Inflation Reduction Act in Action: A Beginning Farmer’s Journey with Conservation

Jul 24, 2024

By Miguel Hernandez

Despite not being raised on a farm, Michael Heine of Clay County, South Dakota, has found his own value in farming. His father farmed until the early 1990s, but Michael did not have the chance to farm with his father.

“Beginning farmers who are kids of existing farmers don’t always know why they [their farming parents] do what they do,” said Michael. And without knowing the why, it can be a struggle to learn the how.

Michael’s farming journey began in fall of 2022 when he rented the family land, and he chose to forgo the fields’ historical tillage and pursue no-till planting with cover crops. Michael is set on farming and teaching his kids the importance of protecting land through conservation management and soil health practices.

When Michael needed help with soil compaction and water erosion, he contacted the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office in Vermillion and began working with District Conservationist Ryan Frickel. “Ryan has a passion for soil health and helping farmers like me,” said Michael.

Working with Ryan, Michael received an Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) contract funded by the that includes financial assistance for no-till planting and cover cropping. He plans to inter-seed cereal rye into his standing corn for soil health benefits.

The Inflation Reduction Act provides an additional $19.5 billion for NRCS to deliver financial and technical assistance to producers for climate-smart conservation activities through existing USDA conservation programs.

Last fall, Michael broadcasted cereal rye at the field borders to address compaction and in the areas susceptible to water erosion. “You can see the beginnings of gully erosion from our spring rains, but the soil is stabilized once the water flow reaches Michael’s cereal rye,” says Ryan. Michael no-till planted corn into that standing cereal rye this spring. In addition to their soil erosion benefits and contributions to soil health, no-till and cover crops can reduce carbon dioxide emissions when the soil is disturbed and enhance soil organic carbon.

The demand for NRCS financial assistance for soil health conservation practices has historically far exceeded the available funds. But now many of these applications can be approved due to the additional funding from the Inflation Reduction Act. Over half of this year’s beginning farmer contracts in South Dakota, including Michael’s contract, were able to be funded due to the Inflation Reduction Act funds.

Source : farmers.gov

Video: How to fix a leaking pond.

Does the pond leak? Ummmm....possibly a tiny bit. Well, more than a bit...ok, the darn thing leaks like a sieve!

QUESTIONS ANSWERED: Damit is not plastic. Therefore, there are no microplastics. I wish I had not mentioned plastic, but that is a very common polymer and I mentioned it as an example of a polymer. A polymer is simply a chain of repeating molecules, or "monomers." Cellulose is a polymer of glucose molecules. Starches are also polymers of various molecules such as fructose, maltose, etc. We have many polymers inside our bodies. In other words, just knowing something is a polymer doesn't make it bad, toxic, harmful, etc. However, this also doesn't mean all polymers are safe.

The specific polymer used for Damit is a trade secret, however, it has been closely scrutinized by multiple health and safety authorities. This includes the governmental authorities of Australia, the USA, Europe, and Asia. Not only have they determined that is safe to use in earthen ponds, and not harmful to fish, but it is considered safe to use in human potable water systems in all of these areas. And of course, they know the exact makeup of the polymer when making this determination. I'm told that the same polymer is in use by many municipalities to keep potable water storage tanks leak free. I can't tell you exactly what the polymer is, because I don't know, but given the confidence with which the governmental authorities have authorized its use, I would bet it is made of a monomer that we are exposed to all the time, like fructose or something.

It also breaks down in a matter of years, and does not accumulate in the environment. The end products of breaking down are CO2, water, and base minerals like potassium. The SDS reports no need for concern with ingestion, inhalation, or contact. If in eyes, rinse with water.

End result, can I say for sure that it is 100% safe? No, I don't know exactly what it is. But given people who do know exactly what it is, and have scrutinized it, have approved it for use in human potable water systems, I'm pretty comfortable putting it in an earthen pond.