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Local Foods and Food Systems Resilience Initiative

Counties: Benton, Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Lane, Lincoln, Linn

Primary Resource Concern Addressed: 

  • Terrestrial habitat - Terrestrial habitat for wildlife and invertebrates
  • Soil quality limitations - Organic matter depletion
  • Degraded plant condition - Plant productivity and health

Project Description
This strategy aims to help small acreage producers and urban farmers create new, more affordable, and better local market options and help rural and urban communities produce fresh and healthy food locally.

Conservation Practices Offered

  • Site Assessment and Soil Testing for Contaminants Activity (207) 
  • Conservation Crop Rotation (328) 
  • Cover Crop (340) 
  • Nutrient Management (590) 
  • Hedgerow Planting (422) 
  • Wildlife Habitat Planting (420) 
  • Tree/Shrub Establishment (612) 
  • Irrigation Water Management (449) 
  • Residue and Tillage Management, No Till (329) 
  • Residue and Tillage Management, Reduced Till (345) 
  • Mulching (484) 
  • Soil Health Testing (216) 
  • Fence (382) 
  • Watering Facility (614) 
  • Irrigation System, Microirrigation (441) 
  • Sprinkler System (442) 
  • Irrigation Pipeline (430) 
  • Pumping Plant (533) 
  • Livestock Pipeline (516) 
  • Roof Runoff Structure (558) 
  • Underground Outlet (620) 
  • Tree/Shrub Site Preparation (490) 
  • Managing Above Ground Crop Systems For Urban Ag (812) 
  • Heavy Use Area Protection (561) 
  • Pasture and Hay Planting (512) 
  • High Tunnel System (325) 
  • Site Assessment and Soil Testing for Contaminants Activity (207) 
  • Herbaceous Weed Treatment (315) 
  • Trails and Walkways (575) 
  • Water Harvesting Catchment (636)
  • Prescribed Grazing (528)

Project Partners

  • Oregon State University Extension, Small Farms Program
  • Soil and Water Conservation Districts
  • NRCS Oregon
  • 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. Will the participant install at least one of the following soil health building practices: cover crop (340), conservation crop rotation (328), conservation cover (327), soil carbon amendment (336)*, Residue and Tillage Management-No Till (329)*, Residue and Tillage Management, Reduced Till-(345)*?
  2. Will the participant adopt prescribed grazing (528)^ and new pasture management for soil health or livestock watering using fence (382), forage and biomass planting (512)^, Livestock Pipeline (516), Pumping Plant (533) Watering Facility (614), Roof Runoff Structure (558) and/or Underground Outlet (620).
  3. Will the participant increase pollinator habitat by adopting hedgerow (422), tree and shrub planting (612), or wildlife habitat planting (420)?
  4. Will the participant implement nutrient management (590)# or irrigation water management (449)?
  5. Does the applicant distribute agricultural products produced on their farm directly to local consumers?
  6. Is the participant a member of a local food association, listed on a food directory or operates a vendor booth at a local market to sell edible food commodities.