| News & Info Brief NRCS CONSERVATION ASSISTANCE AND FUNDING APPLICATIONS BEING ACCEPTED BEFORE NOVEMBER 15, 2013 USDA RELEASE, GAINESVILLE, FL, October 31, 2013 — Now is the time for farmers, ranchers and other agricultural producers to visit their local USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office to receive more information and apply for conservation technical assistance and possible funding opportunities. NRCS offices across the country, including those in Florida, are resuming work with farmers and ranchers to implement conservation activities. All offices are open and are working to address the backlog of requests expediently. “If you are interested in conservation assistance you should visit with our staff as soon as possible,” said Assistant State Conservationist for Financial Programs, Jeffrey Woods. “Our agency is able to proceed with implementation of several conservation programs, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Conservation Stewardship Program.” Florida NRCS has established November 15, 2013, as the application cutoff date for consideration for Federal Fiscal Year 2014 funds for these two programs: The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a conservation program that provides financial and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers who face threats to soil, water, air, and related natural resources on their land. Through EQIP, NRCS develops contracts with agricultural producers to voluntarily implement conservation practices. Persons engaged in livestock or agricultural production and owners of non-industrial private forestland are eligible for the program. The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is available on Tribal and private agricultural lands and non-industrial private forest land. CSP encourages producers to address resource concerns in a comprehensive manner by undertaking additional conservation activities; and improving, maintaining, and managing existing conservation activities. Applications received after November 15th will be considered for future funding periods. Authority to enroll acres in several other programs, including the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), expired on September 30, 2013, due to the expiration of the Farm Bill. Additional information on NRCS, conservation assistance, and programs is available on its website at www.fl.nrcs.usda.gov or at your local USDA - NRCS office. To find the nearest office go to your telephone directory under “U. S. Government, Department of Agriculture”, or http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app More news and info at the Florida Land Steward Blog | *** | EAST FLORIDA (Madison County, east and south) | | November 5 | Urban Tree Pathology Workshop, 1 - 4 pm, Seminole Heights Garden Center (Tampa Parks and Recreation Dept), 5800 North Central Avenue, Tampa, FL 33604. Presented by UF/IFAS Extension, the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County. Continuing education credits will be provided for International Society of Arboriculture, FDACS Pesticide Certification, and FNGLA. Free but you must preregister. Details and registration at https://treepathology.eventbrite.com/ | | November 6 | Florida Ag Expo (link) , 7:30 am - 4:00 pm, UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research & Education Center, 14625 County Road 672, Wimauma, FL 33598. See link for details and registration. | | November
21-22 | I-Tree Training Workshop (link), Jacksonville, location TBA. Offered by the Florida Urban Forest Council, learn how to inventory your urban forest using the i-Tree inventory and analysis system developed by the U.S. Forest Service. | | November 22 | 32nd Annual Volusia County Farm Tour, details to come. For more information contact David Griffis, UF/IFAS Volusia County Extension at dgriffis@ufl.edu, (386) 822-5778. | | December 7 | Landowner Field Tour, Alachua County, Presented by Florida Forest Service and Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. For information contact Joe Vaughn, (352) 955-2241, Joseph.Vaughn@MyFWC.com | | January
14-16, 2014 | 2014 Green Infrastructure Conference (link), University of South Florida, Patel College of Global Sustainability, Tampa, FL. See link for details. | | January 30 | Forest Certification Workshop, UF/IFAS Madison County Extension Office, Madison, FL. Topics include certification systems and process, product chain of custody and more. For details, contact Rose Godfrey, rosa23@ufl.edu, (352) 219-8717. | | February
8-13 | The Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management (link) , Caribe Royale in Orlando, FL. See link for details. | | February 13 | Forest Certification Workshop, UF/IFAS Suwannee County Extension Office, Live Oak, FL. Topics include certification systems and process, product chain of custody and more. For details, contact Rose Godfrey, rosa23@ufl.edu, (352) 219-8717. | | February 20 | Forest Certification Workshop, UF/IFAS Putnam County Extension Office, East Palatka, FL. Topics include certification systems and process, product chain of custody and more. For details, contact Rose Godfrey, rosa23@ufl.edu, (352) 219-8717. | | WEST FLORIDA (Jefferson County and west) | | November
6-8 | Principles of Ecological Restoration, Pensacola, FL. Presented by Gulf of Mexico Coastal Training. Cost is $90 Certified Floodplain Mangers can get approved for 12 core CECs for CFMs, Certified Planners up to 20 hrs. Details and registration at www.gulfalliancetraining.org | | November 14 | Forest Stewardship Tour at George C. Owens Farm, 8:30 am to 2 pm CT, meet at Washington County Extension Auditorium . Join us to learn the many benefits of silvopasture - combining livestock and timber. Details and registration at
http://fsp-tour111413.eventbrite.com/ | | November
19-20 | I-Tree Training Workshop (link), Pensacola, location TBA. Offered by the Florida Urban Forest Council, learn how to inventory your urban forest using the i-Tree inventory and analysis system developed by the U.S. Forest Service. | | November 21 | Forest Stewardship Tour at Kent-Carroll Forests, Holmes County. Details to Come. Join us to learn about this multi-enterprise property of forests, fruit production, ponds and wildlife. Details and registration at http://fsp-tour112113.eventbrite.com/ | | December 11 | Forest Certification Workshop, UF/IFAS Walton County Extension Office, DeFuniak Springs, FL. Topics include certification systems and process, product chain of custody and more. For details, contact Rose Godfrey, rosa23@ufl.edu, (352) 219-8717. | | December 11 | Mosquito Identification Training Workshop (link), Florida State University Panama City campus, 4750 Collegiate Drive, Panama City, FL 32405. Presented by Public Health Entomology Services. 5.5 FDACS Public Health Pest Control CEUs have been approved. Registration at link above. | | January 9 | Forest Certification Workshop, UF/IFAS Jackson County Extension Office, Marianna, FL. Topics include certification systems and process, product chain of custody and more. For details, contact Rose Godfrey, rosa23@ufl.edu, (352) 219-8717. | | January 14 | Cogongrass Workshop, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, UF/IFAS North FL Research and Education Center, 155 Research Road, Quincy, FL 32351. To be broadcast via Polycom to 6 other Florida locations. Details to come. | | WEBINARS, REGIONAL OR NATIONAL EVENTS, OTHER | | November 13 | Webinar: Environmental Evaluation Series: Planning for Endangered Species / Migratory Birds / Bald and Golden Eagles Special Environmental Concerns (link) , 2 pm ET. See link. | | November
19-21 | Longleaf Academy: Longleaf 101, The Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center near Andalusia, Alabama. Presented by the Longleaf Alliance. $585 registration cost. For more Information or to register: Call Hila Gatewood at (334) 427-1029 or Office@longleafalliance.org | | November 21 | Webinar: Conservation Practices: From Farm Fix-It to Farm Portfolio (link), 12 pm ET. See link for details. | | November 22 | Landowner's Prescribed Fire Workshop, 8:30 am to 4 pm CT, Solon Dixon Forestry Center, Covington Co, AL. $10 fee includes lunch. Presented by Alabama Cooperative Extension, Alabama Forestry Commission, Florida Forest Service, USDA NRCS, Nature Conservancy, and Longleaf Alliance. To preregister, please call the Covington County Extension Office (334) 222-1125 by November 13, 2013. | |
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