NRCS Holds State Technical Committee Meeting

Maryland Media Liaison:

Carol Hollingsworth, 443-482-2902

Annapolis, MD ---December 28, 2006, --- Virginia (Ginger) L. Murphy, Maryland State Conservationist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), today announced that NRCS will hold a meeting of the Maryland State Technical Committee on Friday, January 12, 2007, at 9:00 am. The meeting will be held at the NRCS State Office in the downstairs conference room, 339 Busch’s Frontage Road, Suite 205, Annapolis, Maryland 21409.

The State Technical Committee is meeting to discuss the fiscal year (FY) 2007 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program, specifically the opportunity for Maryland NRCS to have a state CIG component. The NRCS State Conservationist can allocate federal USDA Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) funds to implement a statewide component through CIG. The State Technical Committee will discuss ideas for a CIG proposal and provide a recommendation to the State Conservationist. The CIG program is designed to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies.

Over the past two years, Maryland conservation partners have received more than $4 million in CIG funds. Last year’s grant recipients included:

• Maryland Department of Agriculture $217, 231
  Grant to conduct a demonstration of alternative containment structures for stockpiling poultry litter
• Chesapeake Natives $160,435
  Grant to develop native seed as an alternative crop for soil conservation
• Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board $750,00
  Grant to offer incentives to use biofuel production to enhance water quality in Chesapeake Bay through expanded cover crop planting of hulless barley and then harvesting it as a feedstock for ethanol production
• Agflex Incorporated $683,567
  Grant to improve conservation and ag economics with water quality credit trading and the Best Management Practice Challenge
• Iowa Soybean Association $750,000
  Grant to assess multi-states outcomes based on nitrogen efficiency project for corn

NRCS administers the CIG program. For FY 2007, up to $20 million is available for the National CIG competition. Funds for single - or multi-year projects, not to exceed three years, will be awarded through a nationwide competitive grants process with applications accepted from all eligible government or non-government organizations or individuals.

There are three CIG categories available in FY 2007:

• Chesapeake Bay Watershed Category—up to $5 million available for proposals addressing one or more of the CIG natural resource concerns in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
• Natural Resource Concerns Category—up to $10 million available for proposals addressing one or more of the CIG natural resource concerns.
• Technology Category—up to $5 million available for proposals addressing one or more of the CIG technology categories.

Applications should describe the use of innovative technologies or approaches, or both, to address natural resource conservation concerns. CIG will fund projects targeting innovative on-the-ground conservation, including pilot projects and field demonstrations.

To view the Announcement of Program Funding or to apply visit: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/cig or http://www.grants.gov.

The primary role of the Maryland State Technical Committee, an advisory group, is to assist in the development of technical guidelines necessary to implement the conservation provisions in the 2002 Farm Bill. The NRCS Maryland State Conservationist chairs the committee. NRCS is USDA’s lead conservation agency and has worked hand-in-hand with farmers and landowners for more than 70 years to conserve natural resources on private lands.

Please contact Linda Elben-Adams at 443-482-2936 if you wish to participate in the meeting. She will forward an agenda and additional information prior to the meeting.

The public is invited to attend the meeting.

Directions to Maryland State Office.