PORTLAND — As drought conditions deepen across the West, farmers and ranchers in four states can apply for $41.8 million in federal aid to preserve the health of their working lands.

Funding is available in Oregon, California, Colorado and Arizona through the USDA Environmental Quality Incentives Program, which helps producers pay for conservation projects to protect natural resources and improve drought resilience.

Applications are due July 12.

EQIP is the agency’s flagship conservation program, administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Projects may include air and water quality, soil health, protecting wildlife habitat and wildfire prevention and recovery.

The $41.8 million in targeted funding will be offered through Conservation Incentive Contracts, a new EQIP option created in the 2018 Farm Bill to address high-priority conservation and natural resources concerns — including drought.

Contracts run from 5 to 10 years, with producers sharing the cost to implement conservation practices, such as forest stand improvement, brush management, prescribed grazing, pasture and hay planting, livestock watering systems and cover crops.

NRCS announced it is setting aside $11.8 million directly for drought mitigation.

“As ongoing drought conditions in Oregon continue to worsen, we knew we needed to increase our support to farmers and ranchers dealing with drought and prepare for the challenges of tomorrow,” said Ron Alvarado, NRCS state conservationist in Oregon.

Alvarado said the Conservation Incentive Contracts will strengthen producers’ existing efforts to protect their land during times of extreme drought.

While the contracts are only available now in a few select states, NRCS says it will roll out the program nationwide in fiscal year 2022.

For more information about EQIP, or to apply for funding through Conservation Incentive Contracts, visit www.nrcs.usda.org.