USDA official: $2M for Mont. conservation projects

HELENA, Mont. - Up to $2 million will be available to farmers and ranchers in certain Montana counties for conservation projects that address forest health improvement and control of salt cedar and Russian olive growth, U.S. Agriculture Undersecretary Mark Rey said Friday. Applications for the funding, available through the Natural Resources Conservation Service, will be accepted from July 28-Aug. 8. "These additional funds will assist farmers and ranchers in solving critical natural resource problems," Rey said. "Voluntary incentive-based programs like this help producers meet their conservation goals and provide important public benefits such as cleaner water, improved air quality, healthier soils, and more abundant wildlife." Up to half of the available funding will go toward cost-share initiatives aimed at improving... [read full story]