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Farmers' fund boosted by $2.4 million
Richmond – The Natural Resources Conservation Service announced that an additional $2.4 million is available to Virginia farmers through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). This brings the total EQIP funds for Virginia to more than $13.5 million for fiscal year 2008.
“This is the largest funding for EQIP that Virginia has ever had,” says NRCS Assistant State Conservationist Ken Carter. “These new monies will allow us to fund additional applications. Local NRCS staff are contacting landowners now to let them know they have been approved for this year’s program.”
EQIP is a voluntary program to help farmers address serious environmental concerns related to animal waste, grazing and cropland. Conservation practices installed with EQIP financial and technical assistance provide important public benefits such as cleaner water, improved air quality, healthy soils and abundant wildlife.
EQIP offers incentive payments of up to 75 percent to help producers install or implement structural and management practices on private agricultural land. Limited resource producers and beginning farmers may be eligible for up to 90 percent.
With the extra EQIP funding provided by Congress for this fiscal year, USDA has provided a total of $1.2 billion to producers nationwide in 2008. To date, approximately 38,000 farmers have signed contracts covering nearly 14 million acres. For additional information about EQIP, contact your local NRCS office or check the NRCS website at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/eqip.
People interested in applying for EQIP should contact the Natural Resources Conservation Service at 351 Lakeside Drive, or call 540-825-4200 ext. 108.
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