Acting State Conservationist Greg Kist, for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Georgia announced Tuesday a sign-up for specific initiatives under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) – applications are due by May 16.
EQIP is a voluntary program that funds conservation practices based on state identified natural resource concerns. The specific initiatives being funded under this sign-up are; on-farm energy, seasonal high tunnels, organic operations, working lands for wildlife (WLFW) and longleaf pine.
Some of the benefits of these special initiatives through EQIP offered by the NRCS, include:
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On-Farm Energy Initiative: helps producers conserve energy on their operations.
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Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative: helps producers install high tunnels designed to conserve energy on their operations, keep plants at a steady temperature, improve plant health and conserve water.
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Organic Initiative: helps producers to install conservation practices on certified organic operations or those working toward organic certification.
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WLFW: is a partnership with farmers, ranchers and forest landowners to use innovative approaches to restore and protect the habitats for an at-risk species – the gopher tortoise, and other vulnerable game species.
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Longleaf Pine Initiative: helps producers in the implementation of conservation practices including planting longleaf pine, installing firebreaks, conducting prescribed burning and controlling invasive plants.
Interested producers should visit their local NRCS office for information on this sign-up period. Applications are taken on a continuous basis but only those applications received by the cutoff will be considered for this sign-up. To participate in EQIP, an applicant must be an individual, entity or joint operation that meets EQIP eligibility criteria.
For more information about EQIP or other technical or financial assistance programs offered by NRCS, please contact your local service center: https://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app?agency=nrcs.