The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is offering up to three years of financial incentives through its Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) to almond and walnut growers who adopt harvest equipment shown to reduce particulate matter (dust).
Eligible equipment is limited to specific harvesters proven through peer-reviewed demonstration trials at Texas A&M to reduce particulate matter by at least 30%. Trials were supported by a USDA NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) and the San Joaquin Valley Air District, and build on years of Almond Board-funded research on reducing dust emissions at harvest. The Almond Hullers & Processors Association worked closely with NRCS to develop this funding opportunity.
Growers may receive $10.52 per acre for up to three years for use of qualified harvesters. Check with your equipment dealer for information on specific models of harvesters currently covered by the program. More information about the program is available at local NRCS offices.
Growers can find their nearest NRCS office by visiting the Almond Board’s Industry Resource Map and filtering for the category “NRCS.”
Applications for the EQIP California Air Quality Initiative program are accepted year-round through local NRCS offices and are approved according to five yearly funding cycles. However, growers interested in this opportunity with an eye toward this year’s harvest should contact their local NRCS office as soon as possible.
Listen to a recent Almond Update with NRCS’s Johnnie Sileznoff as he talks about the application process.
Staying current on the latest California Almonds news and tips is easy with Almond Board’s Almond Update, which airs every Thursday. Tune in to your local radio station each week and listen to the Specialty Crop News, or look for the Almond Update logo on the AgNet West website to learn more about the latest in the almond industry.
