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USDA-NRCS IN LOUISIANA ANNOUNCES SIGN-UP PERIOD FOR CONSERVATION FINANCIAL ASSIS

USDA-NRCS IN LOUISIANA ANNOUNCES SIGN-UP PERIOD FOR CONSERVATION FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ALEXANDRIA, Louisiana, February 3, 2020 –The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Louisiana announced the 1st signup period for applications for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP-EQIP) in fiscal year (FY) 2020 ends on March 6, 2020. Financial assistance through these programs is available to help farmers and landowners plan and implement conservation practices to improve water quality, build healthier soil, improve grazing and forestlands, conserve energy, enhance organic operations, establish or improve wildlife habitat and achieve other environmental benefits on cropland and pasture, forestland, and associated agricultural land including farmsteads. NRCS offers special initiatives through EQIP that allows targeted funding for high priority practices, impaired watersheds and targeted plant and wildlife species. Some of these targeted funding opportunities include: National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI) and Mississippi River Basin Initiative (MRBI), Longleaf Pine Initiative (LLPI), On-Farm Energy Initiative, Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative, Organic Initiative, Working Lands for Wildlife- Gopher Tortoise, and Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative (MBHI). NRCS is also accepting applications for the Gulf Coast Water and Wildlife RCPP-EQIP project. This project targets water quality and improving surface water irrigation on rice operations in Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Evangeline, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin and Vermilion parishes.
“I encourage producers who are looking for ways to improve the natural resources of their farm and boost production to contact their local field office and submit an application,” said Chad Kacir, state conservationist for NRCS in Louisiana. “NRCS provides producers with financial resources and one-on-one help to plan and implement conservation practices through these programs.” NRCS accepts applications on a continuous basis but due to limited funding, producers with applications submitted by March 6, 2020, will have a higher chance of application approval in 2020. Applications received after that date will be accepted and may be considered for funding in a second ranking review cycle. For more information on NRCS Farm Bill programs, visit nrcs.usda.gov/farmbill or contact your local NRCS field office.