Source: USDA, 10/5/18

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announces financial and technical assistance opportunities are available to landowners in key projects counties through USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).  RCPP matches a federal investment with state and private capital to advance natural resource conservation and support agricultural production through approved RCPP projects. Interested landowners have until November 2, 2018, to apply for financial assistance through approved RCPP projects.

The following RCPP projects are now receiving applications for funding consideration:

Mills River Source Water Protection Project
o             Focus Area: Henderson County
o             The goal is to help protect the source water for 85,000 people in NC cities of Hendersonville, Asheville, and surrounding counties who depend on the Mills River for their drinking water.  Focuses on completely restoring highly incised eroding streambank, ag chemical handling facility, and pasture operations, while also protecting drinking water, improving fish and wildlife habitat, ensure future agricultural productivity, foster locally produced foods, and sustainable agricultural practices.

SmithfieldGro: Sustainable Grain Supply Chains (Nutrient Management and Soil Health)
o             Focus Area: Duplin, Greene, Lenoir, Pitt, Robeson, Sampson, & Wayne
o             Expands an innovative collaboration between Environmental Defense Fund & Smithfield Foods, to address nutrient management and soil health in the grain supply chain.

Sustainable Forestry and Land Retention Project
o             Focus Area:  Halifax, Northampton, Bertie, Hertford, Gates, Chowan, and Perquimans
o             Assist forest landowners with the implementation of forest management practices which include but are not limited to tree and shrub establishment, prescribe burning, and host of other forestry related practices.

Western NC Stream & Water Quality Initiative
o             Focus Area: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Forsyth, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Stokes, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey
o             Assist landowners with stream restoration on degraded stream banks, while also improving wildlife habitat

Landowners in the identified counties listed above by RCPP project are encouraged to contact their local NRCS Field Office today to have their applications considered for available funding. Applications received by November 2, 2018, will be reviewed for funding considerations. Applications are considered for funding based on identified RCPP project resource concerns and benefits. For more information, please visit North Carolina NRCS on the web at www.nc.usda.gov or visit your local NRCS Field Office.