EQIP deadline; don't forget CRP sign up
Washington Ag Today August 4, 2010 Agricultural producers have until August 13th to apply for financial and technical assistance through Washington’s most popular conservation program, and that’s USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program, or EQIP. Assistant State Conservationist Dave Brown says EQIP has become NRCS’ primary conduit in providing conservation assistance to producers on Washington’s working lands. Brown says producers can file for EQIP at any time but periodic ranking deadlines are established so applications on file at that time can be evaluated for the next funding allocation. The August 13th deadline is for Washington’s general EQIP funding. NRCS says there will be additional ranking deadlines later in the year for some of the special initiatives such as funding specifically for organic producers. Meanwhile the USDA’s Farm Service Agency began a general sign up for the Conservation Reserve Program this week. That runs to August 27th for what FSA administrator Jonathan Coppess says has been one of the country’s most successful conservation programs on private land. Coppess: “It has been in place for 25 years. There have been incredible reductions in erosion, both water and wind erosion. And you know we have seen all across the country areas where whether its pheasants or sage grouse or other wildlife we have seen a resurgence in populations.” Coppess says CRP’s success over that time is why there have not been many changes to the program. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on Northwest Aginfo Net.
