Deadlines coming for wildfire conservation assistance and nursery crop insurance

Washington Ag Today April 20, 2009 Washington agricultural producers whose grazing lands were affected by wildfires in 2008 will have until May 15, 2009 to sign up for fire recovery assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, or EQIP. Natural Resources Conservation Service Assistant State Conservationist Dave Brown says participants get a $4 an acre, per year incentive payment that is intended to help offset a rancher's cost of finding alternative pasture, but they must defer grazing on the burned acres to give the rangeland a chance to go to seed and regenerate naturally. Brown: "They can take our payment for just this grazing season or they can sign up for a two-year deferment, this year and next year." Brown encourages landowners interested in the voluntary program to contact their local USDA Service Center. That deadline again is May 15th. The USDA's Risk Management Agency reminds Pacific Northwest nursery growers that May 1st is the final date to renew current policies on 2010 Nursery Multi-Peril Crop Insurance. May 1st is also the final date for carryover policy holders to obtain the Pilot Nursery Grower's Price Endorsement in Washington and Oregon. Nursery growers in the region desiring a new nursery policy and options may apply at anytime during the year, subject to a 30-day waiting period for insurance to begin. Nursery insurance numbers continue to grow in the Pacific Northwest with over 403 million dollars in coverage protection for crop year 2009. I'm Bob Hoff and that's Washington Ag Today on the Northwest Ag Information Network.