The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service is seeking landowners that are having resource concerns (soil erosion, overgrazed pastures, water quality, etc.), wanting to improve existing conservation efforts, or wanting to establish or enhance wildlife habitat on their property.
New conservation practices that are available include: cover crops to increase organic matter and reduce soil erosion on cropland and seasonal high tunnel hoop house to extend the growing season of vegetable crops and decrease pesticide use.
Financial assistance may be available for eligible landowners or operators through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), or through the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) to help participants develop and enhance fish and wildlife habitat on private agricultural land, private nonindustrial forest land, and/or Indian land.
EQIP and WHIP applications are accepted on a continuous signup basis and the application deadline for this year is Dec. 15, 2011.
To apply for these programs, or to find out more information on these programs and to determine eligibility, please stop by the USDA service center located at 647 Bright Hill Rd., Smithville,  or feel free to call at 615-597-8226 Ext. 3
More information about NRCS programs is available at the following link:
http://www.tn.nrcs.usda.gov/
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).
To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.