Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

News

Homestead Project Opportunity for Portions of Day, Roberts, Grant, Codington, and Clark Counties

Publish Date
Bucket of small tomatoes

Conservation Implementation Strategy (CIS) Project Homestead will soon be underway in portions of Day, Roberts, Grant, Codington, and Clark Counties in SD, serving the community and improving land quality.

NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE (NRCS), Huron, South Dakota (SD), December 19, 2022 – Conservation Implementation Strategy (CIS) Project Homestead will soon be underway in portions of Day, Roberts, Grant, Codington, and Clark Counties in SD, serving the community and improving land quality. This 3-year project is one of 12 selected in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 and federally-funded through the NRCS conservation programs in the 2018 Farm Bill. The purpose of this project is to provide opportunity for local production of vegetables as well as fruits and livestock products for local markets to combat food deserts in a five-county area. This initiative will be implemented by the NRCS and associated in collaboration with farmers, ranchers, and landowners who are within the project areas are eligible to apply for financial assistance. The final day to apply for consideration for this FY is January 20, 2023.

The NRCS conservation specialists and partners are coordinating these projects throughout the state. Through collectively focusing expertise and resources on the highest priority resource concerns in the highest priority areas, CIS projects can yield the most impressive returns. Collaborative funding and support from other agencies and groups create a coordinated community effort and focus on mutual issues of concern.  The Homestead CIS Project partners with Conservation Districts, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, South Dakota Soil Health Coalition, and the Coteau Community Market to directly benefit the producers as well as local communities to provide fresh, locally-produced and sourced foods. Project sponsors identified lack of access to fresh locally produced food in areas classified as food deserts and developed this CIS project to address the situation.

“In the not-so-recent past many of us country and towns people alike, relied on locally-produced foods to eat healthy and be healthy. Vegetables, fruits, chickens, pork, and beef from our gardens and pastures always graced our table and this initiative will help us get back to that,” says Matthew Hubers, NRCS District Conservationist, in Webster, SD.

To apply to be a part of this project, find and contact your local NRCS Service Center at www.nrcs.usda.gov/contact/find-a-service-center, or contact Matthew Hubers, NRCS District Conservationist, in Webster, SD, at matthew.hubers@usda.gov or (605) 345-4661 Ext. 3. For more information on the CIS in SD, or if you have ideas for a project, visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/eqip-environmental-quality-incentives/south-dakota/south-dakota-conservation, or contact Jeff Vander Wilt, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs at jeffrey.vanderwilt@usda.gov or (605) 352-1226.

#

 

Find Your Local Service Center

USDA Service Centers are locations where you can connect with Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or Rural Development employees for your business needs. Enter your state and county below to find your local service center and agency offices. If this locator does not work in your browser, please visit offices.usda.gov.