USDA Announces $260 Million Initiative to Help the Environment

The USDA announced a $260 million initiative available for a Regional Conservation Partnership Program focused on environment conservation, said a press release today.

Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) announced the availability of this funding to improve the nation’s water quality, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat and protect agriculture viability.

The funding is being made available through NRCS’s innovative Regional Conservative Partnership Program (RCPP), and applicants must be able to match the federal award with private local funds.

At this time, the USDA is accepting proposals for Fiscal Year of 2017 RCPP funding. Pre-Proposals are due May 10, 2016, and the national RCCP website provides the information for the application.

Created by the 2014 Farm Bill, RCPP investments of nearly $600 million have driven 199 partner-led projects, stated the release. The program leverages local leadership to establish partnerships that can include private companies, local and tribal governments, universities, non-profits and other non-government partners. These partnerships work with farmers, ranchers and forest landowners on regional landscape and watershed scale conservation solutions. This will be the third round of national funding through RCPP.

“Across the country, locally-driven efforts are having a positive effect on conservation and production,” said Texas State Conservationist Salvador Salinas. “We recognize the growing interest in leveraging private capital markets to foster impact investments in conservation, sustainable agriculture and forestry.”

To learn more information about other technical and financial assistance opportunities made available through NRCS conservation programs, visit Getting Started with NRCS, the National RCPP, the Texas RCPP website or a local USDA Service Center.