Edmunds County Tribune -

Deadlines

June 16 — NRCS Deadline to file an EQUIP application for tree renovation

June 19 — Office closed in observance of Juneteenth

June 26 — Deadline to report prevented plant acres for soybeans

July 4 —  Office closed in observance of Independence Day

July 14 — Extended Deadline for ERP2 and PARP

July 17 — Deadline to report acres

July 17 — Deadline to report your 2022 NAP production

July 17 — Deadline to report 2022 ARC-IC production

July 31 — Deadline to enroll in CREP (Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program)

Acreage Reporting Maps: If you have not already received a copy of your 2023 FSA maps, please contact the office if you would like them emailed or stop by and pick them up.

When planting is complete: You can e-mail the maps to [email protected] or drop off your completed maps.

James River Watershed

CREP Producers

Farm Service Agency (FSA) records show that Edmunds County land may be located in a South Dakota Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) project area.

Through CREP, Edmunds County, South Dakota producers with land located in the James River Watershed may be eligible to offer all or a portion of new or expiring acres in the current continuous CREP signup. Offers to re-enroll contract acreage expiring on September 30, 2023, or enroll new land with an October 1, 2023, start date must be submitted by July 31, 2023.

CREP is another option under CRP that farmers and ranchers may select to enhance their land. Under the James River Watershed CREP Project, producers receive higher incentive payments that increase the total payments received and all land enrolled is open to hunting and fishing access. You can learn more about current CREP projects in South Dakota at FSA’s CREP for Producers webpage or call the Edmunds County FSA office at 605-426-6951, Extension 2, with any questions about enrolling or reenrolling in CREP, or with any inquiries about all CRP opportunities.

NRCS Encourages Landowners

to Inventory Shelterbelts

Across the prairies and fields of South Dakota, shelterbelts play an important role in providing wind protection to farmsteads, fields, livestock, and wildlife. These groves of trees aid in caring for our natural resources by slowing erosion and storing water. Many of the shelterbelts in the area have degraded plant health due to age, disease, and extreme weather conditions. NRCS is encouraging landowners to take an inventory of plant health within the shelterbelts to assess whether action is needed.

As a landowner there are options to rejuvenate the health of these shelterbelts. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) acknowledges multiple methods of renovation techniques that are successful in restoring the benefits of a shelterbelt. Aside from completely clearing a shelterbelt and replanting new trees, a landowner could also choose to select trees within rows or a whole row to be removed and replanted. There are also options for increasing shelterbelt density by planting shade tolerant species between rows. Rows can be added on either side of the existing rows to improve density. The overall goal of the project is to restore the shelterbelt to a working state to allow for it accomplish its intended purpose.

The Ipswich NRCS Office has placed a priority on this project due to the need expressed by local stakeholders. As a climate smart practice, shelterbelt renovation is eligible for the additional Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).  This would provide landowners technical and financial assistance to successfully complete a shelterbelt renovation project.

Producers interested in a shelterbelt renovation project are encouraged to contact the Ipswich NRCS Field Office to request an application. For project planning and prioritization, landowners are encouraged to return a signed application to the field office by June 16,2023. The field office staff is excited to assist landowners in implementing this locally led project. Please direct questions to the Ipswich field office staff at (605) 426-6951.