I think it was worth it, I had a 5 year contract through the WHIP program. My contract covered TSI, cutting invasives out, converting cool season meadows to warm seasons grasses, tree screens, and oak plantings.
I bummed heads a few times, but my NRCS person wanted to push habitat projects and NWSG seed mixes geared towards quail, but the good thing is the rule and regs are available and as long as you stay within the regs you can do what you want. They really pushed short warm seasons and crazy high forbs, I did the absolute minimum on forbs and short blue stem, I wanted big blue, Indian grass, and switch. The also tried to push their mix and their varieties of seeds, but again you can find what is approved in your area and they can't argue, although my agent didn't offer up that info, I had to go find it myself.
I did 90% of the work myself, made decent money for doing projects on my own farm, I thought that was hard to beat!
Don't get me wrong, yes there was a few things we argued or disagreed about, but they all worked out fine. Once my contract was completed I have not dealt with them again, they pretty much were done checking on stuff. I would do it again if I was going to undertake another big expensive project.
I would imagine our NRCS person you deal with locally has a big outcome of your view of the program. This lady in our area bumps heads with most farmers, but I still thought it was worth it. Just make sure to read all contracts and literature because they will follow it to the letter, so make sure it is right.
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