Feds will help California farmers, ranchers pay for cleaner engines
Written on June 27, 2010
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service announced Friday that it is making $10 million available for farmers and ranchers — including those in Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado and Yolo counties — who want to reduce air quality emissions from off-road mobile or stationary agricultural sources.
The $10 million is on top of the more than $13 million made available earlier this year for agricultural air quality improvements through the 2008 Farm Bill’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program, a news release said.
Farmers and ranchers have to pay about half of the cost to swap out older engines for newer, more efficient ones that are nearly 75 percent cleaner, while the agency will pay for the rest. The program, for which 36 counties are eligible, includes stationary, portable and heavy-duty off-road mobile systems, the release said.
Filed in: legal.