Assistance available for conservation

Financial and technical assistance is now available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for producers interested in conserving energy on their property, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced.

NRCS and producers develop Agricultural Energy Management Plans (AgEMP) or farm energy audits that assess energy consumption on an operation. AgEMPs are conducted to determine current on-farm energy usage and provide valuable information for on-farm energy improvements. Each audit has a landscape component that assesses equipment and farming processes and a farm headquarters component that assesses power usage and efficiencies in livestock buildings, grain handling operations, and similar facilities to support the farm operation.

Producers may also receive assistance to implement energy saving measures such as energy-efficient irrigation systems and direct seed cropping systems.

According to NRCS Asst. State Conservationist, Jeff Harlow, a qualified energy management consultant will work with producers using a new energy assessment tool. “The tool is tailored specifically for Washington producers and will help evaluate energy conservation options and identify potential energy savings on each operation,” Harlow said.

The on-farm energy initiative is a continuous sign-up, and applications may be submitted at any time. Applications will be evaluated periodically as funding becomes available.

The application evaluation period ends February 15, 2013, so producers are urged to visit their local NRCS office to get application process started.

For the location of your local NRCS office, visit the NRCS website at http://www.wa.nrcs.usda.gov or call 509-323-2900.