Posted January 16, 2015
Agriculture
Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that more than $370 million in Federal funding
as part of the new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Regional Conservation
Partnership Program (RCPP), according to a USDA release available here.
Farm Futures also published an article available here
and Huffington Post here.
RCPP will
benefit 115 projects across all 50 states including Puerto Rico. The program
will also leverage a total of up to $800 million in partner contributions to
improve the nation's water quality, support wildlife habitat, and enhance the
environment.
“This is
an entirely new approach to conservation efforts,” said Vilsack. “These
partnerships empower communities to set priorities and lead the way on
conservation efforts important for their region. They also encourage private
sector investment so we can make an impact that's well beyond what the Federal
government could accomplish on its own. We're giving private companies, local
communities, and other non-government partners a way to invest in a new era in
conservation that ultimately benefits us all. These efforts keep our land
resilient and water clean, and promote economic growth in agriculture,
construction, tourism, outdoor recreation, and other industries.”
Jason
Weller, chief of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, compared the
program to a venture capitalist model, according to Farm
Futures.
“RCPP puts
our partners in the driver's seat. Projects are led locally, and demonstrate
the value of strong public-private partnerships that deliver solutions to
natural resource challenges,” said Weller.
The
program will boost the rural economy, by supporting contractors and small
businesses, according to Huffington
Post.
"Some
of the largest investments our country will make for land and water
conservation are through the farm bill," said Sen. Debbie Stabenow, former chairwoman of the
Agriculture Committee.
For more information on farm bills, please visit the
National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
