Arizona NRCS News

January 10, 2013 — The Arizona Basin Outlook Report released this week by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) shows the state snowpack to be above average levels. The federal agency monitors snow conditions in Arizona’s mountain watersheds each winter to estimate the amount of water available for spring and summer uses.


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News Release (January 10, 2013)

October 7, 2012 — The Arizona Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) helps farmers and ranchers with a broad spectrum of natural resource enhancements. These include increasing irrigation efficiency, nutrient and manure management on dairies, grazing land management, wildlife habitat, forest management and many more.

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News Release (October 7, 2012)

September, 2012 — Drought. It is the word that has haunted farmers and ranchers across the country. This year, it has become a devastating reality for many. For Arizona agricultural producers, drought is something they have dealt with for over the past decade. Many learned to adapt and adjust their operations to drought conditions. However, there is a point where there isn’t much more a producer can do and the risk of losing their crops, livestock, and businesses lingers near.

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News Release (September, 2012)

August 22, 2012 — The Schultz fire burned over 15,000 acres of the San Francisco Peaks in Coconino County in June 2010. After the fire, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provided $868,000 in emergency assistance to help protect individual homes from severe flooding through the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program.

However, severe soil erosion and flooding has continued to bring threats to the surrounding communities. Earlier this year, Coconino County requested additional assistance from NRCS to help provide long term protection.  The total estimated cost for treatment of public forest service land and private land is $8,590,000. NRCS is providing 75% of the funds, $6,442,000, and Coconino County is funding the remaining 25%, $2,147,500.

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News Release (August 22, 2012)

August 21, 2012 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced the availability of up to $5 million in grants to evaluate and demonstrate agricultural practices that help farmers and ranchers adapt to drought. NRCS is taking applications for Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) to help producers build resiliency into their production systems so they can adapt to climatic extremes, such as the historic drought impacting the nation.

NRCS is offering the grants to partnering entities to evaluate innovative, field-based conservation technologies and approaches. These technologies and/or approaches should lead to improvements such as enhancing the water-holding capacity in soils and installing drought-tolerant grazing systems, which will help farms and ranches become more resilient to drought.

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News Release (August 21, 2012)

August 20, 2012 — More and more people are finding organic foods readily available down the aisles of their local grocery store.  Kit and Robin Hoult do their part in contributing to the organic market.  They have been ahead of the curve and growing organically since 1974.  Starting with an abandoned dairy farm, a lonely cottonwood tree, and a passion for gardening, the farm is now beaming with life.  Their passion has continued to fuel the thriving 15 acre organic vineyard and produce garden for nearly four decades.

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News Release (August 20, 2012)

June 30, 2012 — It is projected that the world’s population will expand to over 8.5 billion by 2025. To keep up with this growth agricultural production must increase by up to 50 percent. The increase in agricultural production is expected to be met by these three ways: 1) increase in average yields, 2) increase cropping intensity (double or triple cropping fields), and 3) increase the amount of arable land. It is estimated that the potential arable land in the world is over 8,000 million acres of which 46 percent or 3,700 million acres are currently farmed.  Bringing into production new lands will be expensive due to either high cost of irrigation development (most of the best land and water supplies are already taken), lack of available water, cost of new irrigation projects (world-wide some projects have had mixed performance results), and improper irrigation that degrades the quality of existing irrigated cropland. The two most common processes that degrade cropland are waterlogging and salinity. To manage soil salinity there are a few things you need to know.

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News Release (June 30, 2012)

May 23, 2012 — Dust consists of particles, in the atmosphere, that come from various sources such as soil that is lifted by wind (such as our Haboobs-an unfortunate reality of our arid environment), volcanic eruptions, and pollution. Dust is comprised of various sized particles from sand grains that can pit your car’s windshield to particles that you cannot see. Particles that are not seen include the PM10 and PM2.5 sized particles.

PM10 is particulate matter that is ten micrometers or less in diameter (a human hair is about 70 micrometers). These are very small particles that can invade the natural defense mechanism of the human respiratory tract, penetrating deep into the lungs where it can be lodged. The Federal Clean Air Act requires that emissions from all significant sources in areas not meeting the National Ambient Air Quality Standards be controlled through effective programs.

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News Release (May 23, 2012)

May 8, 2012 — The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announces a new Water Quality Initiative committed to improving impaired waterways in Arizona. NRCS will manage the initiative by making financial assistance available to farmers and ranchers in the selected watersheds throughout the state.

Through this effort, eligible producers in the targeted areas of the San Pedro and Gila River watersheds can receive technical and financial assistance to implement conservation practices that help provide cleaner water for their neighbors and communities.

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News Release (May 8, 2012)
 

April 3, 2012 — Landowners along Arizona’s riparian areas, will have an opportunity to apply for a new conservation funding source through the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP), announced recently by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. The announcement of the Working Lands for Wildlife partnership creates a $33 million partnership nationwide with farmers, ranchers and forest landowners to use innovative approaches to restore and protect the habitats for wildlife, including seven at-risk species and other vulnerable game species.

One of the targeted at-risk species is the southwestern willow flycatcher, a small bird that resides along riparian areas throughout Arizona. Flooding, development and other practices have reduced native willows that the bird relies on for its habitat and food supply.

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News Release (April 3, 2012)
 

April 3, 2012 — Certified organic producers and those transitioning to organic production are encouraged to apply for conservation funding from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Applications must be submitted by June 1 to be considered for 2012 funding through the NRCS organic initiative.

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News Release (April 3, 2012)
 

April 3, 2012 — USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is celebrating National Volunteer Week April 15-21 by honoring Earth Team volunteers and expressing appreciation for their dedicated service and commitment to conservation. The Earth Team is NRCS’ volunteer workforce. Nationally, in fiscal year 2011, 22,000 Earth Team volunteers donated 435,653 hours of service totaling $9.3 million.

