Farm Bill
2014 Farm Bill Expires: what does it mean and what’s next?
After more than a year of work by those most interested in passing an on-time Farm Bill – farmers, ranchers and advocacy groups interested in sustainable agriculture, conservation and forestry – the 2014 Farm Bill expired at midnight on September 30, 2018. The expiration marks the second time in a row that the Farm Bill…
Read MoreFarm Bill programs cultivate healthy forests in Colorado
Check out the new ColoradoBiz op-ed Farm Bill programs cultivate healthy forests in Colorado by WLA’s ED Lesli Allison on the importance of supporting investment in stewardship of healthy forests and watersheds in Colorado and throughout the West.
Read MoreUSDA Partners with Farmers and Ranchers to Protect More Than 500,000 Acres of Working Grasslands
Nov. 30, 2016 – Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Deputy Under Secretary Alexis Taylor today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will accept more than 504,000 acres that were offered by producers during the recent ranking period for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Grasslands enrollment. Through the voluntary CRP Grasslands program, grasslands threatened…
Read MoreUSDA Expands Working-Lands Conservation Opportunities through CRP
Nov. 4, 2016 – Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Deputy Under Secretary Alexis Taylor today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will offer a new Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Grasslands practice specifically tailored for small-scale livestock grazing operations. Small livestock operations with 100 or fewer head of grazing dairy cows (or the equivalent)…
Read MoreUSDA to Invest $150 Million through Conservation Stewardship Program to Help Improve Working Lands
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4, 2016 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that $150 million in funding is available for agricultural producers through the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), USDA’s largest conservation program, by acres impacted, that helps producers voluntarily improve the health and productivity of private and Tribal working lands. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)…
Read MoreUSDA Announces Conservation Incentives for Working Grass, Range and Pasture Lands
WASHINGTON, July 15, 2015 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that beginning Sept. 1, farmers and ranchers can apply for financial assistance to help conserve working grasslands, rangeland and pastureland while maintaining the areas as livestock grazing lands. The initiative is part of the voluntary Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), a federally funded program that…
Read MoreWebinar to Assist Potential Applicants for Conservation Funding
Regional Conservation Partnership Program to make $235 Million Available to Partners WASHINGTON, June 2, 2015 – An upcoming webinar on the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) will help potential applicants as they seek available funding. During the current round, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will invest up to $235 million to improve the…
Read MoreUSDA to Expand Investment in Water Conservation, Resilience across Drought-Stricken States
Targeted drought funding builds on substantial drought relief efforts WASHINGTON, May 18, 2015 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will invest approximately $21 million in additional Farm Bill dollars to help farmers and ranchers apply science-based solutions to mitigate the short and long term effects of drought.…
Read MoreUSDA Announces $235 Million Available for Innovative New Conservation Partnerships
Local Coalitions Can Now Apply for Funding to Improve Soil Health, Preserve Clean Water, Combat Drought, Protect Wildlife Habitat DENVER, Colo., May 4, 2015 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today an investment of up to $235 million to improve the nation’s water quality, combat drought, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat and protect agricultural…
Read MoreUSDA Invests $18 Million to Train Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
New Orleans, LA – Feb. 2, 2015 – Today, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden (USDA) announced more than $18 million in grants to educate, mentor, and enhance the sustainability of the next generation of farmers. The grants are available through the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) administered by the National…
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