ND Department of Agriculture Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MAY 11, 2009

NEW ORGANIC INITIATIVE SIGNUP ANNOUNCED

BISMARCK – Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring and State Conservationist J.R. Flores say time is short for North Dakota organic producers to sign up for a new federal initiative aimed at increasing organic production.

“USDA has allocated $1.3 million in Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funds for North Dakota through the 2009 Organic Initiative,” said Flores, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) state conservationist.  “The initiative provides financial assistance for organic food producers to further enhance their natural resources.”

“The sign-up for the 2009 Organic Initiative program ends May 29,” Goehring said, emphasizing that producers need to contact their local NRCS office for more information and application materials.”

Goehring said the program is open both to currently certified organic producers, as well as producers who are transitioning to organic agriculture.

EQIP is a voluntary conservation program that promotes agricultural production and environmental quality by providing participants with financial and technical help to install or implement structural and management practices.

Under the organic initiative, eligible practices include conservation crop rotation; cover crop; nutrient management; pest management; prescribed grazing; and forage harvest management. States must consider using any appropriate practice that meets the resource concern on a particular operation.

Once all the applications have been received, they will be ranked on their effectiveness in meeting EQIP objectives and funded accordingly.

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MEDIA: For more information, please call Ted Quanrud at (701) 328-2233 or tquanrud@nd.gov or Patrice Lahlum at (701) 239-7210 or plahlum@nd.gov or Arlene Deutscher at (701)-530-2099.