— Official New Release, Senator Hoeven —
Senator John Hoeven today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is awarding $1.5 million for two state-level conservation projects in support of North Dakota’s farmers and ranchers. The funds are made available through the Natural Resource Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and a conferee on the 2014 farm bill conference committee, Hoeven worked with colleagues in the Senate and House to create the RCPP, which combines four existing programs into streamlined, efficient support for rural water management, conservation, agricultural research, rural development and energy programs.
“Our farmers and ranchers know their land well and have long been good stewards,” Hoeven said. “We have worked to provide them with the tools, research and partnerships they need to develop new approaches to caring for and making the best use of their land. These funds will support innovative activities to ensure the quality of our natural resources for farmers and ranchers now and in the future.”
Details for the two awards are as follows:
- Medora Grazing Association – $800,000 – This award supports the association’s North Billings Prairie Grasslands Conservation Project, which uses a collaborative approach with ranchers to implement new conservation practices and grazing strategies on the National Grasslands under the management of the U.S. Forest Service.
- Northern Plains Resource Conservation & Development – $700,000 – This award supports a partnership of agriculture producers with soil conservation districts, NRCS and North Dakota State University personnel to evaluate new techniques of adopting cover crops to improve soil health.
