2. We strive to create a future where people have the food, energy
and economic growth they need without sacrificing nature
3. Agriculture:
Soil Health and Nutrients
Strategy
Ultimately we care
about the water and
improving and
protecting aquatic
ecosystems
3
Saginaw Bay, Western Lake Erie, Green Bay, Mississippi River Basin,
Gulf of Mexico, Chesapeake Bay, Florida Everglades
4. Pay for Practice vs. Pay for Performance
B.Wickerham, SWCS Conference July 30, 2019
5. Pay for Practice vs. Pay for Performance
B.Wickerham, SWCS Conference July 30, 2019
6. Pay for Practice vs. Pay for Performance
B.Wickerham, SWCS Conference July 30, 2019
7. Pay for Practice vs. Pay for Performance
B.Wickerham, SWCS Conference July 30, 2019
PAY FOR PRACTICE PAY FOR PERFORMANCE
9. Highest Priority
Farmland
Great Lakes Watershed Management System (MSU IWR)
Indicates where fish communities throughout the
watershed are most impacted by land use (red and
orange are poorest water quality)
Red areas show us which areas of the field are likely at
risk for soil erosion and runoff to nearby streams
10. Pay for Practice vs. Pay for Performance
B.Wickerham, SWCS Conference July 30, 2019
High Impact Targeting (HIT) Model
11. 2,800.7
Actual SEDIMENT Load Reduction to-date
0.0
1,000.0
2,000.0
3,000.0
TONS
Project Goal: 2,695 tons
Actual Enrolled = 59,650 ac.
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
ACRES Enrolled
ACRES
Project Goal: 25,500 ac.
Figure 1. Saginaw Bay RCPP Progress Against Goals
July 2019
12. Pay for Practice vs. Pay for Performance
B.Wickerham, SWCS Conference July 30, 2019
14. Pay for Practice vs. Pay for Performance
B.Wickerham, SWCS Conference July 30, 2019
PAY FOR PRACTICE (RCPP) PAY FOR PERFORMANCE
• 2015-2020
• Saginaw Bay Watershed
• Cover crops, reduced till, no-till, filter strips
• Follows NRCS specs & standards
• GLWMS used to target and track progress
• 2015-2020
• Saginaw Bay Watershed
• Cover crops, reduced till, no-till, filter strips
• Follows NRCS specs & standards
• GLWMS used to target and track progress
15. Pay for Practice vs. Pay for Performance
B.Wickerham, SWCS Conference July 30, 2019
16. Pay for Practice vs. Pay for Performance
B.Wickerham, SWCS Conference July 30, 2019
PAY FOR PRACTICE (RCPP) PAY FOR PERFORMANCE
• 2015-2020
• Saginaw Bay Watershed
• Cover crops, reduced till, no-till, filter strips
• Follows NRCS specs & standards
• GLWMS used to target and track progress
• Contracts administered by NRCS
• Burdensome application process
• Average contracting time = 4.5 months
• Planned acres at CLU scale
• Average contract payment $53 / acre
• SAME PAYMENT REGARDLESS OF OUTCOME
• 2015-2020
• Saginaw Bay Watershed
• Cover crops, reduced till, no-till, filter strips
• Follows NRCS specs & standards
• GLWMS used to target and track progress
• Contracts administered by TNC or subcontractor
• Two page contract
• Contracting time at the speed of the farmer
• Allows for precision treatment area
• Average contract payment $31 / acre
• INCENTIVES INCREASE PROPORTIONALLY WITH
GREATER ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT
19. Take-aways:
• Based on three years of side-by-side USDA program & PfP program data
comparison, we estimate we could achieve:
• 2.2# of sediment saved/$ through traditional cost share
9.6# of sediment saved/$ through PfP
• Or, if we had $1M of conservation funding:
w/ Farm Bill w/ Pay for Performance
1,084 Tons 4,812
Tons
…over4timesasmuchenvironmentalbenefitw/ PfP!
20. Pay for Practice vs. Pay for Performance
B.Wickerham, SWCS Conference July 30, 2019
CONSIDERATIONS:
• Modeling vs. Monitoring
• Should be used more for comparing
relative priority between fields
• PfP limited by IT available
• Not necessarily transferable to other
watersheds
• Social Acceptance?
22. Pay for Practice vs. Pay for Performance
B.Wickerham, SWCS Conference July 30, 2019
mfales@tnc.org
517/ 316-2278
For GLWMS, visit www.iwr.msu.edu/glwms
For Conservation Incentives Program resources,
please visit www.nature.org/saginawbay
How can YOU Get more information?