Several weeks ago a press release posted on this list included the
following:
*There has been some support for organic agriculture in the United
*States. In Iowa, for example, a state-level program supports organic
*farming through the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP)
*that provides targeted financial incentives to farmers. Administered by
*the U.S. Department of Agriculture, EQIP is designed to promote
*adoption of particular conservation management practices. EQIP is a
*federal-state cost-share program in which states designate a list of
*conservation management practices. If EQIP funding is increased and
*other state legislatures list certified organic production as a
*conservation practice, EQIP could play a significant role in increasing
*the number of acres farmed organically in the U.S.
Can anyone provide additional information about the process through which
EQIP funds are used to support organic production in Iowa ? I know that
the
focus in MD is to use EQIP money to promote adoption of buffer
strips. How flexible is the USDA's EQIP program ? Is it administered
completely by state officials ? Are any states other than Iowa using EQIP
money to specifically support organic production ? Can any one comment on
other innovative uses of USDA subsidy programs to support adoption of
"sustainable" management practices ?
Joel Gruver
Agroecology instructor
Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment
Tufts University
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