Environmental & Extension Services - Natural Resources
Natural Resources Conservation Service Information
Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) Funding
EQIP, WHIP and GRP Signup Cutoff Date
Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) Funding
News Release: Fiscal Year 2005 Wetlands Reserve Program Funding
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is now requesting applications for the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP). Established by the 1990 Farm Bill, WRP is a voluntary program that provides technical and financial assistance to eligible landowners to address wetland, wildlife habitat, soil, water and related natural resource concerns on private land in an environmentally beneficial and cost-effective manner. Over the past 14 years, WRP has provided an opportunity for landowners to receive financial incentives to enhance wetlands in exchange for retiring marginal land from agriculture.
The Wetlands Reserve Program offers three enrollment options: permanent, 30-year easement and restoration cost-share agreement. The easement value cannot exceed the fair market agricultural value of the land. Participants voluntarily limit future use of the land, but retain private ownership. Easements are held by the United States of America, by and through the Commodity Credit Corporation.
From 1997 to 2003, 115,492 acres were enrolled into WRP. With the help of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Water Management Districts, majority of the acres have been restored to wetland habitat. In 2004, Florida NRCS received over 16 million dollars for WRP. Those funds are being used to address wetland habitat restoration on 12,936 acres. The WRP budget for Fiscal Year 2005 includes an initial allocation of 12 million dollars. The potential for additional funds is good and will be based on NRCS ability to utilize the initial allocation.
Landowners interested in restoring or enhancing wetlands through WRP should contact their local NRCS Field Office. Applications are accepted through out the year; however, to be considered for funding with the initial 2005 allocation, landowners should submit an application before December 15, 2004.
If you need more information about Wetlands Reserve Program, please contact the District Conservationist, Kendal Hicks, at the Ft. Myers USDA Service Center. The Service Center is located at 3434 Hancock Bridge Parkway in N. Ft. Myers and their phone number is (239) 995-5678 extension 3. Information also is available on the World Wide Web at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/farmbill/2002.
Cutoff date for cost share and planning assistance available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) and Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) is December 15, 2004.
FLORIDA NRCS ANNOUNCES EQIP, WHIP and GRP SIGNUP CUTOFF DATE
Applicants are encouraged to visit or call the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Service Center in N. Ft. Myers before December 15, 2004, to obtain more information about cost share and planning assistance that will be available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) and Grassland Reserve Program (GRP).
These Farm Bill programs offer financial and technical assistance to eligible participants to install or implement structural and management practices on eligible agriculture land. Limitations for EQIP are $450,000 per participant/entity with WHIP typically limited to 20,000. Cost share will include such items as well plugging, structures for water control, irrigation reservoir, microirrigation, pumping plant, tail water recovery systems, pest management, brush management, prescribed burning, fencing, water conveyance pipelines, trough, fencing, pasture planting, tree/shrub planting, etc. EQIP may pay up to 50 percent of approved cost rates on those practices while WHIP is cost shared at the 75% level. Actual cost share rates and incentive payments will be determined at the State and local level and in some cases may be less than 50%.
All FARM Bill activities must be carried out according to a Conservation Plan of Operations, which details the practice(s) to be implemented. The plans are developed in conjunction with the producer and address the producer's objectives and the identified natural resource concerns. Practices must be carried out according to NRCS standards and specifications. Eligible land includes cropland, rangeland, pasture, private non-industrial forestland, and other farm or ranch lands. The signup period for FY2005 funds will effectively end on December 15. Applications received after that date will be deferred to the following fiscal year (2006). For additional information you may visit the following website: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/farmbill/2002/products.html
Please contact Tim Eckert or Kendal Hicks for a complete discussion of these FARM Bill programs at (239) 995-5678 (Ext. 3) or visit the Service Center at 3434 Hancock Bridge Pkwy, Suite 209B, in N. Ft. Myers, Florida, 33903.
United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service
2614 N.W. 43rd Street
Gainesville, FL 32606-6611
Phone: 338-352-9555
For more information
Charlotte County Environmental & Extension Services
25550 Harbor View Road, Unit 2, Port Charlotte, FL 33980
941.764.4360
