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Soil Health Management Planning and Implementation

Counties: Morrow, Umatilla

Primary Resource Concern Addressed: Soil organism habitat loss or degradation, Soil quality limitations - Organic matter depletion

Project Description
The goal of this project is to build and support a network of landowners willing to participate in a long-term effort to implement Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) soil health practices and plans based on soil testing and established soil health principles. Not only will this project assist NRCS in its effort to reach broadscale implementation of soil health practices, it will help build a network of like-minded producers and build momentum to make soil health a common goal in eastern Oregon, with knowledgeable practitioners available to share their experiences to further the effort.

Conservation Practices Offered

  • Residue and Tillage Management, No Till (329)  
  • Cover Crop (340) 
  • Prescribed Grazing (528) 
  • Residue and Tillage Management, Reduced Till (345)  
  • Soil Carbon Amendment (808) 
  • Conservation Crop Rotation (328)  
  • Soil Health Management Plan (116)  
  • Soil Health Testing (216) 
  • Fence (382) 
  • Nutrient Management (Ac.) (590)

Project Partners

  • National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
  • Umatilla Soil and Water Conservation District
  • Morrow Soil and Water Conservation District
  • Oregon NRCS
  • Private landowners

Application Questions
NRCS uses prioritization questions to evaluate applications for this initiative. See the list of workload prioritization questions on the Oregon EQIP page. Ranking questions below will also apply.

Ranking Questions

  1. Does the applicant agree to plant a multi-species cover crop or add an “inter-cropping” addition to your base rotation?

  2. Does the applicant agree to add an additional cash crop to your rotation?

  3. Does the applicant have results from a current (within past 3 years) soil health test on a field(s) you are enrolling in this program that came from a NRCS approved Soil Health Lab? 

  4. Does the applicant currently have livestock integrated in the cropland system management or this contract will include livestock grazing on a cover crop? 

  5. Does the applicant agree to include a soil health amendment: composting, biochar or other approved product?

  6. What is the existing STIR rating? 

  7. Does the applicant maintain undisturbed residue cover over winter?

  8. Does the applicant agree to plant a fall seeded cover to be grown over winter and terminated the following spring?

  9. Does the applicant agree to plant a summer cover during the fallow period?

  10. Does your existing rotation include more than one crop species?