Time to Check Fields for Damages

Heavy rains and flooding have caused plenty of problems for Missouri farmers trying to plant crops this year. They haven't been friendly to the land, either. But the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) says that signs left behind by the water can provide valuable information about vulnerable areas that need better natural resource protection.
"The rains have revealed signs of problem areas or confirmed the existence of trouble spots. NRCS can look at these areas and help land users develop plans to address those problems," says State Conservationist Roger Hansen.The damage could indicate future sites for terraces, waterways, field borders, wetlands, ponds, and other conservation measures.
"Local NRCS conservationists can go out to the sites, look things over, develop options and explain to landowners what technical and financial assistance might be available to help them," Hansen says.
In some cases, already existing conservation measures might have been damaged by the excess water. Terraces might have overtopped, grass waterways might have eroded, and buffers and filter strips might have filled with sediment. Assistance to fix those problems also could be available.Hansen says the programs that Missouri landowners have relied on, such as the Wetlands Reserve Program, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, the Emergency Watershed Protection Program and others are available to support resource and land-management needs.
He says the new Farm Bill also offers opportunities for landowners to receive both technical and financial assistance from NRCS. Funding levels for natural resources conservation programs look good too, he adds. "The new Farm Bill is conservation friendly," Hansen says. "While the damage to the land and the disruption to lives is regrettable, I encourage folks to take advantage of this opportunity to protect natural resources from future problems. "We encourage farmers to check their fields, and if they find problems, to contact their local NRCS offices for assistance and recommendations to fix the damage."