Articles Tagged with ''Natural Resources Conservation Service''

The Department of Agriculture is making available $225 million for public-private partnerships aimed at conservation projects, with an eye on climate change mitigation, supporting urban agriculture and helping historically underserved producers.

Conservation groups and the Biden administration  are betting big that the promise of direct payments to farmers will supercharge their interest in cover crops, a practice relatively few have tried despite documented benefits to soil health, greenhouse emissions and water quality.

Western Growers has named Steve Mangapit as the organizations first chief operating officer, Jacob Villagomez has joined California Citrus Mutual and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service has brought on Allen Curry and Johnnie Siliznoff.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service has unveiled a new computer application that harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to forecast and support better water management practices in the West.

The House finally cleared a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill late Friday that will provide an historic infusion of federal funding into rural broadband expansion and construction of roads, bridges, waterways and Western water projects.

The Biden administration is rolling out new regulations on methane emissions from the oil and gas industry. But administration officials insist they intend to rely on voluntary measures to reduce methane emissions from agriculture.

A stopgap-funding bill that will keep the government operating this fall includes a $10 billion expansion in agricultural disaster aid and temporarily extends authority for USDA’s livestock price reporting system.

It’s a huge week ahead on Capitol Hill. Congress must act to keep the government from shutting down when the new fiscal year begins on Friday.

Key USDA watershed programs that fund agricultural waste management, water quality, and flood prevention projects would get $918 million through the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package awaiting a final House vote.

The Department of Agriculture is in touch with Capitol Hill as Democratic leaders work to craft legislation that has the potential to funnel more money into the farm bill and expand the number of producers who could receive funding and assistance for government conservation programs.