The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has unveiled additional funding avenues for producers and landowners in Kansas via the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). This measure involves the provision of both financial and technical aid through the NRCS, to be contracted for the ongoing fiscal year via the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).
The extra IRA resources are allocated for practices linked to soil health through EQIP’s Conservation Incentives Contracts (CIC). These contracts cover a span of five years and could include support for transitioning to No-Till farming, implementing cover crops, and ensuring effective nutrient management and diverse crop rotation.
The deadline for EQIP-IRA-CIC applications is slated for June 9, 2023.
Further, IRA funding is earmarked for the EQIP – Advanced Soil Health Livestock Integration Initiative (ASHLI), aimed at empowering soil health pioneers to incorporate livestock into their systems, a practice often referred to as the "fifth principle of soil health". ASHLI can assist financially in establishing watering systems to aid this innovative soil health approach.
The application cutoff for EQIP-IRA-ACT NOW-ASHLI is July 14, 2023.
The USDA, under the Biden-Harris Administration, is committed to transforming America’s food system, focusing on resilience, fairness, access, sustainability, infrastructure, clean energy, and equity. More information about EQIP-IRA-CIC and EQIP-IRA-ASHLI will be accessible on the Kansas NRCS webpage http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/kansas.
To apply for NRCS programs visit: http://www.farmers.gov/.
Photo Credit: GettyImages-Sasiistock
Categories: Kansas, Crops, Sustainable Agriculture