USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will invest an additional $21 million to help farmers and ranchers in eight drought-stricken states.

NRCS will provide technical and financial assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to target areas that are experiencing either exceptional or extreme drought conditions, including parts of California, Kansas, Idaho, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, and Utah. The EQIP funding will allow NRCS to help producers apply selected conservation practices to better deal with the effects of drought in their operations, including prescribed grazing, livestock watering facilities, cover crops, nutrient management, irrigation systems, and other water conservation practices.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and NRCS Chief Jason Weller announced details of the funding during a press call on Monday. [wpaudio url=”http://www.zimmcomm.biz/usda/usda-nrcs-drought.mp3″ text=”USDA-NRCS Drought Aid investment”]