Pine County Soil and Water Conservation District

09/24/2026

The Farm Services Agency is offering assistance to livestock producers who are affected by the drought:

Due to the drought, the Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP) Feed Hauling program is also available for livestock producers. This program helps livestock producers cover above-normal costs of hauling feed during eligible drought conditions. Producers must exceed purchases in a normal year, and compensation will be applicable for loaded miles above 25 miles one-way. The mileage rate is $3.75 per mile.

The deadline is March 1, 2027.

Contact Abby Penzenstadler at [email protected] or 320-679-2080 ext. 2.

09/24/2026

The Spring 2027 Lawns to Legumes grant application is open! 🐝🎉

🌼 Lawns to Legumes is a Minnesota-wide program that awards reimbursement-based funding of up to $400 for creating pollinator habitat in your outdoor space with native plants.

🦋 Why plant for pollinators? Minnesota is home to over 500 native bee species, along with many butterflies, moths, and other pollinators. These creatures are essential to ecosystem health — but many have faced population declines. Lawns to Legumes helps reverse this trend by creating pollinator-friendly plantings across the state.

⏰ Apply by November 30 for a chance to receive a Spring 2027 grant. Learn more and apply at https://bluethumb.org/lawns-to-legumes/apply/

Lawns to Legumes is coordinated by the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources and Blue Thumb, the education program of Metro Blooms.

09/22/2026

The Farm Services Agency is offering assistance to livestock producers who are affected by the drought:

The Livestock Forage Program (LFP) is now open. The Livestock Forage Disaster Program, administered by the Farm Service Agency, provides financial support to eligible livestock producers who experience grazing losses due to qualifying drought. The program helps producers recover from significant forage losses and address increased feed costs resulting from disasters. At this time, producers can receive a 2 to 4-month payment factor depending on their county.

The deadline is March 1, 2027.

Contact Abby Penzenstadler at [email protected] or 320-679-2080 ext. 2.

09/21/2026

Join Pine County Extension to celebrate National Farm Safety & Health Week! Extension and other local organizations are coming together on Monday, September 21 from 4-7pm at Rock Creek City Hall for Farm Safety Day.

This free event will help youth and adults improve their farm safety with demonstrations, giveaways, and more. Stop by the 4-H table for fun activities and take home resources!

09/18/2026

Ever wonder what the SWCD Supervisor is on your election ballot? Check out this video for a brief description of the position and it's vital role in the county.

Conserving Minnesota's natural resources isn't an option. It's a re...

09/17/2026

Check out this event from our Partners in Kanabec! Kanabec Soil & Water Conservation District

09/10/2026

Check out this event from our partners The Kanabec Soil & Water Conservation District!

09/08/2026

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary NRCS Farm Bill program providing technical and financial assistance for conservation practices on working lands. Pine County landowners interested in EQIP can contact the Hinckley NRCS office at (320) 384-7432.

Certain producers are eligible for advanced payments, learn more - https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/eqip-advance-payment-option

09/02/2026

Join the University of Minnesota Extension and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources at their seed collection workshops this fall. 🌳

Workshops are FREE and registration is required. 🌲

For more information see the flyer or visit treeseed.umn.edu

08/24/2026

Landowners interested in the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) can contact the Hinckley NRCS office at (320) 384-7432

The signup deadline for EQIP 2027 has been announced, producers have until September 11, 2026 to sign up for the first round of funding through the Environmental Quality Incentive Program.

Learn more about EQIP on this factsheet:https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/guidance-documents/NRCS.eqip-program-factsheet-508-08212026.pdf

The Pheasants Forever Farm Bill Biologist on staff in Pine County offers free site visits for landowners interested in managing their lands, sign up below.