Soon new conservation practices will be placed on more than 28,000 acres of Hoosier farmland due to the Conservation Consultation Incentive program. Crop consultants and farmers receive financial incentives for implementing specific conservation practices and more than $132,000 in incentives is still available.

Launched in February 2008 through a partnership between the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA), the State Soil Conservation Board, Indiana Certified Crop Advisors and 31 Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), the Conservation Consultation Incentive program was piloted this summer and fall in specific areas within the Wabash River Tributary. The goal of the program is to find additional ways to offer cost effective conservation assistance to farmers.

"The Conservation Consultation Incentive program builds on the relationships farmers already have with their consultants to provide sound agronomic conservation practices," said Acting Agriculture Director Ken Klemme. "The ongoing one-on-one support local crop consultants provide farmers through conservation programs benefits the farmer by increasing environmental stewardship and financial rewards."

ISDA and the State Soil Conservation Board set aside $200,000 from the State's Clean Water Indiana Fund for the Conservation Consultation Incentive program. Pilot farmers implemented conservation practices including Nutrient Management, Pre-Side dress Nitrate Testing and Residue Management (cover crops and no-till practices).

To date, the Conservation Consultation Incentive has provided crop consultants with more than $28,000 in incentives; participating farmers have received approximately $14,000 in incentives for a total investment of $42,000.

"The most important result of this program has been the partnership created to implement good land and water management," said ISDA Assistant Director of Conservation Tammy Lawson. "We hope these incentives will encourage more Indiana farmers to consider better management practices that reduce nutrient and sediment runoff from their fields and operations."

Wabash River Tributary farmers who want to learn more about the Conservation Consultation Incentive program can go to the ISDA Web site at www.in.gov/isda, contact their local crop consultant or call ISDA 317-232-8770.