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$200 MILLION FOR AG/ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM
More info on this program, the money available, and procedures for
participation.
Patricia Dines
--- FORWARD ---
From: Joseph Makuch, INTERNET:jmakuch@nal.usda.gov
To: Patricia Dines, 73652,1202
To: enviro-news@nal.usda.gov
Date: Tue, Mar 11, 1997, 11:47 AM
Subject: $200 MILLION FOR NEW ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 10:37:21 -0800
> Release No. 0079.97
>
> Jim Petterson (202) 720-4623
> Diana Morse (202) 720-4772
>
> GLICKMAN ANNOUNCES $200 MILLION FOR NEW ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM FOR
> AGRICULTURE
>
> RALEIGH, N.C., March 10, 1997--Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman
> today announced preliminary state funding allocations for USDA's new
> $200 million Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) that will
> help farmers and ranchers address agriculture's priority natural
> resource and environmental problems.
>
> "The new EQIP program is part of the Clinton Administration's
> commitment to providing farmers and ranchers with flexible, effective
> and voluntary conservation programs," Glickman said. "The EQIP will be
> one of our key tools to help producers protect natural resources and
> ensure the sustainability of our food supply."
>
> Producers will be able to sign EQIP contracts when the final rules
> and regulations for the program are published in the Federal Register,
> expected in April. In the meantime, producers may contact local USDA
> Service Centers and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
> for information on possible eligibility for EQIP. Producers also can
> work with NRCS to develop their own conservation plans which are
> required for any EQIP contract.
>
> EQIP will be delivered primarily to state priority areas. Under
> EQIP, state priority areas are watersheds, or geographic regions with
> special environmental sensitivity or significant soil, water, or
> related natural resource concerns. Each state's priority areas were
> locally-determined by the NRCS state conservationist, in conjunction
> with state technical committees and USDA Farm Service Agency personnel.
>
> To determine state funding allocations, another USDA team
> developed an objective rating system based on 26 national environmental
> factors. These factors addressed a wide range of natural resource
> conditions, such as soil erosion and deposition, water quality and
> quantity, wildlife habitat, wetlands, grazing lands, and other
concerns.
>
> Under EQIP, USDA can provide cost-share assistance to family-sized
> farms and ranches for up to 75 percent of the costs of certain
> environmental protection practices, such as grassed waterways, filter
> strips, manure management facilities, capping abandoned wells, and
> wildlife habitat enhancement. USDA also may provide incentive payments
> to encourage producers to apply such land management practices as
> nutrient, manure, irrigation water, wildlife, and integrated pest
> management.
>
> Approximately $170 million is involved in today's announcement.
> The remaining $30 million will be allocated to the states when their
> final needs for technical, financial, and educational assistance are
> determined. In some cases, only technical assistance may be needed
> because financial assistance is already available through state
> programs.
>
> EQIP is a new USDA program under the 1996 Farm Bill. It provides
> technical, financial, and educational assistance to farmers and
ranchers
> to address significant natural resource concerns and objectives. EQIP
> replaces four previous programs: the Agricultural Conservation
Program,
> Water Quality Incentives Program, Great Plains Conservation Program,
and
> the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program.
>
> EQIP will be unveiled in conjunction with the Department's other
> conservation programs like the Conservation Reserve Program, the
> Wetlands Reserve Program, and the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program,
> to provide complete solutions to agriculture's environmental
challenges.
>
> Initial state funding levels for EQIP program assistance announced
> by the Secretary are as follows:
>
> Environmental Quality Incentives Program
> Initial Fiscal Year 1997 Funds Distribution
>
> State Initial Amount
>
> Alabama $3,700,000
> Alaska 150,000
> Arizona 2,000,000
> Arkansas 5,200,000
> California 4,950,000
> Colorado 5,650,000
> Connecticut 500,000
> Delaware 650,000
> Florida 3,250,000
> Georgia 4,050,000
> Hawaii 500,000
> Idaho 2,900,000
> Illinois 4,850,000
> Indiana 2,550,000
> Iowa 4,850,000
> Kansas 6,650,000
> Kentucky 3,100,000
> Louisiana 4,850,000
> Maine 2,400,000
> Maryland 1,350,000
> Massachusetts 450,000
> Michigan 4,200,000
> Minnesota 5,850,000
> Mississippi 4,300,000
> Missouri 5,100,000
> Montana 6,350,000
> Nebraska 5,250,000
> Nevada 900,000
> New Hampshire 500,000
> New Jersey 600,000
> New Mexico 2,650,000
> New York 3,450,000
> North Carolina 3,900,000
> North Dakota 4,200,000
> Ohio 3,050,000
> Oklahoma 4,300,000
> Oregon 3,550,000
> Pennsylvania 3,400,000
> Puerto Rico & Virgin Islands 350,000
> Rhode Island 250,000
> South Carolina 2,550,000
> South Dakota 4,100,000
> Tennessee 2,750,000
> Texas 13,700,000
> Utah 3,150,000
> Vermont 1,100,000
> Virginia 3,000,000
> Washington 3,550,000
> West Virginia 1,700,000
> Wisconsin 4,200,000
> Wyoming 2,750,000
> Pacific Basin 200,000
>
> US Total Distributed $169,450,000
>
> Not Yet Distributed 1/ 30,550,000
>
> EQIP US Total $200,000,000
>
>
1/ Note: The funds will be allocated to the states when their final
> needs for technical, financial, and educational assistance are
> determined.
>
> #
>
> NOTE: USDA news releases and media advisories are available on the
> Internet. Access the USDA Home Page on the World Wide Web at
> http://www.usda.gov
>
>
http://www.usda.gov/news/releases/1997/03/0079