Phase 4: Test Innovative Strategies

Cass River Watershed Pilot (Sanilac CD)– Test if information and decision tools can foster

changes via traditional Farm Bill to meet conservation action goals

Saginaw Bay Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)– Set watershed scale sustainability goals and

related conservation action goals to drive changes in behavior through supply chain demand

Pay for Performance in the Bad River Watershed (Great Lakes Commission grant)– Set ecologically meaningful sediment reduction

goals and use online tools to pay farmers per ton of sediment reduced

New Technology with Traditional Funding Models: Utilize the Farm Bill

Targeting Practices Using Traditional Farm Bill Programs ‐ Partner: Sanilac and Tuscola 

Conservation Districts, MSU‐IWR

‐ Mott Foundation Grant

‐ Use modeling to select areas for highest ROI

‐ Targeted technical assistance & outreach

‐ Using the Great Lakes Watershed Management System to quantify outcomes

Cass River Watershed Demo Project

COVER CROPS

WETLAND RESTORATION

STRIP TILL

EDUCATION

New Funding Models: Pay for Performance

Sediment Reduction in the Bad River Watershed ‐ Partner: Gratiot Conservation 

District, NRCS

‐ Great Lakes Commission Grant ($250,000)

‐ Develop a watershed goal for sediment reduction 

‐ Using the sediment calculator to determine reduction amount

‐ Set a payment rate for sediment reduction ($/ton)

New Funding Models: Drain Fee Reduction Project

Shiawassee River Watershed

‐ Partners: County Drain Commissioner, MSU‐IWR, local conservation district, CD

‐ Cook Family Foundation

‐ Develop a watershed goal for sediment reduction 

‐ Set a discount value for sediment reduction ($/ton)

‐ Using the sediment calculator to determine reduction amount

Opportunities with new Farm Bill

Regional Conservation Partnership Program

PartnershipsCollaboration

IncentivesFoundations

NGO’s

Outcomes

Corporations

Agri-Business

Saginaw Bay Watershed RCPP

‐ Partners: Many!

INNOVATIONS:1. Set ecologically relevant 

implementation goals

2. Use online tools to target and track progress (Quantify Outcomes)

3. Agribusiness as the Delivery Mechanism

• It  can become part of everyday business – efficient/cost‐effective

• Much broader reach and much greater trust

• Scalable to Great Lakes and beyond

Saginaw Bay Watershed RCPPLEADS:

– Michigan Agri-Business Association– The Nature Conservancy

AGRONOMY RETAILERS:– Star of the West Milling Co.– Crop Production Services– Helena Chemical Co.– Brown Milling – Michigan Agricultural Commodities– Auburn Bean and Grain Co.– Wilbur Ellis– Cooperative Elevator Company

COMMODITY GROUPS: – Michigan Bean Commission– Michigan Sugar– Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee– Michigan Milk Producers Association– Michigan Corn Growers Association– Michigan Wheat Program

CONSERVATION GROUPS– Ducks Unlimited– Delta Institute– Wild Turkey Federation

HIGHER EDUCATION– Michigan State University

STATE AGENCIES– Michigan Department of Natural

Resources (MDNR)– Michigan Department of

Environmental Quality (MDEQ)– Michigan Department of Agriculture

and Rural Development (MDARD)

CORPORATIONS– Kelloggs, Coca-Cola– AgriDrain– Ecosystem Services Exchange

New Funding Models: Regional Conservation Partnership Program

‐ Goal: at least 55,000 acres of conservation practices 

‐ Federal Funding: $20M (for farmers)

‐ Huge opportunity to leverage federal funding‐ Technical expertise‐ Developing goals and enhancing tools‐ Training the project team‐ Outreach: awareness and marketing‐ Tracking progress over time‐ Scaling Up!