Funding available for organic farmers

Financial assistance now is available for organic farmers and those transitioning to be organic through the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Organic Initiative. Application deadline is Dec. 21.

If more money becomes available, a second signup period may be held with the cut-off of Feb. 15, 2013.

Conservation practices offer environmental benefits important to organic growers. For example, those practices include planting cover crops, establishing pest management plans, constructing seasonal high tunnels or managing nutrients consistent with organic certification standards.

“The...