Deadline Is Friday For FY2016 USDA NRCS Conservation Assistance Programs

December 17, 2015

Friday is the deadline to signup for fiscal year 2016 USDA NRCS conservation assistance programs.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offers free help to Florida agricultural producers to prevent soil erosion, improve water quality, restore wetlands and provide habitat for wildlife. Working with our staff, you can develop a conservation plan, receive technical assistance and explore what conservation practices may be eligible for cost share funding. All NRCS programs are strictly voluntary.

The following programs are available:

Conservation Technical Assistance Program (CTA) is available to any group or individual interested in conserving their natural resources and sustaining agricultural production. Included in this program is a mutually agreed to conservation plan for your land.

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides financial and technical assistance to help plan and implement conservation practices to improve soil, water, plant, animal, air and related resources on agricultural land and non-industrial private forestland.

Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) provides financial and technical assistance to help conserve agricultural lands and wetlands. This includes two components:

*  Agricultural Land Easements help farmers and ranchers keep their land in agriculture. Eligible partners are Indian tribes, state and local governments and non-governmental organizations that have farmland or grassland protection programs.

*  Wetland Reserve Easements offer technical and financial assistance directly to private landowners and Indian tribes to restore, protect and enhance wetlands through the purchase of a wetland easement.

Although applications are accepted on a continuous basis for all programs,  Florida NRCS has established an application cut-off date of December 18, 2015, for the 2016 program year. Other programs may have different cut-off dates.

For more information, call (850) 587-5404 or stop by the USDA/NRCS office in Molino at 151 Highway 197.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News