Grant Opportunity
jgiuntoli November 14th, 2008
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 10 is continuing a small-grant program in Fiscal Year 2006 to help implement the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) and support “transition” efforts by growers.
The RFP is available online here. Approximately $180,000 is available for funding this year. Proposals are due by Close of Business, Friday, January 16, 2009. Decisions will be made by February 20, 2009. Projects must be completed by April 30, 2010.
The program supports innovative efforts that enable growers to reduce their reliance on pesticides reviewed under FQPA while maintaining or enhancing their present income. The program is administered by American Farmland Trust’s Center for Agriculture in the Environment through a cooperative agreement with EPA.
The EPA is looking for projects that focus on results or actual on-the-ground changes, rather than activities. Each award will be up to $70,000. This year they are especially encouraging projects or project planning efforts that address ecologically and economically sound alternative control tactics to replace
- Azinphosmethyl (AZM) on pome fruit
- Carbofuran, particularly on spinach seed
- FQPA-targeted soil fumigants (this may include mitigation practices to reduce volatile off-gassing)