Pennsylvania agricultural producers are encouraged to apply for technical and financial assistance to improve and enhance natural resources on farm and forest land.

Funding is available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and Agricultural Management Assistance program administered by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. The first application cutoff date for fiscal year 2019 is Oct. 19 for EQIP and AMA.

Assistance is available to help farmers and forest landowners plan and implement conservation practices to improve water and air quality, build healthier soil, improve grazing and forest lands, conserve energy, enhance organic operations and achieve environmental benefits.

Popular practices include waste storage structures, heavy use area pads, energy, cover crops, irrigation water management, poultry windbreaks and more.

The NRCS also offers special initiatives through EQIP, including: on-farm energy initiative which helps producers conserve energy on their operations; seasonal high tunnel initiative which helps producers install high tunnels designed to extend the growing season into the cold months, increase productivity, keep plants at a steady temperature and conserve water and energy; and organic initiative which helps producers to install conservation practices on certified organic operations or those working toward organic certification.

NRCS conservationists will work with producers to develop a conservation plan on their land to identify concerns and opportunities, help determine objectives and recommend solutions.

Pennsylvania producers with applications in before Oct. 19 will have a higher chance of application approval as funding is limited. Applications received after that date will be accepted and considered for funding in the second ranking in December, if funds remain.

To participate in USDA conservation programs, applicants should be farmers or farm or forest landowners and must meet eligibility criteria.

Contact the local USDA NRCS Field Office at https://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov or go to www.pa.nrcs.usda.gov for applications and information.