Federal Funds Available for Environmental Quality Incentives Program

Honolulu, February 13, 2008-- Applications are being accepted from farmers and ranchers for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Interested farmers and ranchers have until February 22, 2008 to submit their applications to be considered for this ranking period.

“We’re focusing our conservation efforts on treating identified priority natural resource concerns on lands being used to produce agricultural products,” says Lawrence Yamamoto, Director of the Pacific Islands Area for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

“For EQIP, financial cost-share assistance funds are available to agricultural producers who are willing to implement conservation measures which treat the targeted natural resource concerns on their land,” said Yamamoto.

Projects that install conservation measures on agricultural lands to address the following proposed identified priority natural resource concerns are being considered: animal waste, sedimentation, noxious weeds, insufficient water supply for livestock or irrigation, pesticide or nutrient contamination of ground or surface waters, at-risk species habitat, and invasive species.

NRCS will provide technical assistance to help agricultural producers design, plan, and implement their conservation measures. Interested farmers and ranchers are encouraged to visit www.pia.nrcs.usda.gov to find the nearest office. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

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