Missouri farmers can now apply for grants to help implement agroforestry practices. The money comes from a $39 million fund being administered by the Nature Conservancy.
Agroforestry is the practice of using trees or woody shrubs alongside other crops to maintain soil health and diversify revenue. But many farmers may hesitate to convert their land to a diversified field because of financial risks and the amount of time it would take until crops are ready to harvest.
The University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry will help choose which farmers in several Midwestern states receive the financial and technical support.
“People think of tree crops and may assume it’s going to be 20 years before I have a crop. But even some of the longer-lived tree crops we work with, like black walnut, pecan, and chestnut, have a much shorter time horizon to maturity than people may realize,” said Center for Agroforestry Associate Director Hannah Hemmelgarn.
“This grant, I think, is just going to be another opportunity for farmers and land owners to incentivise them to adopt practices. As a very small-scale farmer myself, I know that conservancy goes a long way, and it really can be the carrot on the stick that helps you decide, I am going to make this leap and commit to this,” said Zach Miller, who is strategy lead on the new “Leveraging Our Lands” program for The Nature Conservancy.
The deadline to apply for the grants is August 11.
