USDA NRCS in Arkansas Announces Sign-up for Urban Agriculture Conservation Opportunities
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Arkansas announced two additional sign-ups through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program’s (EQIP) Small Farm and Urban Agriculture
Initiative and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).
“These additional opportunities will help agricultural producers throughout Arkansas make best use of their natural resources where agricultural production is often limited by competing land uses and higher costs of utilization,” said Arkansas NRCS State Conservationist Mike Sullivan. “Urban and small farmers provide critical access to healthy food for local communities, as well as jobs, increased green spaces, and community engagement.”
In Arkansas, healthy food access can be limited in urban, suburban and rural areas, and small-scale, sustainable, diversified operations are vital to support local and regional food systems. How to Apply
NRCS accepts applications for conservation programs year-round, but to be included in this funding opportunity, interested producers should contact their local USDA Service Center and apply by May 17, 2024. Applicants are encouraged to work with NRCS and the USDA’S Farm Service Agency (FSA) to complete eligibility requirements at their earliest convenience during the application process.
EQIP - Urban Agriculture
For urban operations in this particular sign-up, NRCS offers technical and financial assistance with conservation practices, such as conservation cover; conservation crop rotation; cover crops; high tunnel systems; irrigation system, micro irrigation; Irrigation Water Management; low tunnel systems; Mulching; Nutrient management; Pest management conservation system; Prescribed grazing; Raised beds; Residue and tillage management – no-till; Residue and tillage management – reduced till; Roof Runoff Structure; Soil carbon amendment; and Wildlife habitat planting.
The full list of practices is available at the NRCS office in your local USDA Service Center. CSP - Urban Agriculture (ACT-NOW)
CSP offers additional opportunities to expand on existing conservation efforts through enhancements. Interested producers should submit applications including the NRCS-CPA-1200 and maps that identify and delineate the boundaries of all eligible land uses and acres included in the operation to their local NRCS office. The CSP-URban Agriculture sign-up will be offered via ACT NOW. ACT NOW allows NRCS to expedite application approval and contract obligation in a designated ranking pool when an eligible application meets or exceeds a state-determined minimum ranking score, which is 60 for the Csp-urban Agriculture ranking pool. Eligible applications will be batched and processed in the order they’re received, with selections made weekly. Csp-urban Act Now applications will be accepted on a continuous sign-up basis until May 17, 2024, or until funds have been expended. The full list of enhancements is available at your local NRCS office.
More Information
Through conservation programs, NRCS provides technical and financial assistance to help producers and landowners make conservation improvements on their land that benefit natural resources, build resiliency, and contribute to the nation’s broader effort to combat the impacts of climate change. More broadly, these efforts build on others across USDA to encourage use of conservation practices.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.