Action Alerts

Issue
Making certain that Tree Farmers and other family forest owners can seek and receive funding from the vastly expanded Environmental Quality Incentives Program [EQIP] to implement conservation practices on their lands.

Background

1. Congress funded EQIP at $1.3 billion a year for six years, an enormous increase.

2. More important, Congress directed that nonindustrial forestlands were priority targets for funding, even if they weren't part of a farm operation.

3. Additional funding of up to $200 million is already being allocated.

4. Decisions about funding are being made now by State Technical Committees, run by the State Conservationist, an NRCS executive.

5. The leadership of NRCS urged Tree Farmers to seek membership on these State Technical Committees, to work for adequate funding for family forest owners.

Action
Contact your State Conservationist and your State Forester. Ask them how you can participate in your State Technical Committee.

Act soon. Many State Technical Committees are meeting now to make decisions about funding priorities.

Click here for more detail on this and other issues from the Farm Bill, or e-mail us for additional information.