Saguache County Commissioners visit PES
Program
Barclay Daranyi tells about Indian Ridge Farm and the soil health practices they have utilized under the PES Program.
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Dave Dearstyne, soil scientist, and Tessa Lightfoot interpret soil health information from soil pit on Indian Ridge Farm.
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Dave Dearstyne (middle) teaches about soil microbes.
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Payment for Eco Services and Regenerative Ag Program
Saguache County Commissioners visited agricultural sites that are part of the San Miguel County PES Program in San Miguel County on June 13. The PES Program stands for "Payment for Eco Services and Regenerative Ag". Farmers enrolled in the PES Program receive payments for implementing soil health practices. Saguache Commissioners received an outline of the PES program and saw first-hand conservation practices being implemented and their benefits. The field tour was hosted by Barclay and Tony Baranyi at Indian Ridge Farm where participants could see examples across a variety of different types of land management conservation practices. The PES Program encourages Farms and Ranchers to implement conservation practices and carbon sequestration on their land through payments for practices. In 2024 the PES Program has participants and has a goal of 10 for 2025. The most common conservation practice in the program is prescribed grazing.
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Soil Moisture Monitor InstallationShavano CD's CSCB DCT Aleksy Cybulski has been busy helping to install soil moisture monitors and soil sampling for the CDA Soil Health Program. This data will help producer's that are enrolled in this program to track their soil moisture and soil temperature in their fields which will give them data to help irrigate their crops to the proper amount and increase yield, reduce salt leaching, and to conserve water. Shavano CD is very excited to add our new DCT to the program!
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What is dirt? There’s a whole wriggling world
Story by Brian Darby, Associate Professor of Biology, University of North Dakota
Read the article on msn.com from "The Conversation" |
© ChristinLola/iStock/Getty Images Plus
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USDA Now Accepting Applications for Available Funds to Help Cover
Organic Certification Costs
Through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP), USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will cover up to 75% of organic certification costs at a maximum of $750 per certification category. FSA is now accepting applications, and organic producers and handlers should apply for OCCSP by the Oct. 31, 2024, deadline for eligible expenses incurred from Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024. FSA will issue payments as applications are received and approved.
Read More Here in the Montrose-Gunnison-Ouray County USDA May Newsletter
Read More Here in the Montrose-Gunnison-Ouray County USDA May Newsletter
Nominations Open for the 2024 County Committee Elections
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) is now accepting nominations for county committee members and encourages all farmers, ranchers, and FSA program participants to take part in the Montrose County Committee election nomination process.
Elections will occur in certain Local Administrative Areas (LAA) for members. LAAs are elective areas for FSA committees in a single county or multi-county jurisdiction. For Montrose County, elections will take place in LAA # 1 & LAA# 3. LAA 1 consists of Montrose County North of Ida Road. LAA 3 is Montrose County West of Dallas Divide. Customers can identify which LAA they or their farming or ranching operation is in by using our GIS locator tool available at fsa.usda.gov/elections.
County committee members make important decisions about how Federal farm programs are administered locally. All nomination forms for the 2024 election must be postmarked or received in the local FSA office by Aug. 1, 2024.
Agricultural producers who participate or cooperate in a USDA program and reside in the LAA that is up for election this year, may be nominated for candidacy for the county committee. A cooperating producer is someone who has provided information about their farming or ranching operation to FSA, even if they have not applied or received program benefits.
Individuals may nominate themselves or others and qualifying organizations may also nominate candidates. USDA encourages minority producers, women, and beginning farmers or ranchers to nominate, vote and hold office.
Nationwide, more than 7,700 dedicated members of the agricultural community serve on FSA county committees. The committees are made up of 3 to 11 members who serve three-year terms. Committee members are vital to how FSA carries out disaster programs, as well as conservation, commodity and price support programs, county office employment and other agricultural issues.
For more information on FSA county committee elections, including fact sheets, nomination forms and FAQs, visit fsa.usda.gov/elections.
Elections will occur in certain Local Administrative Areas (LAA) for members. LAAs are elective areas for FSA committees in a single county or multi-county jurisdiction. For Montrose County, elections will take place in LAA # 1 & LAA# 3. LAA 1 consists of Montrose County North of Ida Road. LAA 3 is Montrose County West of Dallas Divide. Customers can identify which LAA they or their farming or ranching operation is in by using our GIS locator tool available at fsa.usda.gov/elections.
