Community Agriculture
Program Information:
Match Requirement: No Match Required
Sub Funding Type: Implementation or On-The-Ground Work, Project Planning and Design, Other, Technical Assistance
Funding Type: Other
Funding Source: Federal
Organization Name: Natural Resources Conservation Service
Eligible Applicants: Private Individual
Urban agriculture is not a phrase that resonates in Montana, a primarily rural state. We are electing to use community agriculture in its place. Community agriculture producers can be any size. They provide food, fiber, and other resources to Montana’s communities in many ways – from produce, grains, honey, and proteins to jobs, open space, and natural resource management.
NRCS Montana provides technical and financial assistance to growers with:
Soil Health– As experts in soil health, NRCS can advise producers on things like how, when, and what cover crops to grow; diverse crop rotations; evaluating soil conditions; identifying soil health testing needs; how to add soil organic matter and nutrients by mulching and composting; and low input management strategies.
Irrigation and Water Conservation– NRCS can help ag producers conserve water, by assisting with things like drip irrigation and irrigation water management.
Wildlife Habitat– NRCS can provide financial assistance for planting pollinator habitat for beneficial insects, adding structures to attract desired wildlife, and various other practices that will support a healthy ecosystem.
Season Extension– NRCS can provide financial assistance for both high tunnels and low tunnels, used to extend the growing season and to protect plants from harsh weather, air pollution, and pests. By making local and produce available for more months in the year, fewer resources are used to transport food to plates.