Focus on Ag: $3M in aid for organic practices

By John Holland
jholland@modbee.com

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A new federal program offers help for organic farmers and for growers who hope to adopt the practices. The Natural Resources Conservation Service will provide $3 million in financial and technical assistance in California. A farmer can get up to $20,000 per year or up to $80,000 over six years.

The money will pay part of the cost of practices such as crop rotation, cover crops and pest management. The application deadline is May 29 for funding in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, but farmers can apply after the deadline for future years.

More information is at www.ams.usda.gov/nop and at conservation service offices: 491-9320 for Stanislaus and Tuolumne counties, 472-7127 for San Joaquin and Calaveras counties, and 722-4119 for Merced and Mariposa counties.

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A seminar Wednesday in Merced will provide information on preventing heat illness for farm laborers and other outdoor workers. The event, in English and Spanish, will be from 5 to 7 p.m. at Mercy Merced Medical Center, 301 E. 13th St.

The topics will include providing drinking water, allowing rest periods and making sure workers are acclimated to the heat.

The seminar is sponsored by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, McCarthy Building Cos. Inc. and other businesses.

To submit items about agribusiness, call 578-2385, send a fax to 578-2207, or send an e-mail to jholland@modbee.com.