To cap off Conservation District Week, the McKean County Conservation District directors and staff conducted a legislative tour to promote dedicated funding for the Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP).
District representatives welcomed Sen. Cris Dush, R-Brookville; Rep. Martin Causer, R-Turtlepoint; Commissioner Tom Kreiner; Ann Kaufman from Rep. Glenn Thompson’s office; Doug Wolfgang, executive director of the State Conservation Commission; and representatives from the State Conservation Commission, Penn State Extension and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
ACAP, administered by conservation districts, provides landowners with funding to implement conservation practices on their land. The district has partnered with NRCS to work with participating farmers and landowners to design and implement soil and water conservation practices. These practices are for the control of nitrogen, or phosphorus or sediment losses from their farms while improving water quality and soil health across the Commonwealth.
MCCD was allocated $860,321.08 through the State Conservation Commission to be spent by Dec. 31, 2026. To date, MCCD has received more than $2 million in requests and has contracted more than $455,000. These contracts are matched with contributions through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) totaling over $447,000.
MCCD Manager Sandy Thompson said, “The district would not have been able to implement the ACAP program if it wasn’t for the great partnership with NRCS.”
During the tour, four landowners welcomed tour participants to their farms, stopping first at Kevin Dibble Farm in Smethport. It’s a 155-acre farm that has been in the Dibble family since 1884. They are looking forward to the sixth generation continuing its operation. The dairy was started in 1985 and in 1990 the current milking facility and manure lagoon were built. They generally milk 45 to 50 cows and house around 50 calves and heifers in a facility that was built in 2014.
During the last few years they have integrated beef animals for direct market sales to customers, and are slowly developing a large clientele that supplements their milk check.
Director Ken Kane said, “Supporting farmers, like Kevin, is important to create food security for all of America. If they ask why would we fund a private farm, tell them because that private farm is funding you every time you open the milk cooler.”
The district approved a $249,855.10 contract with Dibble to install a roofed heavy use area and waste storage facility as well as installing a roof runoff structure, animal trails perimeter and stream exclusionary fencing, watering facilities, water pipeline, subsurface drain, underground outlets, and ag crossing. This project will also receive $214,890.58 from NRCS.
Dibble said, “I think this will be a fantastic project that my son can use and pass on.”
The second stop was to Larson Family Farms in Smethport. This farm is 350 acres and has been in the family since the early 1900s. Jeff Larson represents the seventh generation to operate the farm, which includes an additional 800 acres of rented/leased ground. They milk 40 cows and have 155 head of beef cattle including five mature beef cows.
Their application for funding through the ACAP program was not awarded due to funding restraints. The application was for the installation of a rotational grazing system to include perimeter and interior fencing along with watering facilities, water pumping plant, ag crossing and silage leachate system.
The Larsons are trying to implement rotational grazing practices with their beef cattle. Upon learning the district was unable to fund the project, Jeff commented, “We will do our best with the way it is. It’s not the best, but right now we will make it work. At some point it will limit our ability to grow our beef operation.”
The third stop was to the Strait Farm on Annin Creek. The farm was founded in 1951 by Bob Strait. He worked the farm as a 432-acre dairy operation. Currently, it is a beef operation with 65 head of cattle. The farm is now operated by Bob Strait’s daughter, Judy, and son-in-law, Don Dickerson.
The district approved an $84,000 contract to install a roofed heavy use area and waste storage facility as well as to install a roof runoff structure, stream exclusionary fencing, watering facilities, water pipeline, subsurface drain, underground outlets and an access road. The project will also receive $116,000 through NRCS.
Dickerson said, “Both agencies (conservation district and NRCS) have been superlative and easy to work with.”
The fourth stop was to DB Cattle Co., located on Newell Creek and owned by Deric and Marklyn Brown. The farm covers 100 acres and hosts 50 head of beef cattle.
Tour participants were shown the installation of the roofed heavy use area and a roofed manure stacking pad that was funded through a Growing Greener Grant in 2021. The project also included exclusionary fencing, exterior fencing and streambank stabilization practices that included a 60-foot modified mud sill and 40-foot saw-tooth deflectors along with the installation of one 16-foot stabilized agricultural crossing. The project totaled $249,203 with $56,887.50 in-kind from the landowner.
Owners said the building’s construction greatly reduced sediment and nutrient runoff into Newell Creek by eliminating the large animal concentration area (ACA) – where animals congregate for food, water and shade that no longer sustains vegetation.
DB Cattle Co. also applied for funding through the ACAP program but was unawarded due to funding restraints. The application was for the installation of a rotational grazing system to include spring development, watering facilities and interior fencing.
During the tour, Doug Wolfgang, executive director of the State Conservation Commission shared “$141 million has been allocated to 66 conservation districts for implementing ACAP.” Justin Challenger, State Conservation Commission, said there are “almost $70 million worth of contracts either completed or near construction, with 22,000 feet of livestock watering systems, 20 miles of fencing, 10,000 square feet of heavy use area and 38 waste storage facilities constructed.”
Dush and Causer said they appreciated the tour and explained they will now be able to visualize the benefits on the farming community and the environment when they argue the case for program funding.
