Air Quality Results from New Farm Bill Program: USDA NRCS and Agricultural Groups to Share Results

FRESNO, Calif., Oct. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being issued by USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service:

WHAT:  Results have been tabulated from the first two years of a new air quality program, made available in the 2008 Farm Bill, for farmers in 36 California counties. The results will be announced on a participating farm near Fresno, Calif. A tour will continue on a second Fresno-area farm.

The program, administered by USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) splits the cost of replacing the oldest (and typically most polluting) diesel engines on the farms with the latest technology machinery that decreases nitrous oxide (ozone precursor) emissions by almost 75 percent.

WHO:  The announcement will be made by Dave White, Chief of the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Chief White will make the announcement on a participating local farm, joined by agricultural leaders and the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control Board.  

WHERE:  The announcement will be held on a participating farm within a 20-minute drive of Fresno. An optional trip to a second farm is available to see more conservation practices. For a map, contact Anita Brown at 530-792-5644 or Rob Roy at 559-252-2191.

WHEN:  Events will begin at 1:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 25, 2010.

WHY:  NRCS and farmers are partnering on ways that agriculture can contribute to air quality improvement. The new program being discussed focuses on using cleaner combustion engines and thereby reducing nitrous oxides which lead to ozone.

Farmers and NRCS are also partnering on other on-farm air quality conservation practices to make improvements in NOx_, PM10 and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

--NRCS--

SOURCE USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service