As we finalize program details with the 2008 Farm Bill, our office has received word that 21 counties in Pennsylvania will receive additional air quality initiative money under the Environmental Quality Incentive Program.

About $2.4 million will be available to Beaver, Butler Allegheny and Armstrong counties and will be used to implement conservation practices, which reduce ozone and particulate matter.

Eligible practices include: No-till planting, reduced tillage, nutrient management plan implementation, cover crops, manure injection, windbreaks around livestock facilities, manure separators and manure covers. No-till, reduced tillage and cover crops are a few of the practices that will be of special interest to local farmers.

Under this initiative, EQIP offers incentives to try no-till planting for a minimum of three years and can be applied to acreage that sees tillage 50 percent or more of the time.

For producers who plant cover crops following silage corn or would like to begin cover cropping, one-time incentives also are available under the initiative.

In both cases, the incentives EQIP offers typically cover the expense of custom planting for those who do not have no-till planting equipment.

Lastly, under the reduced-tillage practice, producers would be eligible to convert from moldboard plowing to chisel plowing, or by reducing the number of tillage passes a particular field sees.

For these practices, EQIP offers incentives of around $20 to $30 per acre per year. Sign-up for EQIP is continuous. However, Pennsylvania has established a cutoff of March 1 for the air quality initiative money. Contracts will be awarded to those applications received by the cutoff date first, then may be available to applicants who sign up later if money is still available.

Information is still being released concerning this initiative, but producers are encouraged to contact the office for more information. Applications are still being accepted for our regular EQIP allocation. This allocation covers the cost of heavy-use areas, manure storage, grazing systems small projects and nutrient management plan implementation.

If interested in either program, feel free to contract our office at 724-482-4800, Ext. 108.

Grazing conference slated

The Natural Resources Conservation Service, Penn State Cooperative Extension Service, Headwaters Resource Conservation and Development Council, and the Jefferson County Conservation District are sponsoring the 12th annual Northwest Pennsylvania Grazing Conference on March 17.

This year's conference will be held in the same location as last year, the Tri County Church of God. The Tri County Church is located. 1.3 miles North on Route 255 from Exit 101 on Interstate 80, just east of DuBois.

Registration begins at 8 a.m.; the conference will start at 9:15 a.m.

The Northwest Pennsylvania Grazing Conference was started 11 years ago as a means to bring the latest in grazing technology to livestock producers in northwestern and central Pennsylvania and to provide producers with an opportunity to share and exchange ideas. Vendors and exhibitors also participate and provide information on the latest in product development.

The interest, awareness and advocacy of grass-based agriculture continues to grow throughout the country. Both farmers and consumers recognize the many benefits realized from livestock systems that rely on grass as the primary input, such as improved health benefits; a reduction in energy consumption, cost of production, erosion, runoff and water pollution due to less tillage; and of course the move away from big, corporate agribusiness and increased opportunities for direct marketing right off the farm.

This year, the conference will be based around presentations by Kit Pharo.

Kit is a nationally recognized speaker from Cheyenne Wells, Colo. Early in his ranching career, Kit realized bigger calves did not necessarily mean bigger profits. During the past 25 years, he has been devoted to developing a unique, innovative and somewhat nontraditional management style that has resulted in a very efficient and profitable cow/calf operation.

In his presentations, Kit shares ideas and explains why it is important to think outside the box with respect to production and profitability. He also discusses the role grazing, calving and genetics play in his operation.

For the dairy producers, John Vanderstappen of Van De Jerseys in Mercer County will discuss how he coordinates his grazing system with a TMR feeding program on his dairy operation consisting of more than 200 Jerseys.

There also will be a presentation on pasture and hay crop risk management. The conference will end with a farmer panel made up of Alvin Vogel, a Butler County beef producer; Junior Gilkinson, a Warren County dairy producer; and Michael Wright, a Warren County sheep and goat producer.

All panelists have made grazing an integral part of their management system and will share what has and what has not worked for them.

Registration for this year's conference is $25 and includes a hot buffet lunch. Brochures and Conference information can be obtained by calling Headwaters RC&D at 814-375-1372, Ext. 4. Registration deadline is March 1.

Andy Gaver is a conservationist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Butler County.