Greetings to all our customers, partners and staff. As you can see from our newsletter stories, we have received a significant increase in funding for our conservation programs through the Inflation Reduction Act and the Farm Bill, and we encourage interested Rhode Islanders to apply for assistance today. We are thankful for this increased assistance that we can provide you.
During November we observe Native American Heritage Month. This is an opportunity to celebrate the rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories of Native Americans, and to reflect on this year’s theme of “Indigenous Foods: The Intersection Between Land, Food, and Culture.”
This theme speaks directly to the work tribal communities are doing to reclaim their indigenous foods and traditional food systems. It’s important for us to recognize the many contributions tribes have made over the course of our country’s history – and the contributions that are still to come.
During this Holiday season, please consider that harvest ceremonies and festivals have been an integral part of Native American lifeways for thousands of years. The Wampanoag, Narragansett, Pequot, and other native peoples practiced daily and seasonal traditions of giving thanks long before their encounter with English settlers and the formation of Thanksgiving as a national holiday. The Smithsonian Institution offers an enlightening and informative discussion on Rethinking Thanksgiving Celebrations: the Native Perspective.
Finally, I will be on leave from November 17, 2023, through January 5, 2024. During my absence, Walter Marshall, ASTC for Management & Strategy, will be Acting State Conservationist. If you have any questions or need anything please work with Walter.
Have a Happy Holiday season, I will see you in the new year!
R. Phou “Pooh” Vongkhamdy
NRCS Rhode Island State Conservationist
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Attention RI farmers and forest landowners! Do you want to:
- Improve your farm or forest health?
- Improve wildlife habitat on your land?
- Have cleaner air & water?
- Start an urban farm?
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Rhode Island has funding to help Ocean State farmers and forest landowners implement Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry Mitigation Activities through our Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). This Inflation Reduction Act funding is the largest climate and conservation investment in history!
We offer a variety of practices like cover crops, tree planting, composting facilities, pasture & hay planting, wildlife habitat planting, efficient irrigation systems and more! Sign up by Dec. 15 for our Climate-Smart Ag & Forestry Conservation Programs. Learn more...
NRCS is raising Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) minimum annual payments to RI farmers & forest landowners from $1,500 to $4,000 for new CSP contracts to improve program equity for smaller operations. The increase will address inflation and other challenges faced by small scale, underserved, and urban farmers and improve equity in the program by making participation more financially beneficial for smaller operations.
CSP offers technical and financial assistance to help farmers and forest landowners take their conservation efforts to the next level. The program compensates agricultural and forest producers who agree to increase their level of conservation by adopting additional conservation activities and maintaining their baseline level of conservation. The new minimum payment amount will be available for new CSP applications in Rhode Island, which will be accepted until December 15, 2023, for the first round of fiscal year 2024 funding. Learn more...
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NRCS has expanded its combustion system improvement practice to help Rhode Island farmers and forest landowners to replace old high-emitting diesel engine tractors and other mobile on-farm equipment (loaders, forklifts, motor graders and backhoes) with new cleaner-burning or electric equipment.
Financial assistance is also available to help farmers and forest landowners replace other higher-emitting combustion devices, like irrigation engines, boilers, heaters, and orchard/vineyard frost protection equipment with cleaner-burning or non-burning alternatives.
The combustion system improvement practice (Conservation Practice Standard 372) offered by NRCS is one of the many conservation practices available to farmers through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). The amount of financial assistance available for the combustion system improvement practice is dependent upon the type of equipment being replaced and what it is being replaced with (i.e., new cleaner diesel or electric). In order to receive assistance, those using the practice are required to document the destruction and proper disposal of their existing equipment being replaced to prevent the old units from continued operation, reuse or movement into another locale.
Apply by December 15, 2023, to be eligible for the first round of fiscal year 2024 funding.. Learn more...
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USDA and NRCS are inviting urban farmers, innovative producers, and other stakeholders to virtually attend a public meeting of the Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production on November 29 from 1:00-3:00 pm. Learn more and register...
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced two tribal higher education opportunities to train the next generation of agricultural professionals and strengthen ties with tribal higher education institutions. The USDA 1994 Tribal Scholars Program offers a fast-track career path with USDA, and the Terra Preta do Indio Tribal Faculty Fellowship engages tribal college faculty with USDA resources and research. These programs reflect USDA’s commitment to advance equity and remove barriers to service for tribal nations and encourage tribal workforce development. Today’s announcement also marks the 29th anniversary of the day legislation was signed to give tribal colleges land-grant status. Please also share widely! Read the full USDA Announcement >
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December 1, 2023, 1:00-2:00 PM. ERICD Conservation Farm Tour, Cloverbud Ranch, 497 Jepson Lane, Middletown, RI. FREE event, RSVP here.
December 4, 2023, 6:00 PM. ERICD Financial & Technical Assistance for Farmers Info Session, Tiverton Library, 34 Roosevelt Ave., Tiverton, RI. RSVP here.
December 6, 2023, 7:00PM. RIRC&D Virtual Holiday Get-Together. Register with RIRC&D at 401-500-0399 or rircd2283@gmail.com.
December 9, 2023, 10:00AM-12:00PM. SRICD Climate-Smart Forestry Tour. Register with SRICD at https://forms.gle/iWeH6eoTg97GQEYQA.
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