EAST LANSING, July 26, 2024 - The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service announced a Michigan pilot project to help address a major concern for the state’s urban farmers. The Michigan Water Source Pilot for Urban Farmers will provide financial assistance to help make irrigation water and efficient irrigation systems more available to urban producers. 

U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow and State Conservationist Garry Lee of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service announced the availability of $2 million in conservation financial assistance for rainwater collection, irrigation efficiency, and other related conservation practices. The announcement was made at Green Boots Veteran Gardens in Detroit, owned and operated by Travis Peters, a military veteran and urban farmer. 

The funding is available to producers in urban areas within Genesee, Kent, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Wayne counties. The Michigan Water Source Pilot for Urban Farmers provides financial assistance for implementing designated conservation practices including water harvesting catchments, micro-irrigation systems, roof runoff structures, and irrigation pipelines. Seasonal high tunnels, often referred to as hoop houses, are also eligible for the pilot if a roof runoff structure to collect rainwater is included. Interested producers must submit applications by August 16, 2024, to receive funding through the pilot.  

Urban farmers like Peters, who utilize vacant city lots as urban farms, often do not have access to municipal water systems. This forces them to rely on rainwater or bringing water from offsite, which can be costly and time consuming. The Water Source Pilot will provide financial assistance for structures to collect more rainwater and for efficient irrigation systems. Efficient micro-irrigation systems allow farmers to use less water for irrigation, regardless of the water source.

Urban farmers applying for Water Source Pilot funding can also apply for related conservation practices, some of these include; cover crops, conservation tillage, and conservation crop rotation. For more information about the Michigan Water Source Pilot for Urban Farmers, and to submit an application, producers should contact their local USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service field office. More information is also available online at www.mi.nrcs.usda.gov. Once received, applications are selected for funding on a competitive basis.