News - Arizona
News - National
|
| |
Arizona On-Farm Energy
Initiative: Funding Available for 2012
Applications Due
June 1, 2012
PHOENIX,
Oct. 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.
An AgEMP is an analysis of current farm infrastructure and management with
recommendations to reduce energy consumption on the farm. This includes
purchased fuels, electricity and renewable energy sources used to perform farm
activities. A plan can be developed for each farm enterprise, such as a
livestock production system, a field crop system, and specialized non-livestock
operations such as greenhouses and cold storage. This provides the farmer with
cost effective ways to reduce operating costs while saving energy.
The advantages of energy conservation includes reducing air pollutants, reducing
global greenhouse gas emissions, reducing dependence on petroleum based
products, and slowing escalation of energy costs due to lower demand.
Applications for assistance through this program will be accepted on a
continuous basis, but must be received no later than June 1, 2012 to be
considered for 2012 funding. If applications are submitted prior to June
1, earlier ranking and funding approval for qualified applications is available. In order to be eligible to participate, an
applicant must be eligible for EQIP as specified in the Conservation Programs
Manual Producer Eligibility and Land Eligibility. Eligible applications will be
selected for funding until funds are exhausted.
Those who receive this funding will only receive EQIP payments if their plans
are developed by certified technical service providers (TSPs). A list of
certified TSPs can be found at
http://techreg.usda.gov/CustLocateTSP.aspx. Energy Audits must be completed
within 12 months of contract obligation. In order to receive payment, the
applicant must provide a copy of the AgEMP to the local field office.
For more information and to apply for the Arizona On-Farm Energy Initiative,
please contact your local NRCS field office. Find the one nearest you at
www.az.nrcs.usda.gov/ contact or call
620-280-8800 for more information.
Links on Energy:
#
|