{"id":14762,"date":"2021-06-16T10:59:19","date_gmt":"2021-06-16T17:59:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/calcanstaging.kinsta.cloud\/?p=14762"},"modified":"2021-07-12T12:39:06","modified_gmt":"2021-07-12T19:39:06","slug":"new-pilot-program-for-california-producers-to-build-drought-resilience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/calclimateag.org\/es\/new-pilot-program-for-california-producers-to-build-drought-resilience\/","title":{"rendered":"New Pilot Program for California Producers to Build Drought Resilience"},"content":{"rendered":"
\nEligible practices include:<\/strong>
\n+ Conservation Crop Rotation
\n+ Mulching
\n+ Prescribed Grazing
\n+ Cover Crop
\n+ Hedgerow Planting
\n+ Microirrigation
\n+ Brush Management
\nEligible Enhancements include:<\/strong>
\n+ Conservation cover for pollinators and beneficial insects
\n+ Establishing pollinator habitats
\n+ Silvopasture
\n+ Reduced tillage<\/div>\n

Updated July 12, 2021<\/strong> - Deadline extended to July 14. <\/strong>Producers in California are now able to apply for a new program that prioritizes whole-farm climate resilience as the drought poses challenges and an earlier start to wildfire season calls for more action to address the climate crisis.<\/p>\n

More than $22 million is available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for this new program \u2013 Conservation Incentive Contracts<\/a> (EQIP-CIC) \u2013 that bridges two existing programs Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). EQIP-CIC provides financial assistance to California farmers and ranchers to adopt practices included in the popular EQIP while offering the benefits of longer-term contracts and enhancements associated with CSP<\/p>\n

This is a pilot program, open to only four states in the west \u2013 California, Arizona, Colorado and Oregon, focused on reducing or mitigating the most hard-felt impacts of drought and wildfire, compounded by climate change, through investment in on-farm conservation practices to bolster resilience. After this pilot year, the program will be expanded nation-wide. Learn more from a recent NRCS presentation aqu\u00ed<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Conservation Incentive Contracts Program Basics<\/h2>\n

EQIP-CIC allows producers to implement different conservation enhancements that are part of CSP on a smaller scale. Unlike CSP, there is no requirement for conservation efforts and practices to already be underway, so this program provides a way for producers who have not yet adopted the eligible conservation practices to plan and manage for drought resiliency longer-term. The minimum contract period for EQIP-CIC is 5 years and may extend up to 10 years. Building on the existing caps for EQIP grants, producers can apply for up to $650,000 for EQIP-CIC projects over 5 years.<\/p>\n

There are two types of incentive payments:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. payments to adopt new practices or infrastructure for conservation goals<\/li>\n
  2. payments to manage, maintain and improve conservation work<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Cropland, rangeland and pasture and forestland are all eligible land uses. The program is available statewide to all eligible producers.\u00a0 There are two high priority areas, the San Joaquin Valley and Klamath Basin for cropland.\u00a0 Tribal producers are also eligible and encouraged to apply.<\/p>\n

    Every project in EQIP-CIC has to address at least one priority resource concern related to specific land use:<\/p>\n