[MPWG] Funds Available for Organic Transition and Practices

[marguerite uhlmann-bower]

From: Annette Higby, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition <
annette at sustainableagriculture.net>
Subject: Funds Available for Organic Transition and Practices
To: sailswithgrace at yahoo.com
Date: Thursday, February 4, 2010, 11:25 AM

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  . Funds Available for Organic Transition and Practices

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is again offering
financial support and technical assistance to organic farmers and farmers
transitioning to organic production systems.  NRCS has committed $50 million
for the 2010 Organic Initiative available through the Environmental Quality
Incentives Program (EQIP) on a nationwide basis.
 The signup period ends on March 12, 2010.
Eligible Farmers:

   - Farmers just beginning or in the process of transitioning to organic
   production;
    - Existing certified organic farmers who want to transition additional
   acres or animals;
    - Existing certified organic farmers who need to adopt additional
   conservation measures;
    - Producers who sell less than $5,000 in agricultural products and are
   thus exempt from formal certification are still eligible for Organic
   Initiative payments.
    - Farmers whose 2009 applications to the Organic Initiative were
   deferred will receive a letter from NRCS outlining their options in 2010.

 Practices and Payments

Each NRCS State Conservationist will develop a list of practices offered
through the initiative to support organic and transitioning farmers.  To
find out which practices are available in your state, contact your state
office.<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=waBVKKZq%2B7oVIXi%2Foanq877hdslzGhsG>

Farmers will be paid 75% of the cost of implementing the organic practice
including income forgone.  The payment rate is set at 90% for beginning
farmers, limited resource farmers and applicants of historically underserved
communities, including American Indians or Alaskan Natives, Asians, Blacks
or African Americans, Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders, and
Hispanics.

In certain states, transitioning farmers will have the option to apply for
funds to develop a "Conservation Activity Plan" to support their transition
to organic production. To find out if your state is offering this planning
support, contact your state
office.<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=FAZ0CF86J4YGdi8396wCmb7hdslzGhsG>

All applications received during this sign up period will be ranked using
national and in some cases state level criteria related to how well the
proposed contract contributes to conserving soil, water quality and other
resource concerns. Farmers who are awarded a contract will then be eligible
for technical assistance to assist with implementation of the practices.

For more information, visit the NSAC Organic Initiative page.
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=HvLFEipYlOcY7vi2DLhWRL7hdslzGhsG>

NSAC Member organizations that can answer producer questions about the
Organic Initiative include:  Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education
Service<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=wrQmzPNkKamcLMxsxDoZEb7hdslzGhsG>,
Organic Farming Research
Foundation<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=xUsgHzZzxaup2O4e8JOnO77hdslzGhsG>,
Northeast Organic Dairy Producers
Alliance<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=t1kP52tmJT1daO4KNRi8Mb7hdslzGhsG>,
National Center for Appropriate
Technology<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Nx74OAfscSd72jb40f42Br7hdslzGhsG>,
Center for Rural
Affairs<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=qMR165u9oxQYaoJWE4kqNb7hdslzGhsG>,
Agriculture and Land Based Training
Association<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Xl3QvF8sWwoVdT%2BjSAYyyb7hdslzGhsG>,
Practical Farmers of
Iowa<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=sqovzmJoO6OaKaZtJ2OOb77hdslzGhsG>,
Kansas Rural Center<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=M%2F0xF03qTinN44pPWpRYm77hdslzGhsG>,
and  Florida Organic
Growers<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=cmpOAF3IFVMdIUp6qw19UPfEvSqZEo%2F%2F>
.
  ------------------------------

*National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

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