Historic On-Farm Conservation Funding Assistance Available For Producers

(MENAFN- PR Newswire) More
than
$100
million
is
available
for
conservation
practices
on
farms,
ranches, and
private non-industrial forestland

DAVIS, Calif., Sept. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in California announces Fiscal Year
2025
(October 1,
2024
through
September
30,
2025)
federal assistance
opportunities
for agricultural producers, including through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). While NRCS accepts applications for these programs year-round, interested applicants
should
apply
no
later
than
November
15,
2024 ,
for
the
first application
cutoff
period.

"We are excited to support California's producers with an historic investment in on-farm conservation
this
Fiscal
Year," said
NRCS
California
State
Conservationist
Carlos
Suarez.
"With the addition of the Inflation Reduction Act, we will be investing approximately 50 percent more federal
funding to
help
producers
address
their
unique resources
concerns
and
help
them
achieve their stewardship goals."

Through
EQIP
and
the
Inflation
Reduction Act,
more
than
$100
million
is
available
for conservation practices and initiatives, including but not restricted to,

• National Air Quality Initiative (NAQI) to assist farmers in replacing outdated engines with new and cleaner-burning technology.
• Activities that support wildlife habitat creation and enhancement on farms and ranches.
• NRCS and Bureau of Reclamation WaterSmart partner projects to help improve water infrastructure, delivery, and application on farms.
• National Water Quality Initiative for targeted conservation actions to improve water quality.
• Joint Chief's Landscape Restoration Partnership to collaborate with agricultural producers, forest landowners, tribes and public land managers to mitigate wildfire risk, improve water quality, and restore forest ecosystems

Application cutoff periods allow NRCS to screen and rank applications for those with the highest conservation benefits across California's landscapes, including cropland, ranchlands, and
private non-industrial
forestlands. Additional signups may be announced at later dates.

EQIP
provides financial
assistance
to
agricultural
producers
to
address
natural resource
concerns and deliver environmental benefits. These include improved water and air quality, improved irrigation efficiency, reduced soil erosion and sedimentation, forest restoration, organic and creating or enhancing wildlife habitat.

Applying
for
Assistance

Applicants seeking financial assistance are required to meet Farm Bill Program eligibility in conjunction with the Farm Service Agency, which includes meeting the Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Compliance requirements and the Adjusted Gross Income limits.

NRCS
California
will
be
utilizing
ACT
NOW
to
process
conservation
applications
in selected ranking pools to deliver conservation faster. ACT NOW allows NRCS to immediately approve and obligate a ranked application. This means no longer having
to wait for all applications to be reviewed and preapproved. Applications selected through ACT NOW will be batched and processed in the order received.

NRCS accepts conservation program applications year-round. State Technical Committees, composed of producers and partners, work with NRCS to set state-specific, ranking dates to evaluate
applications
for
funding.
These
dates account
for
producer
needs, staff
workload, and
to ensure potential participants have ample opportunity to apply. To find out more about our application
process or
to
begin
an
application,
please
contact
your
local
NRCS
Service
Center
by visiting here.

Technical
Assistance

NRCS offers conservation technical assistance at no cost to give producers personalized advice and
information,
based
on
the
latest
science and
research,
to
help
them
make
informed decisions. If a producer chooses to take the next step towards improving their operations, NRCS staff can work with them to develop a free, personalized conservation plan, with conservation practices that can help them reach their agricultural production and conservation goals.

The voluntary conservation plan defines and explains existing resources in a simple, easy to understand manner. Typically, the plan will include land use maps, soils information, inventory of resources, engineering notes, and other supporting information. One benefit to landowners who
work
with
an
NRCS
professional
conservationist
to
develop
a
plan
is
an
increased
potential for participating in financial assistance programs and is a good first step in the overall process.

Historically
Underserved
Producer Benefits

Special provisions are also available for historically underserved producers. For EQIP, historically
underserved
producers are
eligible
for
advance
payments to
help
offset
costs
related to purchasing materials or contracting services up front. In addition, historically underserved producers
can
receive
higher
EQIP
payment rates
(up
to
90%
of
average
cost). NRCS
sets
aside EQIP funds for historically underserved producers.

NRCS
has
provided
leadership
in
a
partnership
effort
to
help
America's
private landowners
and managers conserve their soil, water, and other natural resources since 1935.

For additional information about EQIP, visit the California NRCS website .

USDA is
an
Equal
Opportunity
Provider, Employer,
and
Lender

Contact: Brandon Bates
(530) 792-5653, [email protected]

SOURCE USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service

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