DAVIS, Calif. - Information on the new Farm Bill conservation opportunities is now available in Spanish, in time to help farmers plan for the 2015 planting season. With the new federal fiscal year that began Oct. 1, a new round of funding opportunities will open to all interested farmers and ranchers.
Under the new Farm Bill, signed into law on Feb. 7, conservation programs were modified slightly, streamlined, and extended to continue helping landowners and managers keep their farms and ranches - as well as the natural resources - sustainable.
"We welcome Latino and Latina farmers and ranchers to come discover the services and programs we offer," says Carlos Suarez, state conservationist for the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service in California. "For over 75 years we have helped farmers keep their soil healthy and fertile, conserve and protect water on their land, protect the quality of wildlife habitat and the air we breathe, keep rangelands healthy, and more."
The need to comply with many state, local and federal environmental laws is an additional burden that farmers face, and with which, NRCS can often assist. Services through NRCS are voluntary, free and are not associated with regulatory agencies or sanctions.
In general the funding helps pay for about half of the cost of a project. However, some farmers will qualify for higher rates of funding. Those who have farmed less than ten years (called beginning farmers/ranchers) and those with limited financial resources (defined on a county-by-county basis) may receive higher rates.
NRCS employees will help interested farmers obtain the correct forms to get started.
Farmers are invited to visit NRCS soon to take advantage of conservation planning assistance and of the new round of funding opportunities that began Oct. 1 with the new fiscal year.[[In-content Ad]]
