The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service-PA Friday encouraged producers in Clinton, Centre and Lycoming Counties to apply for funding to install innovative conservation practices that will help improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay.

Applications are due August 4, although applications will be accepted until funds are depleted.

Under a special initiative through USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnerships Program, NRCS is partnering with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA to assist farmers with establishing practices to improve soil health, reduce erosion and nutrient loss, and control stormwater runoff to local streams draining into the Chesapeake Bay.

Examples of management practices include continuous no-till planting, diverse crop rotations, integrating grazing with crops, planting multi species cover crops, and Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

These will help to promote soil organisms and biodiversity. Many of these practices improve plant productivity by improving access to soil nutrients, reducing demands for supplemental fertilizer, increasing soil water holding capacity, and protecting from drought and high-volume rain events.

This initiative will focus on 4,000 acres enrolled in the Conservation Stewardship Program . Additional resource concerns on these farms will be addressed through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

Click Here to apply for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program.

Click Here to apply for Conservation Stewardship Program.

Producers interested in applying should contact their local USDA NRCS Service Center listed below-- 

-- Centre and Clinton Counties: Mill Hall NRCS Field Office, 216 Spring Run Road, Room 102, Mill Hall, PA 17751-9587, 570-726-3196, ext. 3                                                      

-- Lycoming County: Montoursville NRCS Field Office, 542 County Farm Road, Suite 204, Montoursville, PA 17754-9209, 570-433-3902, ext. 3

For more information on the financial, technical and other assistance available to install farm conservation practices anywhere in Pennsylvania, visit the Natural Resources Conservation Service-PA webpage.

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[Posted: June 30, 2017]

7/3/2017