NRCS Colorado 2008 News Release

Lakewood, CO - May 22, 2008 The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is encouraging Colorado landowners to apply for enrollment into the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) by July 3, 2008. Although applications for enrollment into the EQIP program are accepted at anytime, all applications received by July 3, 2008, will be reviewed and evaluated for fiscal year 2009 EQIP funding, while all applications received after the July cutoff date, may not be reviewed for funding until fiscal year 2010.

“This year, NRCS in Colorado has accelerated the cutoff date for EQIP applications from winter to summer,” says Dollie Gonzales, Resource Conservationist, Lakewood, CO. “This process allows us to more accurately and efficiently help landowners reach their land use and natural resource goals because it not only affords us more time to meet one on one with farmers and ranchers in the field but also provides the opportunity for NRCS representatives to be in the field during the most appropriate time, summer versus winter.

NRCS offers landowners technical support and programs which provide financial assistance that may help them reach their land use objectives. EQIP is a voluntary conservation program for farmers and ranchers that promotes agricultural production and environmental quality and offers financial and technical help to assist participants install or implement structural and management practices.

“The accelerated EQIP sign-up cutoff date also allows NRCS to provide more effective assistance to landowners,” Gonzales goes on to say. “This change in deadline allows conservation planning, NRCS’ priority procedural process for getting sound conservation on the ground, to become more focused and successful.”

For additional information about applying for NRCS programs, please contact your local NRCS field office or your local Conservation District typically located within the USDA service center that services your county, or visit our website at http://www.co.nrcs.usda.gov/contact/index.html to help locate the office that may assist you.

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