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New Conservation Program Offers $58.4 Million to Producers, Entities

January 22, 2009

Des Moines, IA, Jan. 22, 2009—USDA officials announced that up to $58.4 million in financial assistance is available to agricultural producers and entities through the Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP), established in the new farm bill, to promote ground and surface water conservation and water quality improvement.

USDA is seeking project proposals from potential partners through this program. Proposals must be submitted by March 2, 2009.

The AWEP Request for Proposals can be viewed at the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service's (USDA-NRCS) Web site; at the official government regulation Web Site; and at the Federal Register (PDF).

The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, or 2008 Farm Bill, established AWEP as a component of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), USDA's largest conservation program on working agricultural lands. All EQIP requirements and policies will apply to AWEP.

"AWEP is designed to address water quality and quantity issues on a regional level," said Rich Sims, state conservationist for NRCS in Iowa. "By leveraging federal funds with the efforts of local and regional partners, we can encourage a more collective approach to addressing specific concerns."

The new program offers financial and technical assistance to help farmers carry out water enhancement activities that conserve ground and surface water and improve water quality on ag lands such as cropland, pasture and grassland.

Agricultural water enhancement activities include:

  • water quality or water conservation plan development; water conservation restoration or enhancement projects, including conversion to the production of less water-intensive agricultural commodities or dry land farming;
  • water quality or quantity restoration or enhancement projects;
  • irrigation system improvement or irrigation efficiency enhancement;
  • activities designed to reduce drought's impacts; and
  • other related water quality or water conservation activities on ag land.

Under this new program, USDA-NRCS can contract directly with ag producers included in approved partner proposals. Eligible partners include federally- recognized tribes, states, units of local government, or agricultural or silvicultural associations. Producers may apply at USDA Service Centers and must meet EQIP eligibility requirements. All AWEP funding must go to producers. Like EQIP, contract terms for producers under AWEP run up to 10 years.

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Contact:
Larry Beeler, Assistant State Conservationist (Programs)
Phone: (515) 284-4353


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