SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: July 27, 2010

Media Contact: Bill Smith, 605-773-3623

Funding Available to Renovate Shelterbelts and Restore Forested Riparian Areas

PIERRE, S.D. - Agriculture producers in South Dakota are now eligible to renovate shelterbelts and restore forested riparian buffers under two Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) projects.

The Central Great Plains Shelterbelt Renovation project will target shelterbelt renovations in South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas.  The Central Great Plains Forested Riparian Buffer project will concentrate on planting forested riparian buffers in the four states. 

Sign-up began July 26, and the deadline to be considered for this year’s funding is Aug. 11, 2010.  Producers need to contact their local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office to sign up.

“Many shelterbelts in the central Great Plains are old and are no longer providing the benefits that they used to.  CCPI will provide landowners with a valuable tool to restore the functions of these areas,” said Ray Sowers, State Forester in the South Dakota Department of Agriculture.

“Forests along rivers and streams were historically important in the Great Plains.  Those forest areas are in decline due to human-caused changes to river channels and stream flows,” said Sowers.  “Many groups have focused on restoring forested riparian buffers, and CCPI will fit nicely into those efforts.”

USDA will provide $817,140 in financial assistance in fiscal year 2010 through CCPI for the two projects in the four states.  CCPI is administered by the NRCS through the existing Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)  to leverage additional services and resources from the state forestry agencies in the four states.

Both CCPI initiatives apply to all agricultural lands in the four states.  Any producers eligible for EQIP funding can participate in the program.  Additional information specific to CCPI projects is available from local NRCS offices or at www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs. CCPI helps agricultural producers achieve natural resource benefits such as clean air, clean water, productive soils, and abundant wildlife. 

Agriculture is South Dakota's No. 1 industry, generating more than $21 billion in annual economic activity and employing more than 173,000 South Dakotans. The South Dakota Department of Agriculture's mission is to promote, protect, preserve and improve the industry for today and tomorrow.  Visit us online at http://sdda.sd.gov/ .

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*Sowers (SOW’-urz)