Alabama

Alabama Announces Signup for EQIP WLFW Eastern Hellbender Initiative

Dan Alabama, Conservation, Environment, USDA-NRCS

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Alabama has announced signup is underway for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW) Eastern Hellbender Initiative. Alabama is joining Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina in this initiative which will include practices to improve water quality within streams. The Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) is the largest salamander in the U.S. with some reaching a weight of 2 …

wetlands

ACEP Working to Protect Wetlands in Florida

Dan Conservation, Environment, Florida, Irrigation, USDA-NRCS, Water, Wetland

While wetlands are some of Florida’s treasures, over the years we’ve seen an acreage decrease of nearly half. According to a U.S Fish and Wildlife Service report, over 20 million wetland acres have been lost since settlers began draining and diking them back in the 19th century. And of course now, population growth continues to threaten what remains. USDA’s Natural Resources …

DeSantis Takes Aim at Senate Environmental Proposal

Dan Conservation, Environment, Florida, Lake Okeechobee

(TALLAHASSEE, FL/NSF/Feb. 10, 2022) — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday opposed a controversial Senate budget bill that critics say could affect Everglades restoration. But Senate President Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, defended the bill as protecting restoration efforts, including a massive reservoir. Members of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday approved the bill (SB 2508), which drew opposition from environmentalists, charter boat …

conservation

Signup Now for Expanded Conservation Program Opportunities

Dan Alabama, Conservation, Environment, Florida, Georgia, USDA-NRCS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is offering several new and expanded opportunities for climate-smart agriculture in 2022. This includes availability of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Conservation Incentive Contracts option and a Climate Smart Agriculture and Forestry Initiative. These improvements to NRCS’ working lands conservation programs, combined with continued program opportunities across the …

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Applications Being Accepted for RCPP Funding

Dan Conservation, Economy, Environment, USDA-NRCS

In January, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced up to $225 million will be made available for conservation partners through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). It is a partner-driven program that leverages collective resources to find solutions to address natural resource challenges on agricultural land. NRCS Chief Terry Cosby notes this year’s funding announcements include opportunities for projects that address climate …

The Initiative to Incentivize Climate Smart Ag and Forestry

Dan Conservation, Environment, Forestry

A USDA initiative could soon establish its framework for research and testing to help producers and landowners establish incentives for climate smart agriculture and forestry practices. According to a story from Rod Bain, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says current USDA programs have great potential to incentivize producers and landowners to undertake these practices.

georgia counties

USDA Announces Conservation Reserve Program Signups for 2022

Dan Conservation, Environment, USDA-FSA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that agricultural producers and landowners can now sign up for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). USDA calls CRP a key tool in the Biden-Harris Administration’s effort to address climate change and achieve other natural resource benefits. The General CRP signup begins today, January 31, and remains open through March 11. Then the Grassland CRP …

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USDA Investing in Partner Driven Conservation in Georgia

Dan Conservation, Environment, Georgia, USDA-NRCS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced up to $225 million in funding for conservation partners through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) is being made available. RCPP is a partner-driven program that leverages collective resources to find solutions to address natural resource challenges on agricultural land. This year’s funding announcements include opportunities for projects that address climate change, benefit historically underserved …

bill

Applications Due Tuesday for Cover Crop Initiative in Georgia

Dan Conservation, Cover Crops, Environment, Georgia, USDA-NRCS

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Georgia wants to remind agricultural producers about several new and expanded opportunities for conservation programs that lend to climate-smart agriculture production in fiscal year 2022. Among these is the Cover Crop Initiative (CCI), but signup for this ends January 25, 2022. CCI incentivizes the use of cover crops on Georgia’s agricultural land, and the counties …

conservation

USDA-NRCS in Florida Web Conference is Next Week

Dan Conservation, Environment, Florida, USDA-NRCS

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida would like to remind producers and landowners across the state that they will be conducting a State Technical Committee meeting via web conference on Wednesday, January 26, from 10:00 am-12:00 pm Eastern. The NRCS meeting, which is open to the public, will provide a report for natural resource and program priority decisions and they …