NEW AIR QUALITY INITIATIVE OFFERED BY USDA:
Farmers Encouraged to Sign-up
 

Contact:  Christina Coulon, 614-255-2471

COLUMBUS, April 6, 2009 –The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will help improve Ohio’s air quality by offering a special initiative to lower harmful fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) and 8-hour surface ozone (the primary component of smog). Terry Cosby, NRCS State Conservationist, announced that $2.5 million will be directed towards this Air Quality Initiative in Ohio through the 2009 Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

“These Air Quality Initiative EQIP funds give farmers a better chance of receiving financial assistance targeted to conservation practices, such as planting windbreaks, that will improve air quality than they would have if they applied under the regular EQIP program,” explains Cosby. “We use a special ranking process for the Air Quality Initiative, and only farmers who apply for the Air Quality Initiative will be ranked using this process.”

The EQIP Air Quality Initiative provides both technical and financial assistance to farmers interested in improving the air quality of their operation. The financial assistance can include payments for management activities and cost share for the installation of certain conservation practices.

“Ohio farmers face increasing pressure to consider air issues as they plan and operate their farms,” said Cosby. “Through this initiative, our farmers can receive assistance to implement practices to help control air emissions from agricultural operations. Because these practices are in the early stages on Ohio farms, funding opportunities such as this may help farmers accelerate implementation.”

NRCS will target the following counties that are in noncompliance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Ambient Air Quality Standards for PM 2.5 and/or 8-hour surface ozone (03):Adams, Ashtabula, Belmont, Butler, Clark, Clermont, Clinton, Coshocton, Cuyahoga, Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Gallia, Geauga, Greene, Hamilton, Jefferson, Knox, Lake, Lawrence, Licking, Lorain, Madison, Medina, Montgomery, Portage, Scioto, Stark, Summit, Warren, and Washington.

NRCS has identified numerous conservation practices that farmers may chose to implement under the 2009 Ohio EQIP Air Quality Initiative. No-till, for example, is offered as a conservation practice because the reduced fuel usage of a no-till system reduces ozone and particulate matter emissions. Several conservation practices pertaining to animal agriculture such as manure storage structures, waste utilization and prescribed grazing are offered which will reduce dust, intercept particulate matter, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Applications are accepted by NRCS on a continuous basis throughout the year to evaluate, rank, prioritize, and select applicants. There is no due date to apply; however, applications received early will be given preference for funding by May 8, 2009. Applications will be evaluated on a monthly basis and approvals made on a regular basis as long as funds remain available.

Applications that cannot be funded because of a shortage of funds or lower priority can be retained for up to two years, after which time the producer will need to re-apply.

Farmers interested in applying for the Ohio EQIP Air Quality Initiative should contact an NRCS office located at a local USDA Service Center. Offices can be found at: http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/. The application and information about EQIP is also available on the Ohio NRCS Web site at www.oh.nrcs.usda.gov.
 

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