Mike Sullivan, Arkansas state conservationist for the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), announced the award of $75,000 to the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture (UofA) for a Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) project.
“CIG invests in innovative, on-the-ground conservation technologies and approaches, with the eventual goal of wide-scale NRCS adoption to address water quality and quantity, air quality, energy conservation, and environmental markets, among other natural resource issues,” Sullivan said.
The UofA Healthy Soils, Happy Rice project will demonstrate how winter cover crops can improve soil health and lower nitrogen fertilizer needs in Arkansas rice production.
NRCS administers CIGs as part of the agency’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Grants are awarded to state and local governments, federally-recognized Indian tribes, non-governmental organizations and individuals.
Grant awardees must provide non-federal matching funds for at least 50 percent of the project cost. Of the non-federal matching funds, a minimum of 25 percent must be from cash contributions; the remaining 25 percent may come from in-kind contribution.
For more on this grant program, visit USDA’s Conservation Innovation Grants webpage or contact your local NRCS office.
