Washington sharing in USDA grants for greenhouse gas mitigation
Washington Ag Today June 13, 2011 The USDA has approved about 7.4 million dollars to fund nine-large scale greenhouse gas mitigation projects in 24 states including Washington. The funding is through USDA’s Conservation Innovation or CIG, grants. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says the projects are about creating new environmental market opportunities for farmers, ranchers and foresters. Vilsack: “All of this is designed to give us a better sense of what works and how we can development these environmental markets over time. It creates better environmental benefits and it also helps to stimulate better bottom lines for those producers and forested landowners.” Among the projects Washington is participating in are Developing a Large-Scale Agricultural Soil Carbon Transaction in the Palouse Region, Dairy Farm Stewardship Tool Kit and Adaptation of a Forest Carbon Protocol to Include Tribal Lands in which the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Indian Reservation are involved. Participants must provide matching funds for the federal grants in cash or in-kind services. In addition to the 7.4 million in CIG grants, the Natural Resources Conservation Service is providing ten million dollars through its Environmental Quality Incentives Program to eligible producers to implement conservation practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on Northwest Aginfo Net. ? ?
