Project To Assist Amish And Mennonite Farms In Implementing Conservation Practices

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation and local partners in Lancaster and Chester counties today received a new, multi-year conservation grant to assist farmers in one of the most agriculturally rich regions in the country to reduce runoff and improve water quality in local rivers and streams.

 

The $500,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund will provide financial and technical assistance to farmers in the Conestoga, Pequea, and Octoraro watersheds, focusing on Plain Sect communities that are underrepresented in traditional farm conservation programs.

 

"The productivity of farms here is unparalleled, with hard work, thrift, and rich soils sustaining families for generations," said Lamonte Garber, Agriculture Program Manager for CBF's Pennsylvania office. "At the same time, many area farmers are hesitant to participate in government-sponsored conservation programs, and this is a barrier to reaching some producers. The partners in this project have deep connections to the farm community—including Plain Sect communities—and these relationships will be crucial to the success of the project."

 

The initiative will use public and private funds to increase implementation of a variety of conservation measures that reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment levels in local streams—a pressing concern for local and state agencies charged with improving water quality here and downstream in the Chesapeake Bay.

 

Stream bank fencing, soil conservation plans, no-till planting, cover crops, and forested buffers are among the most cost-effective tools available for cleaning up local rivers, streams, and the Bay. These practices can also improve farmers' bottom line. Stream fencing, for example, typically improves the health of dairy and beef cattle.

 

CBF is working to raise an additional $600,000 to match the NFWF funding. CBF estimates that the $1.1 million, three-year project will reduce 250,000 pounds of nitrogen pollution, almost 50,000 pounds of phosphorus pollution, and nearly 1.2 million tons of sediment pollution to local waterways annually. CBF is also seeking funds for farmers in other parts of Pennsylvania's Chesapeake Bay watershed.

 

The initiative is a strategic partnership comprised of public and private organizations and businesses with expertise in soil conservation, water quality, and farmland protection. Each group recognizes the fundamental need to improve the health of local waterways in ways that strengthen the agricultural sector.

 

Project partners include the Chester County Conservation District, Comprehensive Land Services, Inc., Lancaster County Agricultural Preserve Board, Lancaster County Conservation District, Lancaster Farmland Trust, Red Barn Consulting, Inc., and TeamAg, Inc.