Agricultural producers in select watersheds in Florida can apply for financial assistance from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) until May 31 to improve water quality in coastal waters. The lower Suwannee watersheds are Long Pond and Long Pond Slough in Levy County and the North Old Town Hammock watershed in Gilchrist and Dixie counties. If landowners show interest, NRCS proposes funding …
USDA Awards New Partnership Project in Florida
USDA will be investing $330 million in 85 locally driven, public-private partnerships, including the “Surface to Springs” project in Florida. Projects are awarded through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The program’s goal is to address climate change, improve the nation’s water quality, combat drought, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat and protect agricultural viability. The U.S. …
USDA Awards New Partnership Project in Alabama
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded a new partnership project in Alabama designed to help mitigate climate change and protect natural resources while supporting America’s producers. Overall, USDA will be investing $330 million in 85 locally driven, public-private partnerships nationwide. This will include the “Regenerating Alabama’s Cropland” project. All projects are awarded through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Regional Conservation …
NRCS Thanks Earth Team Volunteers on Earth Day
Today is Earth Day. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has been honoring individuals all this week from all walks of life who volunteer for Earth Team. Earth Team volunteers help NRCS and districts carry out their conservation mission. The program allows NRCS to stretch available resources by partnering volunteers with employees to provide a wide range of services …
Earth Team Volunteers Help NRCS Accomplish its Mission
Earth day will be celebrated Thursday, April 22. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is honoring Earth Team volunteers and celebrating their many contributions to natural resource protection during National Volunteer week, which started April 18 and continues through April 24. Earth Team is a program that allows NRCS to stretch available resources by partnering volunteers with employees to …
Estimating the Greenhouse Gas Benefits of NRCS’ Applied Practices
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) works with agricultural producers to deliver voluntary climate solutions through climate-smart production decisions and practice applications. They have established conservation practice standards to guide the design, installation and maintenance of conservation practices. There are approximately 35 NRCS conservation practice standards that deliver quantifiable carbon sequestration and/or greenhouse gas reductions. On Thursday, April 29 at …
Dr. Hugh Hammond Bennett: Sparked the Creation of a Conservation Agency
Today’s farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners are better prepared to maintain healthy and resilient soil due to the tireless efforts of Dr. Hugh Hammond Bennett, the Soil Conservation Service’s (SCS) first Chief and the Father of Soil Conservation, born 140 years ago on April 15, 1881. A maverick and visionary, Bennett knew that productive soils would help farmers, ranchers …
USDA Extends Deadline for Comments on Proposed Revisions
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced it is extending the deadline for public comments on proposed revisions to 23 national conservation practice standards. Comments on the proposed revisions, which were published March 9, are now due April 22. NRCS is encouraging agricultural producers, landowners, organizations, Tribes, and others that use its conservation practices to comment on these revisions. They …
USDA-NRCS Extension for CSP Renewal Applications Closes April 7
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) wants to remind producers they are accepting Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) renewal applications until April 7 for contracts set to end later this year. The original deadline was March 31, but last week they announced it had been extended one more week. So producers with existing CSP contracts that close Dec. 31, 2021, can benefit from recent program changes …
Five Million Acres Enrolled in USDA Conservation Easements
Through partnerships with private landowners, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the protection of more than 5 million acres of wetlands, grasslands, and prime farmland. Since last October, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has enrolled 110,000 acres in new conservation easements, bringing USDA to this conservation milestone. NRCS has offered conservation easements through the Farm Bill for …