By Jessica Domel
Multimedia Reporter

There are new opportunities for Texas farmers and ranchers who are interested in preserving and improving habitat for migratory birds and waterfowl.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is now accepting applications for funding through the Migratory Bird Resurgence Initiative.

“It’s an initiative under our Environmental Quality Incentives Program. The purpose of it is to provide technical and financial assistance to producers,” Charles Kneuper, state resource conservationist, said. “They’re going to be addressing resource concerns on ag and non-industrial forest lands. It’s aimed at preserving, protecting and improving habitat for migratory waterfowl, shorebirds and other avian species in the Prairie Pothole region and in key portions of the Pacific, Mississippi and Century flyways.”

Once a landowner enrolls in the initiative, they’ll work with NRCS to develop a plan designed to improve conditions for birds making their way through Texas.

“They may have a situation where they have adequate standing water, but they need food. We’re going to design that practice. So, we’re going to plant the food on site,” Kneuper said in an interview with the Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network. “If they have food plants, but we need to do something to get water to be standing, or to inundate the food somewhere, we’ll do different activities such as diking or anything that can help hold water in place so they have that shallow water.”

The initiative is voluntary. Five million dollars in funding is available for Texas.

There’s no minimum or maximum property size set for enrollment, but NRCS Texas is limited by the amount of funding available for the program.

“Dependent upon the practices and the intensity of which we have to apply those practices, it could create variations in the amount of acres that we can cover,” Kneuper said.

Interested landowners may apply at their local NRCS office.

“Not everyone will fit what this initiative is trying to do, but we have several other initiatives, several other programs, and we’re working with individuals to protect the land and protect the resources,” Kneuper said. “When we identify those resource concerns, we will develop alternatives, and we will find the program that best fits that individual.”

Applications for the initiative will be accepted year-round. However, for a landowner to be considered in the first round of funding, applications must be submitted by June 15.

Texans can find their local USDA service center here: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/conservation-by-state/texas/news/nrcs-texas-announces-new-and-additional-fy23.