Conewago creek initiative farmer outreach

THE CONEWAGO CREEK INITIATIVE

Lessons learned from farmer outreach in PA’s Showcase Watershed

Matt Royer

Director, Agriculture & Environment Center

Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences(814) 863-8756, [email protected]

Alliance for the Chesapeake BayAquatic Resource Restoration Co.Capital Area RC&DChesapeake Bay FoundationChesapeake CommonsDauphin County Conservation DistrictElizabethtown Area Water AuthorityElizabethtown CollegeLancaster County Conservation DistrictLandStudies, Inc.Lebanon County Conservation DistrictLondonderry TownshipLower Dauphin High SchoolMilton Hershey SchoolPA DEPPenn State Public Media

Penn State UniversityRed Barn ConsultingRGS AssociatesSouth Londonderry TownshipStroud Water Research Center Susquehanna River Basin CommissionTetra TechTri-County Conewago Creek AssociationUSDA Agriculture Research ServiceUSDA NRCSUS Fish and Wildlife ServiceUS Geologic SurveyViable Industries, LLCWild Resources, Inc.ZedX, Inc.

Conewago Creek InitiativeThe Partnership

Conewago Creek InitiativeOrganizational Structure

Project Advisory

Team (PAT)

Stewardship Development

TeamBMP Team Non Ag Team Envt’l Markets

TeamMonitoring

Team

Staff support provided by Penn State Agriculture and Environment Center• Project Coordinator (M. Royer)• Assistant Project Coordinator (K. Kyler)• Student Interns

Practices

People

Impact

Place

Conewago InitiativeOur Approach

Conewago Creek InitiativeAg Outreach Strategy

• What were our goals?

• What were our approaches?

• What were our results?

• What were some lessons learned?

Conewago Creek InitiativeAg Outreach Strategy

• Meet our farmers: A Conewago Creek Story

Conewago Creek InitiativeAg Outreach Goals

• Reach every farmer

• Achieve 100% baseline compliance with PA ag laws

• Accelerate adoption of BMPs

• Offer innovative BMPs through Penn State Research and Extension

Conewago Creek InitiativeAg Outreach Approaches

• Partnership approach (CCDs, NRCS, DEP, Extension, watershed group: BMP Team)

• Identify farm community champions early

• Letter, farmer meetings

• Conservation District Survey

Conewago Creek InitiativeFarm Survey

• Allowed CCDs to build relationships

• Identified proactive farmers ready to adopt BMPs

• Identified conservation priorities

• Over 90% farmer participation

Conewago Creek InitiativeFarm Survey: Priorities for TA

• Priority 1: Farmers who requested TA

• Priority 2: Farmers who lacked conservation plans– Priority 2A: Those with resource concerns

• Priority 3: Farmers who lacked nutrient or manure management plans

• Priority 4: All other farmers

Conewago Creek InitiativeFarm Survey: Approaches

• Provide flexibility for conservation planning (CCDs, private sector vouchers)

• Provide program choices (EQIP, CREP, Section 319, NFWF)

• Find farmers willing to try “innovative BMPs” (i.e., manure injection)

• Create a “watershed” community (annual Winter Farmers Meeting, field days and tours)

Conewago Creek InitiativeAg Outreach Results

Conservation Planning

Conewago InitiativeAg Outreach Results

• 10,742 acres (cover crops, conservation tillage, forest riparian buffers etc)

• 105,308 linear feet (or 20 miles) (fencing, terraces and stream bank restoration, etc)

• 60 additional BMPs (stream crossings, waste storage facilities, off stream watering facilities, etc)

BMP Implementation

Conewago InitiativeAg Outreach Results

Fencing (ft...0

2000

4000

6000

Before Ini-tiative

Since Ini-tiative

BMP Implementation Rates

Conewago Creek InitiativeLessons Learned

• Farmers are willing stewards of our land and water resources

• Involve the community early in the process

• Build trust and relationships

• Develop structured partnership

• Provide flexibility to meet landowner needs

Visit us on the web at:

www.conewagoinitiative.net

Watch A Conewago Story at:

www.conewagoinitiative.net

Funding for the Conewago Creek Initiative provided by: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds, and our many Initiative partners