New York State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF-Sag Harbor) announced the availability of $11 million to protect soil and water resources through the Agricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Program. These grants will assist farmers in implementing the best management practices to address water quality challenges in priority watersheds throughout New York State.

The Agricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Program is funded through the New York State Environmental Protection Fund. Grants will be awarded to County Soil and Water Conservation Districts for environmental planning or to implement best management practices such as agricultural waste storage systems, riparian buffer systems, conservation cover crops and structural soil conservation practices. The program is administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and the New York State Soil and Water Conservation Committee.

County Soil and Water Conservation Districts can now apply for the AgNPS Program through the Department of Agriculture and Markets website at: http://www.agriculture.ny.gov/RFPS.html. All appropriate materials must be submitted through the New York State Soil and Water Conservation Committee Sharepoint website by April 1, 2016.

For additional details about this program and other natural resource protection programs, please contact the local Suffolk County Soil and Water Conservation District at (631) 852-3286.