Project Overview
Commodities
Practices
- Animal Production: grazing management
- Crop Production: cover crops
- Education and Training: technical assistance
- Natural Resources/Environment: biodiversity, wildlife
- Soil Management: soil quality/health
Proposal abstract:
This project, Train-the-Trainer: Understanding Economics of Conservation Programs, Farming, Ranching and Sustainability with Wildlife Benefits, targets private lands conservation professionals in Nebraska, including staff from Pheasants Forever, USDA (NRCS and FSA), Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, and Natural Resources Districts who work directly with farmers and ranchers.
The project will improve participants' knowledge, confidence, and ability to integrate conservation with farm economics. Outcomes include increased understanding of conservation practices and financial decision-making, improved communication with producers, stronger collaboration with agricultural lenders and crop insurance professionals, and increased adoption of practices such as cover crops, grazing systems, and grass seedings. The project is expected to directly influence at least 24 farmers and ranchers to enroll in conservation programs.
To achieve these outcomes, Pheasants Forever will deliver twelve training events over two years, including six farmer-led field days and six technical workshops. Field days will feature producers demonstrating conservation practices and sharing real-world economic and management considerations, alongside presentations from financial and risk management partners. Technical workshops will provide training on conservation planning, program implementation (CRP, EQIP, Pathways for Wildlife), plant identification, and wildlife habitat evaluation. These activities combine classroom instruction, hands-on learning, and peer-to-peer engagement to improve knowledge retention and application. Each event will have pre and post evaluations along with quizzes. Long-term evaluations will also be conducted.
Together, these efforts will create a scalable training model that strengthens conservation delivery and supports more economically viable and sustainable agricultural systems across Nebraska.
Project objectives from proposal:
As a result of this project, PF will conduct six Farmer-Led trainings with tours as well as six additional technical trainings throughout the grant cycle. These outreach events will result in a minimum of 250 participants resource professionals who work directly with farmers and ranchers. These products developed will include a standardized Train-the-Trainer curriculum, decision-support materials, field demonstration content, and strengthened cross-agency partnerships that support long-term conservation delivery.
Train-the-Trainer curriculum will be developed tailored to Nebraska conservation systems which can be utilized beyond the grant cycle. This curriculum will include structured agendas, presentation materials, and case studies focused on integrating conservation practices with farm economics and risk management. Topics will include UNL Input/Output decision tools, crop insurance, farm financing, Nebraska property taxes, and implementation of conservation programs. These materials will be developed for use by PF staff and partner agencies to ensure consistency and scalability. Several presenters from the financial risk category have committed to present.
Field-based educational materials and success stories will be derived from farmer-led demonstrations. These will include documentation of conservation practices such as cover crops, grazing systems, prairie strips, buffers, and marginal land seedings. Visual materials (photos, videos, and summaries of farmer experiences) will be used during trainings and shared through digital platforms to reinforce learning. Demonstration sites will serve as ongoing educational resources that illustrate real-world application of conservation practices and their economic implications.
The project will also generate decision-support resources and outreach materials, including handouts, guides, and digital content that help resource professionals communicate conservation benefits in economic terms. These materials will support continued learning and application following training events.
A critical product of this project is the development of strong, coordinated partnerships among conservation organizations and agencies. Collaborators will include PF, NRCS, FSA, NGPC, UNL Extension, producer partners like Morning Sky Acres, Crop Insurance Agents, Farm Loan Officers, county land assessors and others. These partnerships will enhance program delivery, ensure technical accuracy, and support long-term adoption of conservation practices.
The project anticipates delivering twelve primary training events over two years, including six Train-the-Trainer workshops and six farmer-led field days. Each event is expected to host at least 20 participants, resulting in a minimum of 250 conservation professionals trained throughout the project period. Participants will include partners listed above for a broad audience. In addition to these primary events, digital outreach, including social media and online content, is expected to reach approximately 30,000 individuals, increasing awareness of conservation practices and economic considerations.
Through direct engagement and technical assistance, the project anticipates influencing at least 24 farmers and ranchers to enroll in conservation programs, including CRP, EQIP, and Pathways for Wildlife as a direct result of this training. These enrollments represent a key output linking professional training to on-the-ground conservation outcomes and will be measured through follow-up surveys and communications.
Together, these outputs will create a scalable, high-impact training model that equips conservation professionals with the tools, knowledge, and partnerships necessary to increase conservation adoption across Nebraska's working lands.