2019 SWCS International Annual Conference July 28-31, 2019 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

1. The 2018 Farm Bill
and ACCD
Jonathan Burgess
Programs and Policy Director
Allegheny County Conservation District

3. What do we do at
ACCD?
• Provide technical assistance to urban and
rural producers: soil health, nutrient
management practices, and USDA programs.
• Regulate nutrient and manure management
on livestock operations (Act 38 and Ch. 91)
• Conduct soil health research in partnership
with other organizations and producers.
• Collaborate on food system policy and
planning.
• Preserve farmland though the PA and USDA
Easement Purchase Programs.

4. What are our needs?
• Continued funding for programs like EQIP that
provide implementation assistance.
• Funding for conservation planning.
• Funding for outreach, especially to underserved
communities.
• Research grants for innovative practices and farm
trials.
• Funding for urban agriculture, soil health, and
community food systems work.
• Agricultural Easement $ to prevent development
of high quality farmland and support modernization
of operations.

5. 2018 Farm Bill Highlights
• EQIP and CSP (and RCPP Program)
• CIG and On-Farm Research Grants
• ACEP (Ag Easement) Program.
• Urban, Indoor, and Emerging Agricultural
Production, Research, Education, and Extension
Initiative
• Creation of an Urban Ag Office at USDA
• Creation of pilot rural-urban County Committees
• Local Ag Market Program (FMPP/VA/LFPP)
• Community Food Projects (CFP) Funding

6. Other Highlights
• Industrial Hemp Production
• Organic Cost Share Funding
• Extension Funding
• Outreach and Assistance for Socially
Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and
Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program
• Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Development
Program (BFRDP)

7. Urban Soil Remediation

8. Conservation Efforts

9. EQIP and CSP

10. Urban Ag Funds and
Outreach
Braddock Farms
with
Edgar
Thompson Steel
Works.

11. Urban Ag Assistance

12. Farmland Preservation

13. Community Food Projects
Duquesne
Community
Garden

14. Jonathan Burgess
(412) 291-8017
jburgess@accdpa.org
www.accdpa.org