USDA-NRCS Community Conservation Grant Awarded

Dakota College at Bottineau (DCB) has received a funding opportunity in the amount of $341,784.00 from United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for implementation of NRCS conservation practices in small-scale farms in North Dakota.

DCB will collaborate with ND NRCS staff and small-scale farmers to identify specific limitations in implementing NRCS conservation practices in small-scale farms. Along with their collaborators, DCB will determine ecologically and economically viable potential solutions to the problems faced by small-scale farms. Field trials will be conducted in different parts of the state (Bottineau, Menoken, and Forman) to evaluate the effectiveness of the identified solutions. DCB will also provide field training and build technical capacity of ND NRCS staff and small-scale farmers to increase the understanding of soil and water health and effective conservation practices in North Dakota.

Small farmers have been shown to be more risk-averse and possess fewer resources to invest in conservation measures. Thus, small farms face obstacles for implementing recommended conservation practices in its full applicability. DCB staff and faculty with their intimate knowledge of small farmers in this region can function as a bridge between ND small farmers and ND NRCS staff in implementing sustainable conservation practices in ND small-scale farms. The partnership between DCB and ND NRCS can help address the special needs of small-scale farms in implementing the technological improvements, alternative enterprises, and conservation measures that protect the land and enhance water quality and biodiversity.

This is a three-year grant to conclude the fall of 2022.