June 5 is the deadline to apply for part of $500,000 in federal grant funding for projects that incorporate innovative conservation practices into agricultural production in the Pacific Islands area.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced the availability of Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) in April, stating that the projects "must be carried out in Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)."

"Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) is a competitive program that supports the development of new tools, approaches, practices, and technologies to further natural resource conservation on private lands," the USDA states on the program's webpage. "Through creative problem solving and innovation, CIG partners work to address our nation's water quality, air quality, soil health and wildlife habitat challenges, all while improving agricultural operations."

The CIG grants typically support field demonstrations, pilot projects and on-farm conservation research, according to the NRCS news release. Current priorities include soil health and quality, climate-smart ag and forestry, wildlife habitat, urban and small farms, and invasive species, the news release reports. 

Proposals must be more than $50,000 up to $150,000 and last one to three years, according to the release; and applicants typically must supply at least a 50-50 match. The release states also that for Fiscal Year 2023 awards, "at least 10% of the total funds available are set aside for proposals that entirely benefit historically underserved (HU) producers or entities representing those producers."

“The challenges that farmers and ranchers face require innovative solutions to support their continued ability to produce the food and fiber we all depend on,” J.B. Martin, NRCS Pacific Islands area director, said in the news release. “Climate change has led to more extreme weather and less available water for agriculture. 

"At the same time," he said, "we are seeing opportunities for growth. Urban farming has increased, along with an interest in local foods and resilient food systems. We’re eager to help our nation’s farmers and ranchers address these challenges and opportunities, and science and innovation will help get us there.”