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November 2022
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Regardless of the type of farm operation you have, even fencing a small men's farm can involve a considerable investment, which is why many people are looking for inexpensive fencing. If you have priced them at some feed supplier retailers, you may find that farm fencing is not normally a cheap investment. However, expenses may be limited if you use the Internet. Fencing Grants For Farmers Fences are designed to do one of two things: keep things in or keep them out. On a farm, fences can be used to control livestock and wildlife for protection. Fences can also be used to create separate grazing areas where the farm owner can control the movements of his livestock. This can help conserve water and stimulate grass growth to make the farm more profitable. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a number of resources to help beginning farmers and ranchers. To help feed this country, new generations of producers are receiving grants and financial assistance to buy farms, build fences, and receive technical assistance to implement conservation practices. Importance Of Farm Fencing Conservation Issues The USDA's Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) has a number of programs to help individual farmers and ranchers conserve natural resources such as soil or water. One program, Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) will provide grants and technical assistance to help farmers "improve their conservation performance by installing. And adopt additional activities and improve, maintain and manage existing activities on agricultural land. “The CSP program will provide grants to build fences around the farm to implement conservation activities. To apply for this program, contact your local NRCS office. Wildlife Issues The USDA NRCS offers a cost-share program for improving wildlife habitats. The Wildlife Enhancement Incentives Program will provide technical assistance and funds to build fences if the fences improve wildlife habitat. Consider applying for this grant to protect an area of your farm ideal as a natural habitat for wildlife. Assistance At The Urban Interface A farm located near an urban development, such as a town or suburb, may find itself in danger of being taken over or overrun by the town's growing population. Farmland can be targeted by developers and even threatened by eminent domain issues. If the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, farmers may be forced to sell their property. The USDA NRCS Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQUP) and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) may be able to help farmers whose farmland is threatened by urban sprawl and eminent domain issues. These programs can help build fences around the farm to establish farm boundaries from neighboring properties and additional funding can be raised to improve farming capacity while saving natural resources such as soil and water. Benefits of Fencing Grants for Farmers Many farmers and ranchers routinely turn farmland into pasture. Fields that were once cultivated are planted with grass to increase and expand a grower's grass change schedule and needs. Or maybe another pasture is needed to allow the cattle to turn better, but there is currently no fencing. If new fencing is needed to improve grazing or promote rotational grazing, there are cost-sharing programs and loans to help pay for labor and materials. Fencing costs are high, often the most expensive thing associated with grazing livestock, especially when miles of fencing are required. So there are agencies that give grants for fencing to farmers. “The average cost (labor and materials) to install barbed wire livestock fencing is $2.50/foot,” said Brad Van Pelt, owner and president of Van Pelt Fencing. “That said, if a rancher were to put up a one square kilometer fence, it would cost around $52,800. The costs add up pretty quickly when it comes to mile-long fences. " Co-payment to cover these expenses is available through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) under the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP). EQIP is an incentive program to assist growers by providing grants for equipment and fencing conversation projects. "EQIP is a cost-sharing program funded by the Farm Bill," said Sarah Gray, ecologist for the Scottsbluff District NRCS. “Essentially, the program provides cost-share assistance to producers – farmers and ranchers to address natural resource concerns or objectives.” Special Programs To Improve The Agricultural Fence The program has some restrictions. It does not include any cost sharing for fence repairs, just new fencing for new grazing programs. All farmers and ranchers know the difficulties and cost of repairing fences destroyed by storms and winter winds, but this specific EQIP program covers the cost of repairing fences and can be obtained from different grants for farmers. “EQIP is available for new fence projects,” said Barb Cross, assistant manager, North Platte Natural Resources. "There are restrictions like converting farmland to grassland or setting up a grazing system." Agricultural producers interested in the program should visit their local NRCS office. The staff is ready to listen to the needs of producers and help them in any way possible. “A producer came and met an employee of the NRCS. We have processes to determine what their goals, objectives and concerns are. Then we use our knowledge to talk to them about possible alternatives to be able to solve these problems. This is also combined with on-site visits to fully understand what is happening in the country. We encourage producers to come and apply and see if we can get them funding,” Gray said. "We have a lot of tools in our toolbox." The NRCS works hard to raise the funds producers need, including working with other agencies that share a common goal of helping farmers and ranchers.
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