What are conservation buffers?

A buffer is a living filter made up of almost any combination

of mostly native trees, shrubs, and grasses. As such, buffers are

natural, living systems and a flexible, common-sense, costeffective conservation practice that any pork producer can use .

Possibilities include planting trees and shrubs around pork

production facilities ; planting grasses around lagoons ; or planting

trees, shrubs, and grasses in any combination along streams and

creeks near land where manure is applied .

What benefits do buffers offer me as a

pork producer'?

Pork producers can expect buffers to provide a number of benefits-both to producers and their neighbors. When combined

with other conservation practices, buffers help protect surface

and ground water quality, improve air flow and air quality, and

enhance the visual appearance of production facilities .

" Improved water quality-Improvements in quality can be

expected when buffers are used to trap and filter run off from

fields where manure is applied .

" Nutrients are used by plants and micro-organisms in the

buffer, providing an additional site for manure utilization .

" The trees, shrubs and grasses of a buffer can be a source of

vegetative material for organic mats on storage lagoons or pits, or

bulking material for compost in integrated manure management

systems to improve soil structure and organic matter content .

FACT: buffers reduce dust and noise

FACT: buffers disperse and reduce the impact of

odors on neighbors

FACT: buffers trap and use nutrients that escape

manure management systems

FACT: reducing wind improves working conditions for

people and lessens livestock stress

FACT: the summer shade and wind shelter provided

by buffers can reduce cooling and heating

costs as much as 30%
WEST

" Enhanced air flow and air quality-The trees, shrubs and

grasses that make up a buffer can filter the air near livestock

facilities, storage units, and manure application sites while the

sheltering effect of the trees and shrubs in a buffer may help

contain any odor. And tree and shrub buffers planted near production facilities and pastures provide shade during the summer

and protect livestock from cold winter winds and snow

" Good neighbor relations through facility enhancementWhen pork producers plant trees, shrubs, and grasses, it suggests to their neighbors and the community that something positive is happening on sites associated with pork production.

" Evergreen trees provide seasonal interest because of their

color and texture, flowering trees enhance the appearance of

facilities and may mask odors when in bloom

" Buffers can be designed to harmonize with the local landscape. And trees and shrubs planted in large groupings reduce

the scale of buildings, making pork production more "family

friendly." Trees especially impart a sense of permanence-supporting the notion that pork producers are committed to protecting the environment where their families live and work.

FACT: buffers provide wildlife habitat

FACT: buffers provide a visual screen, allowing

facilities to blend into their environments,

improving the aesthetics of the area

Cost-Share Programs

There are several USDA programs available to help pork producers install conservation buffer systems . Contact your local

USDA service center for cost-share information . Two of the

most popular are:

Continuous CRP Sign-Up

The continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) sign-up

makes economic sense because it provides annual rental payments over 10 to 15 year periods for the installation and maintenance of conservation buffers . Cost-sharing is also available for

installation .

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

EQIP is a USDA conservation cost-share program designed to

encourage and support natural resource conservation practices.

The program provides technical assistance, cost-share and

incentives, with half of the resources dedicated to livestockrelated concerns.

To get started on a buffer project

Buffers are a flexible system and can be designed to fit every

pork producer's specific needs and opportunities-and their relatively low cost complements every size or type of farm As with

all living systems, diligent maintenance is required, but typically

is limited to watering and weed control during the first phases

of establishment. Because some shrub and tree mortality can be

expected at every site, replacement planting may be necessary.

As a natural, living system, buffers will be in place for the entire

lifetime of most facilities
This information brought to you by thefollowing organizations:

U .S . Department of Agriculture

Natural Resources Conservation Service

USDA-NRCS, National Conservation Buffer Initiative

100 Centennial Mall North, Room 152

Federal Building

Lincoln, NE 68508-3866

http ://wwwnrcs .usda.gov/

National Pork Producers Council

1776 NW 114th Street

Clive, 1A 50325

http ://www.nppc.org/

Trees Forever

770 7th Avenue

Marion, IA 52302

http ://wwwtreesforever.org

National Soil Tilth Laboratory

2150 Pammel

Ames, 1A 51100

http ://wwwnstl .gov

Agroecology Issue Team of the Leopold Center for

Sustainable Agriculture

243 Bessey Hall

Ames, 1A 50011

http ://wwwag.iastate .edu/departments/forestry/res/riparian.htm l

Special thanks to :

Joe Colletti of the Iowa State University Dept of Forestry and the Agroecology Issue Team of the Leopold Center for

Sustainable Agriculture and Dana Dinnes of the National Soil Tilth Lab, USDA-ARS, who assisted in the development

of this publication.

TO~T5 VI `11011'eN

anuaAV ujL 0 / /

JOAGJOJ saaal