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.
Project and Report Search Toggle
Showing 591 - 600 of 1802 projects
The Regents of the University of California - Mitchell (Soil Health)
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CA
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2015
Throughout the proposed 2-year establishment phase of this program, we will create 6 regional hubs that will evaluate impacts of conservation practices on soil health within regional contexts, host workshops, demonstrations, and information exchange activities related to soil health, provide opportunities for hands-on learning, one-on-one farmer-to-farmer communication and mentoring, and create an expanded network of regional farm trials that will compare a farmer's normal practices with an alternative soil health mgmt practice.
University of Idaho
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ID
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2015
The following three objectives will evaluate the effects of incorporating a cover crop mix into a cereal-based dryland cropping system by: 1) determining the establishment and growth of cover crops, 2) measuring soil water dynamics (i.e., infiltration rates and soil water use) as affected by cover crop integration in comparison to standard grower practices, 3) monitoring soil health (i.e., soil physical, chemical, and biological properties and organism diversity) as affected by cover crop integration over time.
Xerces Society
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NH
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2015
Work with organic growers to install pollinator and beneficial insect strips.
Colorado State University/Brigham Young University
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UT
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2014
Effective use of irrigation water in semi-arid agricultural regions is increasingly critical due to groundwater decline, growing competition for a limited water supply, and increasing frequency of drought. The Central and Southern Great Plains face some of the most extreme risk for sustainability of future water supply and innovative cropping systems that increase resiliency to drought are a critical need in this region. Through key public and private partnerships, this project will demonstrate synergistic soil, crop, and water management practices that adapt irrigated cropping systems in the Central Great Plains to drought and improve water use efficiency. The project will also develop a farmer-friendly decision support tool that empowers producers to plan and evaluate water conserving practices into site and management specific approaches while considering the effects of drought and climate change. Activities include: (1) conduct field demonstrations of synergistic soil, crop, and irrigation management practices that conserve water and improve system adaptation to drought; (2) modify the COMET-Farm decision support tool to include drought intensity input and crop water productivity output; and (3) carry out comprehensive information and technology transfer through field days, fact sheets, a web site, and the development of a technical water management guide for NRCS.
Arkansas Land & Farm Development Corporation/Arkansas Land & Community Development Corporation
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AR
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2014
Efforts to engage minority and limited resource farmers in conservation efforts often face unique challenges. These landowners and farm operators tend to be older and operate smaller farms with restricted earning capacity. These operators are often less aware of technical assistance opportunities and technical information on new developments, and they often have limited financial ability to invest in new practices that may have conservation benefits. To help surmount these challenges, this project aims to demonstrate the use of a case management model to design and deliver conservation services to enrolled participants. Under this model, the regional Arkansas Land and Farm Development Corporation Field Agent and farmer participants will assess current on-site operations and conditions and identify opportunities and priorities for improved resource conservation practices. Staff can then assist the farmer in developing and obtaining the needed management skills training as well as the required technical and financial resources to plan and implement identified actions. The project aims to help 300 limited resource and socially disadvantaged farmers and landowners develop and adopt a plan to conserve soil and water resources and to reduce, control and trap nutrient runoff.
Holmes County Food Hub
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MS
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2014
Production, conservation and marketing are all critical components of sustainable and profitable agricultural operations in Mississippi. Small-scale, historically underserved farmers are usually the last to adopt technological improvements and take advantage of opportunities to encourage new and enhance existing farm operations. This project will introduce innovative conservation technologies that encourage new and assist existing limited resource farm operations in west and central Mississippi. The project is intended to enhance the sustainability and profitability of historically underserved farm operations by integrating conservation technology such as plasticulture and subsurface irrigation with improved marketing strategies.
University of Hawaii
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HI
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2014
Leguminous Cover Crops can contribute significant amount of nitrogen to crop production. However, farmers need a better tool to accurately estimate the nitrogen contribution from legumes so as to precisely reduce fertilizer rates. A simple calculator to address this issue was developed for Idaho and Oregon with high success rate. This project will expand on this proven technology and modify it for tropical climates and soil types in the Pacific Islands. To make the calculator more precise, variation of nutrient availability when the leguminous Cover Crops were mixed with graminaceous Cover Crops or followed by till or no-till cropping systems will also be taken into consideration. The overall goal of this project is to increase the incentive for farmers in Hawaii and the Pacific Islands to adopt cover cropping into their farming systems.
B.F. Smith Foundation - Delta F.A.R.M.
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MS
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2014
A true understanding of soil health is lacking among the majority of Mississippi row-crop producers. In part, this is due to supporting practices (e.g. Cover Crops and no-till) being locally researched and utilized as stand-alone practices, not as a system to improve soil health. For producers to truly understand soil health and the system of management practices to be adopted, they must gain firsthand knowledge and experience of soil health systems as they are successfully applied on local farms. To develop a true understanding of soil health, producers must first be personally and socially motivated to learn with an open and growth oriented mindset. This desire to learn must then be supported by local experience and knowledge that demonstrates how soil health systems are implemented successfully. This project will demonstrate and field test soil health systems on 12 farms and 2,400 acres. Demonstrated soil health systems will be evaluated for improvements in soil and water quality using traditional and innovate methods. Production data associated with demonstrated systems will be tracked using an online platform to facilitate aggregated data analysis. Economic analysis will provide insight as to the profitability of soil health systems and will incorporated into enterprise budgets. An e-based toolbox will be developed to host all information and guidance developed through the project and serve as hub for connecting local producers to existing information and tools.
North Carolina Foundation for Soil and Water Conservation, Inc.
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NC
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2014
Quantifiable impacts of multi-species Cover Crops need to be determined to promote rapid information transfer from county level demonstrations to producers throughout the mountains, piedmont and coastal plain areas of North Carolina. These demonstrations will broaden adoption of appropriate multi-species cover cropping and build soil health for a more sustainable agriculture across the Southeastern region. The project will quantify short term-changes in soil chemical, physical and biological properties as a result of using multi-species Cover Crops in various no-till and reduced till production systems across the three physiographic regions of the state. These short term changes in soil properties will be related to broader concerns for nutrient cycling, overcoming soil water limitations and improved crop yield and growth. Project results will include recommendations for refining best management practices for multi-species Cover Crops in production systems common to the Southeast.
Winneshiek Energy District
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IA
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2014
Winneshiek Energy District has built its local model of Energy planning on the conservation planning process of locally-led Soil and Water Conservation District/NRCS partnership. In the Energy industry, unfortunately, Energy audits have become the norm, and financial assistance expected. Audits, however, are typically a program-driven product that rarely creates change, while locally-led Energy planning is a customer-driven process with high success rates even without financial assistance. Like conservation planning, Energy planning takes a strong local partnership to create the acceptance and critical mass necessary for widespread adoption. The Energy District will establish an agricultural Energy planning program and regional mobilization initiative with partners including the SWCDs, NRCS, ISU Extension, producer groups, utilities and more. This project will build a locally-led Energy planning model, demonstrate implementation success through Energy planning leading to completion of at least 30 projects – 20 including renewable Energy systems – and develop tools and conduct technology transfer and replication activities together with NRCS.