NEWS RELEASE 

United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Box 33124
100 East B Street
Casper, Wyoming  82601

For Immediate Release

Contact:           Cheryl Grapes
                        307-233-6762

NRCS  ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR TWO VOLUNTARY CONSERVATION PROGRAMS

“An additional $3.3 million in Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funding has been made available to farmers and ranchers in Wyoming,” said Xavier Montoya, State Conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).   “Additional funding in the amount of $400,000 was also received for Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA).”

 “These additional dollars came to Wyoming NRCS through the 2008 Farm Bill,” said Montoya. “This is our share of $202.5 million released for the two voluntary conservation programs nationwide.  United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Ed Schafer recently made this announcement.”

NRCS conservation programs are available through a continuous sign-up and offer financial and technical assistance for a variety of conservation practices to private land managers on a voluntary basis.  A June 30, 2008, cutoff was announced earlier this summer.  EQIP and AMA applications submitted to NRCS offices across the state before July1 will be considered for the additional funds.    Applications received after July 1, or not selected for contracts, will be deferred and held for consideration at a future date as funding becomes available.

The EQIP promotes agricultural production and environmental quality as compatible national goals.  The program provides financial incentives to install or implement structural and management conservation practices on eligible agricultural land.  Examples of how EQIP may be used to improve the health of the land include installing water quality improvements, such as livestock waste management systems; enhancing grazing lands management through fencing and water developments; and increasing water conservation by improving the efficiency of irrigation systems.   

Wyoming is one of sixteen states to offer AMA financial assistance and incentive payments to agricultural producers to address risk management concerns to their agricultural operation.  AMA is offered within the state on a watershed basis and, in Wyoming, is targeted to invasive species this year.   

“Voluntary incentive-based programs like EQIP and AMA are key to helping producers meet their conservation goals,” Montoya said.  “At the same time the public benefits through cleaner water, healthy soils, and abundant wildlife.”

 Limited resource producers and beginning farmers and ranchers may be eligible for higher rates in EQIP—up to 90 percent in cost-share assistance—to address their natural resource issues. USDA can provide incentive payments to encourage producers to adopt conservation practices that would result in extra environmental benefits.

With this extra funding, Wyoming NRCS has provided approximately  $14 million to producers in fiscal year 2008 for EQIP.  To date, 408 EQIP contracts have been signed.

Currently, producers in the state have signed 35 AMA contracts valued at $600,000.

For additional information about Wyoming NRCS conservation programs, please visit http://www.wy.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/index.html.

-End-

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