Conservation Grant Program Sign Up Underway

Natural Resources Conservation Chief Colton Buckley says that sign-up is currently underway for the Conservation Innovation Grant Program.

“At the core of what NRCS does is our conservation practice standards, and these are tools that producers enter our offices across the country to engage with to support their operations with conservation sustainability. The precursor to the implementation of how those work are conservation innovation grants, or CIG.”

There are two different categories.

“CIG Classic supports third-party entities to develop innovative solutions to on-the-ground conservation problems, and CIG on Farm Trials. The second program encourages the adoption of innovative conservation practices by working directly with producers on on-farm trials.”

He notes some of the priorities that they are looking to fund.

“Big on-farm trial priorities: we've got irrigation water management technologies, nutrient management, grazing lands, and soil health demonstration trials, and then for SIG classic priorities, we've got farmer-focused conservation outcomes to include water management, water quality, as well as water quantity, soil health, habitat improvement, and conserving ecosystems by managing pest pressure. The major focus across everything we're doing at NRCS, particularly in SIG, is to support keeping working lands in working hands.”

The CIG signup deadline is July 27th.