COLUMBUS — For the eighth consecutive year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will offer an opportunity for agricultural producers in three Ohio watersheds to apply for assistance to install conservation practices that protect water quality through the National Water Quality Initiative.
NRCS professionals will provide advice to help farmers determine which conservation actions will provide the best results to address a range of natural resource concerns.
To help install these conservation practices, NRCS will provide financial assistance to approved applicants through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program.
Conservation actions include practices that promote soil health, reduce erosion and lessen nutrient runoff; waste management systems that treat agricultural waste and livestock manure; and wetland restoration that increases wildlife habitat, mitigates flooding and improves water quality.
These practices benefit natural resources and enhance agricultural productivity and profitability by improving soil health and optimizing the use of agricultural inputs.
Ohio has selected the following three watersheds where on-farm conservation investments have the best chance to address resource concerns and improve water quality:
- Brandywine Creek-Broken Sword Creek Watershed, Crawford County.
- Fivemile Creek-East Fork Little Miami River Watershed, Clermont and Brown counties.
- East Branch South Fork Sugar Creek Watershed, Tuscarawas and Holmes counties.
The NWQI application deadline is March 15.
To learn more about the NWQI or NRCS conservation programs, visit www.nrcs.usda.go or your local USDA Service Center.
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