Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the availability of up to $260 million for partner proposals to improve the nation’s water quality, combat drought, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat and protect agricultural viability. The funding is being made available through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) innovative Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).
Created by the 2014 Farm Bill, RCPP investments of nearly $600 million have already been used on almost 200 partner-led projects. 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 to work with farmers, ranchers and forest landowners on landscape- and watershed-scale conservation solutions that work best for their region.
USDA is now accepting proposals for Fiscal Year 2017 RCPP funding. Pre-proposals are due May 10, 2016. For more information on applying, visit the RCPP website at: www.nrcs.usda.gov.