2005 Conservation Innovation Grants Awards

Fiscal Year 2005 State Component Awards

Montana NRCS received eighteen (18) eligible proposals requesting more than $1,000,000 in CIG funds. Requests greatly exceeded the $400,000 that NRCS in Montana had set aside. Montana NRCS chose to increase the level of available funds to fund additional projects in priority order. Therefore, of the eighteen proposals received, seven (7) were selected for funding in the amount of $437,207. Information about the Conservation Innovation Grants awardees for the fiscal year 2005 state component can be found below. The information includes grant recipient, NRCS funding amount, project title, and a project summary and is in no particular order.

Montana State University, Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences
$71,673
No-Till and Cropping Intensity to Improve Soil Quality and Productivity, Promote Carbon Sequestration, and Mitigate Drought Risk
The project will research cropping systems that will give farmers more opportunities to improve soil quality. From this grant activity, NRCS will gain a better understanding about the nature of changes in soil organic carbon contents due to varying tillage systems and cropping intensity combinations. In addition, regional estimates will be developed and models validated regarding carbon sequestration rates for these tillage and cropping intensity combinations. The performance of legumes as forage, grain, and green manure will be evaluated under conditions related to cropping intensity, water use efficiency, drought tolerance, and diversity of crops and rotations. The research will provide results from on-farm carbon sequestration research and focuses on management practices that improve soil quality, promote carbon sequestration, and help mitigate long-term drought risk by increasing production options.

Northern Rocky Mountain Resource Conservation & Development Council
$75,000
Anaerobic Digester System
The project will construct a methane digester in Gallatin County. The grant will help cover the cost of designing and constructing an anaerobic digestion system for a 350-cow dairy to demonstrate a waste management system that produces renewable energy; diversifies family farm income; reduces odor, pathogens, and greenhouse gas emissions; produces fertilizer, bedding material and compost; and protects water quality. Involvement in this grant will give NRCS additional knowledge and experience in working with the anaerobic digestion of agricultural wastes. As a result, NRCS will be better prepared to advise Montana livestock producers on the environmental and management benefits of incorporating this technology into their waste processing system. Expected environmental benefits include odor and pathogen reduction, renewable energy production, greenhouse gas reduction, and handling improvements in the waste stream.

The Blackfoot Challenge, Inc.
$75,000
Community-supported Conservation of Grizzly Bears on Private Agricultural Lands
The project will seek ways to reduce the conflict between grizzly bears and ranchers in the Blackfoot watershed. The grant will help cover the cost of mapping bear attractant locations, prioritizing conflict sites, and implementing land use practices that reduce human-bear conflicts through partnerships with producers, private landowners, and wildlife managers. Practices will include fencing of calving and lambing areas and beehives, providing human herders, and removing livestock carcasses. The project area is located on approximately 200,000 acres in the upper and mid-sections of the Blackfoot watershed. From this grant activity, NRCS will gain a better understanding of practices used to reduce human-predator conflict. In addition, there will be a step-by-step process developed that will allow NRCS, landowners, and other conservation organizations to develop similar efforts in other areas where conflicts between grizzly bears and other large carnivores and landowners are inhibiting population recovery.

The Cook Center, Responsible Rural Initiatives Institute
$75,000
Privatelands Resource and Operations Management Training
The grantee will develop a curriculum and certification program for ranch managers. The certification program, to be known as Privatelands Resource Operations Management Training or PRO-Manager, will increase the availability of professionals trained for employment as farm and ranch managers. Due to the training received, certified managers, in turn, will help maintain, stabilize or improve ecological and economic conditions on private lands in Montana. By funding this grant, NRCS is helping to educate land managers in the skills required to be successful. Skills learned through PRO-Manager will help producers apply new approaches to maintain, restore, or enhance natural resources while sustaining productivity. Certified PRO-Managers will also be more aware of technical assistance available and more prepared to take advantage of the assistance. Implementation of this program may also help to create a potential pool of NRCS employees that are well-educated in agricultural management.

Fort Peck Assinibone and Sioux Tribes
$75,000
Implementation and Evaluation of the Grazing Manager Software on the Fort Peck Reservation
The project will implement and evaluate the use of The Grazing Manager software, a computer-based decision tool for ranchers and range managers.  The project will involve a combination of computer software and in-field training of tribal natural resources staff, rancher discussion groups, ongoing in-field ranch visits, one-on-one interviews, field days, and periodic reviews by a multi-agency advisory committee. The Grazing Manager software is designed to assist ranchers to inventory forage and animal resources and plan, monitor, and adjust grazing management in response to current year’s forage growth conditions. Through the project NRCS is helping to educate ranchers about a computer model to help forecast grazing needs and forage supplies. When ranchers have a basic understanding of this technology, they can better evaluate what they want to accomplish with conservation practices that augment a prescribed grazing system.

Mosaic Company
$35,000
Performance and Economic Impact for Variable Rate Fertilizer Applications to Reduce Nitrogen
The grantee will work with farmers in eastern Montana to reduce nitrogen fertilizer rates by 25 to 30 percent. By using a nutrient application tool, called InSite VRN, Mosaic will work with farmers to position fertilizer where needed for maximum benefit and minimize the environmental consequences. The project will examine spatial variability within each field, validate data with in-field tests, and assess the environmental and economic impacts of variable rate application. Data gathered through this project may have implications on agricultural operations across the state. The project results will be made public via field tours and a communicable program developed for dispersal to all Montana producers, Montana State University plant scientists and Extension personnel, and NRCS employees. The research may also affect future conservation program planning as the NRCS updates technical guides based on project results.

Land EKG, Inc.
$30,534
Rangeland Monitoring Trainings for EQIP Standards
The project will teach producers to use a rapid, user-friendly, semi-quantitative rangeland monitoring system to increase ecological knowledge, documentation ability, and management direction for agricultural businesses. This will allow producers to enhance management decisions, animal health and conception rates, reduce weeds, increase desired production, and improve wildlife habitat and water quality.

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