Massachusetts organic farmers and those
in transition to organic production may sign-up now for technical and financial
assistance under the federal Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
Organic Initiative administered by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation
Service (NRCS). Farmers are
encouraged to apply byMarch 12th in
order for their applications to be reviewed and ranked for currently available
funds.
The Massachusetts state office of the United
States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is now
accepting applications from state and local units of government, federally
recognized Tribes, and non-governmental organizations for the
Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP).
FRPP provides up to 50 percent matching funding for the purchase of conservation
easements on agricultural lands. Applications for federal funding must be
submitted by 4:30 pm on Friday, March 19, 2010.
Massachusetts landowners who would like technical and financial help
protecting wildlife habitat and valuable ecosystems on their property should
sign-up for the federal Wildlife Habitat
Incentive Program (WHIP) by February 1, 2010.
Outreach is part of NRCS' daily business. We work to ensure that programs
and services are made accessible to all customers, while placing special emphasis on those
who may be underserved. Historically, underserved audiences have included minorities,
tribes, women, the disabled, new farmers, limited resource farmers and
small-scale farmers. Underserved audiences can also include other groups of
customers, such as new immigrant or refugee farmers or organic producers. We'd
like to reach you too.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides leadership
in a partnership effort to help people conserve, maintain, and improve our natural
resources and environment.