New Grants Available for Drought Resiliency

$5 Million in Conservation Innovation Grants for Development of Novel Agricultural Practices

Gainesville, FL – Aug. 16, 2012 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is offering up to $5 million in Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) funding to partners to evaluate and demonstrate agricultural practices that help farmers and ranchers adapt to drought. These technologies and/or approaches should lead to improvements such as enhancing the water-holding capacity in soils and installing drought- tolerant grazing systems.

NRCS is taking applications now through Oct. 15, 2012. Private individuals, Tribes, local and state governments and non-governmental organizations can apply.

“The results of these Conservation Innovation Grants are expected to help producers build resiliency into their production systems so they can adapt to climatic extremes, such as the historic drought impacting the nation,” said NRCS Florida state conservationist Carlos Suarez.

Funds will be awarded through a competitive grant process for projects lasting one to three years. Apply electronically at www.grants.gov/ or contact the NRCS National CIG office at (703) 235-8065.

NRCS is especially interested in projects that demonstrate:

• Cropping or grazing systems that increase resiliency to drought through improved soil health;
• Increases in available soil water holding capacity by enhancing organic matter with reduced tillage, cover crops and organic amendments;
• Improvements in water use efficiency for agricultural production;

• Coordination with NRCS Plant Material Centers in using drought resistant plants and practices;
• Recommendations for appropriate nutrient management following an extended drought;
• Analysis on a regional basis of how agricultural production and conservation systems faired during drought conditions;
• Agricultural approaches that flourished in low-precipitation areas;
• Traditional/historical production practices that have proven effective in dealing with drought;
• Alternative feeding systems for confined animal operations that incorporate novel drought-tolerant feedstocks;
• Alternative housing or cooling systems for improved energy efficiency and better climate control in confined animal operations; and
• Technologies that reduce water use in confined animal operations. View the complete Announcement of Program Funding at www.grants.gov or http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/cig/.