United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service		 Delaware Go to Accessibility Information
Skip to Page Content
 Delaware Crop Field


NEWS

United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service
1221 College Park Drive, Suite 100
Dover, Delaware 19904
 
For More Information:

Tim Garrahan, 302/678-4260
Dastina Johnson, 302/678-4179

Delaware NRCS Extends Sign-Up for Farm Bill Programs to April 17    

DOVER, Del., April 7, 2009- The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Delaware has extended its sign-up period to all producers for two farm bill programs.  Delaware landowners now have until April 17, 2009 to sign up for the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) and Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) Program at their local NRCS office.

 WHIP offers financial assistance to all landowners who want to enhance and develop wildlife habitat. Traditional cost-share rates peak at 75 percent; however, payment percentages may be as high as 90 percent for the following Historically Underserved Groups: Native Americans, Asian Americans, African Americans, Hispanics, beginning farmers, and limited resource farmers. Applicants must have control of the land for the life of the contract to be eligible for assistance. 

The AMA Program is offering a pilot program for the remediation of abandoned chicken houses.  NRCS is offering financial assistance to landowners to remove the house and rehabilitate the site because of the potential for nutrients, like nitrogen, to leech into the ground water.  Funds will help participants pay to have the site professionally renovated—including chipping old lumber, removing the existing dirt floor, land applying the spoil from the dirt floor, placing new soil material in the footprint of the old chicken house and reseeding the area.  Applications will be ranked by priority and only a limited number of houses will be selected. Similar to the WHIP program, payment percentages may be as high as 90 percent for historically underserved groups. 

In addition, the deadline for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) has been extended to April 17, 2009 only for members of Historically Underserved Groups. EQIP is NRCS’ flagship program and offers financial and technical help to assist eligible participants install or implement structural and management practices on eligible agricultural land. 

Interested landowners are encouraged to contact their local USDA Service Center for application details and more information.  In Sussex County, call 302-856-3990, ext 3; in Kent County, call 302-741-2600, ext. 3; and in New Castle County, call 302-832-3100, ext. 3.  Or visit the Delaware NRCS website at www.de.nrcs.usda.gov. 

#

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

...Back to News
 

 


Last Modified:  04/30/2007 11:06:32 AM