USDA-NRCS Soil Health Demo Trials.
The Soil Health Demonstration Trials are open for enrollment in 2020! The Trials incentivize and reward improved soil health and help compensate producers for the cost and perceived risk of implementing new conservation practices.
Overseen by the Conservation Innovation Grants division, at least $10 million annually will be dedicated to the Soil Health Demo Trials (from a pot of $25 million annually for “On-Farm Trials”). In 2019, NRCS funded 16 On-Farm Trials projects at a total of $13.6M. These Trials began as a provision in the 2018 Farm Bill, which a strong coalition of NGOs, farmers, businesses, and soil scientists worked to support.
Excited?
🌾 Learn more about the trials and find out if you're eligible to apply.
🌾 Review the 2019 webinar led by NRCS-CIG, including the Q&A session (or download a hard-copy of the webinar presentation).
🌾 Familiarize yourself with the types of soil health indicators and assessments applicants will be expected to use in the NRCS Soil Health Technical Note on Recommended Soil Health Indicators and Associated Laboratory Procedures.
🌾 Thinking of applying? The deadline has been extended to May 29, 2020 at 5 pm EST.
🌾 Share this info with your network!
Soil Health Assessment Recommendations
Review the memo of recommendations recently prepared by Land Core and submitted to NRCS-CIG regarding the implementation of the On-Farm Trials and Soil Health Demo Trials.