Project Grant 00E03276

DESCRIPTION:THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS TO SUPPORT AND ADVANCE THE GULF HYPOXIA ACTION PLAN THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INDIANA STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE'S (ISDA) NUTRIENT REDUCTION STRATEGY. THE INDIANA STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE IS PROPOSING TO HIRE A STAFF PERSON TO HELP MANAGE THESE NEW EPA GRANT FUNDS, AND TO PROVIDE SUPPORT WITH THE STATE NUTRIENT REDUCTION STRATEGY EFFORTS. THIS STAFF PERSON WILL MANAGE AND COORDINATE THE SOIL SAMPLING PROGRAM THAT WILL BE DEVELOPED UNDER THIS WORK PLAN AND COORDINATE OTHER ON-FARM TRIAL PROGRAMS. THESE PROGRAMS WILL AIM TO INCREASE THE FREQUENCY IN WHICH LANDOWNERS SOIL SAMPLE AS WELL AS IMPROVE NUTRIENT USE EFFICIENCY. ISDA IS ALSO PROPOSING THE CREATION OF THE INDIANA NUTRIENT RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT WILL FOCUS ON THE WORK OF THE INDIANA SCIENCE ASSESSMENT . THIS PROGRAM WILL ALLOW FOR CONTINUED MANAGEMENT AND RESEARCH ANALYSIS UNDER INDIANA'S SCIENCE ASSESSMENT TO DETERMINE EFFICIENCY OF CONSERVATION PRACTICES ON IMPROVING WATER QUALITY. THIS AGREEMENT IS SUPPORTED BY FUNDING PROVIDED UNDER THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT (IIJA) (PL 117-58). ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: 1: EXPANDING STAFF CAPACITY TO MANAGE THE BIL-GHP FUNDS, AND SUPPORT THE INDIANA STATE NUTRIENT REDUCTION STRATEGY (SNRS), INDIANA CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP EFFORTS, SOIL SAMPLING PROGRAM, AND ON-FARM TRIAL PROGRAMS. 2: DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION OF A SOIL SAMPLING PROGRAM AIMED AT INCREASING STEWARDSHIP AMONG AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITIES, NUTRIENT USE EFFICIENCY ON INDIANA FARMLAND, NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION REDUCTION, GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTIONS, AND WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS. 3: CREATION OF AN INDIANA NUTRIENT RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROGRAM (INREP) TO CONTINUE AND EXPAND THE WORK OF THE INDIANA SCIENCE ASSESSMENT, WHICH FOCUSES ON QUANTIFYING NUTRIENT REDUCTION FROM CONSERVATION PRACTICES AND DETERMINING CONSERVATION PRACTICE EFFECTIVENESS. SUBRECIPIENT:FOR THE CREATION OF THE INDIANA NUTRIENT RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROGRAM. THE COSTS INCLUDES SALARY AND BENEFITS FOR THE HIRING OF A PURDUE EXTENSION ASSOCIATE AND INREP MANAGER WHO WILL MANAGE THE CENTER AND EDUCATION EFFORTS; FOR A RESEARCH ASSOCIATE WHO WILL CONDUCT RESEARCH AND SYNTHESIS FOR THE SCIENCE ASSESSMENT, AND FOR STUDENT RESEARCH ASSISTANTS WHO WILL WORK UNDER AN INTERNSHIP-TYPE EMPLOYMENT AND ASSIST IN DEVELOPING DATABASES AND ANALYZING DATA. COSTS ALSO INCLUDE PROVIDING FUNDING TO SUPPORT GRANTS FOR NECESSARY RESEARCH PROJECTS TO ADVANCE NUTRIENT LOSS REDUCTION RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION PRACTICE EFFECTIVENESS RESEARCH FOR A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY $100,000 PER YEAR, INCLUDING ADMINISTRATION BY THE INDIANA WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH CENTER. FUNDING WILL FOCUS ON MAKING DATA ACCESSIBLE FOR USE IN THE SCIENCE ASSESSMENT AND FOR OTHER RESEARCH SYNTHESES. LASTLY, FUNDS ARE ALSO REQUESTED FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SUCH AS PUBLICATION DESIGN, LAYOUT, AND ILLUSTRATIONS. A SMALL AMOUNT OF TRAVEL FUNDS IS NEEDED FOR EVENTS WHERE RESULTS WILL BE PRESENTED.OUTCOMES:THE DELIVERABLES TO BE PROVIDED UNDER THIS AGREEMENT ARE: 1: PRODUCE AN ANNUAL REPORT OF INREP ACTIVITIES AND COLLABORATIONS FOR EXTERNAL AUDIENCES. 2: DEVELOP A DATABASE THAT INCLUDES THE DATA FROM FUNDED PROJECTS. 3: DEVELOP A SERIES OF PURDUE EXTENSION EXPERT-REVIEWED, ACCESSIBLE PUBLICATIONS ON THE FINDINGS ABOUT CONSERVATION PRACTICE EFFECTIVENESS. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES RESULTING FROM THESE EFFORTS INCLUDE: 1: SUSTAIN AND STRENGTHEN THE NETWORK OF SCIENTISTS AND AGENCIES COLLABORATING TO PROVIDE THE SCIENTIFIC FOUNDATION FOR THE INDIANA STATE NUTRIENT REDUCTION STRATEGY AND RELATED CONSERVATION EFFORTS. 2: LEAD A CONTINUAL PROCESS OF REFINING AND IMPROVING THE SCIENCE ASSESSMENT. 3: INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF DATA FROM INDIANA RESEARCH ON NUTRIENT LOSS REDUCTION. 4: SYNTHESIZE AND DELIVER THE KNOWLEDGE TO CONSERVATION PARTNERS AND THE AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE RESIDEN