Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced today that USDA will provide nearly $16 million in financial and technical assistance to eligible crop and livestock producers affected by the 2012 drought. Jane Hardisty, State Conservationist for Indiana’s Natural Resource Conservation Service says, “Because Indiana is one of the states with exceptional drought – NRCS has received $3.5 million to help Hoosier farmers.”
Hardisty says the funds will be made available through the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program to producers and landowners who are interested in applying conservation practices that will improve soil health and productivity and benefit Indiana’s wildlife.
USDA has also announced the following measures to assist with drought impacts:
- Allowing producers to modify current EQIP contracts to allow for grazing, livestock watering, and other conservation activities to address drought conditions.
- Authorizing haying and grazing of Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) and Floodplain Easement areas in drought-affected areas where haying and grazing is consistent with conservation of wildlife habitat and wetlands.
- Allowing producers with existing Farm Bill contracts to request funds to re-apply failed practices, and allowing contract modifications to reschedule practices that cannot be installed as planned due to drought conditions.
The deadline for application is August 20, 2012. Click HERE for more information.
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