Understanding NRCS Cost-Share Programs for Organic Grain Farmers

NRCS cost-share programs can provide funding and insight to improve organic farms. These programs can be confusing to understand and navigate for both organic farmers and advisors. With recent reductions in staffing levels across the agency, NRCS staff are less able to provide much of the technical support to help farmers apply for these programs. This episode will clearly break down the programs and practices that are most applicable for organic grain farms. We’ll talk through individual programs and discuss how the cost-share money can help farmers, but even more, how the deeper value is in the process of making high-level plans that help advisors and farmers understand farm operations better. These conservation plans can pay dividends long after the cost-share money has been paid out.