Conservation priorities subject of meeting

By Mike Ralph

                For High Plains News

The Upper Republican Natural Resources District’s Local Working Group met March 8 in Imperial to prioritize U.S. Department of Agriculture conservation programs.

The USDA tailors its natural resource programs to meet the needs identified locally.

Andrew Keep, District Conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service, whose agency guides the LWG, led the power point presentation at the NRD office.

Of the many ag-related subjects discussed were subtopics from the NRCS Conservation Programs funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law last August by President Biden.

The IRA provides the USDA’s conservation services with $19.5 billion in additional funds over five years for its existing programs, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Conservation Stewardship Program and the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, Keep said.

The IRA directs the NRCS to use these additional funds specifically for climate change mitigation, activities that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve carbon storage from activities concerning Cover Crops, Reduced Till and No-Till, Nutrient Management, Prescribed Grazing, Tree/Shrub Establishment and Wetland Restoration.  

Through this funding, the NRCS is seeking to both benefit the climate and the producer.

The NRCS accepts producer applications for its conservation programs year-round.  

For EQIP or CSP, applicants need to apply by the state’s ranking dates to be considered for funding in the current cycle. Funding is provided through a competitive process: 

The Agriculture Land Easements and Wetland Reserve Easements applications for the current IRA funding cycle must be submitted by March 17 for the first funding round. 

Membership in the LWG includes federal, state, county and local government representatives.