Organic Conservation Assistance

Organic Conservation Assistance. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

Organic ag producers in the state that are wanting to implement resource conservation practices on their agricultural operations have a limited time to apply for assistance according to Sherre Copeland from the Natural Resources Conservation District.

 COPELAND: We have a program under our environmental quality incentives program that allows organic producers or people who are trying to transition over to organic to get money from the federal government to implement conservation practices on their organic operations.

 Applications are accepted on a continuous basis but the cutoff date for this application period is May 20. 

 COPELAND: Things like nutrient management, pest management, irrigation efficiencies, things like that we can provide technical assistance number one to the to help them understand conservation practices that would help their operation and and protect the natural resources and then also cost share on helping them to actually install or implement those practices.

 Eligible producers include those certified through USDA’s National Organic Program, those transitioning to certified organic production, and those who meet organic standards but are exempt from certification because their gross annual organic sales are less than $5,000. That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.