The U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA/NRCS) in Florida is accepting applications for disaster assistance from agricultural landowners and producers recovering from damages caused by Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton. The funding will provide technical and financial assistance through the Emergency Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Approximately $26 million will be made available for applicants to address …
Grove Conservation Easement Expands Panther Habitat
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Florida have purchased a conservation easement at G Road Grove, a citrus grove and tree nursery in Florida panther habitat. G Road Grove expands the protected area within the Florida Panther Dispersal Zone, a 30,000-acre corridor in Hendry and Glades counties. The …
Funding Available for Conservation and Climate Projects
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced the availability of $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2024 to invest in conservation and climate solutions through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting project proposals now through July 2. The projects will help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners adopt and expand conservation strategies to enhance …
Using Cover Crops to Improve Soil Health
By Sarah Strauss, Emma Dawson and Elena Karlsen-Ayala The term “soil health” has become increasingly popular in the last several years. While there are many definitions of soil health, one of the more commonly cited ones is from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). It defines soil health as “…the continued capacity of a soil …
Aid Available to Conserve Florida’s Natural Resources
Florida growers and others looking to make farm improvements can apply for aid from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). CIGThe NRCS will invest up to $900,000 for Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for agricultural resource priorities in Florida. Fiscal Year 2022 conservation resource priorities for the NRCS in Florida are: climate resilience, grazing, soil health and urban …
Farm Bill Implementation Listening Session Open to Producers
Register by February 22! The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is hosting a listening session in Washington, D.C., for initial input on the 2018 farm bill. USDA is seeking public input on the changes to existing programs implemented by the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Risk Management Agency. Each agency will take into account stakeholder input when …