New Jersey NRCS Awards $150,000 for Conservation Innovation Grants

Tony Kramer, State Conservationist for USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), announced today that North Jersey Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) and the Cook College Equine Science Center at Rutgers University have been awarded the 2005 New Jersey Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG).

North Jersey RC&D will receive $75,000 to implement their proposal “River Friendly Farms.”  This project is designed to provide recognition for farmers who assess the potential water quality impacts of their existing operation, and implement best management practices on their farms to reduce any negative impacts or enhance positive impacts.  The project will focus on the Neshanic River watershed, an intensely farmed area of Hunterdon and Somerset counties that is part of the Raritan River basin and water supply for thousands of New Jersey residents.

The Cook College Equine Science Center at Rutgers University will receive $75,000 to implement various grazing land and barnyard area conservation practices at the Equine Science Center located at the Cook Campus.  The grant will also fund educational workshops, seminars, and fact sheets that will demonstrate how the implementation and management of these practices on the typical equine or small animal farm can improve water quality as well as herd health.  As part of the grant, Rutgers will be reaching out to most of the 7,600 small livestock producers in New Jersey who may not be aware of the types of programs and services that NRCS and USDA can provide.

New Jersey and twelve other states were selected to receive funds for the 2005 statewide grant competition to fund projects targeting innovative on-the-ground conservation, including pilot projects and field demonstrations that focus on water resources, soil resources, atmospheric resources, grazing land and forest health, or wildlife habitat.  The 2002 Farm Bill established the Conservation Innovation Grants as part of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program.  The program offers a national competition and statewide competition in selected states.  Further details on these projects and other grant opportunities are available at www.nj.nrcs.usda.gov.

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