Available Programs
Benton Soil and Water Conservation District has many programs and sources of funding available for projects such as; stormwater management, agricultural best practices, irrigation water management, erosion control, cover crops, invasive species, shoreline buffers, conservation tillage, and more.
Many programs are listed below with additional links to more information.
Please contact our office if you have any interest in implementing practices on your property, we can assist you with finding a program for your project, funding, the application process, technical advice, and more.
Implementing Innovative Irrigation Practices Program
Financial and technical support available for irrigators willing to implement irrigation and nitrogen management practices and technologies to help address groundwater quality and quantity issues in the primary irrigated areas of the state.
The project will focus on conservation irrigation practices utilizing a tiered approach where irrigators can participate at the level that is relevant for their operation and attitude towards technology adoption and risk:
The 1st tier includes implementing the relatively inexpensive practice of installing advanced soil moisture sensors in irrigated fields to enhance water management through irrigation scheduling.
The 2nd tier includes installing precision irrigation packages, including updates to panel, nozzles and variable frequency drive pumps.
The 3rd tier includes an advanced irrigation package along with the newest technology for irrigation water and nutrient management. This will include recent, proven systems using remote operation technology, crop status sensors and variable rate fertigation systems.
Ag BMP Low Interest Loan Program
The Ag BMP Low Interest Loan Program provides low interest financing to farmers, rural landowners, and agriculture supply businesses to implement practices that prevent or reduce water pollution.
The program provides loans up to $200,000 with a maximum interest rate of 3% interest plus usual and customary fees charged by lenders.
Eligible Practices Include:
Animal waste storage facilities
Conservation tillage equipment
Manure application equipment
Septic systems - new, septic fix/upgrades, or replacement of a failing system
Wells - repairs, replacement wells, or water treatment equipment to provide safe drinking water or solve potential pollution problems that effect wells
Erosion control practice
Vegetative buffers (along lakes, rivers, ditches, and wetlands)
And More!
Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP)
The Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP) is a voluntary opportunity for farmers and agricultural landowners who implement conservation practices that protect our water. Those who implement and maintain approved farm management practices will be certified and in turn obtain regulatory certainty for a period of ten years.
Through this program, certified producers receive:
Regulatory certainty: certified producers are deemed to be in compliance with any new water quality rules or laws during the period of certification
Recognition: certified producers may use their status to promote their business as protective of water quality
Priority for technical assistance: producers seeking certification can obtain specially designated technical and financial assistance to implement practices that promote water quality
Visit the MAWQCP Story Map to meet some of the certified farmers from around the state.
Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
CSP is a voluntary program that encourages agricultural and forestry producers to address resource concerns by undertaking additional conservation activities and improving/maintaining existing conservation systems.
Eligible Practices Include:
Dust control on unpaved roads
Wildlife corridors
Recycling farm lubricants
Establish pollinator habitat
Continuous no-till with high residue
Continuous cover crops
Evaluate irrigation pumping plant
Grazing management
And more!
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CCRP) are voluntary programs for agricultural landowners. CRP is a land conservation program administered by FSA. In exchange for a yearly rental payment, farmers enrolled in the program agree to remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and plant species that will improve environmental health and quality.
Contracts for land enrolled in CRP are 10-15 years in length.
Eligible Practices Include:
Grassed Waterways
Field Windbreaks
Filter Strips
Riparian Buffers
Wetland Restorations
Contour Grass Strips
Duck Nesting Habitat
Habitat Buffers For Upland Birds
Restoration Of Rare & Declining Habitats - Tallgrass Prairie And Oak Savannas
Wildlife Food Plots
Permanent Wildlife Habitat
Tree Plantings
Establishment Of Permanent Native Grasses, Introduced Grasses, & Legumes
And more!
Environmental Quality Incentives Program
EQIP is a federal program administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and assisted by Benton SWCD.
EQIP provides technical assistance, cost-share payments, and incentive payments to assist crop, livestock, and other agricultural producers with environmental and conservation improvements to their operations.
Eligible Practices Include:
Irrigation water management
Prescribed grazing
Invasive species management
Waste storage facilities
Well decommissioning
Windbreak establishment
And more!
State Cost Share (SCS)
The Benton SWCD participates in the State Cost-Share Program which was created to provide funds to Minnesota's Soil and Water Conservation Districts for the implementation of conservation practices that protect and improve water quality by controlling soil erosion and reducing sedimentation.
Landowners can receive up to 75% of project costs through the SCS program as a reimbursement after practice completion.
Eligible Practices Include:
Critical area stabilization
Diversions
Feedlot runoff control
Field windbreaks
Grassed waterway
Raingardens
Riparian buffer strips & filter strips
Sealing abandoned wells
Sediment retention erosion or water control
Streambank, shoreline, & roadside stabilization
Strip-cropping (contour terraces)
Wetland restorations
Clean Water Fund
On November 4th, 2008, Minnesota voters approved the Clean Water Land & Legacy Amendment to: protect drinking water sources; protect, enhance, and restore wetlands, prairies, forests, and fish, game, and wildlife habitat; preserve arts and cultural heritage; support parks and trails; and protect, enhance, and restore lakes, rivers, streams, and groundwater.
The Amendment increases the sale and use tax rate by 3/8% on taxable sales, starting July 1st, 2009 and continuing through 2034.
Of those funds, approximately 33% will be dedicated to a Clean Water Fund to protect, enhance, and restore water quality in lakes, rivers, streams, and groundwater, with at least 5% of the fund targeted to protect drinking water sources.
Eligible Projects Include:
Native prairie restoration
Shoreline stabilization
Rain garden installation
Best management practices (bmps)
Clean water assistance projects
Shoreland improvement projects
Animal waste management
Irrigation water management
Aquatic Invasive Species Grant Program
In 2014, the State of Minnesota began providing funds to each County with public water accesses to help prevent the spread of AIS on a local level.
Benton County is accepting AIS Grant Applications.
Apply for grant funding that relates to prevention, treatment, containment, enforcement, restoration or education of AIS.
Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) Program
The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) acquires, on behalf of the state, conservation easements to permanently protect, restore and manage critical natural resources without owning the land outright. The land remains in private ownership and the landowner retains responsibility for maintenance and paying applicable real estate taxes and assessments.
Benton County specific program: Critical Shorelands: Rum River Conservation Easements.
The Critical Shorelands: Rum River Conservation Easements Program protects sensitive shorelands on privately owned lands in Minnesota's Rum River watershed.