Provide an additional option in assisting producers with meeting their wetland conservation compliance responsibilities in michigan

Wetland Mitigation II received a $1.0 million Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) under the Wetland Mitigation Banking Program (CFDA 10.933), awarded on September 30, 2025, with a completion date of March 31, 2028. This award funds the establishment and expansion of wetland mitigation banking services in Michigan, providing an additional option for agricultural producers to meet their wetland conservation compliance obligations under the Food Security Act, commonly referred to as Swampbuster compliance. Through this grant, Wetland Mitigation II will develop and operate a wetland mitigation bank that restores previously drained wetlands and generates tradable credits that producers can purchase to offset wetland losses on their own land while maintaining eligibility for USDA program benefits.

The mitigation bank will be managed as a third-party operation under NRCS oversight, with the awardee responsible for all operational aspects of credit generation, management, and distribution. The project represents part of a broader NRCS initiative targeting priority agricultural states including Michigan, with recent grant awards ranging from approximately $600,000 to $1.0 million over four-year project periods. Annual reporting requirements include submission of a credit ledger documenting deposits and withdrawals from the bank by November 15 of each year.