Farmer's presentation
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Working with Public/Private Program Incentives A Farmers Experience
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Olivia Carlson (Agriculture Resource Conservationist); Brian Trexler (Beef Farmer); Clyde Myers (Technical Support Specialist); Larry Llyod ( Senior Ecologist)
Transcript of Farmer's presentation
Working with Public/Private Program Incentives A Farmers Experience
“Where to begin” – “Who to Ask” – “ Why is it Important”
Olivia CarlsonAgriculture Resource Conservationist
Berks County Conservation District
“Where to begin”
• Develop Farm Plan (Ideal Operation)– Commodities
• Animals• Crops
– Farmstead • Buildings• Manure Storage• Roadways/Walkways• Future Expansion
– Cropland– Pastureland– Naturel Resources
“Who to Ask”
• Discussion with:– Fellow Farmers/Landowners
– Agencies/Organizations
– Accountant/Banker/Advisor
Participants
“Who to Ask”
• Berks County Conservation District
• Natural Resources Conservation Service
• Berks County Conservancy
• Pen-Vest---Pa. Dept. of Ag.
• Game Commission
• Install Conservation Practices with the Help of Technical and Financial Support
• Eliminate Resource Concerns
• Improve Water Quality
“ Why is it Important”
“My Farm” – “ My Plans” – “Why I Got Involved”
“My Farm”
• Albany Township-South of Blue Mountain onBethel Road
• 5th Generation Farm• Potatoes-Dairy-Crop Farm• Wife- Works Off Farm, Three Children• 193 Owned Acres• 25 Rented Acres
Future 90 Acres-Cropland 78 Acres-Rotational
Grazing Land 4 Acres Conservation
Land 40 Cow/Calf Pairs on
Grass 30 Grass Fed Feeders
Past 250 Acres Cropland 23 Acres Continuous
Graze Acres 22 Acres Seasonal
Pasture 35 Dairy Cows
“My Farm”
“ My Plans” Dairy Facility Needed Major Upgrading Dairy Farming 365 Day Job Milk Price Determine by Big
Companies/Cooperatives Not Supply and Demand About 50 Acres of Land to Steep and Shale Soil Not
Great for Crop Production Changed from Dairy with Some Continuous Grazing
to Beef Cow/Calf with Feeders on Intensive Grazing System
Market Grass Fed Beef Direct
“Why I Got Involved”
Had Some Issues with Stream
Family Felt That Someday Conservation Practices Would be Mandatory So Why Not Accept the Technical and Financial Incentives
Move into Intensive Grazing
“Why I Got Involved”
Concerns What You Don’t Know, You Think the Worst Organizations Telling You What to Do and
Not Seeing the Farmers’ and Production Side Lose Pasture Land Because of Meandering
Stream Maintaince Along the Stream with Stream
Bank Fencing
“Why I Got Involved”
Pluses Financial Incentives for
Practices Grazing Benefits-More
Forage, More Milk and More Meat Per Acre
Manure Handling Improved Stream Quality Farm Aesthetics
Drawbacks Trash at Crossings Finding Calves in Grasses in
the Stream Buffer Unwanted Plants in Stream
Buffer(will chop down every few years)
Larry LloydSenior Ecologist
Berks County Conservancy
“The Conservation Practices”
Watershed1,500 Acres
“The Conservation Practices”
Forage/Grass/Tree Cover Prevents Erosion
Consumes Nutrients
Increases Production
Farm Aesthetics
“Forage/Grass/Tree Cover”
“Forage/Grass/Tree Cover”
“The Conservation Practices”
Surface Water Mediation
Prevents Erosion
Consumes Nutrients and Surface Runoff
Slows Downstream Runoff
Improves Groundwater Recharge
Farm Aesthetics
“Surface Water Mediation”
“Surface Water Mediation”
“The Conservation Practices”
Stream Bank Erosion
Soil Loss
Degrades Wildlife Habitat
