SCCD announces cost-share assistance to benefit soil and water

The Sequoyah County Conservation District (SCCD) has announced that funds are available for cost-share assistance on selected conservation practices benefiting soil and water conservation. Oklahoma has provided limited funds to our conservation district to help landowners implement measures that protect soil and water resources.

The great advantage of the Conservation Cost-Share Program for Oklahoma is that it is a locally-led program, said Trey Lam, executive director of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission. Each local conservation district, with input from local residents and agricultural producers, selects which of the available conservation practices to provide assistance on, based on their local natural resource issues.

Conservation practices available for cost-share through the SCCD this year include new farm pond construction and brush management/weed control.

Cost-share assistance will be provided at the rate of 80% of the lesser of the county average or actual costs, not to exceed $3,500. There are some restrictions in the program. Applicants must be Ag producers and must have land registered through Farm Service Agency in Tahlequah. Funds cannot be allocated to land tracts of less than 20 acres. Landowners are limited to a $3,500 total maximum cost-share payment, regardless of the number of practices approved under Program Year 25.

The application period began on March 14 and will continue through April 14. Landowners may request an application by calling 918-775-6577 or via email at sequoyahccd@conservation.ok.gov.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service provides technical assistance for the program.

All programs and services of the SCCD are offered on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, gender, marital status or physical disability.