What is the Soil Health Investment Program (SHIP)?
SHIP is a new cost-share program for farmers in the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB), with over $2 million available in funding through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.  This program will deliver 4 years of financial and technical assistance to farms for enrolling in a variety of conservation practices focusing on reducing water quality impairments from agricultural land uses. These practices fit under a 3-pronged approach to reduce Phosphorus losses from farm fields and reach our Lake Erie water quality goals. Our three areas or focus are:

1. Reducing Phosphorus inputs through Variable Rate Technology (VRT) and other precision nutrient management methods
2. Building soil covers year-rounds by planting cover crops, reducing tillage, and leaving more residue on fields after harvest
3. Controlling soil erosion  both in-field and at the edges of fields through structural improvements

All three of these approaches will allow farmers to invest in their farm’s sustainability and profitability by reducing inputs and building soil health.

To learn more, please reach out to the Conservation Specialist at your local Conservation District with questions and to get your application started!

This project has been funded wholly or in part through the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s Nonpoint Source Program by the United States Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding.

Applications will be reviewed on a monthly basis.

If you are a farmer looking to enroll acreage in Monroe county, contact Madi Hess, our Conservation Specialist, to get an application started!

Office: 734-265-9313

Cell: 517-302-6355

All necessary documentation and materials must be provided to District staff in a timely manner to ensure your application is reviewed during the current enrollment window.

Lenawee Conservation District

Allegra Baird (she/her)

Conservation Specialist

allegra.baird@macd.org 

517-263-7400 ext 5565

Hillsdale Conservation District

Brady Hess

Conservation Specialist

brady.hess@macd.org

517-826-3180