MONROE - Farmers interested in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program have until Friday, Dec. 20 to apply for 2014 funding.
EQIP is the primary program available to farmers for farmland conservation work, offering payments for more than 90 basic conservation practices. Applications are being taken at all USDA Service Centers in Wisconsin.
All eligible applications received by Friday, Dec. 20 will be evaluated and ranked for funding in 2014.
Jason Thomas, district conservationist for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Monroe, reminds farmers who are interested in signing up for practices that may require state or local permits should begin planning and seeking permits as soon as possible.
Applicants with permits already in hand are ranked high priority for funding; those with permits in process are medium priority and those without permits begun receive low priority for funding.
Special sign-up opportunities are also now open for On-Farm Energy, Organic, and Seasonal High Tunnel conservation practices. All three initiatives offer technical and financial assistance through the NRCS's Environmental Quality Incentives Program.
Wisconsin will receive additional funds this year to address conservation needs in the Driftless Area. The Driftless Area includes southwest Wisconsin as well as the adjacent portions of Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois. The focus will be to reduce soil erosion and improve fish and wildlife habitat on the working lands, woodlands, prairies, and cold water streams in the Driftless Area.
Farm and woodland owners in the Driftless Area may apply by Friday, Dec. 20 for financial assistance for conservation practices in 2014. Many practices are available depending on the land use and conservation need.
To apply, contact the NRCS office at the USDA Service Center, 1627 4th Ave. West, at 608-325-4195 ext 101. For more information, visit www.wi.nrcs.usda.gov.
EQIP is the primary program available to farmers for farmland conservation work, offering payments for more than 90 basic conservation practices. Applications are being taken at all USDA Service Centers in Wisconsin.
All eligible applications received by Friday, Dec. 20 will be evaluated and ranked for funding in 2014.
Jason Thomas, district conservationist for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Monroe, reminds farmers who are interested in signing up for practices that may require state or local permits should begin planning and seeking permits as soon as possible.
Applicants with permits already in hand are ranked high priority for funding; those with permits in process are medium priority and those without permits begun receive low priority for funding.
Special sign-up opportunities are also now open for On-Farm Energy, Organic, and Seasonal High Tunnel conservation practices. All three initiatives offer technical and financial assistance through the NRCS's Environmental Quality Incentives Program.
Wisconsin will receive additional funds this year to address conservation needs in the Driftless Area. The Driftless Area includes southwest Wisconsin as well as the adjacent portions of Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois. The focus will be to reduce soil erosion and improve fish and wildlife habitat on the working lands, woodlands, prairies, and cold water streams in the Driftless Area.
Farm and woodland owners in the Driftless Area may apply by Friday, Dec. 20 for financial assistance for conservation practices in 2014. Many practices are available depending on the land use and conservation need.
To apply, contact the NRCS office at the USDA Service Center, 1627 4th Ave. West, at 608-325-4195 ext 101. For more information, visit www.wi.nrcs.usda.gov.