NRCS Maryland Opens Application Period for AMA Conservation Funding for Maryland Farmers

Maryland Media Liaison:

Carol Hollingsworth, 443-482-2902

Annapolis, MD, November 17, 2006 --- Virginia (Ginger) L. Murphy, State Conservationist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Maryland, announced that Maryland is now accepting applications for consideration for financial assistance for applying conservation practices through the FY07 USDA Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) Program. AMA helps producers adopt conservation practices and investment strategies that will reduce or mitigate risks to their agricultural enterprises.

The first application period to receive consideration for AMA funds runs until December 15, 2006. On that date, applications received in NRCS offices will be evaluated and ranked according to levels of environmental benefits pending available funds. Although NRCS offers a continuous application period for AMA, applications will be ranked on December 15, 2006. After that date, if additional AMA funds remain, a second application period will be offered to Maryland farmers.

NRCS Maryland is running concurrent application periods for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP), the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) and AMA. EQIP, WHIP and AMA applications will be ranked on December 15, 2006. WRP applications will be ranked on January 19, 2007. Information on these programs is available at USDA Service Centers or at www.md.nrcs.usda.gov.

Maryland farmers interested in receiving financial assistance through AMA should immediately contact their local NRCS or Soil Conservation District office, located at USDA Service Centers, for more information on eligible conservation practices, the application process, and receiving conservation assistance through the AMA Program. NRCS has leadership responsibility for implementing AMA.

“The Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) Program is a voluntary conservation program for agricultural farmers and producers that provides cost share payments for selected conservation practices,” said Murphy. Last year, NRCS used AMA funds to provide $450,611 in cost share assistance on 1,184 acres on 20 Maryland farms. AMA cost-share assistance was used to assist Maryland producers interested in the transition to organic production.

In Maryland, some of the conservation practices eligible for AMA Program funding are:

• Agrochemical Mixing Facility
• Irrigation – Micro Irrigation and irrigation water management
• Tail Water Recovery – Storage Facility
• Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment
• Prescribed Grazing and associated practices
• Transition to Organic and associated practices
• Nutrient and pest management

AMA is available in only 15 states, as designated by the Secretary of Agriculture, where participation in the Federal Crop Insurance Program is historically low. Maryland, along with most of the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic States, was selected to participate in the AMA Program. AMA will address the current unfunded backlog of conservation applications and other requests for NRCS conservation programs and affords an opportunity for nontraditional program participants, such as, limited resource and beginning farmers, to apply for conservation technical assistance.

NRCS is the agency designated by the Secretary of Agriculture as being responsible for program management and leadership for the conservation provisions of AMA. The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) will complete the 'person' determinations and disburse the cost share payments to the participants.

In order to be eligible for AMA Program participation applicants are required to:

• own or control the land,
• implement specific eligible conservation practices,
• meet the Food Security Act 'person' definition, and
• maintain the cost-share practices for the life of the practice.

“AMA strengthens NRCS’s efforts to help Maryland’s farmers comply with environmental standards and encourages sound conservation on agricultural land,” said Mark Rose, NRCS Maryland Assistant State Conservationist for Programs and AMA Program Manager.

AMA Program participants enter into a three to ten year contract period. The Federal cost-share assistance can be up to 75 percent of the cost of an eligible practice.

NRCS is USDA’s lead conservation agency and has worked hand-in-hand with farmers, producers, and landowners for more than 70 years to conserve natural resources on private lands. Maryland’s landowners can learn more about AMA and other Farm Bill Programs by contacting NRCS Maryland offices or by visiting the NRCS Maryland homepage at www.md.nrcs.usda.gov.