Detracts from Farm Aesthetics
Stream Bank Erosion
“The Conservation Practices”
Stream Crossings Prevents Erosion
Reduces Animal Contact with Stream
Stabilizes Animal Crossing
Allows More Appropriate Animal Watering Site
“Stream Crossings”
“Stream Crossings”
“Stream Crossings”
“Stream Crossings”
“The Conservation Practices”
Stream Bank Fencing/Riparian Buffer
Prevents Stream Bank Erosion
Filters Nutrients
Reduces Animal Health Problems
Improves Wildlife Habitat
Farm Aesthetics
“Stream Bank
Fencing”
“Stream Bank
Fencing”
“Stream Bank Fencing”
Riparian Buffer
“The Production Practices”
Clyde MyersTechnical Support Specialist
Natural Resources Conservation ServiceIn
Berks & Schuylkill County’s
“The Production Practices”
Intensive Grazing System Basics
Production and/or Exercise All land that will be used for
pasture is divided into paddocks Animals are rotated around the
paddocks, entering when plant species reach a height of eight to ten inches
Removed when plants are grazed to three to four inches
“The Production Practices”
Intensive Grazing System Basics
Return after re-growth reaches the 8-10 inch height
Paddock size small enough that all forage consumed in 3 days or less
This period will be as short as 15 days in the spring and as long as 45 days in summer
In spring/fall - ½ to 1 acre/ AU In summer - 1 1/2 to 2 acres
“The Production Practices”
Grazing System-Major Parts Land in Pasture Fencing
External Fencing Paddock Fencing
Animal Movement Walkway Winter
Water System Manure Handling
Land in Pasture Minimum
Spring/fall - ½ to 1 acre/ AU Summer - 1 1/2 to 2 acres/AU
Winter and/or Forage Slow Growth Rotational Lots
NRCS 2 Acres/ AU
“The Production Practices”
Land in Pasture
Land in Pasture
RotationalHeavy Use
Area
“The Production Practices”
Fencing
Animal Species
Electric/Nonelectric
Exterior - Critical Confinement
Exclusion Walkway Stream Bank
Paddock Moveable
Fencing
Exterior 3 + Electrified Strands
Walkway2 Strands
Stream Bank Fencing
2 Strands
Animal Movement /Walkways
All Paddocks
Improved
Daily Use
Winter
Equipment
Grass
Weekly Use
“The Production Practices”
Improved Walkway
Depends on soil
Wet/Equipment Minimum 10’ wide 2 inches minimum of surface material 2 inches binder 4 inches base Nonwoven geotextile
Animal Walkway
“The Production Practices”
Water System Source – (Well-Spring-Surface) Animal Species Distance/Topography Equipment
Pump/Gravity Pipeline Size (1” – 1 ½”) Tub Capacity (100 Gal.)
Frost Free Winter Extended Grazing
Water System -Portable Trough
Water System -Crossing Stream
Water System - Pipeline Size (1” – 1 ½”)
Water System –Frost Free > 30”
“The Production Practices”
Manure Handling/Storage
Solid/Liquid Animal Species
Weight, Number, Time in Confinement Time of Year
Barn/Heavy Use Area (lot)
60% Where Eat & Drink
“Keep Clean Water Clean”
Manure Storage/Handling -Preconstruction
Manure Storage/Handling Cemented Barnyard Sidewalls for Bedded Pack Covered
Manure Storage -Bedded Pack
Manure Storage Roof Spouting
FarmGrazing
Map
Questions? Please Contact Us At: Olivia Carlson, Agricultural Resource ConservationistBerks County Conservation District1238 County Welfare Road | Suite 200 | Leesport, PA [email protected] Larry Lloyd, Senior EcologistBerks County Conservancy25 North 11th StreetReading, PA 19601610-372-4992 ext. [email protected] Clyde Myers, NRCS- Technical Support SpecialistNatural Resources Conservation Service1238 County Welfare RoadLeesport, PA [email protected]
