Karen A. Woodrich, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Kansas State Conservationist, announced funding to help landowners improve restore, manage, and conserve habitat for Monarch Butterflies on agricultural and tribal lands. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and other partners have joined NRCS in a Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) to offer financial assistance to help agricultural producers increase milkweed and nectoring plants on agricultural land to improve habitat needs for Monarch Butterflies according to Woodrich.

NRCS is providing funding through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). There will be two fiscal year 2018 EQIP application evaluation periods for this RCPP project.

The first application evaluation period will be for applications received by December 21, 2018. The second application evaluation period will be for applications received by March 15, 2019.

Targeted areas where EQIP funds will be available for agricultural producers interested in implementing conservation practices include all counties in Kansas. Funding will go toward conservation improvement practices such as milkweed plantings, pollinator plantings, brush management, prescribed grazing, as well as others.

For more information, go to the Kansas NRCS website www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/programs or visit your local U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Service Center. To find a service center near you, go to offices.usda.gov. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.