County committee members make important decisions about how Federal farm programs are administered locally. All nomination forms for the 2024 election must be postmarked or received in the local FSA office by Aug. 1, 2024.
Agricultural producers who participate or cooperate in a USDA program and reside in the LAA that is up for election this year, may be nominated for candidacy for the county committee. A cooperating producer is someone who has provided information about their farming or ranching operation to FSA, even if they have not applied or received program benefits.
Individuals may nominate themselves or others and qualifying organizations may also nominate candidates. USDA encourages minority producers, women, and beginning farmers or ranchers to nominate, vote and hold office.
Nationwide, more than 7,700 dedicated members of the agricultural community serve on FSA county committees. The committees are made up of 3 to 11 members who serve three-year terms. Committee members are vital to how FSA carries out disaster programs, as well as conservation, commodity and price support programs, county office employment and other agricultural issues.
For more information on FSA county committee elections, including fact sheets, nomination forms and FAQs, visit fsa.usda.gov/elections.
SAVE THE DATE: USDA Beginner Farmer and Rancher Webinar Series -
Working with the Risk Management Agency (RMA) Crop & Livestock
Insurance
Mark your calendar and join us every 3rd Wednesday of the month for our USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher webinar series. These informational virtual events are held from 12:00pm to 1:30pm, and this session, USDA will discuss: Working with the Risk Management Agency (RMA) Crop & Livestock Insurance.
Join us
Date: Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Time: 12:00pm-1:30pm
RMA representatives will discuss the programs they have available for crop and livestock producers. The program will center on crop insurance, a public-private partnership between USDA and private insurance companies to offer a safety net to producers of row crops, specialty crops, and livestock. For crop insurance options, they will discuss yield and revenue-based crop insurance programs, including Whole Farm Revenue Protection. They will also cover record keeping requirements for crop insurance, as well as subsidies and record keeping allowances made for new and beginning farmers and ranchers. For livestock producers, they will discuss limited coverage options available under Whole Farm Revenue Protection as well as specialized livestock programs such as Livestock Gross Margin, Livestock Risk Protection, Dairy Revenue, and Weaned Calf Risk Protection.
On June 26, 2024 @ 12:00pm-1:30pm
Join the meeting now
Meeting ID: 233 714 156 753
Passcode: W8MYPN
Dial in by phone
+1 970-812-0909,,799259379# United States, Grand Junction
Find a local number
Phone conference ID: 799 259 379#
Join us
Date: Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Time: 12:00pm-1:30pm
RMA representatives will discuss the programs they have available for crop and livestock producers. The program will center on crop insurance, a public-private partnership between USDA and private insurance companies to offer a safety net to producers of row crops, specialty crops, and livestock. For crop insurance options, they will discuss yield and revenue-based crop insurance programs, including Whole Farm Revenue Protection. They will also cover record keeping requirements for crop insurance, as well as subsidies and record keeping allowances made for new and beginning farmers and ranchers. For livestock producers, they will discuss limited coverage options available under Whole Farm Revenue Protection as well as specialized livestock programs such as Livestock Gross Margin, Livestock Risk Protection, Dairy Revenue, and Weaned Calf Risk Protection.
On June 26, 2024 @ 12:00pm-1:30pm
Join the meeting now
Meeting ID: 233 714 156 753
Passcode: W8MYPN
Dial in by phone
+1 970-812-0909,,799259379# United States, Grand Junction
Find a local number
Phone conference ID: 799 259 379#
Biden-Harris Administration to Invest $50 Million in Projects that Restore
Natural Functions and Values of Wetlands As Part of Investing in America
Agenda
WASHINGTON, May 29, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will invest up to $50 million in fiscal year 2024 through the Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP) to support conservation partners with local projects that help protect, restore and enhance critical wetlands on agricultural lands and help mitigate climate change as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. With funding from the 2018 Farm Bill and the Inflation Reduction Act—the largest climate investment in history, including historic funding for conservation easements and other conservation programs—WREP empowers eligible conservation partners to work with local agriculture producers to protect, restore and enhance high-priority wetlands on agricultural lands.
Read More Here
Read More Here
Southern Ute Indian Tribe Makes History with USDA to Conserve Natural Resources
Denver, CO - Southern Ute Indian Reservation -
A historic partnership is forging between the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the United States Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Through the USDA or NRCS Agency's Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), the entities have jointly entered an alternative funding arrangement (AFA) to improve rangeland resiliency and health on Tribal lands. This project is funded through the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
"This is an exciting partnership", said Clint Evans, NRCS State Conservationist in Colorado. "The Southern Ute Indian Tribe is the first Tribe in the nation to enter into an AFA through CSP. We're proud of what that means for future relations between NRCS and the Tribe. We also get to play a role and join them as they expand their natural resource conservation journey."
