In an attempt to encourage conservation, the Department of
Agriculture is giving $200,000 to local farmers and ranchers to
assist them with projects that save water, reduce the use of
pesticides and promote earth-friendly practices.
Hollister – In an attempt to encourage conservation, the Department of Agriculture is giving $200,000 to local farmers and ranchers to assist them with projects that save water, reduce the use of pesticides and promote earth-friendly practices.
Several farmers have already taken advantage of the program, which began in 1996 and was renewed two years ago, to address natural resource problems. One of them is Dale Coke who used the money to build a hedge row – a collection of bushes and other plants which break the wind and provide an area for beneficial insects to breed – on his farm off San Justo Road.
“If there was no program, it would have taken me much longer to get it done,” said Coke, who has farmed in the area since 1981 and raises cauliflower, onions and beets, among other vegetables.
Coke is planning another project that recycles water on his farm. He intends to apply for additional money from the program, called the Environmental Quality Incentives Program.
“It’s hard to do the improvements on your own because of the economics of farming,” said Coke. “A lot of the time there just isn’t money left over for the extras.”
This new round of funding is the second time San Benito County will receive the money for the incentive program, money that was approved by U.S. Congress and will be administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The county received money when the program started in 1996.
The program does not give farms all of the money for improvements, but instead offers to share 50 to 90 percent of the costs.
The NRCS will prioritize applications for proposed projects and award money based on the need for conservation, said Bob Rohde, the district conservationist for the NRCS.
“This is an effort to reconcile the need to conserve our environment with managing our lands,” said Rohde.
The programs eligible for funding include blue valve pipelines, cross fences – which protect cattle while allowing them to move to new pastures regularly – and brush management. Other projects that qualify for the aid are the planting of grasses and basis plants that reduce saturation of soil, also known as cover crops, and road improvements.
The money is approved through 2007, but the initial amount may increase if U.S. Congress approves it. To be eligible for assistance, farmers and ranch owners must submit an application to the local NRCS office no later than Jan. 21. For more information, contact Bob Rohde at 637-4360.
Karina Ioffee covers education for the Free Lance. Reach her at (831)637-5566 ext. 335 or ki*****@fr***********.com
