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Deadline set to apply for federal soil, water, and wildlife conservation fundsNebraska The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service has set Oct. 1 as the cutoff for applications for farmers and ranchers wishing to receive cost-share funds for the installation of soil, water or wildlife practices according to an NRCS official. Steve Chick, NRCS State Conservationist, said last year more than $25 million were committed in over 1,200 contracts for natural resource improvements in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. "Even though the newest farm bill passed in June, and program rules are still being written, we are expecting similar funding in fiscal year 2009 which starts Oct. 1." Other programs with the Oct. 1 cutoff include the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program and the Wetlands Reserve Program. Last year, over $1.2 million dollars were committed in 75 contracts for wildlife habitat improvements. In the WRP last year, 40 offers were extended to landowners to restore 5,000 acres of wetlands with $4.5 million dollars. "These are the federal dollars for natural resources improvement and do not include the dollar investment by the landowner," said Chick. "NRCS will continue taking applications after Oct. 1 in all these programs and will commit funds as long as they are available. In the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, some of the proposed changes may allow cost-share funds for organic farming practices, forest management and fuels management. The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program has been extended for use on non-agricultural land, state, county or local government owned land that previously was not eligible. The Wetlands Reserve Program changes that went into effect last June include prohibiting the enrollment of land where ownership has changed in the last 7 years for the purposes of enrolling in the program. Other changes include the process on the determination of easement payments for land being enrolled in WRP. "This change should benefit landowners and reduce about 2 to 3 months from the enrollment process," said Chick. The important action for farmers and ranchers to remember is Oct. 1 is the cutoff for NRCS to rank applications on hand. Landowners can get help at any NRCS office in their USDA Service Center. 9/15/08 Date: 9/9/08
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