07/06/07 Conservation Innovation Grants for Washington

Washington Ag July 4, 2007 The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced the award of nearly 20-million dollars in Conservation Innovation Grants, or CIGs, to 36 states, including Washington. The CIGs fund projects designed to develop and refine cutting-edge technologies and approaches that can help producers maintain viable agricultural operations. USDA's Doug McKalip with the Natural Resources and Conservation Service says that 20-million dollars in federal money goes a long way. McKalip: "Our funding will get matched with local sponsors. So really the 20-million invested by USDA looks like 50-million out on the landscape in terms of actual projects happening and things we will learn from." In Washington the Northwest Natural Resource Group is receiving 200-thousand dollars for a project to enable small forest landowners in Western Washington to access the emerging markets for carbon sequestration. Washington State University is receiving nearly 400-thousand dollars to work on phosphorous and solids removal from anaerobic digested effluent through electrochemical technology. There are also several multi-state awards in which Washington is participating in addressing such issues as biofuels to a web based irrigation advisory service. I'm Bob Hoff.