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ORRTANNA, Pa., May 1,
2014—Agriculture
Secretary Tom Vilsack
announced today that
applications are now
being accepted for new,
landmark conservation
initiatives created by
the 2014 Farm Bill. The
programs will provide up
to $386 million to help
farmers restore
wetlands, protect
working agriculture
lands, support outdoor
recreation activities
and boost the economy.
Vilsack made the
announcement at Kuhn
Orchards in Orrtanna,
Pennsylvania. The farm's
owners participate in
the USDA Conservation
Stewardship Program,
have worked to encourage
pollinator health
through planting
practices, and used USDA
program support to
construct a high tunnel.
"By protecting working
lands and wetlands,
we're able to strengthen
agricultural operations,
sustain the nation's
food supply and protect
habitat for a variety of
wildlife," Vilsack said.
"In addition, we're
providing states and
Tribal governments a
tool to expand access to
private lands for
hunting, fishing, hiking
and other recreational
activities, which helps
boost wildlife-related
businesses and grow the
economy."
USDA's conservation
efforts have helped
mitigate the negative
impacts of drought and
are helping producers to
manage the effects of
climate change. USDA has
enrolled a record number
of acres in conservation
programs that have saved
millions of tons of soil
and improved water
quality and have
contributed to the
national effort to
preserve habitat for
wildlife and protect the
most sensitive
ecological areas. USDA
has partnered with more
than 500,000 farmers,
ranchers and landowners
on these conservation
projects since 2009-a
record number.
In addition to
protecting cropland and
critical habitats,
conservation strengthens
outdoor recreation and
helps boost the economy.
According to the
National Fish and
Wildlife Federation,
annual U.S. conservation
spending totals $38.8
billion, but it produces
$93.2 billion of
economic output
throughout the economy -
2.4 times more than what
is put in. This output
takes the form of more
than 660,500 jobs, $41.6
billion in income and a
$59.7 billion
contribution to national
Gross Domestic Product.
The new programs
announced today are the
Agricultural
Conservation Easements
Program (ACEP) and the
Voluntary Public Access
and Habitat Incentive
Program (VPA-HIP).
Applications for ACEP
funding consideration in
fiscal year 2014 must be
submitted by the
individual state
deadline or June 6,
2014, whichever is
earlier. Applications
and state deadline
information can be
obtained at your local
USDA Service Center or
at
www.nrcs.usda.gov/GetStarted.
Applications for VPA-HIP
are due by June 16 and
should be completed at
Grants.gov. For more
information, view the
notice on Grants.gov or
the program's website.
Through the 2014 Farm
Bill's new conservation
programs, USDA is making
available up to $366
million for conservation
easements under ACEP to
state and local
governments, Indian
tribes, non-governmental
organizations and
private landowners. ACEP
consolidates three
former easement
programs—the Farm and
Ranch Land Protection
Program, the Grassland
Reserve Program and the
Wetlands Reserve
Program—into one to make
conservation efforts
more efficient while
strengthening tools to
protect land and water.
VPA-HIP is a competitive
grant program that
enables state and Tribal
governments to increase
opportunities for owners
and managers of private
lands who want to make
their land available for
public recreation. Up to
$20 million is available
this year for VPA-HIP.
Both programs have
application deadlines
later this spring.
Funding for the ACEP and
VPA-HIP programs is
provided through the
2014 Farm Bill, which
authorizes services and
programs that impact
every American and
millions of people
around the world. The
new Farm Bill builds on
historic economic gains
in rural America over
the past five years,
while achieving
meaningful reform and
billions of dollars in
savings for taxpayers.
Vilsack said that
quickly and effectively
implementing new
programs and reforms to
existing ones called for
by the 2014 Farm Bill is
a top priority for USDA.
Learn more about the
Farm Bill at
www.nrcs.usda.gov/FarmBill.
More information on the
new conservation
programs announced today
are below.
Agricultural
Conservation Easements
Program
USDA's Natural Resources
Conservation Service
(NRCS) administers the
two components of ACEP,
one for agricultural
land easements and one
for wetland reserve
easements.
Under the agricultural
land component, funds
are provided to eligible
entities that can use
ACEP funding to purchase
agricultural land
easements that protect
the agricultural use and
conservation values of
eligible land.
Eligible lands for
agricultural land
component include
cropland, rangeland,
grassland, pastureland
and nonindustrial
private forest land.
Application priority
will be given to
proposals preventing
conversion of productive
working lands to
non-agricultural uses
and maximizing the
protection of land
devoted to growing the
nation's food supply.
Under the wetland
reserve component,
funding is provided to
landowners for the
purchase of an easement
and for restoration
funds to restore and
enhance wetlands,
improving habitat for
migratory birds and
other wildlife. Lands
that are eligible for a
wetland reserve easement
include farmed or
converted wetlands that
can be successfully and
cost-effectively
restored. Applications
also will be prioritized
based on the easement's
potential for protecting
and enhancing habitat
for migratory birds,
fish and other wildlife.
Both programs have
application deadlines in
early June for fiscal
year 2014 funding. More
information can be
obtained at your local
USDA Service Center
or at
www.nrcs.usda.gov/GetStarted.
Voluntary Public Access
and Habitat Incentive
Program
Recipients of the
Voluntary Public Access
and Habitat Incentive
Program can use the
grant funding to create
new or expand existing
public access programs.
These programs provide
financial incentives or
technical assistance,
such as rental payments
or wildlife habitat
planning services, to
owners and managers who
allow public access.
Funding priority will be
given to applications
that propose to:
-
Maximize private
lands acreage
available to the
public;
-
Ensure that land
enrolled in the
program has
appropriate wildlife
habitat;
-
Strengthen wildlife
habitat improvement
efforts;
-
Supplement funding
and services from
other federal or
state agencies,
tribes or private
resources; and
-
Provide information
to the public about
the location of
public access land.
Applications for VPA-HIP
are due by June 16 and
should be completed at
Grants.gov.
For more information,
view the notice on
Grants.gov
or the
program's website.
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