NRCS is urging farmers and ranchers to sign-up for EQIP, WHIP by November 18. Although applications are accepted at any time throughout the year, November 18, 2011 has been set as the next cut-off date for reviewing and ranking Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) applications. 

Landowners and land managers interested in signing up for either of these Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) cost-share programs should contact their local NRCS office right away. Call NRCS for an appointment to apply by  contacting Felicia Hanley 707-794-1242, ext 125.

 These programs assist farmers, ranchers and other land managers with planning for and implementing a variety of vegetative, structural and management practices that help conserve soil and water, improve wildlife habitat, reduce air pollutants, and much more.  Basic cost-share rates are approximately 50% but may be up to 75% for beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and up to 90% for qualified low-income producers.  Program descriptions and ranking and screening criteria will be publicly released on November 1, 2011.  For more information visithttp://www.ca.nrcs.usda.gov/farmers.html

Many of you are already familiar with Farm Bill cost share programs through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). For those of you who aren’t familiar with these programs, here is a brief introduction. Through Farm Bill funding, NRCS provides technical and financial assistance to agricultural landowners who are interested in implementing conservation practices in their operations. NRCS provides support for practices ranging from erosion control to integrated pest management, to irrigation water management, to diesel engine replacement. NRCS has recently expanded their list of approved practices to include frost protection. Since 2010, the local office of NRCS has assisted growers in the Russian River by providing more than $1M in cost share to install wind machines, cold air drains, micropsrinklers, ponds, irrigation flow meters, and weather stations for frost protection.

Applications are being accepted now with a deadline of November 18, 2011 for this year’s funds. Applications are reviewed based on criteria set by a local workgroup that includes staff from NRCS, the Farm Services Agency, Resource Conservation Districts, Land Trusts, the UC Cooperative Extension, and others. In Sonoma County, projects that address the following resource issues are strong contenders to receive funding:

• Water quality (nutrients, pesticides, temperature, sediment)
• Direct improvement of soil quality
• Control and reduction of noxious and invasive plants that are California Listed Category A and B
•  Water conservation (surface, riparian, groundwater)
• Fire and flood hazard reduction on ag land
• Wildlife habitat for threatened and endangered species and species of special concern

Not only are Farm Bill programs a great way for growers to offset the costs of conservation practices, but they are also a valuable way to publicize the fact that the grower community is actively working to conserve natural resources. If you’d like to learn more, please contact Felicia Hanley at the NRCS Petaluma Service Center at 707-794-1242 ext 125.