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News Release (April 3, 2012)
 

April 3, 2012 — Improving plant community productivity, structure and function is a resource concern which occurs across all of our land uses in Arizona. When referring to plant communities, productivity pertains to the weight of plant production as compared to what is expected for a healthy site. Structure refers to whether or not all of the representative plant types that would be expected on a healthy site are present.  Function refers to the ability of the vegetative groups to carry out their healthy life cycles and contribute to the plant community as a whole.

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News Release (April 3, 2012)

April 3, 2012 — Proper use of nutrients, organic or inorganic types, is a conservation priority in Arizona.  Managing nutrients properly involves applying them in the correct amount, from the proper source, with appropriate placement, and at the appropriate time.  This is basically the 4 R’s of nutrient management—right rate, right source, right place, and right time.  Implementing the 4 R’s will help ensure fertilizer applications meet the crop yield objectives and minimize the potential for nutrients to degrade water supplies (surface and groundwater) and air quality.  To apply nutrients properly there a few things you need to know.

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News Release (April 3, 2012)

February 14, 2012 — Providing livestock easy access to a reliable source of clean, fresh water at all times is necessary in order for a livestock operation to be productive. NRCS has several stock water system practices that are designed to efficiently provide reliable water to livestock and wildlife and successfully allow for the implementation of a grazing management system. The benefits of supplying adequate watering facilities for livestock can be: improved livestock distribution to take advantage of available forage in remote areas, improved livestock health and production and providing for an improvement in vegetation and soil conditions in uplands and streams, rivers and ponds.

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News Release (February 14, 2012)

January 17, 2012 — USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Dave White today announced that the cut-off date for the current Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) ranking period has been extended to January 27, 2012. Producers who maintain a high level of conservation on their land and agree to adopt higher levels of stewardship are eligible for CSP payments.

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News Release (January 17, 2012)

January 17, 2012 — The Arizona Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has partnered with Arizona’s Conservation Districts in a conservation planning campaign. Conservation planning is the fundamental starting point for maintaining and improving the natural resources that support agricultural production and the lifestyle we love and enjoy. Arizona NRCS and Arizona’s Conservation Districts care about conservation and are here to help agricultural producers conserve the resources and the lifestyle they love for future generations.

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News Release (January 17, 2012)

January 13, 2012 — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a funding opportunity that will bring states, USDA and other stakeholders together to enhance the effectiveness of water quality credit trading. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is providing up to $10 million in Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for these projects, with up to $5 million focused on water quality credit trading in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Pre-proposals for projects are due January 31, 2012.

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News Release (January 13, 2012)

January 1, 2012 — NRCS released its first snow survey report for 2012. As of January 1, snowpack levels are generally well above normal throughout the state, with the exception of the Chuska Mountains. Precipitation for December was also well above normal in all major river basins. The Salt and Verde River reservoir system stands at 71 percent of capacity, while San Carlos Reservoir is at only two percent of capacity. The first forecast of the season calls for well below normal runoff in the Salt, Verde and Little Colorado River Basins, and below normal runoff in the San Francisco-Upper Gila River Basin for the spring runoff period.

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News Release (January 1, 2012)

December 13, 2011 — Agriculture producers seeking to reduce PM10 (dust) and other forms of air pollution can apply for help from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). NRCS has funding in Arizona, along with technical expertise, that is available to farmers and ranchers to improve air quality, through the Air Quality Enhancement Program, an Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) from the 2008 Farm Bill.

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News Release (December 13, 2011)

October 28, 2011 — Certified organic producers and those transitioning to organic production are encouraged to apply for conservation funding from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Applications must be submitted by June 1, 2012 to be considered for 2012 funding through the NRCS organic initiative.

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News Release (October 28, 2011)

October 28, 2011 — Arizona farmers, ranchers, dairies, nursery growers, and other agricultural producers can apply for financial help to get an energy audit for their operation. The Arizona On-Farm Energy Initiative, part of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), is being offered for Fiscal Year 2012 funding. This initiative is open to agricultural producers for the development of Agricultural Energy Management Plans (AgEMP), Conservation Activity Plans (CAP) and for individual on-farm energy audits.

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News Release (October 28, 2011)

October 28, 2011 — The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting applications for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP), with an application deadline of Nov. 1. NRCS will review applications from applicants who have completed a conservation plan and that are received by this date and rank them for fiscal year 2012 funding.

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News Release (October 28, 2011)

August 8, 2011 — The potential for flooding and erosion is a serious threat to those in the areas consumed by the Horseshoe Two fire. To help reduce this flooding danger, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is providing more than $164,000 of financial help through its Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP).

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News Release (August 8, 2011)
Wildfire Recovery Tips

August 4, 2011 — The community of Blue, Arizona is small, however the community support and neighborly actions are undeniable. With their land burned from the Wallow fire, the community strives to protect their homes and property from flooding, the newest threat to the area. To help reduce flooding and erosion damages, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is providing $185,646 of financial help to Greenlee County through its Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP).

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News Release (August 4, 2011)
Wildfire Recovery Tips

July 26, 2011 — Severe flooding and erosion are serious threats to the communities impacted by the Wallow fire. To help reduce flooding and erosion damages, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is providing $90,300 of additional financial help to Apache County through its Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP).

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News Release (July 26, 2011)
Wildfire Recovery Tips

July 20, 2011 — Though the Monument fire reached full containment earlier this month, the burned area is at severe risk for excessive erosion and flooding. To help prevent possible damage from summer monsoon rain, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is providing $131,000 of financial help through its Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP).

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News Release (July 20, 2011)
Wildfire Recovery Tips