CRESTVIEW — The deadline is nearing for Florida farmers, ranchers and forest owners to apply for financial and technical assistance from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service Environmental Quality Incentives Program for fiscal year 2017 funding.
Through EQIP, agricultural landowners may receive financial and technical assistance to improve soil, water, air, plants, animals and related resources. Eligible land includes cropland, rangeland, pastureland, private non-industrial forestland and other farm or ranch lands. Applicants must file by Oct. 21.
The deadline also applies to these EQIP-funded initiatives:
- Organic Producer Initiative
- Seasonal High Tunnels
- Energy Initiative
- Pollinator Initiative
- Everglades Initiative
- Longleaf Pine Initiative
- National Water Quality Initiative
- Working Lands for Wildlife
- Gulf of Mexico Initiative
- Strikeforce
Although applications are accepted on a continuous basis for all programs, funding selections are typically made once a year.
Visit the NRCS office, 934 N. Ferdon Blvd., Crestview, or call 682-3714.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Deadline nears for agricultural financial assistance