The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Florida (NRCS-FL) wants to remind producers and landowners about two signup’s that end Friday, December 20, 2024.
One is for disaster assistance funding through Emergency Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). This is to provide technical and financial assistance to agricultural landowners and producers in recovering from damages caused by Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton.
NRCS-FL will evaluate disaster assistance applications using the ACT NOW process. ACT NOW allows NRCS to pre-approve ranked application when the ranking score meets or exceeds an established threshold score. The minimum threshold ranking score for EQIP disaster assistance funding is 50 points. Applications will be batched and processed in the order received. EQIP disaster assistance funding is targeted for a variety of conservation practices in these Florida counties:
Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Brevard, Brevard, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, Desoto, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, , Madison, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, and Wakulla.
The second signup deadline, which also ends December 20th through NRCS-FL, is for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). This includes both Wetland Reserve Easements and Agricultural Land Easements.
ACEP protects the agricultural viability and related conservation values of eligible land by limiting non-agricultural uses which negatively affect agricultural uses and conservation values. ACEP protects grazing uses and related conservation values by restoring or conserving eligible grazing land, as well as protecting, restoring, and enhancing wetlands on eligible land.
To learn more about either of these signups, contact NRCS at your local USDA Service Center.