Building Capacity for Socially Disadvantaged Producers Success Story for Burnell Farms with the help of NRCS Tammy burnell Burnell farms

What is the NRCS ? NRCS works with farmers, ranchers and forest landowners across the county using sound science and research to help them make good conservation decisions on their land,. Programs are voluntary and incentive based. Producers apply to participate in NRCS programs and they provide technical guidance and financial assistance they need to implement proven conservation practices on their land,.

NRCS has been around for more than 75 years NRCS has been around for more than 75 years. They emerged out of the worst agricultural disaster in American history – the Dust Bowl. For more than a century, producers and landowners exhausted America’s soil resources by using harmful and unsustainable farming practices, not knowing it would impact them down the road. In the early 1900s the USDA even said that soil was the one indestructible, immutable resource the nation had.

70 percent of land in the continental U.S. is privately owned FARMERS AND RANCHERS AT THE CENTER America’s farmers, ranchers and forest landowners are at the center.   In the U.S., 70 percent of land in the lower 48 states is privately owned. That’s 1.4 billion acres. The fate of our environment and natural resources is not going to be decided on public lands, but by millions of farmers and ranchers making decisions every day. Those landowners choose how to use the natural resources on their lands. America’s producers feed not only American families, but people around the world. When our growing population needs more food, more fuel and more fiber to survive, the world will turn to American producers to deliver. In the next 40 years alone, they’ll need to produce as much food as they have in the last 500 years. In order to keep up with production, and do it in a way that protects our natural resources for the future, they will need support.

America’s farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners are at the center of conservation.   America’s producers feed not only American families, but people around the world. When our growing population needs more food, more fuel, and more fiber to survive, the world will turn to American producers to deliver. In the next 40 years alone, they’ll need to produce as much food as they have in the last 500 years. In order to keep up with production, and do it in a way that protects our natural resources for the future, they will need support.

How NRCS Helped Burnell Farms Through EQIP grants the NRCS has provided Burnell Farms with High Tunnel Micro Irrigation System Composter Well Fencing Which has allowed Burnell Farms to grow produce year round

High Tunnel

Micro-Irrigation

Pond & Pump

Sand Media Filter

Composting Facility

Livestock Water Well

Watering Facility & Heavy Use Area

Fencing

EQIP Program The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers through contracts up to a maximum term of ten years in length. These contracts provide financial assistance to help plan and implement conservation practices that address natural resource concerns and for opportunities to improve soil, water, plant, animal, air and related resources on agricultural land and non-industrial private forestland.

Who Can Apply? Owners of land in agricultural or forest production Persons who are engaged in livestock, agricultural or forest production on eligible land and that have a natural resource concern on the land may participate in EQIP.

Burnell Farm Does Online Markets Athens Locally Grown Lilburn Locally Grown Hamilton Locally Grown Lawrenceville Locally Grown Emmanuel College Online Market

Collaborative Community Support Truly Living Well An Urban Farm out of Atlanta, GA Step of Faith Outreach, Inc. A Faith based community outreach organization in Lavonia, GA Emmanuel College In Franklin Springs GA

Helping The Next Generation For My Daughters’ Sake Faith Based organization teaches young girls about farming and life skills to enhance their lives.

Closing Through Community Support and the desire to help others one can build and sustain a productive farm.

Thank you BurnellFarms.com Tammy Burnell Burnell farms