The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced it is investing approximately $11.5 million in agreements that support innovative, scalable waste management plans to reduce and divert food waste from landfills. The Composting and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) cooperative agreements, which are funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, are part of USDA’s broad support for urban agriculture. The program is jointly …
USDA Boosting Farm Conservation Efforts
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) continues to make historic investments in conservation and climate change programs. For fiscal year 2024, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has $3 billion in Inflation Reduction Act funds to invest in climate-smart mitigation activities. This year, NRCS expanded the list of those activities as well as expanded priority areas for grasslands, wetlands and farmlands at risk of …
Georgia Producers Encouraged to Apply for USDA Conservation Programs
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Georgia (NRCS-GA) is encouraging agricultural producers and forest landowners in the state to participate in voluntary conservation programs and adopt climate-smart practices in fiscal year 2024. NRCS continues to accept applications for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), which help a wide variety of producers, including urban and organic producers. For …
Florida NRCS Releases 2023 Report of Conservation Accomplishments
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Florida (NRCS-FL) recently released its annual report of accomplishments for Fiscal Year 2023, which highlights the impacts of federal and partner investments toward protecting and improving natural resources in Florida. According to the new report NRCS in Florida, from September 1, 2022, through September 30, 2023, obligated $44.6 million in financial assistance for Farm Bill …
Alabama Now Accepting FY2024 RCPP Applications
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Alabama (NRCS-AL) has announced it is accepting applications for its Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) through February 16th, 2024. In Alabama, The Nature Conservancy plans to reduce sedimentation, pollution, nutrient runoff, and other stresses within several waterbodies in the Paint Rock, Big Canoe Creek, and Locust Fork watersheds. Implementing streambank restoration practices along these targeted waterbodies will improve water quality for …
USDA Reopens Signup for Continuous CRP
Another chance to sign up for continuous CRP. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The USDA is again accepting applications for the Continuous Conservation Reserve Program signup. The program from the Farm Service Agency provides ag producers and other landowners with conservation opportunities for their land in exchange for yearly rental payments. It also includes the Conservation Reserve …
Southeast Producers Invited to Apply for USDA Conservation Programs
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) invites agricultural producers and forest landowners across the Southeast to participate in voluntary conservation programs and adopt climate-smart practices. In fiscal year 2024, NRCS will continue to accept applications for programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). These programs help a wide variety of producers, including urban and organic producers. …
Georgia NRCS Ranking Date for RCPP is December 2
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Georgia (NRCS-GA) wants to remind agricultural producers in the state the ranking date for the conservation easement portions of the Regional Conservation Partnership Program is December 2, 2023. Interested producers must apply by December 2, 2023, for their application to be included in this batch of program funding. NRCS and partner groups note this sign-up is …
Act Now Streamlines Review of Producer Applications in Alabama
The state office of the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Alabama (NRCS-AL) has announced they will use the new “Act Now” policy to deliver conservation practices faster. This program allows NRCS to quickly approve and obligate a ranked application in a designated ranking pool when an eligible application meets or exceeds a State-determined minimum threshold, ranking score. This means under the Act …
Florida Agricultural Landowners Urged to Consider a Conservation Easement
If you are an agricultural landowner interested in protecting the integrity of your property, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Florida (NRCS-FL) encourages you to consider safeguarding your land with a conservation easement. While applications are accepted year-round, you can apply for Fiscal Year 2024 funding until December 31, 2023. The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) protects the agricultural viability and related conservation values …