Agricultural producers in select watersheds in Florida can apply for financial assistance from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) until May 31 to improve water quality in coastal waters.
The lower Suwannee watersheds are Long Pond and Long Pond Slough in Levy County and the North Old Town Hammock watershed in Gilchrist and Dixie counties. If landowners show interest, NRCS proposes funding applications in North Old Town Hammock watershed.
The goal is to reduce nutrient and sediment runoff by helping farmers and ranchers use conservation practices to improve water quality, such as improving fertilizer application, planting cover crops, fencing cattle out of streams, and planting grass filter strips.
Applicants must have control of land and follow the highly erodible land and wetland conservation provisions.
In Dixie, Gilchrist and Levy counties contact District Conservationist Amy Smith at 352-658-4060.