows, is wide enough to allow the crop to grow to maturity under the tunnel, and is tall enough to accommodate spraying, cultivating and harvest within the intact tunnel.

Posted Wednesday, September 30, 2009 2:13 pm

PENNSYLVANIA — Several major conservation initiatives offering technical and financial assistance through the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program are currently available to farmers nationwide.

“The On-Farm Energy Initiative, Organic Initiative and Seasonal High Tunnel Pilot Initiative will assist producers in taking advantage of and benefiting from the natural resources available to them on their operations,” said Jennifer Matthews, supervisory district conservationist, NE Team 2.

Multiple ranking dates for the initiatives have been scheduled to make it easier for producers to apply. There will be three ranking periods, all ending on February 3, March 30 and June 1. At the end of a ranking period, NRCS ranks all proposals for funding consideration and notifies all applicants of the results. Contracts are then developed with selected applicants.

Contact Matthews at 570/282-8732, ext. 618 or visit www.nrcs.usda.gov for more information.

Initiative Overviews

On-Farm Energy Initiative: NRCS and producers develop Agricultural Energy Management Plans (AgEMP) or farm energy audits that assess energy consumption on an operation. NRCS then uses audit data to develop energy conservation recommendations. Each AgEMP has a landscape component that assesses equipment and farming processes and a farm headquarters component that assesses power usage and efficiencies in livestock buildings, grain handling operations and similar facilities to support the farm operation.

Organic Initiative:

NRCS helps certified organic growers and producers working to achieve organic certification install conservation practices for organic production. New for fiscal year 2012, applicants will be evaluated continuously during the ranking periods.

Seasonal High Tunnel Pilot Initiative:

NRCS helps producers plan and implement high tunnels, steel-framed, polyethylene-covered structures that extend growing seasons in an environmentally safe manner. High tunnel benefits include better plant and soil quality, fewer nutrients and pesticides in the environment and better air quality due to fewer vehicles being needed to transport crops. More than 4,000 high tunnels have been planned and implemented nationwide through this initiative over the past two years.