Wildlife Habitat Assistance Available

With negotiations over a new Farm Bill ongoing in Washington, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) wants to remind Tennessee producers that sign ups for USDA conservation programs continue year round. District Conservationists can help landowners develop a conservation plan that preserves wildlife habitat. Once a plan is developed, it could be implemented as soon as funding becomes available.

With each recent Farm Bill extension, unanticipated allocations of conservation funding have been made available for Tennessee landowners. Application sign ups are continuous, but the window to qualify for the additional funds is sometimes very short, so landowners or operators who are interested in the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) or other conservation programs should sign up now to increase their funding chances.  All applications are ranked and funded accordingly.

“NRCS in Tennessee can receive additional dollars for conservation programs each time the Farm Bill is extended,” said State Conservationist Kevin Brown.  “The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program is a good example.  After the first Farm Bill extension, Tennessee received an allocation of about $240,000 for WHIP. Then when it was extended for another month, we got another $450,000 for WHIP.”

The conservation program allocations are drawn from a national fund maintained in Washington, D.C.  If enough Tennessee landowners don’t have applications on file when the funds become available, the funding is diverted to other states. That means the sooner Tennessee applicants submit an application, the greater their chances of being approved.

The Wetland Reserve Program (WRP), the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) also offer continuous, year-round signup. Interested producers are urged to find out if they are eligible now to improve their overall chances when funding is available.

Conservation programs are available for a variety of conservation needs including wildlife habitat, limited livestock access to streams, grazing distribution, wetland restoration and protection, and erosion control.

For more information about Farm Bill conservation program eligibility and signup, visit the NRCS in Tennessee website at: http://www.tn.nrcs.usda.gov/ or contact your local District Conservationist at the nearest USDA Service Center. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.