Financial Assistance Available for Organic Producers
Apply by May 29

Reno, May 5 — Nevada’s certified organic farmers and producers who are transitioning to organic farming are eligible for financial assistance under a special funding opportunity offered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Nevada. According to Bruce Petersen, NRCS state conservationist, interested producers must apply by May 29.

The Organic Initiative is part of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), a voluntary conservation program that provides financial and technical assistance to landowners willing to implement practices to improve natural resources on privately owned agricultural land. Applications for EQIP are taken continuously throughout the year; however to be considered for Fiscal Year 2009 funding, producers need to have an application signed and returned to their local NRCS office by May 29 to be eligible for this round of funding under the EQIP Organic Initiative.

While EQIP has always been available for organic producers to treat resource concerns on their land, specific funds are being set aside under the new Farm Bill to assist organic producers. Individual applicants can receive a maximum of $80,000 over the life of the 2008 Farm Bill, and no more than $20,000 in any one year. Applications for the EQIP Organic Initiative are competitive and are ranked based on national and state resource priorities as well as their overall benefit to the environment.

Producers must be pursuing an organic certification or be in compliance with their organic certification. In order to be considered an agricultural producer under the 2008 Farm Bill, an annual minimum of $1,000 of agricultural products must be produced and/or sold from the operation. Other eligibility requirements and determinations apply.

Some participants, such limited resource farmers, beginning farmers, and socially disadvantaged groups, are eligible to receive a higher rate of financial assistance. For more information, go to http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/SLB_Farmer/.

For more information, contact your local NRCS office or visit the Nevada NRCS Web site at www.nv.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/organic.