Read More Here
A historic partnership is forging between the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the United States Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Through the USDA or NRCS Agency's Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), the entities have jointly entered an alternative funding arrangement (AFA) to improve rangeland resiliency and health on Tribal lands. This project is funded through the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
"This is an exciting partnership", said Clint Evans, NRCS State Conservationist in Colorado. "The Southern Ute Indian Tribe is the first Tribe in the nation to enter into an AFA through CSP. We're proud of what that means for future relations between NRCS and the Tribe. We also get to play a role and join them as they expand their natural resource conservation journey."
Read More Here
Changes Around The Office
The Montrose USDA Field Office has four individuals joining the team.
Aleksy Cybulski, Shavano CD Conservation Tech
Aleksy is the new District Conservation Technician at Shavano Conservation District working with the Colorado Soil Health program and STAR producers. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a focus on Horticulture at the University of Arkansas and have had experience with fruit and vegetable crop production as well as pathogenic identification. Previously, Aleksy worked at Bayer, working in controlled environment agriculture identifying pathogens on corn. Aleksy loves being outdoors, hiking and camping with her dog!
Cassie Wolfanger, NRCS wildlife Biologist
Cassie will be a Wildlife Biologist with Bird Conservancy of the Rockies and NRCS, working on habitat management projects in the Montrose-Gunnison and surrounding areas, partnering with Marcella, the Gunnison senior wildlife biologist. For the past three years, she has been a conservation biologist for Audubon Vermont doing similar work but is thrilled to be pairing agricultural needs with wildlife goals now in western working lands. When not in the office, Cassie can be found doing all things nature exploration related with her two dogs.
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Zya Sosa, NRCS Soil Conservationist
Zya is from New Jersey. She has a passion for nature and the outdoors, which led her to pursue a bachelor's degree in Environmental, Soil and Water at West Virgina University. Zya enjoys hiking, spending time with her family, and traveling.
Kathryn Helterline, NRCS Soil Scientist
Kathryn grew up on a small island named Block Island off the coast of Rhode Island. Here her interest in the outdoors flourished through interning with the Nature Conservancy. She then went on to study Natural Resource Conservation in Vermont and, after college, found herself working on small farms around the northeast, eventually starting her own one-acre vegetable farm on her family’s land in Rhode Island. For the past 10 years, she has primarily resided in Placerville, Colorado, where she can be found hiking with her dogs, biking, skiing, gardening, or studying for her Masters in Crop and Soil Science. Working for the NRCS has been an aspiration of hers, and she is excited to begin her journey as the new State Soil Scientist based out of Montrose, Colorado. In her new role she hopes to contribute to the preservation of the soils of Colorado.
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Current Water & Precipitation Conditions
Click on the icon below for reports, graphs and maps
PrecipitationColorado Precipitation Graphs and Maps |
SnowColorado SNOTEL Graphs and Maps |
Snow Water by BasinInteractive Snow Water Graphs and Maps by Selection of Basins within Colorado |
Dates to Remember
Deadlines, Meetings and Events |
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June 11 Shavano District Board Meeting, 6:30pm
June 15 Acreage Reporting Deadline for Onions
June 19 Office Closed in observance of Juneteenth
June 29 Ridgway RiverFest
July 4 Office closed in Observance of Independence Day
July 9 Shavano District Board Meeting, 6:30pm
July 11 Western Colorado Soil Health Committee Meeting, 1-3pm at SCD Office
July 15 Acreage reporting deadline for spring seeded and
perennial crops including hemp
August 13 Shavano District Board Meeting, 6:30pm
Additional Partner Organization Events |
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16th Annual Ridgway RiverFest
The Ridgway RiverFest is a free, family-friendly celebration of the Uncompahgre River, our watershed and river recreation with all-age river races including the Junk of the Unc homemade watercraft competition, live music by bluegrass band The Cross-Eyed Possum, local food and drink, kids’ activities, watershed education, and cultural programs. NEW in 2024: 11am early silent auction sales and parking with free shuttles from Ouray County 4H Event Center. The event benefits the Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership, a Ouray County nonprofit watershed group dedicated to helping protect the economic, natural, and scenic values of the Upper Uncompahgre River Watershed. Info: https://ridgwayriverfest.org/
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