The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Alabama wants to remind landowners about several new and expanded opportunities for climate-smart agriculture in 2022. Updates include availability of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Conservation Incentive Contracts option and a Climate Smart Agriculture and Forestry Initiative. But, applications for this round of funding will only be accepted through Friday, February 25th, 2022.
“Climate change is happening and America’s agricultural communities are on the frontlines,” NRCS State Conservationist Ben Malone said. “We have to continue to support and expand the adoption of conservation approaches to support producers in their work to address the climate crisis and build more resilient operations.”
EQIP’s Conservation Incentive Contracts address priority natural resource concerns, including sequestering carbon and improving soil health in high-priority areas. Through these contracts, NRCS will work with producers to strengthen the quality and condition of natural resources on their operations using management practices such as irrigation water management, drainage water management, feed management and residue and tillage management that target resource concerns, including degraded soil and water quality, available water and soil erosion. Conservation Incentive Contracts offer producers annual incentive payments to implement management practices as well as conservation evaluation and monitoring activities to help manage, maintain, and improve priority natural resource concerns within state high-priority areas and build on existing conservation efforts. Conservation Incentive Contracts last five years.
For more information visit www.al.nrcs.usda.gov, or contact your local USDA Service Center.