Gov program question

[peacemaker]

I Apoligize if this is the wrong board for this question.

A government program is offered here in SW Virginia that is set up for conservation practices like denying cattle access to the streams and rivers to preserve the waters.etc etc

By doing this... the program will pay for certain things like interier fencing , wells , troughs, etc etc. up to 90% for first time farmers as myself.

Sound good ????

You have to plant a certain amount of trees along the stream areas but they still pay the 90%

After reading further It seems that you have to block the cattle access to 100% of woodland areas also, I could almost live with that other than I think the cattle might appreciate a little shade at times.

But then it seems that they also tell you how many cattle you are allowed to own per acre. (1) cow unit per 2 acres
But what if you have the grass and feed to run a few more?
Or have plenty of grass and want to run steer just for the summer months and sell.
Are you then in violation of the contract. could be fined?

Two neighbors told me once they get involved in your land they will alway's be telling you what you can and can't do
(10-15 year contract) & checking on you.

My question... are programs like this good or is it getting to much like big brother on the farm.

I will study more but just wondered what kind of experiences you all may have had with programs like these.

Thanks... I havent signed up yet...

 

[kscowboy]

around this part of the woods the CRP is used a lot by land investors and rich hippies and lawyers to buy parcels of ground and have the gov provide dollar support so they can soften the blow of the land cost. While seeming noble on the face of it , there seem to be many less noble people taking advantage of this break. I just heard this week from a friend who is losing his CRP dollars due to economy cutbacks by the local county.

 

[TheBullLady]

If you sign up for one of these programs, you are going to be required to adhere to the guidelines.. regardless of if you agree with them or not. So.. don't sign up if you're not interested in following them. A friend got into a 10 year program here in Texas years ago, and he was happy about some things, not happy about others. Now that the program is over, he insists he wouldn't have done it over, but he did get a lot of monetary help for doing certain procedures on his ranch. He also lost money the last year of the program when he was required to sprig 110 acres in coastal. We'd had a dry spring, and he had to plant before April 1st. He never got a stand, so it was a waste on his part and the government.

They will definately "watch" you... here if you don't do the procedures when you're required to, you risk having to pay the USDA back all the money they've paid on their portion.

 

[farmerdude]

peacemaker, I would stay away from them. I signed up, and they said 90%, but after talking to other folks, that ain't so, it's more like 75%. Plus it was so complicated with the federal programs combined with the state programs, I got fretted with it.
My wife has a MBA, and the fed guy sat at our kitchen table with his figures. She just shook her head and said "no thanks". We paid a $400+ penalty to get out, but it was money well spent. My cows will poop in the creek like they have for many years. Plus with this drought here in the east, I want all the grazing I can get, and what's near the creek that's green, is a welcomed sight.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

You can get a lot of help but of course there are plenty of strings attached. If your NRCS people are good it can be a positive working experience.

My take on the kinds of improvements you do depends on perspective. A lot of what they require is high dollar work - designed by them and supposed to last, but anybody that has been doing this for long likely knows cheaper ways to do things.

There are benefits to the conservation work and helping landowners to better manage things like grazing and other biological resources, so it is not just welfare for ag - society as a whole gains from some of the changes that can occur. Still USDA often seems a bit behind the curve in thinking and have made huge mistakes in the past (for example think of any number of introduced species - imported for some noble cause, but now considered a pest and in need of waging some kind of "war on _________")

 

[Frankie]

We've used government programs to cost share building stock ponds and have been satisifed. There are strings, so be sure what you're getting into.