The farm bill includes a new conservation program which may revolutionize the way soil and water conservation programs are conducted. U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says the Regional Conservation Partnership Program will look at projects on a collaborative basis with other groups and companies who will nearly match the $1.2 billion of federal money allocated for the next five years. It will target eight areas of the country including the Mississippi River Basin and the Red River Basin of the North.
Vilsack says an aggressive and progressive conservation effort is critical to continued gains in food production and rural economies.
He says the regional conservation projects will be put out for competitive bids this summer with funds awarded by mid-October.