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NJDA, USDA ANNOUNCE FUNDING FOR SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION
Application Process Underway
 

For Immediate Release: September 30, 2004

Contact:

Lynne Richmond
(609)292-8896
lynne.richmond@ag.state.nj.us

 

 

 

(TRENTON) – New Jersey Agriculture Secretary Charles M. Kuperus today urged farmers to take advantage of $4.5 million in federal cost-share funding available for installation of soil and water conservation practices.

Applications for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) will be taken by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) through October 29.

The cost-share program, in which the farmer would bear part of the cost, has been expanded in New Jersey to include the new conservation practices of Advanced Nutrient Management, Advanced Pest Management, Grass-Based Livestock Systems, and Agricultural Runoff Management to voluntarily meet NJ stormwater management regulations. In addition, some expanded components for existing irrigated acres will be cost shared.

“This money is available now for agricultural producers who want to take advantage of these or other conservation systems on their operations,” said Secretary Kuperus. “Either a new applicant or a farmer who has existing contracts may be eligible, so we urge them to not hesitate in submitting an application by the October 29 deadline.”

EQIP is a voluntary conservation program administered by USDA-NRCS. Through EQIP, farmers whose applications are approved may receive financial and technical help with structural and management conservation practices on agricultural land. Sign-up for this program is continuous, but funding rounds are set throughout the year to select projects for funding. Additional program information is available at http://www.nj.nrcs.usda.gov, the NJ NRCS website.

To sign up for EQIP, contact any USDA Service Center. USDA Service Centers and office locations are listed in the telephone book under the US Department of Agriculture and can also be found on the NRCS-NJ website.

- Hackettstown - serving Sussex, Morris and Warren: (908) 852-2576 ext. 3
- Frenchtown - serving Hunterdon, Somerset, and Union: (908) 782-4614 ext. 3
- Freehold - serving Mercer, Middlesex and Monmouth: (732) 462-1079 ext. 3
- Hainesport - serving Burlington, Camden, and Ocean: (609) 267-0811 ext. 3
- Woodstown - serving Gloucester and Salem: (856) 769-1126 ext. 3
- Vineland - serving Atlantic, Cape May, and Cumberland: (856) 205-1225 ext. 3