Farmer's Corner: Agricultural Conservation

If you are interested in implementing a best management practice on your land or enrolling in one of the available agricultural assistance programs listed below, contact our office today!

Our staff is available to help you with the process:
Matthew Browne, Area Conservation Technician - (419) 893-1966 ext. 3#
Dj Mears, Agricultural Conservationist - (419) 893-1966 ext. 4#

For information on Soil Testing, please visit the Additional Resources page. 

Explore the Agricultural BMPs page to learn more about ways you can
protect and improve the soil and water on your farm, and beyond.

Continuous Sign-up for Western Lake Erie Basin Assistance Programs

In June 2019, the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA)  announced the second sign-up period for assistance programs in the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB). These programs are funded by the passage of Ohio Senate Bill 299.

Ohio Working Lands Hay Buffer Program:
  • Encourages producers in the WLEB to establish year-round vegetative cover on eligible cropland along a ditch or stream.
  • Buffers act as another line of defense to filter surface water while allowing participants to harvest or forage from the established areas.
  • Approximately 4,075 acres have already been enrolled.
  • Annual payment of $120/acre per year for a 5-year period is available for establishment and maintenance.
  • To learn more about the Hay Buffer program and/or to enroll, view the Fact Sheet or contact contact Matt Browne, Area Conservation Technician: (419) 893-1966 ext. 3#

Ohio Working Lands Small Grains Program: 
  • Encourages producers in the WLEB to plant small grains such as wheat, barley, oats, or cereal rye on eligible cropland.
  • Participants must plant and harvest grains, land apply manure, and plant a cover crop or double-crop soybeans to receive payment.
  • Supports planting small grains and cover crops, while extending the application season and acreage for manure.
  • Payment of $75/acre available after all program requirements have been verified.
  • To learn more about the Small Grains program and/or to enroll, view the Fact Sheet contact Matt Browne, Area Conservation Technician: (419) 893-1966 ext. 3#

2020 Funds for the Headwaters Tenmile Watershed

Want to address erosion, flooding and runoff issues without financial risk? The Lucas and Fulton SWCD offices have funds to install water control structures, erosion control structures, and buffer strips throughout the Headwaters Tenmile Watershed! Contact Jackie Savage at 419-337-9670 or Pete Carr at 419-337-9662 with questions.

Learn more, and see if your property is eligible, here.

Cost-share practices include:
- Riparian Buffers: minimum 30-foot grass or forested buffer with a payment of up to $900/acre.
- Prairie Buffers: minimum 30-foot buffer made up of a mix of native grasses and flowers with a payment of $1,000/acre.
- Water/Erosion Control Structure: installation of structures meeting NRCS standards and specifications will receive up to $1,800/structure. 

Do you farm in the Heilman Ditch Watershed of Swan Creek?

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Grant eligibility area (click to search by address.)
​Please Note: This project or publication was financed in part or totally through a grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Environmental Protection Agency with the following funds: Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The contents and views, including any opinions, findings, or conclusions or recommendations, contained in this product or publication are those of the authors and have not been subject to any Ohio Environmental Protection Agency or United States Environmental Protection Agency peer or administrative review and may not necessarily reflect the view of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency or United States Environmental Protection Agency and no official endorsement should be inferred.
Want to try cover crops or a drainage water management structure? Give the office a call! The Lucas SWCD still has funding for these practices in the Heilman Ditch and adjacent watersheds!

Click here to enter your farm address and see if you're within the Heilman Ditch watershed, and click here to download the contract. Contact our office with questions!


(Not located in this area? Check out our programming available for the Headwaters of the Tenmile Creek Watershed! Also, check out USDA-NRCS cost-share programs here.) 

Protect yourself & Lake Erie!  Know the Senate Bill 1 Application Rules

Remember to check the local forecast before you apply! 
New application rules are in effect for farmers in the Western Lake Erie Basin. ​Click here to read the rules that are now state law, and here for the 48-hour weather forecast that limits when it is legal to spread fertilizer or manure. If you have questions or if you believe there has been a violation of Senate Bill 1, please call the Lucas SWCD office.
MAUMEE WEATHER