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News Release - IndianaUnited States Department of Agriculture 6013 Lakeside Boulevard Indiana NRCS Announces Ranking Dates for Three Major Conservation InitiativesIndianapolis, December 5, 2011- Jane Hardisty, State Conservationist with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announces three initiatives being offered in Indiana through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program: On-Farm Energy, Organic, and Seasonal High Tunnels. NRCS can assist farmers with evaluation their needs and planning to install these practices, and with installation costs.
Farmers can apply for assistance at any time, but applications for these three initiatives will be ranked three times during the year. “Giving farmers more time to choose the option that is right for their operations and making it easier to apply for the practices they need to benefit the natural resources on their operations is behind the decision to move to multiple ranking dates for each initiative,” Hardisty explains.
While NRCS accepts applications for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) on a continuous basis throughout the year, the three ranking periods for the Organic, On-Farm Energy and Seasonal High Tunnel initiatives will all end on February 3, March 30 and June 1, 2012. At the end of a ranking period, NRCS ranks all submitted proposals for funding consideration using national, state and local ranking criteria. NRCS then notifies all applicants of the results of the rankings and begins developing contracts with selected applicants.
According to Teresah Caire, Assistant State Conservationist for Farm Bill Programs, over $16 million dollars in EQIP funds was awarded to Indiana Producers in 2011. “We encourage our producers to take advantage of the conservation opportunities being made available to them through these EQIP Initiatives,” Caire said.
Through the three initiatives announced today, those opportunities could include longer growing seasons, assessing on-farm energy savings, becoming organic certified, conserving natural resources while improving operations, and providing a greater supply of locally grown food.
Indiana Initiative Overviews
On-Farm Energy Initiative: NRCS and producers develop Agricultural Energy Management Plans or farm energy audits that assess energy consumption on an operation. NRCS then uses audit data to develop energy conservation recommendations.
Organic Initiative: NRCS helps organic growers and producers working to achieve organic certification install conservation practices.
Seasonal High Tunnel Pilot Initiative: NRCS helps producers plan and implement high tunnels, steel-framed, polyethylene-covered structures that extend growing seasons in an environmentally safe manner. High tunnel benefits include better plant and soil quality, fewer nutrients and pesticides in the environment, and better air quality due to fewer vehicles being needed to transport crops. More than 4,000 high tunnels have been planned and implemented nationwide through this initiative over the past two years. This is Indiana’s first year to offer the practice through EQIP.
Farmers interested in learning more about these initiatives should contact their NRCS district conservationist at a local USDA Service Center. Visit http://www.in.nrcs.usda.gov/contact/directory/field_offices.html to find the nearest USDA Service Center. Additional incentives are available for farmers who are beginning, have limited resources, or who are socially disadvantaged. Visit http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/people/outreach/slbfr to learn more about NRCS’ Historically Underserved program.
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Contacts: Jane Hardisty, State Conservationist, 317-290-3200, x301; jane.hardisty@in.usda.gov Rebecca Fletcher, State Public Affairs Specialist, 317-290-3200 ext 325, rebecca.fletcher@in.usda.gov
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. |
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