TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The United States Department of Agriculture is now taking applications from Florida farmers and ranchers in the Apalachicola River watershed for a conservation partnership program.
The Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Rivers Conservation Partnership Project aims to improve water quality and quantity through projects like installing fencing, central pivots, sprinkler retro-fits and more.
$4 million have been allocated for the efforts.
One Apalachicola farmer says opportunities like these not only help conservation efforts, but are very beneficial to those who are eligible, giving them access to tools they might not otherwise have.
"In the past we've been able to capitalize on the efficiency of technologies with the cost share," explains Jeffery C. Pittman, owner and operator of Jeff & Ginger Pittman Farm. "Without these programs in place we would eventually probably take advantage of this technology that's available but we wouldn't be able to implement it on the farm as fast as we do with the cost share being involved."
Eligible farmers and ranchers in Jackson, Calhoun and parts of Liberty, Franklin and Gadsden counties can apply for funding until December 18, 2015.
