Ames, Iowa, USA
March 7, 2012

Practical Farmers of Iowa encourages Iowa farmers who are interested in transitioning their farms to organic production or adding additional conservation practices to an existing certified-organic operation to sign up for a second round of Environmental Quality Incentives Program Organic Initiative (EQIP OI). Farmers must apply at their local USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office by Friday, March 30, 2012, for the EQIP Organic Initiative (OI).

Eligible conservation practices include planting cover crops, establishing new crop rotations, constructing seasonal high tunnels or implementing nutrient management systems consistent with organic certification standards.

“The Organic Initiative is a great way to help offset the cost of transitioning to organic,” says Doug Roberts, a beginning farmer and member of Practical Farmers of Iowa, who farms near Garwin in Tama County Iowa. “Those funds are helping us do more rotational grazing and transition the ground to organic. We also completed a new watering system and added paddocks for our livestock.”

Under EQIP Organic Initiative contracts, NRCS provides financial payments and technical assistance to help producers implement conservation measures in keeping with organic production. Beginning, limited-resource and socially disadvantaged producers may obtain additional assistance. The 2008 Farm Bill limits EQIP payments for organic operations to $20,000 per year per person or legal entity, with a maximum total of $80,000 over six years.

Practical Farmers of Iowa’s Research and Policy Director Sarah Carlson is also available to answer farmers’ questions about the programs. Contact the PFI office at 515.232.5661 or contact Sarah directly at sarah@practicalfarmers.org.

Founded in 1985, Practical Farmers of Iowa is an open, supportive and diverse organization of farmers and friends of farmers, advancing profitable, ecologically sound and community-enhancing approaches to agriculture through farmer-to-farmer networking, farmer-led investigation and information sharing. Farmers in our network produce corn, soybeans, beef cattle, hay, fruits and vegetables, and more.

Website: http://www.practicalfarmers.org

Published: March 7, 2012