Building on the successful roll out of salmon-safe in interior columbia basin tributaries in the first phase of EPA funding, salmon-safe columbia basin pledge will scale up our presence in these…

Building on the successful roll out of salmon-safe in interior columbia basin tributaries in the first phase of EPA funding, salmon-safe columbia basin pledge will scale up our presence in these tributaries, particularly in idaho, while introducing our new trout-safe initiative in columbia river tributaries across western montana and the wyoming portion of the teton river valley and upper snake river. In this next phase of the project, salmon-safe will roll out the columbia basin pledge, engaging 250 farmers and other large-scale land managers, in actions to protect downstream water quality. The project will leverage salmon-safe's peer-reviewed technical standards and market-proven outreach, assessment, certification, and public education tools as we strategically apply salmon-safe incentives with 100 new producers across multiple crop sectors in the interior columbia basin. Earning salmon-safe certification will require that these mostly large-scale, diversified farms reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides that are harmful to fish and wildlife and reducing runoff and wind erosion, while also improving soil health, riparian habitat, irrigation efficiency and protecting wildlife habitat and enhancing native biodiversity. The project is a long-term strategy to reduce toxics and enhance climate resiliency in the watershed, while demonstrating market support to maintain viable farming operations. $342,000.00 in columbia river basin restoration funding assistance program - middle and upper columbia river basin competitive funding awarded under EPA-R10-OW-crbrp-2022-02. This agreement will be funded under the infrastructure investment and jobs act.activities:this project will promote citizen engagement, protect habitat, reduce runoff, improve water quality, and eliminate or reduce toxic pollution in agricultural communities, including growers, farmers, orchardists, and land owners. Activities to be performed during this project period include: scale up place-based partnerships; establish new partners in eastern idaho, western MT/WY, launch columbia basin pledge, further development of IPM protocols, multiple crops, refinement of salmon-safe farms standards with tribal guidance, outreach and education, technical assistance to landowners, farm assessments and water quality protection, formalize certification commitment regarding pesticide reduction from landowners, pilot salmon-safe urban stormwater certification with private developers, introduction of trout safe, market connection/public education, project evaluation. Subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:IT is anticipated that this project will result in the following deliverables: formalize 3 or more new place-based partnerships with tribes, conservation districts, local conservation orgs, etc.; outreach to 250 landowners in targeted tributaries through the pledge, 70 growers influenced in practices related to water quality protection; integrated pest management (IPM) protocol developed for 3 or more crop sectors; washington state department of agriculture pesticide stewardship partnership (wsda PSP) monitoring supported in 2 or more watersheds; support and enhance oregon department of environmental quality pesticide stewardship partnership (odeq PSP) in walla walla watershed; site assessments and restoration guidance to 100 or more farms, 2 or more urban development projects, and 2 or more high profile tribal agricultural projects; salmon-safe commitment from 100 farms including phasing out 'high hazard' pesticides; provide market recognition and consumer education through 4 or more retail marketing campaigns, market connections or other incentives in place for 30 or more operations; delivery of required progress reports plus final project report. Expected outcomes of the project will benefit local communities, growers, farmers, land owners, and watersheds in the basin, and the outcomes include: SAL