SIGN UP OPEN FOR USDA NRCS ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM AND CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM
Apply by November 1, 2024
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida announces Fiscal Year 2025 (October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025) federal assistance opportunities for agricultural producers, including through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). While NRCS accepts applications year-round, Florida producers and landowners should apply no later than November 1, 2024, to be considered for funding in the current FY2025 cycle. Applications received after this signup period will be automatically considered for future funding cycles.
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) can help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners integrate conservation into working lands. It provides financial and technical assistance to address natural resource concerns. Benefits include conserving water; enhancing wildlife habitat; improving air, soil and water quality; mitigating impacts from climate change; and preventing soil erosion.
The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is for is the largest conservation program for working lands in the country. This program helps landowners and producers enhance natural resources and improve their business operation. Landowners can earn CSP payments for conservation performance. You can get paid for conservation practices you may already be doing.
Applications are available at your local USDA Service Center or online on the Get Started with NRCS web page.
Several Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Opportunities Now Available in North Florida – Applications due November 1, 2024
Through RCPP, NRCS co-invests with partners to implement conservation projects for specific goals in specific regions. To apply for RCPP, land must be located within a project area and land management activities must address the resource concerns identified as the goal of the project. NRCS Florida has serval RCPP projects offering land management assistance opportunities for private landowners. For more details on these assistance opportunities and where they are, see this NRCS RCPP news release.
SIGN UP OPEN FOR USDA NRCS AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION EASEMENT PROGRAM (ACEP)
Apply by October 4, 2024 (first batching period) or December 20, 2024 (second batching period)
Florida landowners and eligible entities may apply at any time, but to be considered for the FY 2025 funding opportunities, applications must be received by these dates for both Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE) and Agricultural Land Easements (ALE): Friday, October 4, 2024 – First batching period; or Friday, December 20, 2024 – Second batching period.
ACEP protects the agricultural viability and related conservation values of eligible land by limiting non-agricultural uses which negatively affect agricultural uses and conservation values. ACEP protects grazing uses and related conservation values by restoring or conserving grazing land, as well as protecting, restoring, and enhancing wetlands. See this USDA NRCS ACEP news release for more details about these easement opportunities.
Applications are available at your local USDA Service Center or online on the Get Started with NRCS web page.
USDA ASSISTS FARMERS, RANCHERS, AND FOREST LANDOWNERS AFFECTED BY HURRICANE DEBBY
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will aid recovery efforts for farmers, ranchers, forest landowners, and communities affected by Hurricane Debby, which, as of this update, continues its track north up the East Coast. USDA staff in offices across the country are ready to respond with a variety of program flexibilities and other assistance to producers and communities in the path of the storm. See this August 7, 2024 USDA press release for information and links to available programs.
See the Florida USDA Farm Service Agency website here for more information and contacts. See information below if you have not yet worked with USDA.
GULF COASTAL PLAIN ECOSYSTEM PARTNERSHIP (GCPEP) LONGLEAF PINE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
The GCPEP Longleaf Assistance Program includes incentives for longleaf establishment, stand improvement, and prescribed fire. It is available to landowners within the GCPEP project area. This includes Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, and Holmes Counties west of the Choctawhatchee River in Florida; and Baldwin, Escambia, Covington, Conecuh, Coffee, and Geneva and Dale Counties west of the Choctawhatchee River in Alabama. Habitat improvements must be within existing longleaf stands, mixed stands, or to establish new longleaf forests. Incentives can cover up to $100/ac. for establishment, up to $50/ac. for stand improvement, or $15/ac for prescribed fire, not to exceed 50% of landowner costs. For more information contact the Program Coordinator: Jacob Barrett, jacob@longleafalliance.org, (478) 230-4761.
GET YOUR FARM RECORDS COMPLETED TO BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR USDA HURRICANE RECOVERY ASSISTANCE
Got your USDA farm number? A big part of hurricane preparedness is having farm records completed with the USDA Farm Service Agency. Within weeks of a major storm or other disaster, recovery assistance for agricultural producers and landowners will likely be authorized. The USDA Farm Service Agency administers several disaster recovery programs aimed at providing financial assistance to farmers and landowners in order for them to clean up debris, replant crops and trees, replace damaged equipment and infrastructure, and implement other recovery activities.
This part is really important: If you have not worked with USDA before, you will need to make an appointment with the Farm Service Agency at your local USDA Service Center to complete some forms and ensure your eligibility when assistance programs become available. Get this step done now if you haven’t yet. For more information about getting started with USDA see https://www.farmers.gov/working-with-us.
Find your local USDA Service Center here.
OWN FOREST LAND IN FLORIDA? CHECK OUT THE NEW “MY FLORIDA FOREST LAND” VIDEO SERIES!
A collaboration between the Florida Forest Service, Florida Forestry Association, the University of Florida, and filmmakers from Untamed Science; the goal of this series to help keep Florida’s forests working for you. This series is just starting. These short and informative videos are available now: “Should I Burn My Forest?,” “Taxes,” and “Women’s Forest Stewardship.” Find the introductory video and these features at https://myflforest.land/ and check back later to see what’s new.
ENROLL IN THE ONLINE FOREST LANDOWNER ACADEMY
Need a good self-paced primer on forestry and forest stewardship? Don’t have time to attend workshops and other events? The UF/IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Science’s online Forest Landowner Academy is for you.
The course modules cover a wide range of topics from timber management to wildlife habitat and alternative enterprises. Forest landowners, and others in need of forest management information, are encouraged to enroll in this award-winning, self-paced, online, 7-module course to connect with forest management experts at the University of Florida and receive quality core educational content on forestry and multiple-use stewardship concepts.
Learn more about the Academy, read some feedback about it from current enrollees, and find a discount code in Suzette Cook’s article about the course in the Spring/Summer 2024 issue of Florida Forests magazine.
The direct link to enroll is https://ifas-sfrc-for.catalog.instructure.com/courses/for-fla.
Questions about the course can be directed to Chris Demers, cdemers@ufl.edu, (352) 846-2375; or Michael Andreu, mandreu@ufl.edu.
GET FLORIDA LAND STEWARD EMAIL UPDATES
Don’t miss out on news and events! Sign up for the regular email updates! Send an email to Chris at cdemers@ufl.edu to be added to the email listserv. Florida Land Steward email updates are sent once a week or every other week and include the latest calendar of workshops, tours and other events; a link to the current issue of the quarterly Florida Land Steward newsletter; updates on cost-share and other assistance programs, opportunities, and resources; and other stewardship related news and information.
UPCOMING EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
See our Events Calendar and News page for upcoming events and ongoing programs, initiatives, and opportunities.
ACCESS THE QUARTERLY FLORIDA LAND STEWARD NEWSLETTER ONLINE
Access the current and back issues of the quarterly Florida Land Steward newsletter here.
HAVE AN EVENT OR RELATED NEWS TO SHARE?
Drop a line with the details and link(s) to Chris at cdemers@ufl.edu.
CONSIDER A GIFT IN SUPPORT OF THE UF/IFAS FLORIDA LAND STEWARD PROGRAM
The mission of the UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program is to help and encourage private landowners to actively manage their land resources for long-term environmental, economic, and social benefits. This program is largely supported by partners and donors. If this program has made a difference in your land stewardship efforts, please consider a gift. Support the UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program here. Thanks!
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