Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced USDA and partners across the nation will direct up to $720 million towards 84 conservation projects that will help communities improve water quality, combat drought, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat and protect agricultural viability. These projects make up the second round of the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) created by the 2014 Farm Bill.

Out of the 84 projects, Nebraska was one of the top recipients in the nation, receiving approval for six projects totaling over $22 million.

NEBRASKA CONSERVATION: The three projects focused solely in Nebraska were approved for over $3 million to improve irrigation water management, create wildlife habitat and reduce soil erosion on cropland. Nebraska is also part of three multi-state RCPP projects, which are funded at over $19 million.

Project focus areas
The three projects focused solely in Nebraska were approved for over $3 million to improve irrigation water management, create wildlife habitat and reduce soil erosion on cropland. The lead partners involved with these projects include the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and the Lower Elkhorn and Lower Republican Natural Resources Districts.

"Nebraska's conservation partnership is tailor-made to take full advantage of the RCPP," said NRCS State Conservationist Craig Derickson. "We put out a call for innovative projects, and our partners answered with creative, locally-led approaches to address natural resource challenges. NRCS has a long, successful history working with Natural Resources Districts and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. We look forward to working with these partners to help protect Nebraska's natural resources."

Nebraska is also part of three multi-state RCPP projects, which are funded at over $19 million to focus on improving habitat for pollinators, mitigating the impacts of climate change on Tribal land, and improving and protecting water quality. Partners in those projects include Pheasants Forever, the Intertribal Agriculture Council, and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

Water quality and drought are dominant themes in this year's RCPP project list with 45 of the 84 projects focusing on water resource concerns. The projects in Nebraska focus on water quantity, water quality, soil erosion prevention and habitat creation.

Over $500,000 invested
Through the 2015 and 2016 rounds, USDA and partners are investing up to $1.5 billion in 199 strategic conservation projects. Projects are selected on a competitive basis, and local private partners must be able to at least match the USDA commitment.

For this round, USDA received 265 applications requesting nearly $900 million, or four times the amount of available federal funding. The 84 projects selected for 2016 include proposed partner matches totaling over $500 million, more than tripling the federal investment alone. Visit the NRCS website to see the full list of 2016 projects.

"The Regional Conservation Partnership Program puts local partners in the driver's seat to accomplish environmental goals that are most meaningful to that community," said Secretary Vilsack. "Joining together public and private resources also harnesses innovation that neither sector could implement alone. We have seen record enrollment of privately owned lands in USDA's conservation programs under this Administration, and the new Regional Conservation Partnership Program will be instrumental in building on those numbers and demonstrating that government and private entities can work together for greater impacts on America's communities."

Source: Nebraska NRCS