HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.)
USDA’s Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS)
State Conservationist Janet Oertly
announced Pennsylvania’s fund
ing allocation for 1998 under
USDA’s Environmental Quality
Incentives Program (EQIP).
NRCS in Pennsylvania re
ceived $4.18 million for technical,
educational and financial assis
tance for projects under EQIP.
“This program will help pro
ducers address some of the roost
critical natural resource concerns,
such as soil erosion, water quality
and quantity, wildlife habitat and
wetlands,” Oertly said. “More
productive croplands, cleaner wa
ter, and better Wildlife will benefit
all Pennsylvania residents.”
Under EQIP, USDA can pro
vide cost-share assistance to fami
ly-sized farms and ranches for up
to 75 percent of the cost of certain
environmental protection prac
tices, such as grassed waterways,
filter strips, manure manageent fa
cilities, capping abandoned wells,
and wildlife habitat enhancement
WATERSHED FY 98 ALLOCATION
FINANCIAL EDUCATIONAL
ASSISTANCE ASSISTANCE
Neshammy Creek $lBO,OOO $l,OOO
Chickies Creek $300,000 $4.000
Middle Creek $BO,OOO $l,OOO
Evitts Creek $52,000 $0
Tunkhannock Creek $300,000 $3,000
Pigeon Creek/Pike Run $1 bO.OQO $2,000
Ten Mile Creek $150,000 $2.000
Codorus Creek $240,000 $1.500
Crooked Creek-Cowanshannock Creek $300,000 $ 1,500
Chillisquaque Creek $150,000 $1.200
Shamokin-Mahanoy Creek $200,000 $1,600
Upper Monocacy $217,000* $2.000
Conodogumet Creek $138,000* $3OO
$lO,OOO
Statewide Resource Concerns
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Bill Reed
York County, PA
USDA Announces EQIP Funds
USDA also may provide incen
tive payments to encourage pro
ducers to apply such land manage
ment practices as nutrient man
ure, irrigation water, wildlife, and
integrated pest management
This fiscal year, 75 percent of
the cost-share funds will be tar
geted toward local resource issues
in 13 watersheds, and 35 percent
will be used to address statewide
resource concerns involved with
crop production and livestock and
poultry production.
Local groups, consisting of
federal, state and local agencies
and interested national resource
organizations submitted proposed
water sheds from across die slate
for consideration.
From the proposed watersheds,
or geographic priority areas, 27
were selected by Oertly, in con
junction with the State Technical
Committee, and USDA’s Farm
Service Agency.
With the funding split recom
mended by the State Technical
Cargill Animal Nutrition
Committee, 13 of the top geo
graphic priority area proposals
will be fully funded this fiscal
year. These areas have significant
soil, water, or related natural re
source concerns.
Each geographic priority area
will announce its own sign-up per
iods, Oertly said.
Producers located outside of the
priority watersheds can become
involved in the program through
the two statewide resource con
cerns. The sign-up period for the
statewide resource concerns will
be announced in the next few
weeks.
A conservation plan is needed
for all EQIP contracts, which are
five to 10 years in length.
NRCS, county conservation
district staffs, and staff of the Ex
tension Service will provide the
technical and educational assis
tance producers need to apply or
install conservation practices
based on their conservation plan,
Oertly said. The plan will describe
$747.000
Bill SutlifT
Cumberland Co., PA
Perry County, PA
Frederick County, MD
717-776-0174
Lebanon, Pa Office
1-800-613-4459
For Pennsylvania
conservation and management
practices to protect soil, water, air
or related natural resources.
With an annual national budget
of $2OO million authorized
through 2002, EQIP is USDA’s
largest conservation program de
signed to conserve and improve
land while it remains in agricultur-
York County Farmers
“We have always encouraged
citizens to go through the appeals
process if they are unhappy with
an assessment valuation,” adds
Commissioner Reilly. “And we
have instructed our solicitor to
have the hearing take place as
quickly as possible within the
necessary time frame.”
And, on a personal note, Reilly
says he is happy that the farmers’
group is initially taking the ap
peals route, as apposed to legal ac
tion. With farm-owning relatives,
Reilly adds that is well-versed in
the concern over the increased
cost fanners will face from the in
creased property assessments.
Grain produced Bill Baser, East
Prospect, a former president of the
Jim Widmann
Southern Lancaster Co., PA
Southern Chester Co., PA
717-529-3134
Walkersville, MD Office
1-800-833-3372
Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, February 21, 1998-A35
(Continued from Pago A 34)
BREAKING MILK RECORDS!
Lancaster Farming Carries
DHIA Reports Each Month!
al production.
EQIP was authorized by the
1996 Farm Bill to address agricul
ture’s priority natural resource and
environmental problems. It re
flects the commitment of USDA
and the Congress for a flexible, ef
fective. voluntary conservation
program for agricultural land.
county’s Farm Bureau, chairs the
FYRC. Bnser is no newcomer to
property assessment issues, hav
ing first gotten involved in them
when his family constructed a new
hog production bam several years
ago.
“We knew we had to take the
action that we did,” affirms Baser
of the appeal of the reassessment
valuations. “And we’ve geen get
ting lots of calls from people who
want to be part of it”
“But,” he emphasizes, “if
they’re not already signed up in
Clean and Green, we can’t help.”
Property owners seeking more
information on the FRYC may
contact Buser at 717-755-3271 or
Kilgore at 717-862-3117.