COLUMBUS, OH, Dec. 8, 2020 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is offering Pasture Improvement funding to eligible Ohio farmers in Adams, Athens, Fayette, Gallia, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Pike, Scioto, and Vinton Counties. Ohio NRCS application deadline is January 15, 2021 for fiscal year 2021 funding.
Pastures are a predominant agricultural land use in Ohio’s hilly Appalachian region. Grazing livestock can cause erosion problems in pastures, especially when the ground is wet and when the animals are contained near the farmstead in colder weather. The Pasture Improvement Project will help farmers install conservation practices and manage their pastures in a way that improves the quality of the pasture and the health of grazing livestock, while also protecting natural resources. The conservation practices available through this project include access roads, watering facilities, livestock pipeline, fencing, heavy use area protection, stream crossings, and spring development.
Financial assistance for this project is provided through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). EQIP is a voluntary conservation program that helps agricultural producers protect the environment while promoting agricultural production. With EQIP, NRCS conservation experts provide technical assistance to implement environmentally beneficial conservation practices on working agricultural land.
Individuals interested in applying for the Pasture Improvement special project should contact their local NRCS conservationist as soon as possible. Be sure to check the status of your Service Center when you reach out to us. For offices with restrictions on in-person appointments, we are still available by phone, email, and through other digital tools. Your Service Center’s status is available at https://www.farmers.gov/coronavirus/service-center-status.
Applications signed and submitted to NRCS by the January 15, 2021 deadline will be evaluated for fiscal year 2021 funding. Visit Ohio NRCS website under “EQIP Funding Categories” for more details. To learn more about EQIP or other technical and financial assistance available through NRCS conservation programs, visit Get Started with NRCS or contact your local USDA Service Center.
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