By now you know Aquarius Farm Controls helps conserve resources, like time, energy and water. It fulfills our desire to make this world a little better for our children. You should also know that the government offers incentives to invest in technologies and improvements for your farm that deal with conservation. The people at Aquarius designed the software to generate reports for submission to government agencies, and we can also assist you with acquiring funding from those programs to help pay for the equipment.
See below for a list of government programs that offer subsidies that may cover all or part of the upfront cost of the Aquarius system.
Farm Bill Program Incentives:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) offers several programs that assist in the purchase, installation and use of technology . These programs provide funding for producers interested in adopting Advanced Irrigation Water Management (AIWM) systems. To apply for Conservation funding, visit your local NRCS field office, in your local USDA Service Center. Step-by-step assistance can be found at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/getstarted.
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary conservation program that helps agricultural producers in a manner that promotes production and environmental quality as compatible goals. Through EQIP, agricultural producers receive financial and technical assistance to implement structural and management conservation practices that optimize environmental benefits on working agricultural land.
Practices / Components to inquire about:
- 443/ Irrigation System, Surface and Subsurface Surge Valve & Controller
- 449/ Irrigation Water Management Advanced, Intermediate and Basic IWM
- 449/ Irrigation Water Management IWM Device w. Telemetry_YR1
- 449/ Irrigation Water Management HU-IWM Device_YR1
- 449/ Irrigation Water Management Rice Intermittent Flood All Season (AWD)
- 533/ Pumping Plant Advanced, Intermediate and Basic Pump Automation
- 533/ Pumping Plant Photovoltaic-Powered Pump
- 533/ Pumping Plant Variable Frequency Drive
- 587/ Structure for Water Control Flow Meter with Electronic Index & Telemetry
Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) builds on your existing conservation efforts while strengthening your operation. Whether it is grazing conditions, increasing crop yields, or developing wildlife habitat, a custom designed CSP plan can help meet those goals. If you are already taking steps to improve the condition of the land, chances are CSP can help you find new ways to meet your goals. Aquarius Farm Controls products provide advanced technology for producers, with emphasis on efficiently applying available water and maintaining the water quality.
Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)
The Rice Stewardship Partnership composed of Ducks Unlimited and the USA Rice Federation, will assist rice producers to address water quantity, water quality, and wildlife habitat across 320,000 acres in Mississippi, Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Missouri and Texas. Aquarius Farm Controls are important tools for rice producers looking to enhance their water management system through the Rice Stewardship Partnership, which offers payments to producers under the same guidelines as EQIP and CSP. Our system supports alternate wetting and drying (AWD) to save irrigation water, capture more rainfall and save money with reduced pumping. Some reports indicate this practice even increases yields over continuous flooding.