Florida farmers, ranchers and forest owners are being reminded you have until Friday, October 1 to apply for financial and technical assistance through USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). While applications for EQIP are accepted on a continuous basis, funding selections are typically made once a year and this is for fiscal year 2022 funding. Through EQIP, agricultural landowners …
Georgia Producers Encouraged to Learn More about EQIP
Each year, farmers face a unique set of challenges, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has programs to help in many cases. One of those is the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). It provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural and forestry producers to address natural resource concerns and deliver environmental benefits. This includes improved water and air quality, conserved ground …
DeSantis, Florida Cabinet Approve Florida Forever Land Acquisitions, Conservation Easements
Six of the seven projects are within the newly designated Florida Wildlife Corridor (Tallahassee/Sept. 21, 2021-NSF) — Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet approved seven Florida Forever land acquisitions and conservation easements that will protect Florida’s fragile natural environments in Hardee, Hendry, Indian River, Leon, Okeechobee, and Santa Rosa counties. The properties approved today, totaling nearly 20,000 acres, will …
DeSantis, Cabinet Eye Conservation Deals
(TALLAHASSEE/September 15, 2021) — A series of land preservation deals, covering nearly 20,000 acres from the Devil’s Garden southwest of Lake Okeechobee to forest land in the Panhandle, will go before Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet next week with a combined price tag of $53.1 million. The proposals, which would mostly be funded through the Florida Forever program, …
NRCS Offers Conservation Programs for Ag Producers
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) wants to remind eligible landowners and agricultural producers about the various voluntary programs they offer that provide financial and technical assistance to help manage natural resources in a sustainable manner. Through these programs, NRCS approves contracts to provide financial assistance to help plan and implement conservation practices that address natural resource concerns or opportunities to help …
USDA Accepts More than 2.5 Million Acres in Grassland CRP
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced they have accepted offers for more than 2.5 million acres from agricultural producers and private landowners for enrollment through this year’s Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Signup. This is double last year’s enrollment and brings the total acres enrolled across all CRP signups in 2021 to more than 5.3 million acres, surpassing USDA’s …
Local Working Groups Set Conservation Priorities in Florida
When it comes to solving natural resource problems, local landowners and managers know best. That’s why the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida gives them a seat at the table at local working group meetings. At these meetings, farmers, ranchers, forest landowners, conservation partners and the public discuss natural resource needs and priorities for their county. NRCS and soil and water …
Climate-Smart Agriculture through CRP
Back in May, the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced an initiative to quantify the climate benefits of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts. The multi-year effort will enable USDA to better target CRP toward climate outcomes and improve existing models and conservation planning tools while supporting USDA’s goal of putting American agriculture and forestry at the center of climate-smart solutions to …
USDA Accepts 2.8 Million Acres for the CRP
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced they’ve accepted 2.8 million acres in offers from agricultural producers and private landowners for enrollment into the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) this year. That brings the total accepted this year to almost 1.9 million acres through the General CRP Signup. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Zach Ducheneaux says they have also accepted over …
Assistance Helps Farmers and Ranchers Conserve Natural Resources
Florida farmers, ranchers and forest owners can apply until September 1,2021 for financial and technical assistance from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for fiscal year 2022 funding. Through EQIP, agricultural landowners can receive financial and technical assistance to improve soil, water, air, plants, animals and related resources. Eligible land includes cropland, rangeland, pastureland, private non-industrial forestland and other …