NEWS

Farm Service Agency

Public Affairs Staff

1400 Independence Ave SW

Stop 0506, Room 3624-South

Washington, D.C. 20250-0506

USDA GRANTS $3.1 MILLION TO CONTINUE SOURCE WATER PROTECTION PROGRAM

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2005 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced a $3.1 million grant to the nonprofit National Rural Water Association (NRWA) for continuation of the Source Water Protection Program. This initiative educates agricultural producers in 33 states about measures they can take on their land to help prevent water pollution.

“These funds provide resources for voluntary pollution prevention that will help purify drinking water for residents in thousands of communities across the country,” said Mike Yost, associate administrator of USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). “The program is a part of USDA’s effort to protect water quality and conserve natural resources.”

Yost made the remarks during a ceremonial check presentation at the NRWA’s annual Rural Water Rally being held in Washington, D.C. The funds are in addition to $3.75 million provided through FSA in Fiscal Year 2003 and 2004.

NRWA is implementing the Source Water Protection Program, with oversight and assistance by FSA. Under the program, Rural Source Water Technicians hired by state rural water associations work with FSA county executive directors, state conservation specialists and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service to identify priority areas where local pollution prevention efforts are needed most. Technicians also train local citizen teams to develop Rural Source Water Protection plans to promote clean ground water in their states.

Rural Source Water Protection plans outline voluntary measures agricultural producers can execute on their lands to prevent source water pollution. Voluntary measures range from storing highly toxic substances – fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides and other chemicals in leak-proof containers - away from vulnerable water sources to relocating waste lagoons.

Source water is surface and ground water that is consumed by rural residents. According to the NRWA, ground water is the primary source of drinking water for some 44,000 communities in the United States.

The following 33 states are taking part in the Source Water Protection Program: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.