COLUMBUS — Farmers in the Western Lake Erie Basin have another opportunity to obtain conservation financial assistance. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting applications until Jan. 20, 2017 for funding through the Tri-State Western Lake Erie Basin Phosphorus Reduction Initiative.

The initiative is a partnership between NRCS and public, private, and non-profit organizations to protect water quality in the basin that includes portions of Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan. Financial assistance is available for Ohio livestock farmers to install nutrient management practices that allow for proper storage, timing, and placement of nutrients that will help livestock producers comply with Ohio’s new nutrient management laws.

The Ohio portion of the Western Lake Erie Basin includes parts of Allen, Ashland, Auglaize, Crawford, Defiance, Erie, Fulton, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Huron, Lorain, Lucas, Marion, Mercer, Ottawa, Paulding, Putnam, Richland, Sandusky, Seneca, Shelby, Van Wert, Williams, Wood, and Wyandot Counties.

The Tri-State Western Lake Erie Basin Phosphorus Reduction Initiative is part of the NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) and is working to promote conservation to landowners and monitor the impact of conservation practices installed as part of the project.

Applications should be submitted at local USDA Service Centers. Applications received by Jan. 20 will be considered for fiscal year 2017 funding. Farmers are encouraged to begin the application process as soon as possible.

For more information about conservation financial assistance available through the RCPP Tri-State Western Lake Erie Basin Phosphorus Reduction Initiative, visit the NRCS Ohio website and RCPP signup documentation page.