Free Soil Tests Available for Manchester Area Farmers
The Washtenaw County Conservation District’s Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) is offering up to five free soil tests per Washtenaw County farm in the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB), which includes the River Raisin and Stony Creek watersheds encompassing all of Manchester Township, all of Bridgewater Township, portions of Sharon and Freedom Townships, as well as all of Augusta, Saline and York townships; and portions of Lodi, Pittsfield and Ypsilanti townships.
Testing will be conducted by the Michigan State University soil laboratory, with results sent to participating farmers and the Conservation District MAEAP Technician for interpretation.
To be eligible, potential participants must schedule a first time on-site MAEAP A*Syst with the MAEAP Technician, and be located in the WLEB area. Contact MAEAP Technician Chris Coulter to verify that your location qualifies as being within the WLEB area.
The Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program is an innovative, proactive, and voluntary program that helps farms of all sizes and all commodities voluntarily prevent or minimize agricultural pollution risks. It helps farmers evaluate their entire operation and truly make sustainable management decisions balancing society’s needs, the environment, and economics.
MAEAP is designed to reduce farmers’ legal and environmental risks through a three-phase process: 1) education; 2) farm-specific risk assessment and practice implementation; and 3) on-farm verification that ensures the farmer has implemented environmentally sound practices. The program’s four systems — Cropping, Farmstead, Livestock and Forest, Wetlands and Habitats System — each examine different aspects of the farm.
Farmers who successfully complete the MAEAP process and become verified receive a sign for their farm
that states that the farm is environmentally verified, and are also eligible for cost-share incentives, rebates from agricultural associations, low-cost lending and reduced liability insurance premiums from participating companies.
Farmers interested in more information about the free soil test program and to check your location eligibility, or information about MAEAP and how to become MAEAP verified should contact MAEAP Technician Chris Coulter at: (734) 761-6721 ext. 101, or by e-mail at christopher.coulter@mi.nacdnet.net.
Information about MAEAP is also available on the Conservation District website or the MAEAP website. The Washtenaw County Conservation District is a local unit of state government, assisting private landowners, businesses and others, with management of their natural resources in Washtenaw County.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login